The Chinese military mobilized warships in waters near Taiwan on Thursday a demonstration of his military powerone day after the president of the island, Tsai Ing-wenquestioned the sovereign principle of “one China” when meeting with US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California.
Ignoring Beijing’s warnings, the Taiwanese leader met Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles during a return stopover from his tour of Guatemala and Belize. two of the last allies of the autonomous island in the region.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry reacted immediately by promising “firm and effective measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
“The United States and Taiwan have conspired” to “strengthen their relations”, which “severely undermines Chinese sovereignty” and “sends a bad signal of support for Taiwanese separatists,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning.
Hours before the meeting China has deployed an aircraft carrier around the island.
In addition, Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense announced detection of three warships and a helicopter which passed through the island’s air defense identification zone.
“The military has been monitoring the situation and tasking combat air patrols, navy vessels and land-based missile systems respond to these activities“Taiwan’s defense ministry said this in its statement.
Taiwan and China they separated in 1949, at the end of the civil war. Communists have seized power in mainland China while nationalists have retreated to Taiwan, but Beijing considers the island part of its territory and says it will one day regain control.
Based on the “one China” principle, a priori recognized by the United States and from most countries, including Argentina, oppose any formal relationship between the island’s leaders and those of other nations.
In August, after a visit to Taipei by McCarthy’s predecessor, the Democrat Nancy PelosiChina has responded with military maneuvers on a scale rarely seen in that region.
To avoid such an episode, McCarthy he gave up on traveling to Taiwan and opted for this meeting in California which, for the time being, has triggered a less intense response from China.
After meeting McCarthy and the leaders of the two US parties at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Tsai thanked the warm welcome in the United States.
“We are not isolated”
“Your presence and unwavering support confirm this to the people of Taiwan we are not isolated and we are not alone,” he said.
McCarthy, second in line for presidential succession and a California native, said US-Taiwan friendship was “vital to maintaining economic freedom, peace and regional stability.”
The United States maintains its ties with China, but it is an important ally of Taiwan and his firstborn arms supplier.
In this sense, the US legislator hoped that support for the island would continue, underlining that “to prevent war, the best thing is to supply arms”.
“AND a key lesson we learned in Ukrainethat the mere idea of sanctions won’t stop anyone,” he added.
This new episode of tension occurs on the day a delegation of eight members of the US Congress arrives in Taiwan to discuss trade and security.
The island support is one of the few bipartisan consensuses in the US Congress and during Tsai’s tenure, this relationship has strengthened.
In power since 2016, Tsai ends his presidential term in 2024 as his party faces opposition from rivals. considered closer to Beijing.
The leader has positioned herself as a defender of the status quo, a de facto independence even if not openly recognized, while China presses to isolate and wrest allies from the island.
Indeed, after a recent diplomatic twist by Honduras, Taiwan has only 13 countries in the world that officially recognize it.so Tsai tries to strengthen diplomatic ties in Latin America.
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Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.