The Chinese have threatened US action after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Taiwan did not belong to China. The statement said China would respond to any action that would be detrimental to its basic interests.
Chinese officials have described Taiwan as the most important issue in China-US relations. They have reacted angrily to the Donald Trump administration’s harsh stance on Taiwan. Among other things, the United States has sold arms to the island nation and has increased support for Taiwan.
Pompeo said in an interview yesterday that it had been US policy that Taiwan had not belonged to China for more than three decades.
That comment has not been welcomed in China. Reuters quoted a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying to respond to comments like this, which he said undermined China’s internal affairs.
In recent years, almost all countries in the region as well as the United States have increased the number of military exercises and tensions have increased around Taiwan.
The Chinese have been claiming Taiwan since 1949 when China’s Republican leaders fled from the Communists. The Republic of China was actually established in 1912 in mainland China. There has been a very good relationship between the states all the way since.
The Chinese authorities regard Taiwan as their own territory and have even threatened to seize it by force. Taiwan has had a home rule since 1950 and is virtually independent, despite never formally declaring independence from China.
However, the pro-independence movement in Taiwan has been growing in recent years.
The United States has long had informal relations with Taiwan and defense cooperation but does not publicly recognize Taiwan. Under Donald Trump, however, relations between Taiwan and the United States have become more formal. The United States and Taiwan have signed two treaties, which has caused great concern in Beijing.
Taiwanese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou thanked Pompeo for her support, according to Reuters, and reiterated that the island did not belong to China. That would be a fact.
Congratulations to Biden
The relationship between China and the United States has suffered in recent years and the countries are involved in extensive trade disputes, in addition to which the countries have disputed the South China Sea, Hong Kong, and more. In addition, the Donald Trump administration has accused the Chinese of threatening US security with intelligence and technology theft.
Chinese authorities have now congratulated Joe Biden, the future president of the United States, on his victory in last week’s presidential election. China and Russia had been reluctant to send Biden a message. In a statement, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the Chinese respect the choice of the American people.
According to the AP news agency, however, Biden is not expected to make major changes to Trump’s policy toward China. Although he will probably try to talk to the Chinese about climate issues, North Korea and Iran. A tough stance on China is gaining traction in the United States.
