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Tag: Taiwan independence

  • China’s protection chief warns Beijing would ‘fight to the end’ to cease Taiwan’s independence

    The “pursuit of Taiwan independence is a dead end,” China’s Defense Minister Wei Fenghe informed the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, on Sunday.

    He mentioned China would do something in its energy to cease Taiwanese independence amid hovering tensions with the United States over the difficulty.

    “If anyone dares to secede Taiwan from China, we will not hesitate to fight. We will fight at all costs, and we definitely will fight to the very end. This is the only choice for China,” Wei warned.

    His assertion comes a day after US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin criticized China for a “more coercive and aggressive approach to its territorial claims.”

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    “We’ve witnessed a steady increase in provocative and destabilizing military activity near Taiwan, and that includes PLA [Chinese military] aircraft flying near Taiwan in record numbers in recent months and nearly on a daily basis,” Austin mentioned on the identical convention in Singapore.

    China says it received’t be backed right into a nook by the United States

    Wei urged Washington to “stop smearing and containing China… stop interfering in China’s internal affairs and stop harming China’s interests”.

    He mentioned China-US relations have been at a essential and essential juncture. “Confrontation will benefit neither our two countries nor the world,” Wei added.

    Wei advised the US looking for multilateral partnerships with Indo-Pacific nations was an try to again China right into a nook.

    “No country should impose its will on others or bully others under the guise of multilateralism,” he mentioned.

    But he additionally struck a extra conciliatory tone at factors, calling for a “stable” China-US relationship, which he mentioned was “vital for global peace.”

    US-China tensions over Taiwan

    Tensions over Taiwan have escalated particularly resulting from growing Chinese army plane incursions into the island’s Air Defense Identification Zone.

    Taiwan and China break up throughout a civil conflict in 1949, however China considers it a renegade province to be reunited with the mainland.

    Austin on Saturday additionally mentioned Washington remained dedicated to the “one-China policy,” by which the US solely formally acknowledges Beijing, however maintains casual relations and protection ties with Taipei.

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    Wei nonetheless mentioned the US was not adhering to its coverage, saying “it keeps playing the Taiwan card against China.”

    He mentioned China’s “greatest wish” was “peaceful reunification” with Taiwan

    Austin mentioned the US stands “firmly behind the principle that cross-strait differences must be resolved by peaceful means,” but in addition that the US would proceed to satisfy its commitments to Taiwan.

    “That includes assisting Taiwan in maintaining sufficient self-defense capacity,” he mentioned.

