U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Alex Wong on Wednesday angered China by saying that the United States’ commitment to Taiwan has never been stronger and the island is an inspiration to the rest of the Indo-Pacific region.
Wong’s speech was during his trip to Taipei where he witnessed increased hostility between the island and Beijing.
One day before Wong’s speech, Chinese President Xi Jinping issued his strongest warning against Taiwan separatism to date.
China considers Taiwan as their own island and a wayward province, which Xi said on Tuesday would face the “punishment of history” for any attempt at separatism.
According to Reuters, Taiwan is one of China’s most sensitive issues and a potential military flashpoint. Underlining that threat, Taiwan sent ships and aircraft earlier on Wednesday to shadow a Chinese aircraft carrier group through the narrow Taiwan Strait, its defense ministry said.
“Taiwan can no longer be excluded unjustly from international fora. Taiwan has much to share with the world,” Wong said at a reception attended by Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen who is the leader of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party. “I can assure you, the United States government and the United States private sector will do their part to ensure Taiwan’s stellar international example shines brightly.”
Meanwhile, Beijing is already furious over a law signed last week by U.S. President Donald Trump that encourages the United States to send senior officials to Taiwan to meet Taiwanese counterparts and vice versa.
President Tsai praised the new law on Wednesday.
“We were pleased President Trump signed the Taiwan travel act into law. We are grateful to the Trump administration and to members of the Congress for supporting this bill,” she said.
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