|
|
The Global Times ran an editorial last week that was critical of comments made by the U.S. ambassador to China about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s recent trip to Taiwan and said it exemplifies how Washington misunderstands the issue from “top to bottom.”
Nicholas Burns, the ambassador, called out China for “manufacturing” a crisis and said its massive military drills were an overreaction to Pelosi’s trip. Her visit to Taipei on 2 August was the first by a House speaker in 25 years and dramatically escalated the tension in the region between the U.S. and China. (See “PELOSI PUSHES WAR, U.S. MEDIA PROMOTES IT.”)
TRENDPOST: The Trends Journal has reported extensively on the tension between China and Taiwan and Washington’s effort to thwart Beijing. (See “CHINA WON’T STOP AT TAIWAN, SO WHERE SHOULD AMERICA DRAW THE LINE?” “TAIWAN MILITARY RAMP-UP WILL NOT STOP CHINA,” “BIDEN SAYS (AGAIN) U.S. WILL DEFEND TAIWAN IF CHINA INVADES” and “U.S. GENERAL DECLARES U.S. ‘READY’ TO DEFEND TAIWAN IF CHINA INVADES.”)
China has viewed Taipei as its sovereign territory since 1949—after the Chinese Civil War fought between the Kuomintang (KMT) government of the Republic of China (ROC) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Following the KMT defeat, they left the mainland and retreated to Taiwan.
The U.S. has maintained a “One China” policy that acknowledges Beijing’s position, but considers the issue unsettled. The Associated Press pointed out that the U.S.’s “One China” policy should not be confused with Beijing’s “One China” principle, which claims sovereignty over its mainland, Macao, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
The U.S. has historically pursued a policy known as ‘strategic ambiguity,’ which means it will aid Taiwan’s defenses but will not promise to come to the island’s defenses in the event of an attack.
China Bites Back
Burns made his comment during an interview with CNN and told the network that he was summoned by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng to discuss the issue. He called the meeting “quite contentious.”
Burns’ comments were in line with the administration. Kurt Campbell, the White House coordinator for Asia-Pacific issues, told reporters that the U.S. will continue conducting “standard air and maritime transits through the Taiwan Strait in the next few weeks.”
Campbell also blamed China for “overreacting” to Pelosi’s visit and said Beijing’s actions “continue to be provocative, destabilizing, and unprecedented.” He said the U.S. is reasserting itself in the area, while holding true to its policy of “strategic ambiguity.”
The Global Times said Burns is an expert in “creating crises and inciting opposition against Russia. It appears the U.S. is seeking to replicate this model in the Asia-Pacific region, trying to create crises and incite confrontation.”
Burns, who served as the U.S. ambassador to NATO, speaks on behalf of the U.S. government and, somehow, Washington believes that it gets to determine the future of the Taiwan Straits.
“Taiwan is part of China,” the editorial read. “The Taiwan question was partly caused by the brutal intervention of the U.S. in the course of China’s civil war. One-China is a basic norm recognized by the international community and a cornerstone to ensure the stability of China-U.S. relations as well as the international order.”
The editorial continued, “The U.S. government has been acting recklessly to uphold its hegemony and selfish interests and it is the biggest threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits.”
TRENDPOST: The Trends Journal has sent the State Department and Pelosi’s office several emails to inquire about how much her trip cost the American taxpayer and have not heard back. We will be filing a FOIA request and keep our subscribers posted on the response.
The U.S. has long been criticized for stoking tensions in the region and, instead of engaging diplomacy, it works to form alliances with clearly defined enemies.
We have noted that the U.S. will not come to the defense of Taiwan if China invades and Taipei will fall with ease to Beijing.