The United States is not seeking a cold war with China, but will not going to step back and change any of its views, US President Joe Biden said at the CNN town hall on Thursday, stressing that China needs to understand that.
Though he pointed he’s not concerned about an intentional military conflict with China, Biden used the opportunity to send warning message to Beijing and Moscow saying that the US has the most powerful military in the history of the world, but noted he was worried about unintentional escalation in which they might engage in activities that will put them in a position to make a serious mistake.
Citing his relationship with Chinese leader Xi Jinping he has spent more time with than any other world leader, Biden underscored he’s not looking to enter a prolonged conflict, but soon after also stressed that the US is committed to defend Taiwan in case China attacks the island.
Taiwan, which has been governed independently from mainland China since 1949, has long risen tensions between the US and China since Beijing views the island as its province, while Taiwan reiterates it’s an autonomous country.
Since Washington and Taipei have no mutual defense treaty, it’s not clear exactly what commitment the US has to defend Taiwan considering the “One China” Policy the US policymakers have tacitly accepted for decades.
As in many previous occasions, a White House official clarified later Biden’s comments on Taiwan, saying the US president wasn’t announcing any change in US policy with his remarks about China and Taiwan, stressing that the US defense relationship with Taiwan is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act and that it will continue to oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo.
Though this isn’t the first time the Biden or his administration underlying they’re not seeking confrontation with Beijing, Nicholas Burns, Biden’s nominee for the position US Ambassador to China, called on Congress and Biden administration during his confirmation hearing on Wednesday to scale up security cooperation and arms provisions to Taiwan to defend itself from China, pointing that it represents the greatest security threat to the US and the democratic world.
The US moves lately, such as the new AUKUS military pact with the UK, which is clearly targeted at China, as well as the military drills in the South China Sea may also prompt doubts about the alleged stand on Washington on China.
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