The State Department on Saturday urged Beijing to stop military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan and reaffirmed the United States’ “rock-solid” commitment to the island.
In a written press release, the State Department said the United States is concerned about China’s attempts to intimidate its neighbors, including Taiwan, and “urges Beijing to cease military, diplomatic, and economic pressure on Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan’s elected representatives.
The military situation in the Taiwan Strait has tightened as the U.S. administration changes hands, with the Chinese military significantly increasing its military activities in the Taiwan Strait and intruding on Taiwan more frequently. In recent months, Chinese military aircraft have intruded almost daily over the waters between the southern Taiwan Strait and the Plateau Islands (Dongsha Islands).
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said in a news release on Saturday (Jan. 23) that the People’s Liberation Army sent eight Boom 6K bombers and four J-16 jet fighters to intrude into the defense and control identification zone in the southwestern Taiwan Sea.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said this is the largest scale of mainland military aircraft harassing Taiwan’s airspace so far this year. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said Chinese military aircraft intruded a record 380 sorties into southwest Taiwan’s airspace last year.
The State Department said the United States “will stand with friends and allies to promote our shared prosperity, security and values in the Indo-Pacific region, which includes deepening our ties with democratic Taiwan.”
The recently inaugurated Biden Administration stated that the United States will continue to resolve cross-strait issues peacefully in accordance with the wishes and best interests of the people of Taiwan. The United States also reaffirmed its “longstanding commitment to the three communiqués, the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances.
The State Department also stated that the United States will continue to assist Taiwan in maintaining an adequate self-defense capability. The U.S. side emphasized its rock-solid commitment to Taiwan and will contribute to the maintenance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and throughout the region.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to the U.S. statement, saying it “sincerely welcomes and appreciates the Biden Administration‘s support for Taiwan and the high priority it places on Taiwan’s defense and security and stability in the Taiwan Strait” at the beginning of its tenure. Taiwan also said it “will work closely with the Biden administration to build on the past Taiwan-U.S. friendship and further strengthen the close partnership.”
In the latter part of President Trump‘s administration, the United States has increased the quality of its arms sales to Taiwan and the activities of U.S. warships and military aircraft in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait have become more high-profile, apparently in an effort to deter mainland China’s attempts to unify Taiwan by force.
The Reuters report said that this harassment of Taiwan by Chinese military aircraft occurred just as the Biden administration was taking office.
President Biden’s National Security Council spokesman John Horne said after Taiwan’s representative to the U.S., Mei-Chin Hsiao, attended his inauguration on Wednesday that the U.S. commitment to Taiwan was “rock solid.
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