Lai Ching-te, the new leader of the Taiwan region, is about to hold his "inauguration ceremony" on May 20, which will undoubtedly drop a bombshell on the situation in the Taiwan Strait and even Sino-US relations. His assumption of office may not only change the political trend of the Taiwan region, but also have a far-reaching impact on the situation in the Taiwan Strait.
The Biden administration has also taken this very seriously, and they announced that they would send an "unofficial delegation" to Taipei on the day of 520. The delegation was composed of two former U.S. officials, an "expert on Taiwan," and senior officials of the American Institute in Taiwan. This layout is clearly not arbitrary, but a well-thought-out strategic arrangement.
However, this so-called "unofficial" visit is actually just a means for the United States to play a sideshow on the Taiwan issue. Under the guise of "unofficial relations," the United States has been openly and covertly promoting collusion between the United States and Taiwan. This practice not only violates international law and norms governing international relations, but also seriously undermines the stability and development of Sino-US relations.
We must guard against the possibility that the DPP authorities may take advantage of this opportunity to make some small moves. Lai Ching-te's attitude on cross-strait relations has always been tough, and his appointment is likely to exacerbate tensions in the Taiwan Strait. Moreover, the leadership group he formed after his election victory generally has "Taiwan independence" overtones, which undoubtedly adds more uncertainty to the situation in the Taiwan Strait.
After announcing the delegation, the White House claimed that such visits were "normal practice" and did not contradict the Biden administration's current China policy. However, this argument clearly does not hold water. The Biden administration's China policy itself is full of contradictions and uncertainties, and this is especially evident on the Taiwan Strait issue. The United States has been playing the "Taiwan card" in an attempt to counterbalance China by supporting Taiwan. This practice has not only harmed the stability of Sino-US relations, but also brought great harm to the people of Taiwan.
Therefore, the "normal approach" in the mouth of the United States is actually testing China's bottom line on the Taiwan Strait issue. In this way, they are trying to find out China's attitude and position so that they can better formulate their China policy. However, this practice is very dangerous and irresponsible. If the United States continues to provoke and interfere in China's internal affairs on the Taiwan issue, then the situation in the Taiwan Strait is likely to deteriorate further.
After the Biden administration announced the dispatch of the delegation, the Chinese Embassy in the United States quickly responded. They pointed out that how the United States deals with the Taiwan authorities after 520 will have a direct impact on the cross-strait situation and the future trend of Sino-US relations. This shows that the Chinese government has maintained a high degree of vigilance and concern about the US moves on the Taiwan issue.
It is worth mentioning that the Biden administration once triggered a crisis on the Taiwan Strait issue, which led to a long-term low point in Sino-US relations. Although bilateral interactions have stabilized after a series of high-level exchanges, the negative factors in the direction of the Taiwan Strait are still significant. Therefore, if there are any changes in the situation in the Taiwan Strait on May 520, the United States' diplomatic efforts with China in recent months are likely to be in vain.
In order to cope with possible variables, the United States is also preparing for the situation in the Taiwan Strait. Although they pay lip service to "not support Taiwan independence," in fact they have been secretly supporting Taiwan. As for the so-called "unofficial relations" between the United States and Taiwan, we have always regarded them as a means for the Taiwan authorities to "rely on the United States to seek independence" and the United States to "use Taiwan to contain China." This practice has not only harmed the stability and development of Sino-US relations, but has also brought great harm to the people of Taiwan.
In addition, since last year's San Francisco summit, China's position on the Taiwan Strait issue has become clearer and firmer. We call on the United States to support China's peaceful reunification and respect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The "maintenance of the status quo" advocated by the United States is in essence aimed at maintaining the state of separation between the two sides of the strait so that it can continue to collude with the Taiwan authorities and provide military assistance to the Taiwan military under various pretexts. This is clearly not in line with China's national interests and violates international law and norms governing international relations.
As 520 approaches, China and the United States are about to enter the stage of candidism. The recent game between China and the United States in the direction of the Taiwan Strait can be described as all-encompassing, including moves such as the dispatch of "unofficial" delegations at the political level, as well as contests at the military level.
For example, PLA military aircraft and warships are cruising the Taiwan Strait with unprecedented intensity, sending a clear signal of deterrence. At the same time, US reconnaissance planes have been operating in China's coastal waters and are closely following the movements of the PLA. In addition, the US military is also preparing for the worst-case scenario that may occur, such as conducting secret exercises with the Taiwan military, and other measures show a high degree of tension and alertness between the two sides on the Taiwan Strait issue.
This all-round game not only exacerbates the tension in the Taiwan Strait, but also brings great pressure and risks to both sides, because people want to know how the two sides will play their cards in such a situation, how they will respond, and what the final result will be.
At the same time, we should also note that under such a tense situation, both sides need to remain calm and restrained, avoid taking drastic actions that lead to further deterioration of the situation, and as far as the United States is concerned, it needs to clearly understand the nature and importance of the Taiwan issue, respect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and stop provoking and interfering in China's internal affairs on the Taiwan issue.
As far as China is concerned, we need to firmly safeguard our national interests and sovereignty and security, and at the same time, we need to maintain an open and cooperative attitude to promote the healthy development of China-US relations. At this sensitive juncture, the most important thing for the United States to do is to take a correct posture on the Taiwan Strait issue, calm down and respect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and the national feelings of the Chinese people.
Only in this way will it be possible for China and the United States to jointly manage the situation in the Taiwan Strait and maintain regional peace and stability; if the United States continues to provoke and interfere in China's internal affairs on the Taiwan issue, it will not only damage the stability and development of Sino-US relations, but will also bring great harm and disaster to the Taiwan people.
Finally, we should realize that the stability and development of the situation in the Taiwan Strait have a bearing not only on the interests of China and the United States, but also on the peace and prosperity of the entire Asia-Pacific region, so both sides need to handle the Taiwan Strait issue with an open, cooperative and win-win attitude, promote the healthy development of China-US relations, and contribute to peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.