Key takeaways: The balloon was spotted southwest of the northern port city of Keelung on Thursday night, and continued east before disappearing. The incident highlights…
Posts tagged as “the Taiwan Strait”
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Visit China in Effort to Repair Deteriorating Relationship
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Visit China in Effort to Repair Deteriorating Relationship
Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State, will travel to China this weekend in an effort to repair the deteriorating relationship between the two countries. This will be the first visit to China by a Secretary of State since 2018, and the Biden administration is hoping to keep lines of communication open and repair the ties. However, expectations for major "deliverables" are low, as the relationship between the two countries is in need of repair.
A recent incident in the Taiwan Strait has heightened tensions between the U.S. and China, with U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan expecting a meeting between President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin requested a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart, but was denied. Sullivan and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi did meet to discuss strategic issues, but Austin believes this is no substitute for a substantive engagement. The two sides remain at odds over a number of issues, with the future of the relationship uncertain.
On Monday, the U.S. military released a video of a Chinese navy ship cutting across the path of an American destroyer in the Taiwan Strait, causing tension between the two countries. The U.S. has called the maneuver "unsafe" and has expressed its commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances, raising concerns about the safety of navigation in the area. The U.S. has urged China to exercise caution and restraint and to abide by international maritime laws.
At the 20th International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu defended the sailing of a Chinese warship across the path of an American destroyer and Canadian frigate transiting the Taiwan Strait. The U.S. and Canada have both expressed concern and called on China to respect the freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait, raising tensions between the three countries and highlighting the ongoing dispute over the status of Taiwan. Gen. Li stated that China does not have any intention of attacking any other country, and that its military development is purely for defensive purposes.
At the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu defended the sailing of a Chinese warship across the path of an American destroyer, claiming it was a provocation. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin responded by stating the U.S. would not flinch in the face of bullying or coercion from China. Tensions between the two countries remain high, with the situation yet to be resolved.
China has launched a three-day military exercise around Taiwan, dubbed "United Sharp Sword", in response to a meeting between Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen and US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in Taipei last week. The drills are a “serious warning” against the Taiwan separatist forces’ collusion with external forces, and are expected to conclude on Monday. The exercises are seen as a warning to the island’s government and are a necessary move to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.