According to the Observer, on April 25, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Beijing, and on the same day, China's Ministry of Defense held a regular press conference, at which a reporter said that U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan recently said that "the United States will take all measures to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait", ensure that "something happens in Taiwan" will never happen, and continue to provide the Taiwan region with so-called "means of self-defense".
U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan
In response to this, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense of the mainland, said that the so-called "Taiwan incident" actually stems from the United States stirring up trouble, and if the United States really wants to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, then it should immediately stop interfering in China's internal affairs, immediately stop arming the Taiwan region, and immediately stop all official exchanges and military ties with Taiwan.
From the perspective of Sino-US relations, Sullivan's statement of interfering in the mainland's internal affairs is obviously very negative, and the Taiwan Strait issue has always been an internal affair of China, and no matter what happens in the Taiwan Strait, it has nothing to do with the United States.
Now that the United States has forcibly intervened and said that it will ensure that "something happens in Taiwan" will never happen, it is actually sending a wrong signal to some "Taiwan independence" elements on the island that the United States may intervene in the situation in the Taiwan Strait at a critical moment.
This is obviously contrary to the spirit of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiqués, and is also inconsistent with the recent high-level US leaders, including US President Joe Biden's clear commitment not to support "Taiwan independence" during high-level phone calls with the Chinese side.
Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense of China
At the same time, for US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is visiting China, seeking to stabilize relations with China and cooperate in some areas that the United States wants, Sullivan's remarks are obviously a bit "dragging his feet".
However, on the other hand, Sullivan's remarks actually faintly reveal differences in position with Japan, another extraterritorial black hand on the Taiwan Strait issue.
To put it simply, the so-called expression "there is something going on in Taiwan" was first put forward by the Japanese side.
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has been assassinated, has repeatedly stated that "if there is something wrong with Taiwan, there is something wrong with Japan", which is the source of the so-called "something wrong with Taiwan". From Japan's point of view, when they emphasize this point, they are actually emphasizing Japan's determination to interfere in China's internal affairs in the Taiwan Strait.
U.S.-Japan relations
In terms of strength, of course, Japan does not have this strength, and they do not have this qualification, but Shinzo Abe still says this, on the one hand, because of Japan's covetousness for the mainland's Taiwan Island, and on the other hand, he actually wants to involve the United States.
Because Japan is the largest US military base in the western Pacific region, and there is a military alliance treaty between the United States and Japan, it will be very difficult for the United States to stay out of the Taiwan Strait issue if Japan takes the initiative to intervene in the Taiwan Strait issue.
It is precisely for this reason that Shinzo Abe, including some Japanese politicians, hyped up the so-called "something in the Taiwan Strait is something in Japan", in fact, he wanted to convey to the outside world the stubborn position of the United States, Japan and other foreign forces interfering in China's internal affairs in the Taiwan Strait, so as to put pressure on Chinese mainland.
However, in his statement this time, Sullivan said that the United States will use all measures to "maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait" and ensure that "something happens in Taiwan" will never happen.
U.S. President Joe Biden
This seems to echo the relevant remarks of previous Japanese politicians, but it clearly shows the difference from Japanese politicians. Specifically, what Japanese politicians are emphasizing is the relevant actions that the United States and Japan will take after the occurrence of "something in the Taiwan Strait." Sullivan emphasized the possible actions that the United States might take before the situation of "something happens in the Taiwan Strait."
Taking into account the actual situation of cross-strait relations, this shows that the United States wants to play the "Taiwan card" to contain the mainland, and does not want to completely turn its face with China because of the Taiwan issue, and does not even dare to make a big fight.
To put it bluntly, whether it is Sullivan or other US politicians, what they say is quite powerful, but the meaning conveyed in and out of the words is still that they still dare not directly engage with China, so it is necessary to emphasize that cross-strait conflicts will not occur.
From the perspective of a bystander, this is a manifestation of the fact that the United States does not dare to make clear promises to Japan and even a small number of "Taiwan independence" elements on the island. Using a bunch of modifiers is just to cover up your own weakness.
U.S.-China relations
Of course, from China's point of view, just as Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesman for the mainland's Ministry of National Defense, said, the Taiwan issue is China's internal affair, and if the United States really wants to prevent "Taiwan incidents" from happening, it should immediately stop arming Taiwan and stop all official exchanges between the United States and Taiwan.
As long as the United States does not take the initiative to play the "Taiwan card" and does not try to stir up right and wrong in the Taiwan Strait in order to contain the development of Chinese mainland, but gives up using the "Taiwan issue" as a bargaining chip, negotiates with the mainland, and seeks its own interests, then the situation of "something happening in Taiwan" will not occur.
Because the compatriots on both sides of the strait share the same culture and blood, the majority of the Taiwan compatriots do not want to see the two sides of the strait fighting each other, and the mainland has also been repeatedly expressing that we will do everything possible to strive for peaceful reunification.
Against the background of the Taiwan compatriots not wanting war and the mainland actively striving for peaceful reunification, as long as the United States, Japan, and other extraterritorial forces do not fan the flames, then the complete reunification of the motherland will eventually be realized by peaceful means, and the so-called "Taiwan incident" will not occur at all.
"One Country, Two Systems, Reunifying China"
On the other hand, if the United States stresses the so-called "peacekeeping" on the one hand, and on the other hand, it colludes with the Taiwan authorities to continuously export all kinds of weapons to the Taiwan region.
Even like the aid bill for Ukraine and Israel just passed by the US House of Representatives not long ago, some of the so-called private goods to "aid Taiwan" are included, which is the source of "something in the Taiwan Strait".
In the face of this situation, Senior Colonel Wu Qian also said at the regular news conference of the Ministry of National Defense on 25 April that any attempt to use military cooperation to meddle in the Taiwan issue is an act of interfering in China's internal affairs, violating the "one-China" principle and basic norms governing international relations, and endangering long-term peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army shoulders the sacred mission of defending state sovereignty and territorial integrity, and will never let it go unchecked or soft-hearted toward all "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and external connivance and support.
Our army looks at the island of Taiwan
To put it bluntly, this is a warning to a small number of "Taiwan independence" elements not to think that the United States can act recklessly and recklessly if it speaks, and that the PLA's determination to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity will never waver.