[ad_1]
A Taiwanese fighter (left) flew near China’s H6-K bomber over the Taiwan Strait – Photo: AP
A few days after China’s “manipulation” movements, a group of aircraft carriers consisting of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and its destroyers entered the South China Sea through the Strait of Three.
US-based CNN reports that hopes of improving US-China relations under Biden were quickly dashed by the events of last week in the Taiwan Strait.
Find the “red line” from America
According to the Taiwan Defense Agency, on two consecutive days January 23 and 24, China sent a total of 28 aircraft of all kinds to penetrate south of the “air defense identification zone” (ADIZ) through Taipei. Among these are eight H-6K bombers and J-16, J-10 and Su-30 fighters, which are the most modern aircraft in Chinese service.
The US news agency AP called this “a rare show of force” by Beijing. Chinese military aircraft intrusions take place almost every day thereafter, but the number of aircraft is less than two days.
Carl Schuster, a former US Indo-Pacific Command official, was not surprised by China’s moves and said it was part of an effort to define the US Biden administration’s “red line” on Taiwan affairs.
Tiehlin Yen, deputy director of the Taiwan Security Research Center, believes that China is seeking new negotiation chips with the Biden government, and even warned Washington if it intends to further strengthen ties with North station.
Some Western media reported that China’s move in the Taiwan Straits was in response to the United States inviting Ms. Xiao My Cam, the representative of the Taipei government to the United States, to attend President Biden’s inauguration. This statement is somewhat correct but not profound enough, because there are many indications that Beijing has been preparing a “test” for the United States for a long time.
Just before Biden’s inauguration, senior officials in Beijing met on January 17 and 18 to discuss policy with Taiwan.
The chairman of the People’s Political Consultative Conference of China, who is also the fourth-most powerful figure in the Standing Committee of the Chinese Politburo, Mr. Uong Duong, made a remarkable statement: “China will not allow any person or force to separate Taiwan from China either way. ”
That is an obvious allusion to the United States.
More worryingly, according to Japan’s Nikkei Asia, the phrase “peaceful unification” with Taiwan is not mentioned in all post-meeting documents. “Eliminating that phrase, of course, implies another possibility: unification by force,” said Nikkei Asia.
The United States Has a “Firm Commitment” to Taiwan
According to Mr. Schuster, “China’s next steps could include major exercises near the island of Taiwan or in the South China Sea. New effect.”
These moves may put pressure on the region as early as 2021, but Beijing appears to have achieved the purpose of a “test” of the US response.
Seeing the group of US carriers entering the South China Sea as a response from Washington is very reluctant. Activities of this type are often scheduled long before Mr. Biden takes office. If this factor is excluded, the Biden administration has almost no action to respond to China on the ground.
All responses were expressed by the statement of the State Department and the last one was that of the United States Department of Defense on January 28. While the Pentagon promised to continue with its obligations to Taiwan, the US State Department stressed that Washington’s commitments to Taipei are “very firm.”
“We will honor the commitments that we have had a long time ago and that are described in the Law of Relations with Taiwan, 3 joint declarations with China and 6 guarantees to Taiwan,” said the Pentagon.
The mention of the Taiwan Relations Law and the “6 guarantees” is a two-tier message, in which the message of reassurance is sent to Taipei, while the rest goes to Beijing.
Nikkei Asia pen Katsuji Nakazawa commented that the Biden administration is taking a tougher approach than the Barack Obama administration in Taiwan, but more flexible than the Donald Trump administration.
This approach may be immediate, as President Biden must focus on resolving the COVID-19 pandemic and restoring the US economy.
What are “guaranteed 6”, “3 general release”?
In 1982, “6 warranties” were made, but only declassified, announced in August 2020.
In which, Washington agrees to (i) not set a date for the sale of arms to Taiwan; (ii) Failure to consult with China on the sale of arms to Taiwan; (iii) the United States does not play a mediating role between China and Taiwan; (iv) The United States will not withdraw or modify the Taiwan Relations Act; (v) Do not pressure Taiwan to start negotiations with China; (vi) The United States did not change its position on sovereignty over Taiwan.
“Three Joint Declarations on Taiwan” are three documents signed by the United States and China respectively in 1972, 1979 and 1982. This is the basis for the two parties to normalize relations, in which the United States recognizes the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the “one China” principle.
