Washington can only deceive

The Chinese Foreign Ministry accused the United States of lying.

"The United States ... is breaking its promises, failing to abide by the fundamental rules of maintaining international relations," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian.

It would seem that Beijing has never opened America to the world here - all countries know that Washington is the real master of its word. He wants - he gives, he wants - he returns to himself. Permits Saddam's invasion of Kuwait, and then punishes the Iraqi dictator for that invasion with "Desert Storm." The Americans promised support to Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, incited him against Russia, and when he attacked the Russian peacekeepers, they stayed on the sidelines. Masters of the word, what to take from them?

Moreover, these masters are returning not only the word given to weak states - the great powers also become victims of American cunning. The most textbook example here, of course, is the "expansion of NATO to the east," which the Americans promised to abandon back in the days of Gorbachev. Since then, the alliance has expanded, began to border on Russia at the expense of the Baltic states, and the States still have not apologized.

However, in this case, the Chinese diplomat had in mind a more dangerous violation. According to Zhao Lijian, the United States is reconsidering its position on Taiwan. “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, this legal and historical fact cannot be changed. Some in the United States are stubbornly trying to contain the PRC with the help of Taiwan ... leading to an escalation of tensions in the Taiwan Strait, "the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman explained. And this is no longer just some kind of regional difficulties or conflicts - the air smells like a big war.

Recall that during the normalization of US-Chinese relations, the United States was forced to subscribe not only to the restriction of arms sales to the peninsula (a clause that America regularly violates), but also to withdraw the diplomatic recognition of Taiwan, taking the position of having a united China. In turn, Beijing did not interfere with trade, economic, investment and even military relations between Washington and Taipei - for China, form in this matter was much more important than content. American-Chinese relations were based on these principles. And now this principle is being eroded by Washington. In the United States, more and more people are convinced that: a) China is the main enemy of the United States and b) all means are good to counter this enemy. Including flirting with the term "Taiwan" with hints of its possible independence.

The fact is that the population of the island has changed.

Several generations of people have grown up on it, who consider Taiwan their home.

The only home.

They don’t want to return to China (seeing the example of Hong Kong), and Taiwan’s recognition of independence is held back only by the ban of the Americans, as well as the unwillingness to start a war with the PRC.

However, if the Americans give the go-ahead and guarantees, then independence can still be declared.

And Washington will give this go-ahead if it thinks that it cannot contain China in any other way.

In this case, China will simply be forced to enter the war, winning it militarily and politically.

Thus, Taiwan has become a kind of bait for China.

It would seem that the Americans are doing the right thing.

They control their enemy, solve problems.

However, in reality, they create these problems.

First of all for ourselves.

So, for example, public contempt for the obligations assumed leads to reciprocal contempt of the player from other partners. Those with whom the Americans need to negotiate - simply because the United States can no longer (and does not quite want to) control the entire world and manage its processes alone. Agreements are of two types: oral and written. There are variants of agreements (for example, on the division of spheres of influence) that cannot be concluded in writing, since the United States will actually sign under the right of third countries to interfere in American and NATO affairs. And neither Biden nor any other champion of "American exceptionalism" will do this. Only verbal agreements remain - however, before they are concluded, the partners must trust each other. And with the games around Taiwan, the United States only exacerbated its reputation problems.

In addition, the games around Taiwan could trigger a war that goes beyond the clash between Beijing and Taipei. America will face a fork - to intervene and get a nuclear conflict with China, or not to intervene and get serious reputational damage.

Why, then, are the Americans playing with Taiwanese fire?

First, because they do not know how to contain the PRC in any other way.

Unlike the USSR (which opposed the Western rules of life), China grew up within the American global economic system and very successfully adapted to it.

That is why (and also because of the large trade turnover) the United States cannot apply total repressive measures against the Chinese.

Second, there is a strong impression that the US presidential administration is oversaturated with non-professionals.

People who do not know how to properly resolve conflicts with Beijing, Moscow and other countries.

People who can only deceive and lie.

The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.