China is pursuing reunification with Taiwan, says Antony Blinken
According to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, China is pursuing reunification with Taiwan “on a significantly faster timeframe” than previously anticipated.
He claimed Beijing has concluded the current situation was no longer acceptable.
President Xi Jinping refused to rule out using force to unite Taiwan in his Sunday address to the Communist party Congress in Beijing.
Taiwan perceives itself as separate from the mainland, whereas China sees the self-governing island as a part of its territory.
US President Joe Biden stated last month that US forces would defend Taiwan in the case of a Chinese invasion, defying official US policy which is to remain silent on the subject.
Speaking alongside former Secretary Condoleezza Rice on a panel at Stanford University on Tuesday, Mr. Blinken stated that if China could not achieve reunification through diplomatic methods, it would employ coercion and possibly force.
That is what, according to him, “is severely upsetting the existing quo and fueling enormous tensions.”
The US will uphold its obligations to Taiwan and support the island’s ability to defend itself, Mr. Blinken continued.
Regarding the Taiwan and China issue, Washington has always straddled a fine line.
Its official position opposes taking military action against Taiwan, but US President Biden has often emphasised that Washington would defend Taiwan, appearing to go against this position.
The remarks from Secretary Blinken come as China has its twice-decade party congress, where it is largely anticipated that President Xi will be elected to a historic third term in office.
On Sunday, Mr. Xi emphasised that “full reunification of our country must and will be realised” in his opening remarks.
China is pursuing reunification with Taiwan, says Antony Blinken
“With the greatest sincerity and uttermost effort, we will continue to work toward peaceful reunification, but we will never vow to renounce the use of force,” he stated.
