The tone rises between China and the United States over Taiwan
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-awen at the National Day celebration in Taipei, Taiwan on October 10, 2021. REUTERS - ANN WANG
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
For the first time this Thursday, October 28, the Taiwanese president interviewed by CNN, recognized the presence of a handful of American soldiers in the Strait of Formosa alongside the Taiwanese army.
A statement that made Chinese power leap.
Beijing condemns all military contacts between Taipei and Washington.
Advertising
Read more
With our correspondent in Beijing
Stéphane Lagarde
Tsai Ingwen's little phrase has not gone unnoticed by Chinese leaders who obviously also watch American TV.
@CNN #exclusive interview with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen: threat from China increasing 'every day,' confirms for the first time the presence of US troops on Taiwanese soil, 'has faith' US would come to Taiwan's defense if attacked & is open to talks with China.
@EricCheungwc pic.twitter.com/r9MRKFMCvd
- Will Ripley (@willripleyCNN) October 27, 2021
"
They are not as numerous as what people think
", affirmed the Taiwanese president, but it does not matter the number: ten, twenty American soldiers present in Taiwan, it is already too much for Beijing which considers the island like a rebellious province.
"
We strongly oppose any form of official exchanges and military contacts between the United States and Taiwan,
" Chinese diplomacy spokesman Wang Wenbin repeated.
The Chinese power could not fail to react to this official confirmation, even if it had known for a while.
The information having been made public in early October by the
Wall Street Journal
An official reaction to the official confirmation, against a backdrop of diplomatic war and propaganda war between Chinese and Americans around the Strait of Formosa.
In its editorial, the
Global Times
, an affiliate of the People's Daily, once again threatened Taiwan's elected leaders, described as separatists.
#Editorial: The more people like Tsai Ing-wen and Joseph Wu collude with external forces, the faster the punishment from the mainland will arrive.
https://t.co/bN0ftXzQON pic.twitter.com/Wile6PqyhQ
- Global Times (@globaltimesnews) October 28, 2021
The day before before the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, US President Joe Biden denounced
China's
“
coercive
”
actions
.
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
China
United States
Taiwan
Defense