“We are not isolated”: Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen on Wednesday welcomed the presence of a large delegation from the American Congress during her trip to California, proof according to her of Washington’s “unwavering” support against Beijing.
The 66-year-old leader met Republican Kevin McCarthy, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, despite repeated threats of retaliation from China in recent weeks.
“In response to the grossly wrong acts of collusion between the United States and Taiwan, China will take resolute and effective measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement released by the New China agency.
Beijing launched unprecedented military maneuvers around Taiwan last August when Democrat Nancy Pelosi, McCarthy’s roost predecessor, visited Taiwan. This time, China accused the United States of “playing with fire”.
Your cautious American side
In this context, McCarthy adopted a cautious tone. He assured that the relationship between Taipei and Washington was “stronger” than it had ever been “in his lifetime”. The elected representative of California was surrounded by a large group of parliamentarians, Republicans and Democrats, at the Ronald Reagan presidential library in Simi Valley, near Los Angeles.
“Their presence and their unwavering support reassure the Taiwanese people: we are not isolated, we are not alone”, applauded the Taiwanese president, from a party that traditionally militates for independence – an absolute red line for Beijing.
China considers that the democratic and autonomous island of Taiwan is one of its provinces to be taken back, favoring “peaceful reunification”, but without excluding the use of force. In the name of its “one China” principle, no country is supposed to maintain official ties with Beijing and Taipei at the same time.
Only 13 states still recognize Taiwan, including Belize and Guatemala, Latin American countries that Tsai visited during his tour to cement the relationship with his few official allies, after a first stop in New York.
“Strategic Ambiguity”
But the United States has long maintained a “strategic ambiguity” on the Taiwan question. Washington has recognized Beijing since 1979, but remains Taiwan’s strongest ally and main arms supplier.
Support for the island is one of the few points of consensus between the two parties in the US Congress. Under Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan moved closer to the United States. A fact that McCarthy worked to recall with great symbolism in front of an old version of Ronald Reagan’s Air Force One presidential plane. “The friendship between the people of Taiwan and the United States is of great importance to the free world and is essential for maintaining economic freedom, peace and regional stability,” he said.
The new speaker of the House of Representatives, who initially wanted to go to Taiwan, made no direct reference to China or its president Xi Jinping. What contrast with the frontal attitude of Pelosi when she held the post.
After her visit to Taiwan and Beijing’s show of force that followed – the Chinese army had fired several ballistic missiles into the waters of the island – the Democratic leader assured: “We will not allow them not to isolate Taiwan”.
Chinese reaction?
The Biden administration has also downplayed the importance of this meeting. On Wednesday, the head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken stressed that it was only a “transit” of the Taiwanese leader on American territory and not an official visit. He called on Beijing not to use the interview as an “excuse” to “raise tensions”.
Earlier this week, Chinese diplomacy for its part recalled that China was “firmly opposed” to the McCarthy and Tsai interview. Beijing also explained that it was ready to “firmly defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity”, without expressly mentioning possible military maneuvers.
All eyes are therefore now on the Chinese reaction. “China has already made quite threatening statements, which suggests that it must respond in one way or another,” judge with AFP Bonnie Glaser, director of the Asia program of the American think tank German Marshall fund. Without a strong reaction, Chinese President “Xi Jinping risks appearing weak. »