[Epoch Times, August 13, 2022](Epoch Times reporter Xia Yu reported) After the US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, the CCP held a large-scale military exercise in the Taiwan Strait, and the CCP’s warships are still lingering near Taiwan. On Friday (August 12), at a White House press conference, a senior official criticized the CCP for using Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan as an excuse to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and undermine the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait that the international community has long supported.
The White House reiterated that the U.S. side will transit the airspace and waters of the Taiwan Strait in the next few weeks, and the USS Ronald Reagan will continue to be stationed in the area; and that the current situation has gone beyond the scope of U.S. bilateral relations, but to safeguard the best interests of the Taiwan Strait region and the international community The problem.
After Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, the CCP conducted large-scale military exercises around Taiwan for four days, fired live ammunition, sent military planes and warships to disturb Taiwan almost every day, and crossed the center line of the Taiwan Strait. Five of the missiles fell into Japan’s exclusive economic zone. sea area.
White House Indo-Pacific affairs coordinator Kurt Campbell told the meeting on Friday that Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan was in line with the one-China policy of the United States, and that China “overreacted” and used the excuse to increase pressure on Taiwan. , trying to change the status quo and endanger the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait and the wider region.
“China (the CCP) has overreacted, and its actions continue to be provocative and destabilizing, which is unprecedented. China (the CCP) has launched missiles into the waters around Taiwan, declared a restricted area around Taiwan, and disrupted civilian, air and sea traffic,” he said.
Campbell said the CCP made the wrong choice. He concluded, “We are not discussing our (US) one-China policy today. We reiterate that. The question is which side is undermining the status quo that maintains peace and stability — a peace and stability that works for all. “
“The international community has made it clear that it supports this peace and stability, and the U.S. will do its part to preserve it. This is not about U.S.-China bilateral dynamics; it’s about what is in the best interest of the region and what is in the best interest of the international A question of social interest,” he said.
Criticize the CCP for deliberately ignoring the middle line of the strait and threatening Taiwan with force
Campbell criticized the CCP for ignoring the central line of the strait and threatening Taiwan with force. He said: “It (the CCP) tries to ignore the middle line between the two sides of the strait, which has been regarded as a feature of maintaining cross-strait stability for the past 60 years, and the number of military crossings in the past week has reached a record high. Several warships surrounded Taiwan, and to this day, several warships remain near Taiwan.”
He went on to criticize China for imposing sanctions on Speaker Pelosi and her family, as well as coercive economic measures against Taiwan.
Campbell also exposed the CCP’s purpose to pressure Taiwan. “China’s (CCP’s) actions are fundamentally antithetical to the goals of peace and stability. They are part of a campaign to intensify pressure on Taiwan, which is not over, and we expect it (the CCP threat) to continue in the coming weeks and several It will continue to unfold during the month. (The purpose) is clear: to intimidate and coerce Taiwan and weaken its resilience,” he said.
Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen also said on Thursday (August 11) that the Chinese Communist Party’s threat of force has not diminished. “We will not escalate conflict or provoke disputes, we will staunchly defend sovereignty and national security, and stick to the line of democracy and freedom,” she said.
Regarding the U.S. response, Campbell said that in the face of Beijing’s continued actions to undermine peace and stability, the U.S. will continue to take calm and resolute steps to maintain peace and stability, and support Taiwan in accordance with the long-term U.S. policy.
The USS Ronald Reagan will continue to stay in the future, and the US ships will pass through the Taiwan Strait
Campbell reiterated that the United States will continue to fly, sail and operate within the limits permitted by international law, “which is in line with our long-term commitment to freedom of navigation, which includes standard air travel (sending warships or aircraft) through the Taiwan Strait in the coming weeks. and sea transit.”
He did not disclose the time and method of the US crossing the Taiwan Strait.
He also mentioned that President Biden instructed the USS Ronald Reagan to remain at its current location as Chinese provocations continue.
“Our response to this (CCP) behavior has been responsible, steady and resolute. We have proven that we will not be intimidated and exposed to the world what China (CCP) is doing. As the People’s Republic of China (CCP) China) continues its provocative activities, and President (Biden) instructs the USS Ronald Reagan to stay put,” he said.
Colin Kahl, the undersecretary of the US Department of Defense for policy affairs, said on August 8 that to let China know that the US military force in the region will continue to pass through “international waters” such as the Taiwan Strait by sea and air.
The White House National Security Council’s strategic communications coordinator, John Kirby, also previously said that the United States will also conduct “standard air and sea crossing operations” through the Taiwan Strait in the coming weeks.
Campbell also emphasized that the United States will continue to honor its commitments under the Taiwan Relations Act, including supporting Taiwan’s self-defense and maintaining our own ability to resist any force or other forms of coercion that may endanger Taiwan’s security, economy, or society.
“We will continue to support Taiwan and our partners, many of whom – the G7, Australia, the UK, the EU and ASEAN – have also voiced concerns in public statements. We have strengthened our hardcore alliances as we did at 8 9 is the same as Japan’s joint air force exercise near Okinawa,” Campbell said.
Ambitious US-Taiwan trade talks roadmap to be announced
When it comes to US-Taiwan economic and trade cooperation, Campbell said that he will continue to deepen relations with Taiwan in accordance with the US one-China policy, including continuing to advance bilateral economic and trade relations. “For example, we are working on an ambitious roadmap for trade negotiations, which we intend to announce in the coming days,” he said.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) in June announced the launch of a new economic initiative with Taiwan and said it would develop a plan. According to USTR, the goal of the U.S.-Taiwan trade talks is to achieve “economically meaningful outcomes” in areas such as regulatory practices, agriculture and digital.
In April, Taiwan Trade Representative Deng Zhenzhong and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai had an online virtual meeting. Earlier in May, during the “APEC Trade Ministers Meeting” held in Bangkok, the two also held bilateral talks to discuss Taiwan-US trade and other issues.
On June 1, Deputy US Trade Representative Sarah Bianchi held a video conference with Deng Zhenzhong and announced the launch of the “US-Taiwan 21st Century Trade Initiative”. On June 27, the two held the first “US-Taiwan 21st Century Trade Initiative” talks in the USTR’s office building to discuss the future negotiation structure and plan to hold more talks.
Campbell concluded on Friday: “We will ensure that our presence, posture and exercises can counter China’s more provocative and destabilizing behavior in order to lead to more stability in the Western Pacific.”
Responsible editor: Li Huanyu#