Pass of arms between Beijing and Washington.
China on Wednesday rejected the United States' proposal to grant Taiwan "meaningful participation" in the UN, after Joe Biden's statements on his "commitment" to defend the island from possible attack Chinese.
"Taiwan is a crucial partner of the United States and a democratic success", estimated Tuesday the head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken against the backdrop of growing tensions with Beijing over the fate of the island.
"Taiwan has no right to participate in the UN"
In a statement, he called on the rest of the world to "support Taiwan's meaningful and robust participation in the UN system and the international community", saying its contribution was necessary to deal with "an unprecedented number of World challenges ". The Chinese reaction was not long in coming: "Taiwan has no right to participate in the UN," Taiwanese Affairs Bureau spokesperson Ma Xiaoguang said in Beijing on Wednesday, recalling that only sovereign states can join the United Nations. The controversy between the two Pacific giants comes as the communist regime has just celebrated with fanfare the 50th anniversary of its membership in the UN, to the detriment of the Taiwanese government which until then occupied the seat attributed to China.
Antony Blinken noted that Taiwan's participation "in certain specialized UN agencies" had been effective "for most of the last 50 years".
He noted, however, that it had become "recently" impossible, notably within the World Health Organization or the International Civil Aviation Organization - pointing out, without naming it, the growing opposition of the China.
"The exclusion of Taiwan undermines the important work of the UN and its agencies," he insisted.
The Secretary of State affirms that Taiwanese participation in the UN system "is not a political question, but a pragmatic question", and insists that it is in accordance with his doctrine with regard to the island and the China.
Defense "commitment"
"Thank you Mr. Blinken for recognizing the role of Taiwan as a vital partner of the United States and democratic model", reacted on Twitter the Taiwanese diplomacy, hailing support "crucial to face effectively the global challenges". Washington regularly defends a better representation of Taipei in United Nations agencies and international meetings. But the publication of such a statement when tensions are at their height with Beijing, on this issue as on many other subjects, seems intended to send a new message of firmness. China considers the island of 23 million inhabitants, which it does not control, as one of its provinces awaiting reunification with the rest of the country.
But the Asian giant has recently stepped up the incursions of warplanes into Taiwan's air defense identification zone (Adiz), raising fears of a desire to ultimately break with the status quo - and pushing the United States to raise the tone. Asked last week about the possibility of an American military intervention to defend Taiwan in the event of an attack from China, President Joe Biden replied in the affirmative: "Yes, we have a commitment in this direction", had- he declares. His statement appeared to contradict the long-standing US policy of so-called “strategic ambiguity”. By virtue of this, Washington helps Taipei build and strengthen its defenses but without explicitly promising to come to its aid in the event of an attack.
The remarks of the American president had been badly received in Beijing, which had called him to "caution" in order "not to seriously harm the Sino-American relations".
The US government subsequently took care to ensure that its policy towards Taiwan had not changed.
The United States has recognized Communist China since 1979, to the detriment of Taiwan, but the American Congress at the same time requires that the island be supplied with arms for its defense.
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