US does not support Taiwan independence, Biden says after Lai wins power
US President Joe Biden said on Saturday the US does not support the independence of Taiwan, after Taiwanese voters rebuffed China and gave the ruling party a third presidential term.
He was speaking after the Taiwanese ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) presidential candidate Lai Ching-te came to power, strongly rejecting Chinese pressure to spurn him, and pledged both to stand up to Beijing and seek talks.
“We do not support independence,” Biden said, when asked for reaction to Saturday’s elections.
The US switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979 and has long said it does not support a formal declaration of independence by Taiwan.
It does, however, maintain unofficial relations with the self-governed island and remains its most important backer and arms supplier.
Beijing, which has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, fears that Lai could declare the establishment of a Republic of Taiwan, which Lai has said he will not do.
Biden has previously upset the Chinese government with comments that appeared to suggest the US would defend the island if it were attacked, a deviation from a long-held US position of “strategic ambiguity”.
His comments on Saturday appear to be an effort to reassure Beijing.
Even so, Washington warned just hours ahead of the polls opening that it would be unacceptable for any country to interfere in the election.
Taiwan, which neighbouring China claims as its own, has been a democratic success story since holding its first direct presidential election in 1996, the culmination of decades of struggle against authoritarian rule and martial law.
US secretary of state Antony Blinken congratulated Lai Ching-te on his victory and said the US “is committed to maintaining cross-strait peace and stability, and the peaceful resolution of differences, free from coercion and pressure”.
He said the US looks forward to working with Lai and leaders of all parties in Taiwan to advance their “long-standing unofficial relationship, consistent with the US one China policy”.
In response yesterday, China’s foreign ministry accused Blinken of sending a “seriously incorrect signal” to “Taiwan independence” separatists.
Blinken’s remarks violate the US promise that it would only maintain cultural, economic, and other non-official ties with Taiwan, and China has already made solemn representations with the US side over the statement, the foreign ministry said in a statement on its official website.
The Biden administration has feared that the Taiwan election, transition and new administration would escalate conflict with Beijing.
Biden has worked to smooth relations with China, including agreeing to talk through differences on security matters at a California summit with President Xi Jinping in November.
Taiwan’s government expects China to attempt to put pressure on its incoming president after the vote, including staging military manoeuvres near the island this spring, two senior government officials said.
China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.
Two former senior US officials were due to arrive in Taiwan yesterday for post-election talks and underscore the US government’s “long-standing interest” in peace across the Taiwan Strait, the de facto US embassy in Taipei said.
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which handles relations in the absence of official diplomatic ties, said former national security adviser Stephen Hadley and former deputy secretary of state James Steinberg would visit.
“As we have done previously following a Taiwan presidential election, the US government has asked former senior officials to travel in their private capacity to Taiwan,” AIT said, adding its US-based chair Laura Rosenberger would be accompanying them.
“On January 15, they will meet with a range of leading political figures and convey congratulations from the American people to Taiwan on its successful elections, support for Taiwan’s continued prosperity and growth, and our long-standing interest in crossstrait peace and stability.”
Meanwhile, Chinese embassies around the world warned countries against supporting Taiwan’s DPP and condemned foreign governments that congratulated Lai, the president-elect.
After Lai won the election, several ministers and politicians from countries that share warm, if in most cases unofficial, ties with the self-ruled island sent congratulatory messages to Lai and the DPP.
This drew swift responses from Chinese embassies, highlighting Beijing’s sensitivity to other countries appearing to give legitimacy to a candidate and political party it views as “secessionist forces” hoping to turn Taiwan into an independent sovereign nation.
The Chinese embassy in Britain on Saturday condemned what it called the “incorrect actions” of British foreign minister David Cameron after he said, in a statement congratulating Lai and his party, that the elections were a “testament to Taiwan’s vibrant democracy”.
“We urge the United Kingdom to acknowledge the position that Taiwan is a province of China, cautiously handle Taiwan-related matters in accordance with the one-China principle, stop any remarks that interfere in China’s internal affairs,” the embassy said in a statement on its official WeChat account.
The Chinese embassy in Japan went as far as lodging solemn representations, a form of official diplomatic protest, after Japanese foreign minister Yoko Kamikawa congratulated Lai on his victory.
Kamikawa called the selfruled island “an extremely crucial partner and an important friend” but in the same statement she also stated that the working relationship with Taipei was on a “non-governmental basis”.
“We solemnly urge the Japanese side to ... refrain from disrupting peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and China-Japan relations,” the Chinese embassy said. —