Taiwan: for Beijing, the remarks of Biden are a “serious violation” of the American commitments

Joe Biden's remarks constitute "a serious violation of the important commitment of the United States", reacted Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

REUTERS - YEW LUN TIAN

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

China castigated, on Monday, September 19, the recent remarks of American President Joe Biden, who assured that the United States would defend Taiwan in the event of Chinese intervention, Beijing denouncing a “

serious violation

 ” of diplomatic promises from Washington.

Advertising

Read more

China believes that Taiwan, with a population of 23 million, is one of its provinces that it has not yet managed to reunify with the rest of its territory since the end of the Chinese Civil War (1949).

In seven decades, the communist army was never able to conquer the island, which remained under the control of the Republic of China - a regime that once ruled mainland China.

 These remarks by Joe Biden constitute “ 

a serious violation of the important commitment of the United States not to support the independence of Taiwan

 ”, reacted Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"

It sends a bad signal, serious, (of support) to the separatist forces militant for the independence of Taiwan

 ", she underlined in front of the press.

By three joint press releases signed in 1972, 1979 and 1982, the United States had notably undertaken to recognize the Beijing government as the sole legitimate representative of China.

Washington cut its diplomatic ties with Taipei in 1979.

Relations between the United States and Taiwan

Joe Biden's remarks come after a significant rapprochement between the United States and Taiwan, at a time when Beijing-Washington relations are at their lowest in decades.

Last Wednesday, a bill that provides for the first direct US military aid to Taiwan passed a key milestone in Congress.

A few days earlier, Washington had announced the sale for 1.1 billion dollars of weapons to Taipei.

In early August, a visit to the island by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, also provoked the fury of Beijing.

We urge the US side to fully recognize the extreme importance and high sensitivity of the Taiwan issue ... so as not to further damage China-US relations

 ," Mao Ning said.

Asked by AFP, a spokesman for the White House said Sunday that the policy of the United States with regard to Taiwan " 

has not changed

 ".

(

with

AFP

)

►Also read: The United States will strengthen its support for Taiwan after the Chinese military maneuvers

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

  • Taiwan

  • United States

  • China