After some back and forth communication from the White House about China’s threat to Taiwan, Antony Blinken, Secretary of States of State warned that allies will be ready for ‘action’ in case China strikes.
‘There are many countries both in the region and beyond that would see any unilateral action to use force to disrupt the status quo as a significant threat to peace and security,’ Blinken said at the New York Times Dealbook conference Wednesday, first reported by Bloomberg. “And they would also take action in case that occurred.”
Blinken responded to a question regarding the US commitment to Taiwan. Although the island country is autonomous, China considers Taiwan to be their territory.
State Sec. Antony Blinken
She did not say that the US would use its own military to fight the war.
The White House pulled back Biden’s latest commitment to Taiwan last month.
When asked about Taiwan defense, Biden replied “Yes,” in a CNN Town Hall. We have made a promise to do that.
Biden’s comments were inconsistent with the US long-held policy, known as “strategicambiguity”, where Washington aids Taiwan in its defenses, but doesn’t explicitly pledge to help the island in an attack.
Jen Psaki, White House Press Secretary, later stated that the President had not announced any changes in his policy or made a decision about changing it.
‘Our defense relationship with Taiwan is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act — some of the principles of the Taiwan Relations Act that the United States will continue to abide by…is assisting Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self defense capability.’
A press secretary stated that the Taiwan Relations Act states that the US “would consider any effort to determine Taiwan’s future by peaceful means a threat and serious concern, and would therefore not hesitate to use the Taiwan Relations Act to do so.”
Taiwan’s President revealed last month that hundreds of US soldiers are stationed on Taiwan. China has also increased its defense systems, and flown combat missions all around Taiwan.
Surprisingly, however, China and the US made a surprise announcement at the COP26 that they were going to collaborate on climate change.
Few details were immediately available about the ‘Declaration for Enhanced Climate Action in the 2020s,’ but China’s climate envoy Xie Zhenhua said the two countries would reiterate their commitment to limiting global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius.
He stated that China and the US were the first and second largest emitters in the world, respectively.
Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are reportedly set to hold their virtual summit next week, amid China’s concerning military developments and accusations of covering up the origins of Covid-19.
Bloomberg was told by two people that a virtual sit-down has been scheduled for next week, although no specific date has been set.
This session does not expect to discuss a reopening either the US consulate Chengdu or Houston. They were both closed last July in a dispute over tit-for–tat.
According to the White House, there is no specific outcome from this talk.
Karine Jean-Pierre, White House deputy Press Secretary, stated Monday that the move was part of “our ongoing efforts” to responsibly manage international competition. She added that it isn’t about getting specific deliverables.
This meeting won’t be seeking’specific deliverables.’ It comes amid China’s increasing encroachment upon Taiwan, their genocide’ of Uighur peoples in the Xinjiang Province, multiple missile tests, and unanswered queries about the pandemic’s source.
Biden and Xi meet at the Great Hall of the People, Beijing 2013, 2013.
Biden frequently spoke about his vice-presidential relationship with Xi from 2009 to 2017. Biden is seen here enjoying a non-alcholic drink with Xi during a Department of State luncheon held in 2015.
Although the White House maintains diplomatic postures, insisting repeatedly that China is a country of competition, it does not support conflict, the White House continues to emphasize its willingness to have a dialogue with China. Biden frequently spoke about his relations with Xi during his time as Vice President from 2009 through 2017.
Biden traveled to China, which is the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, last week in order to attend the United Nations Climate Conference, COP26.
Biden claimed that ‘they have the lost ability to influence people all over the world in COP’.
“I have made it very clear that this is competition. Biden explained his relation with Xi, saying that conflict does not necessarily have to exist.
“There are no reasons there should be conflict. But I’ve also indicated to him … that we expect him to play by the rules of the road.’
The US has become concerned about China’s military capability
The U.S. also made it clear that they will continue to support Taiwan’s defense.
Biden stated that the US would not change its attitude on issues like international airspace, sea lanes and cybersecurity.
“I don’t expect there to be an armed conflict, and I’m not searching for it.”
China now has the world’s largest navy and is preparing to launch a new high-tech aircraft carrier by February, the Pentagon has revealed.
Satellite photos of mockups of an American aircraft carrier and destroyer were revealed in the desert of Northwestern China, further highlighting China’s increasing threat. These images are believed to have been used for war games amid growing tensions among nuclear-armed countries.
According to the Pentagon, China’s nuclear forces are expanding faster than U.S. officials anticipated a year back.
According to the report, this seems to have been designed to help Beijing match or exceed U.S. power in the global arena by mid-century.
As the US continues to flex its military might, it is setting up its version of the “Iron Dome” on Guam’s Pacific Ocean Island.
Guam is the US’s closest military base to China. It lies approximately 3,300 miles from mainland China. The island has over 190,000 citizens and soldiers.
After China’s launch of a hypersonic nuclear missile capable of carrying nuclear weapons, that plan was put into place. It circled Earth in August. Washington was not prepared for the event.
China has refused western efforts to find out the source of the virus. It has also been accused by the West of concealing information about the initial weeks of pandemic as well as when it was discovered that they had a new strain of virus.
Biden instructed the intelligence community in May to perform a 90-day investigation into the origin of coronavirus after a Wall Street Journal story revealed that three Wuhan Institute of Virology researchers became so sick they had to go to hospital. Although the report was inconclusive and Republicans have claimed that it supports lab leak theories, there is still evidence to support this theory.
In September, documents leaked by The Intercept revealed that The US’ National Institutes of Health had indirectly funded gain-of-function research. This involves making viruses more deadly or more virulent to help study them. This involved the modification of coronaviruses, separate from Covid-19. These were more infectious.