China has been “busy” changing the “status quo” across the Taiwan Strait through moves including imposing military threats against Taiwan, poaching the nation’s diplomatic allies and raising pressure to cut its international space, a US Department of State official said on Friday.
The primary desire of the US is to see a strong commitment to maintaining the “status quo,” US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Patrick Murphy said in an interview with Voice of America.
“China has been busy changing the ‘status quo’ on this arrangement that has produced prosperity, stability and peace, even with some of the unusual aspects,” Murphy said in Hawaii, en route to Thailand and Indonesia.
“What I mean by changing the ‘status quo’ is we have heard voices in Beijing threaten the use of violence directed at Taiwan; we have seen China aggressively try to reduce the number of diplomatic partners that Taiwan enjoys around the world,” he said.
To intimidate Taiwan, China has stepped up military threats through various aggressive and provocative actions, such as the dispatching of warships, bombers and fighter jets to encircle Taiwan and conducting live-fire military exercises near Taiwan’s waters.
In a January speech, Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) said that China makes no promise to give up the use of force and reserves the option of taking all necessary means against pro-Taiwanese independence “separatists.”
Under the administration of former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), Beijing largely refrained from poaching Taiwan’s allies or carrying out military maneuvers near its waters.
Since taking office in May 2016, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) of the Democratic Progressive Party has refused to accept the so-called “1992 consensus” — a term former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) in 2006 admitted making up in 2000 that refers to a tacit understanding between the KMT and the Chinese Communist Party that both sides of the Taiwan Strait acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.
As a result of the Tsai administration’s refusal to accept the “1992 consensus,” Beijing has stepped up pressure on Taiwan.
Under Tsai, Taiwan has lost five diplomatic allies — Sao Tome and Principe; Panama; the Dominican Republic; Burkina Faso; and El Salvador — which are believed to have been lured away by financial incentives from China.
China’s pressure to shrink Taiwan’s international space has left the nation with only 17 diplomatic allies.
“China has been busy trying to crop Taiwan out of the international space and international organizations where Taiwan has made important contributions to public health, civil aviation and many more global concerns that affect all around the world,” Murphy said.
Earlier commitment to maintaining the “status quo” across the Taiwan Strait “brought peace, stability and prosperity for all concerned,” he said.
The US continues to recognize the “one China” policy, which has been firmly based on important historical documents such as the Three Joint Communiques negotiated with China in 1972, 1978 and 1982, and the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), he added.
The TRA was enacted in 1979 after Washington severed ties with Taipei, with the aim of defining future unofficial relations between Taiwan and the US.
“This framework has served us, Taiwan and China well for the past 40 years now,” Murphy said.
Commenting on Washington’s arms sales to Taipei, Murphy said that under the framework, there is precedent.
“And it’s a matter of policy in the United States that Taiwan’s defensive needs are merited, so the United States has been a helpful partner in that regard,” he said.
RESPONSE: The transit sends a message that China’s alignment with other countries would not deter the West from defending freedom of navigation, an academic said Canadian frigate the Ville de Quebec and Australian guided-missile destroyer the Brisbane transited the Taiwan Strait yesterday morning, the first time the two nations have conducted a joint freedom of navigation operation. The Canadian and Australian militaries did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Ministry of National Defense declined to confirm the passage, saying only that Taiwan’s armed forces had deployed surveillance and reconnaissance assets, along with warships and combat aircraft, to safeguard security across the Strait. The two vessels were observed transiting northward along the eastern side of the Taiwan Strait’s median line, with Japan being their most likely destination,
GLOBAL ISSUE: If China annexes Taiwan, ‘it will not stop its expansion there, as it only becomes stronger and has more force to expand further,’ the president said China’s military and diplomatic expansion is not a sole issue for Taiwan, but one that risks world peace, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, adding that Taiwan would stand with the alliance of democratic countries to preserve peace through deterrence. Lai made the remark in an exclusive interview with the Chinese-language Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times). “China is strategically pushing forward to change the international order,” Lai said, adding that China established the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, launched the Belt and Road Initiative, and pushed for yuan internationalization, because it wants to replace the democratic rules-based international
ECONOMIC BOOST: Should the more than 23 million people eligible for the NT$10,000 handouts spend them the same way as in 2023, GDP could rise 0.5 percent, an official said Universal cash handouts of NT$10,000 (US$330) are to be disbursed late next month at the earliest — including to permanent residents and foreign residents married to Taiwanese — pending legislative approval, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The Executive Yuan yesterday approved the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例). The NT$550 billion special budget includes NT$236 billion for the cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds, expected to be used to support industries. Handouts might begin one month after the bill is promulgated and would be completed within
The National Development Council (NDC) yesterday unveiled details of new regulations that ease restrictions on foreigners working or living in Taiwan, as part of a bid to attract skilled workers from abroad. The regulations, which could go into effect in the first quarter of next year, stem from amendments to the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals (外國專業人才延攬及僱用法) passed by lawmakers on Aug. 29. Students categorized as “overseas compatriots” would be allowed to stay and work in Taiwan in the two years after their graduation without obtaining additional permits, doing away with the evaluation process that is currently required,
RSS