  • China downgrades ties with Lithuania after Taiwan opens de facto embassy

    Furious over Lithuania for allowing Taiwan to open a consultant workplace, China on Sunday downgraded diplomatic ties with it to the extent of cost d’affaires, a transfer that would additional injury Beijing’s relations with the European Union, because the tiny Baltic nation with lower than three million inhabitants is an influential member of the bloc.
    “There is only one China in the world and the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China,” the international ministry mentioned in an announcement.
    The one-China precept is an amazing consensus of the worldwide group, a widely-recognised norm governing worldwide relations, and the political basis for China and Lithuania to develop bilateral ties, it mentioned.
    “Regrettably, Lithuania has chosen to ignore China’s solemn position and to disregard the broader interests of bilateral ties and the basic norms governing international relations. It has allowed the establishment in Lithuania of the ‘Representative Office’ bearing the name of Taiwan, thus creating an egregious precedent in the world,” the assertion mentioned.
    “The Chinese government, out of the need to safeguard national sovereignty and basic norms governing international relations, has no choice but to downgrade its diplomatic relations with Lithuania to the charge d’affaires level. The Lithuanian government must bear all the ensuing consequences,” it mentioned.
    Charge d’affaires in diplomatic parlance means the embassy might be headed by the chief of mission within the absence of the ambassador. China has already recalled its envoy from Lithuania’s capital Vilnius.
    “The downgrade means a serious setback in China-Lithuania diplomatic relations, as charge d’affaires does not have full authority compared with ambassadors. It indicates that the power of diplomats in both countries will be greatly limited and affected,” Cui Hongjian, director of the Department of European Studies on the China Institute of International Studies, instructed the the Global Times.
    An identical determination could possibly be traced again to as early as on May 5, 1981, when China downgraded the bilateral diplomatic ties to the cost d’affaires degree with the Dutch authorities after the Netherlands authorized the sale of a submarine to Taiwan.
    Observers say China apprehends that Lithuania’s transfer may immediate different EU and smaller nations to resort to related motion.
    At the identical time, Beijing additionally warned Taiwan.
    “We also have this stern warning for the Taiwan authorities: Taiwan is never a country. No matter how ‘Taiwan independence’ forces try to misrepresent facts and confound black and white, the historical fact that the mainland and Taiwan belong to one and the same China cannot be changed. Attempts to seek foreign support for political manipulation will prove a dead end,” the assertion mentioned.
    A view of Gediminas road in Vilnius, Lithuania May 19, 2018. (Reuters)
    China, which claims Taiwan as a part of the mainland and ratcheted up tensions by sending over 200 navy planes into Taiwan’s Air Identification Defence Zone (ADIZ) in current weeks, is at loggerheads with Lithuania since the previous couple of months over its determination to allow Taiwan to open its Representative Office.
    Beijing had recalled its ambassador from Vilnius in August and likewise requested Lithuania to recall its envoy from China.
    However, undaunted, Lithuania went forward and permitted the opening of the Taiwan Representative Office, thought to be a de facto embassy, prompting Beijing to warn Vilnius of significant penalties.
    “The Lithuanian side shall be responsible for all the ensuing consequences” and it “shall reap what it sows”, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian warned on Friday final.
    It all started in May when Lithuania withdrew from the Beijing-led 17+1 cooperation platform with central and japanese European states, calling it “divisive”.
    As it equipped for a diplomatic showdown with China, it moved nearer to the US, which for its half has elevated assist for Taiwan to stave off the threats from China to protect and defend its impartial identification.
    Lithuanian Economy Minister Ausrine Armonaite on Thursday mentioned his nation would signal a USD 600 million export credit score settlement with the US Export-Import Bank as a part of the “bilateral coordinated action” to counter Beijing’s financial affect.
    Beijing’s battle with Lithuania comes at a delicate time when China’s profitable ties with the EU are underneath stress over Brussel’s allegations of human rights violations by the communist big in Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet.

    Earlier, the EU has backed off from approving the China-EU Comprehensive Agreement on Investments (CAI) because it supported US President Joe Biden’s name for joint opposition to Beijing’s insurance policies on Xinjiang, Hong Kong and known as for a probe into the origins of coronavirus, together with its possible leak from a bio-lab in Wuhan.
    Lithuania joined different EU members, Belgium and Poland, in opposing the China-EU commerce settlement, which was thought to be a giant setback for Beijing. Trade between China and the EU was value USD 709 billion in 2020, overtaking USD 671 billion commerce between China and the US.
    Also, the 16-year lengthy reign of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, thought to be a staunch supporter of the EU’s shut commerce ties with China, has come to an finish as she is stepping down from the management of the ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU).

  • US, China commerce Taiwan warnings forward of Biden-Xi summit

    The United States has warned China over its “military, diplomatic, and economic pressure” on Taiwan, the State Department stated Saturday, forward of a extensively awaited summit between the leaders of the 2 powers.
    US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken reminded his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi of the “longstanding US interest in peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” an announcement from the US facet stated.
    Blinken urged Beijing “to engage in meaningful dialogue to resolve cross-Strait issues peacefully and in a manner consistent with the wishes and best interests of the people on Taiwan.”
    Beijing: US assist for Taiwan will ‘boomerang’
    Wang, in the meantime, warned of the hazards of US actions which may appear supportive of “Taiwan independence,” which he stated “undermines peace across the Taiwan Strait and would only boomerang in the end,” in keeping with an announcement from Beijing following the decision on Saturday.
    Taiwan is a self-governing democratic island off the southeast coast of China, which Beijing claims as a province of the mainland. Chinese leaders have threatened to take it by drive if it makes any strikes towards formal independence.
    The US authorities is cautious to not present it acknowledges Taiwan, however an act of Congress handed in 1979 requires the US to supply weapons to the island for self-defense.
    China has ramped up army actions close to Taiwan in recent times, with a report variety of planes intruding into the island’s air protection identification zone in early October.
    In the face of what Washington has described as Chinese aggression, the US has repeatedly signaled its assist for Taiwan.
    Xi-Biden summit set for Monday
    Amid rising tensions, US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping will maintain a digital assembly on Monday night, with Taiwan anticipated to determine excessive on the agenda, together with commerce, human rights and different points.
    Biden has largely saved the more durable method on Beijing of his predecessor Donald Trump, whose administration noticed a rising China as the highest problem of the twenty first century.
    US officers have framed Monday’s summit as a possibility to “responsibly manage competition” whereas attempting to cooperate in areas the place the 2 sides align.
    White House officers stated that no main bulletins are anticipated.

