“We encourage them to do exactly what the Taiwan Act requires,” he continued, referring to the 1979 law that regulates the US approach to the island. “That’s what we’re doing. Let them decide. Phase.”
Explaining his position earlier while greeting attendees after his infrastructure speech, Biden said he had made limited progress on the topic with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Bin Binh.
“We’ve made it very clear that we support the Taiwan Act, and that’s it,” he said, shaking hands near a rickety iron bridge in need of repair.
“Its independence,” he continued. “It decides for itself.”
The word “independence” is a trigger when it comes to Taiwan; Officially, the US does not support Taiwan independence. Instead, countries have informal relations and the United States supports the defense.
The issue took up the most time during Biden’s lengthy virtual summit with Xi on Monday night. Earlier, China had signaled that its most important priority was discussions with the US.
During the talks, Biden raised his concerns about China’s behavior in the region. While reaffirming the “One China” policy of the US, recognizing Beijing’s sovereignty claims but still allowing the US to keep its defense relationship with Taiwan, he expressed concern that the actions China is destabilizing the region.
The nature of this topic was evident right after the summit between Biden and Mr. Xi, which lasted three and a half hours longer than expected. China State Television reported that almost immediately after the end of the summit, Biden assured Xi that the United States did not support Taiwan’s independence.
US officials downplayed the significance of the statement, noting that it is a longstanding official US policy. Instead, they said Biden made it clear to Xi that the US opposes any change to the status quo or any action that “undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”
The Chinese offer a more combative interpretation of the conversation. They say Mr Xi told Biden his country would be forced to take “resolute measures” if separatist forces in Taiwan crossed a “red line”, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. .
“Such movements are extremely dangerous, like playing with fire. Anyone who plays with fire will get burned,” the reader said.
After the summit, US and Chinese officials plan to increase engagement with Taiwan, according to Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who said the two leaders spent “a lot of time.” ” for this matter.
“Ensuring peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, having clear communication, avoiding miscommunication, will be an important and intensive aspect of work between our military, security councils, our national security and among our diplomats,” Sullivan said during an appearance at the Brookings Institution. “So you’re going to see at many levels increased engagement to make sure that there are barriers around this competition so it doesn’t become a conflict.”
For his part, Biden noted to Mr. Xi that he voted for the Taiwan Act in 1979, when he was a young senator. It contributes to what Sullivan describes as a “very familiar” relationship between the two men, who have traveled extensively together while each serving as their respective countries’ vice presidents.
“One of the motivations when they talk now is that they both go back to what they each said in the past,” says Sullivan, “not only to agree with each other, but also to disagree, in when they are arguing. “
However, the White House says familiarity does not equal friendship – despite the way Mr. Xi greeted Biden as their summit began.
As Mr. Xi beamed into the Roosevelt Room from a cavernous space inside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, he said to Biden in warm and cordial words: “Although it’s not as good as a face-to-face meeting, but I’m very happy to see my old friend again,” he said, using the Chinese phrase ” lao peng you ” to show how familiar he is.
Just a few months ago, however, Biden was adamant about not taking Xi on those terms: “Let’s be frank. We know each other well; we’re not old friends. It’s just business. simply,” Biden said in June.
On Tuesday, the White House said it could not speak to Xi’s motives for describing Biden the way he did.
“But he’s not,” deputy press secretary Andrew Bates told reporters aboard Air Force One, “regard President Xi as an old friend.”
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