‘Absurd to compare Taiwan and Ukraine’: China bristles at Biden’s feedback on US army intervention

A shocked and agitated Beijing on Monday denounced President Joe Biden’s assertion that the US would intervene militarily together with Japan if China invaded self-ruled Taiwan, which successfully jeopardises Chinese President Xi Jinping’s formidable plan of nationwide integration.

Taiwan’s integration with the Chinese mainland is the main political plank of Xi, 68, who’s extensively anticipated to be endorsed for an unprecedented third time period in energy this yr by a once-in-a-five-year congress of the ruling Communist Party scheduled to fulfill within the subsequent few months.

China views Taiwan as a renegade province that ought to be reunified with the mainland, by power if essential. The US has no official diplomatic ties with Taiwan, however sells arms to it as a part of its Taiwan Relations Act, which states that the US should present the island with the means to defend itself.

At the identical time, Washington maintains formal diplomatic ties with China and likewise acknowledges Beijing’s place that there’s just one Chinese authorities.

So far successive US administrations maintained what was formally termed as strategic ambiguity of tacitly backing Taiwan, whereas publicly asserting dedication for the One China coverage.

“We deplore and reject the US remarks”, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin informed a media briefing right here quickly after Biden unequivocally said Washington’s new stand shedding the successive US Presidents’ strategic ambiguity on Taiwan, an estranged self-ruled island which steadfastly stood in opposition to Beijing’s makes an attempt to combine with the mainland.

Significantly, Biden outlined the US new coverage in Tokyo whereas addressing a joint press convention with the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida saying that America will stand with Japan and different nations to not let China forcibly take over Taiwan.

Wang reiterated that “Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory and the Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affair, which brooks no foreign interference.” “On issues bearing on China’s core interests including its sovereignty and territorial integrity there is no room for compromise or concession”, he stated and warned that “China will take firm actions to safeguard its sovereignty and security interests. We will be true to our word”.

He urged the US to earnestly abide by the “One China policy,” recognising Taiwan as a part of the Chinese mainland and chorus from sending a flawed message to Taiwan’s independence forces.

“Regarding issues related to China’s sovereignty & territorial integrity, China has no room for compromise. No one should underestimate the determination of Chinese people,” Chinese FM stated, expressing robust dissatisfaction in response to Biden’s remarks on #Taiwan query. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/OU2ZLv0lkp

— Zhang Meifang张美芳 (@CGMeifangZhang) May 23, 2022

Wang additionally took exception to Biden evaluating any motion by China to forcibly take over Taiwan much like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“The Taiwan question and the Ukraine issue are fundamentally different. To compare those two is absurd”, he stated.

Observers say Biden’s stand to militarily defend Taiwan in opposition to Chinese aggression will strengthen pro-independent forces led by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and forged a shadow over Xi’s oft-repeated forceful assertions to combine the estranged island with the mainland.

Xi, who enjoys the standing of the ruling Communist Party founder Mao Zedong, is at the moment bracing for an unprecedented third time period, taking out the two-five-year-terms conference adopted by all his predecessors.

Chinese chief Xi Jinping (AP/File Photo)

Reports from Taipei quoted Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry welcoming Biden’s feedback for “reaffirming” Washington’s “firm commitment to Taiwan” and would deepen cooperation with nations together with the US and Japan.

“The challenges China poses to the security of the Taiwan Strait have aroused great concern to the international community,” a spokesperson of Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry stated.

“Our government’s firm determination to defend Taiwan’s freedom, democracy and security has never changed,” the spokesperson stated.

In the video clips of Biden’s press convention, the US chief struck a nuanced stand on Washington’s coverage on Taiwan, post-Russian invasion of Ukraine the place America was not militarily concerned.

#UPDATE President Joe Biden says Russia “has to pay a long-term price” for its “barbarism in Ukraine”, referring to the opportunity of sustaining sanctions imposed on Moscow by the United States and its allies. pic.twitter.com/oIL22HoUJm

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) May 23, 2022

Biden stated “if there is no rapprochement between Ukraine and Russia and sanctions are not sustained in many ways, then what signal does it send to China about attempting to take Taiwan by force”.

“They are already flirting with danger by flying so close and all the manoeuvres they are undertaking”, he stated referring to frequent makes an attempt by Beijing to ship lots of of army plane into Taiwan’s airspace to intimidate Taipei.

“The US made the commitment, we support the One China policy that does not mean China has the jurisdiction to use force to take over Taiwan”, Biden stated.

“We stand firmly with Japan and other nations to not let that happen. I expect it will not happen, it will not be attempted”, he stated.

“That’s the commitment we made.”

President Biden on Monday indicated a hardening stance on the U.S.’s dedication to defend Taiwan from a possible assault by China. https://t.co/4FspcCVtcX pic.twitter.com/V7uXxGABjO

— FORTUNE (@FortuneMagazine) May 24, 2022

“My expectation is a lot of it depends on how strongly the world makes it clear that this kind of action is going to result in long-term disapprobation by the rest of the community” Biden stated.

When requested if the US is prepared to become involved militarily to defend Taiwan, Biden stated “yes”.

“That is the commitment we made. Here is the situation: we agree with the One China policy. We signed on to it and all the attendant agreements made from there”.

“But the idea that it can be taken by force is just not appropriate, it will dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in Ukraine. So, it is a burden that is even stronger”, he stated.