    Xi’s COP26 absence famous
    Biden criticized Xi for failing to indicate up on the G20 summit in Rome earlier this month and the United Nations COP26 local weather summit in Glasgow, the place world leaders mentioned steps to ease the influence of local weather change.
    “I think it’s been a big mistake, quite frankly, for China… not showing up,” Biden stated. ”The remainder of the world goes to look to China and say, what worth add have they offered?”
    However, the 2 sides pledged in Glasgow to extend their cooperation and velocity up motion to rein in climate-damaging emissions.

  • Ahead of Xi-Biden summit, China asks US to cease supporting ‘Taiwan independence’

    Ahead of the digital summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Joe Biden subsequent week, Beijing on Saturday requested Washington to cease help for Taiwan’s independence, and stated the 2 nations ought to meet midway to restore the bilateral ties.
    Xi will maintain a digital assembly with Biden on Tuesday morning, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying stated on Saturday.
    The presidents will alternate opinions on China-US relations and problems with widespread concern, Hua stated.
    Xi and Biden have to this point had two prolonged cellphone conversations this 12 months as a part of an effort to make sure stability in one of many world’s most consequential and fraught relationships.
    Ahead of the Xi-Biden assembly, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has stated China and the US ought to meet one another midway to make sure a profitable digital summit between their two leaders and convey bilateral ties again to the fitting monitor.
    Wang made the remarks in a cellphone dialog with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday, the official Xinhua information company reported.
    On Taiwan, which China claims as a part of its mainland, Wang stated that the historical past and the truth have proved that “Taiwan independence” is the largest risk to the peace and stability of the area.
    Any help to “Taiwan independence” will injury regional peace and finally trigger injury to itself, Wang stated.
    He urged the US to state its opposition to any “Taiwan independence” strikes clearly and firmly uphold the commitments made within the three China-US joint communiques.
    He additionally referred to as on the US to stay to its one-China coverage with concrete actions as a substitute of sending incorrect indicators to “Taiwan independence” forces.
    Blinken was quoted by the official media right here as saying that each side are totally ready for the summit as it’s going to garner nice consideration all over the world.
    On Friday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki stated that President Biden will focus on with President Xi methods to responsibly handle the competitors between the United States and China, in addition to methods to work collectively the place our pursuits align.
    “Throughout, President Biden will make clear US intentions and priorities and be clear and candid about our concerns with the PRC,” Psaki stated in an announcement.
    Tensions between the 2 nations have deepened for the reason that two leaders had a prolonged cellphone name in September, the shock announcement of the AUKUS navy alliance between the US, Britain and Australia, to counter China’s rising navy presence within the Asia-Pacific, in addition to the US firming up the Quad alliance with Australia, India and Japan.
    The US has additionally been increasing ties with Taiwanese authorities officers.
    Ahead of the summit, the 2 nations, that are the highest two emitters of worldwide greenhouse gases, collectively accounting for about 40 per cent of the world’s annual carbon output, reached a shock settlement to cooperate on limiting emissions to handle the worldwide local weather disaster.
    The settlement, introduced on the UN COP26 local weather convention in Glasgow, goals to speed up emissions reductions towards the targets set within the 2015 Paris Agreement, which mandated emissions cuts that might hold the worldwide temperature rise beneath 2 levels Celsius relative to pre-industrial instances, with a goal of 1.5 levels Celsius.
    It was seen as a serious diplomatic breakthrough between the 2 nations as their present state of relations are going by means of turbulent instances with Biden largely carrying ahead his predecessor Donald Trump’s robust coverage in direction of Beijing.

    The Biden administration has labored extra with conventional US allies to collectively put stress on Beijing on a variety of points, together with human rights, Taiwan, Xinjiang and Tibet.
    Biden has additionally stepped-up America’s engagement within the Indo-Pacific area, which has seen aggressive strikes by the Chinese navy.
    Last month, Nicholas Burns, Biden’s choose to be the US envoy to China stated Beijing ought to halt its “genocide in Xinjiang, its abuses in Tibet, its smothering of Hong Kong’s autonomy and freedoms, and its bullying of Taiwan”.