State Department Demands that China Stop Its ‘Provocative Military Activity’ Near Taiwan

Oct. 4, 2021 (EIRNS)—The State Department issued a statement yesterday, under the name of spokesman Ned Price, demanding that Beijing stop its air exercises near Taiwan. Actually, as RT pointed out, it demanded much more than that. “The United States is very concerned by the People’s Republic of China’s provocative military activity near Taiwan, which is destabilizing, risks miscalculations, and undermines regional peace and stability,” Price said. “We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure and coercion against Taiwan.”

“We have an abiding interest in peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” the statement continued.

“We will continue to assist Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability, and we will maintain our commitments as outlined in the Three Communiqués, the Taiwan Relations Act, and the Six Assurances. The U.S. commitment to Taiwan is rock solid and contributes to the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and within the region. We will continue to stand with friends and allies to advance our shared prosperity, security, and values and deepen our ties with democratic Taiwan.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying issued a statement in reply, this morning, telling the State Department that Taiwan is a part of China and that the U.S. statement is a violation of the One China principle. “The one-China principle is the political foundation of China-U.S. relations,” Hua said.

“On the Taiwan question, the U.S. should abide by the one-China principle and the stipulations of the China-U.S. joint communiqués rather than something cooked up by itself unilaterally. ‘Taiwan independence’ leads nowhere. China will take all necessary measures to resolutely crush all attempts at ‘Taiwan independence.’ China has firm resolve and will to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

America should abide by the One China principle and stop encouraging “separatist forces” in Taiwan, Hua concluded, “and take concrete actions to safeguard rather than undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”

Taiwan, meanwhile, has endorsed the AUKUS agreement, as protection for Taiwan. Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told Australia’s ABC “China Tonight” broadcast for Oct. 4 that Taiwan was preparing for conflict and would “fight to the end” if China was to attack the island. “The defense of Taiwan is in our own hands, and we are absolutely committed to that....

If China is going to launch a war against Taiwan we will fight to the end, and that is our commitment. I’m sure that if China is going to launch an attack against Taiwan, I think they are going to suffer tremendously as well,” Wu told ABC’s Stan Grant.

Wu claimed that the AUKUS agreement would help balance China’s military ambitions in the region. “We are pleased to see that the like-minded partners of Taiwan—the United States and the U.K. and Australia—are working closer with each other to acquire more advanced defense articles so that we can defend the Indo-Pacific,” he said. He also thanked Australia for supporting Taiwan’s bid to join the CPTPP Trans-Pacific Partnership. “As far as I know, Australia has been one of those most vocal members in supporting Taiwan’s participation in CPTPP,” he said. “We have been discussing with each other privately for quite some time and we understand the Australian support and we appreciate the Australian support.”