US reaffirms support for Taiwan after China sends warplanes

The United States reaffirmed its support for Taiwan after China sent warplanes to the island in an apparent attempt to intimidate its democratic government and test the American resolve

BEIJING – The United States has reaffirmed its support for Taiwan after China sent warplanes to the island in an apparent attempt to intimidate its democratic government and test the American resolve.

The State Department said on Saturday that it “notes with concern the pattern of (China’s) ongoing attempts to intimidate its neighbors, including Taiwan.”

“We urge Beijing to end its military, diplomatic and economic pressure against Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with the democratically elected representatives of Taiwan,” spokesman Ned Price said in the statement.

Washington will continue to deepen its ties with Taiwan and ensure its defense against Chinese threats, while supporting peaceful resolution of issues between the parties, the statement said.

There was no immediate Chinese response on Sunday.

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said China on Saturday sent eight bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons and four fighter jets into the airspace just southwest of the island, part of a scheme of long-standing Chinese forays aimed at putting pressure on President Tsai Ing-wen’s government into caving. at Beijing’s request to recognize Taiwan as part of Chinese territory.

The latest Chinese overview came on the heels of President Joe Biden’s inauguration, highlighting the island’s enduring position in the panoply of divisive issues between the parties that also include human rights, trade disputes and , most recently, questions about China’s initial response to the coronavirus pandemic. .

Biden’s administration has shown little sign of easing pressure on China on these issues, although it is seen to favor a return to more civil dialogue. In another sign of support for Taiwan, the island’s de facto ambassador to Washington, Hsiao Bi-khim, was a guest at Biden’s inauguration.

And in a final swipe at China, the outgoing Trump administration ambassador to the UN tweeted that it is time for the world to oppose China’s efforts to exclude and isolate Taiwan, sparking heated debate. Beijing reviews.

Ambassador Kelly Craft accompanied the tweet with a photo of herself in the United Nations General Assembly Hall where the island is banned. She was carrying a purse with a teddy bear protruding from the top, a gift from Taiwan’s representative in New York, Ambassador James Lee.

Taiwan and China split amid civil war in 1949, and China says it is determined to bring the island under its control by force if necessary. The United States changed diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979, but it is legally obligated to ensure that Taiwan can defend itself and that the autonomous democratic island has strong bipartisan support in Washington.

Tsai sought to bolster the island’s defenses by purchasing billions of dollars in U.S. weapons, including upgraded F-16 fighter jets, armed drones, rocket systems, and Harpoon missiles capable of hitting both. ships and land targets. It also stepped up support for Taiwan’s indigenous arms industry, including launching a program to build new submarines to counter China’s ever-growing naval capabilities.

China’s growing threats come as economic and political incentives bear little fruit, leading it to stage war games and send fighter jets and reconnaissance planes almost daily to the island of 24 million. inhabitants, which is located 160 kilometers (100 miles) southeast of China. coast across the Taiwan Strait.