New episode of tensions between the United States and China over Taiwan: after Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei last week, then Chinese military exercises around the island claimed by Beijing, Washington now wants to strengthen its support for Taiwan. American ships and planes will make new passages around the island.
The Chinese military exercises that ended this week fall under the ” provocation “, and ” jeopardize peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, denounced this Friday, August 12, Kurt Campbell, Joe Biden’s main adviser for Asia-Pacific.
In response, US military ships and planes will pass through the same strait in the coming weeks. United States ” will continue to sail, fly and operate wherever international law permits “, assured this senior official of the White House.
► Also read: In a “white paper”, Beijing does not exclude the use of force vis-à-vis Taiwan
Nancy Pelosi’s “coherent” visit
Another announcement: Washington plans to strengthen its trade relations with Taipei to support the island’s independence. An “ambitious roadmap” on trade will be unveiled “in the coming days”, said Kurt Campbell, White House coordinator for Asia-Pacific.
If the American presidency had once seemed uncomfortable with the Nancy Pelosi’s visit in Taiwan last week, this is no longer the case. Kurt Campbell assures that this trip by the head of the American deputies was “ consistent with Washington’s policy and that China overreacted. Beijing used this pretext to ” launch a pressure campaign against Taiwan to change the status quo, jeopardizing peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait “.
► To read also: Tensions between China and Taiwan: “The Chinese are inflating the threat to put pressure”
The ” heartfelt thanks » from Taiwan
Criticizing China’s decision to end its cooperation with the United States on the climate, the senior official asserted that Washington continued to keep the communication channels ” open with Beijing.
In a statement, the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its ” heartfelt thanks to the American administration for its concrete actions to maintain security in the Taiwan Strait and peace in the region “.