US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday as they wrapped up a two-day visit, said the two sides agreed on a range of issues but the tensions between the two militaries, trade ties and those related to Russia. Connected the dots. -The Ukraine war remained unchanged. While it was earlier expected that the meeting would fail to ease tensions between the world’s two largest economies, it was not anticipated that the Biden administration would make a U-turn on the Taiwan issue.
“The United States remains committed to Taiwan’s status quo, and the Biden administration does not support independence for Taiwan,” Blinken said after key meetings with top Chinese officials. However, he reiterated that the Pentagon was deeply concerned about “provocative actions by China in recent years from 2016”.
Notably, Blinken’s remarks came minutes after his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi said “China has no room to accept or compromise on Taiwan”. According to the statement released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, “the United States … should respect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and oppose ‘Taiwan independence’.”
China-Taiwan tensions
Notably, Taipei broke away from Beijing during the civil war that brought Mao Zedong’s Communist Party to power and established the People’s Republic of China in 1949. While the Communist Party gained control of the Chinese mainland in 1949, the Kuomintang-ruled government of the then Republic of China established its government in Taiwan (officially called the Republic of China). Although the two provinces have been governed separately for more than 70 years, the CCP continues to claim sovereignty over the island nation. China has on several occasions increased military exercises around the self-ruled country, which it considers its territory under the ‘One China policy’. In recent days, China has repeatedly warned the island nation that it would use force if it disobeyed Beijing’s order and relied on the West for its security.
Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan–a turning point
However, the conflict between both China and Taiwan escalated tremendously in August last year after the United States announced plans to send its then-speaker to the island nation. Initially, with the Chinese Defense Ministry and Foreign Ministry warning the US and Taiwan of the consequences Pelosi landed and held several meetings with Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen.
Minutes after Pelosi’s departure, China fired precision missiles toward Taiwan’s border areas, resulting in a swift response from the latter. When Jinping was re-elected president in November, he demonstrated his strong plans for Taiwan.
Blinken’s meeting with Xi bore no fruit
Meanwhile, Blinken, who arrived in Beijing on Sunday and held a series of meetings on a range of key issues, later held a much-anticipated meeting with President Xi Jinping. The crucial meeting took place hours before he was to fly out of a land that the US administration claims has been subjected to serious human rights violations. The top US diplomat, who was the first to visit Beijing in the past five years, reiterated that the Pentagon has always advocated maintaining a nourishing relationship between the two countries and said the setting up would be beneficial for the planet.
“President Biden sent me to Beijing because he believes that the United States and China have an obligation and a responsibility to manage our relationship. The United States is committed to doing so. It is in the interest of the United States , is in China’s interest.” And in the interest of the world.”
What does Xi Jinping say
In response, Xi said, “The two sides have agreed to implement the consensus reached by President Biden and I in Bali.”
In addition, the Chinese leader claimed that the two sides have made progress and reached agreement on “some specific issues”, but did not elaborate. “It’s great,” insisted the President.