US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman on Thursday condemned China’s challenging of European security, economy and values, calling on Europe to help the US counter competition from Beijing.
“Even before [Chinese] President Xi [Jinping, 習近平] and [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin declared their ‘no limits’ partnership in February, the PRC [People’s Republic of China] has challenged Europe’s security, Europe’s economy and Europe’s values,” Sherman, speaking from Washington, told European reporters by video link.
Sherman’s comments came in the wake of a speech by her boss, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who recently identified Beijing as the main threat to world order, despite the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Washington accuses Beijing of wanting to reshape the world order.
In a speech on Wednesday last week, Blinken said Washington was engaged in vigorous competition with Beijing to preserve the current world order.
US President Joe Biden’s administration has spoken of the need to pressure China to play by the rules, including in its South China Sea and trade disputes.
“While Beijing may be thousands of miles away ... the PRC’s actions matter just as much for the future of Europe,” Sherman said, welcoming current cooperation with Europe while still seeking to “align our approaches.”
“We are all looking at issues of supply chains,” in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, she added.
“The US is not seeking conflict” with China nor to “sever our economy from the PRC,” she said.
“We don’t want a new cold war,” but “we can’t rely on Beijing to change its behavior,” Sherman said.
The US is being vigilant over the alliance between Russia and China, threatening Beijing “with consequences” if the Chinese authorities ever decide to send military equipment to Russia, she added.
“Quite frankly, I think Russia and Putin will be a pariah for a very long time and I’m not sure the PRC will benefit,” she said.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old