Tag: taiwan

The US has not fully used the opportunity when Taiwan’s President made a visit to America and Washington officially downplayed Tsai Ing-wen’s visit to the US….reports Asian Lite News

China and the United States are playing “transit diplomacy” over Taiwan. Americans played it when the Taiwanese President made a fleeting visit to their country while China expresses its anger by launching military drills, reported Europe-Asia Foundation (EAF).

China has expressed anger over the meeting between Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California. The US has not fully used the opportunity when Taiwan’s President made a visit to America and Washington officially downplayed Tsai Ing-wen’s visit to the US. The meeting held between Kevin McCarthy and Tsai Ing-wen at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library highlighted the strengthening ties between Taiwan and US. After the meeting, McCarthy in a press conference said, “I believe our bond is stronger now than at any time or point in my lifetime.”

He further said, “America’s support for the people of Taiwan will remain resolute, unwavering and bipartisan.” Meanwhile, Taiwan President Tsai said, “We’re stronger when we are together,” as per the EAF report.

She said, “In our efforts to protect our way of life, Taiwan is grateful to have the United States by our side.” Tsai said that the support of the US reassured the people of Taiwan that they are not isolated and alone, as per the news report.

The US acknowledges the “One-China” policy and also their stance that Taiwan is part of China, however, Washington never officially recognised Beijing’s claim over the island. Under the Taiwan Relations Act, the US is also bound by law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself.

For Taiwan, the meeting between Tsai and McCarthy was a timely show of US support as China ramps up diplomatic and military pressure on Taiwan, which claims part of its territory. In August last year, Tsai held a meeting with the then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during her visit to Taiwan.

After Pelosi’s visit, China retaliated by launching large-scale military drills and firing missiles near Taiwan, pushing tensions to their highest in decades. This time around, China’s reaction was initially restrained. However, Beijing’s recent air exercises demonstrate that little has changed in its approach.

In order to avoid provoking China and triggering a military crisis, American and Taiwan officials have demonstrated Tsai’s visit as nothing out of the ordinary, citing an abundance of precedents for a Taiwan leader to transit through the US. However, the political significance of Tsai’s meeting with McCarthy is unavoidable, according to the EAF report.

China lost no time in initiating military drills near Taiwan. Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) spokesperson said that Beijing will send planes, ships and personnel into the maritime region and airspace of the Taiwan Strait. However, China does not publically reveal its “parallel transit diplomacy.”

China mounted a “massive charm offensive” by inviting former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou to visit the mainland. During his visit to China, Ma Ying-jeou paid homage to his ancestors. It is the first time Taiwan’s former President has ever been invited to China since its founding in 1949.

During his tenure as Taiwan’s President between 2008 and 2016, Ma focused on establishing greater economic cooperation between Beijing and Taipei. The decision sparked protests that witnessed demonstrators occupying Taiwan’s legislature for weeks, as per the news report.

Debris from China’s rocket launch fall into ‘no-fly zone’

China launched a satellite into orbit with some rockets debris falling into a “no-fly zone” off the coast of northern Taiwan, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said adding that it did not pose a safety threat, reported FocusTaiwan.

In a statement, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said that the forces had monitored the whole process of the rocket launch through joint intelligence and surveillance. Notably, China informed Taiwan that a no-fly zone will be implemented north of the country the following week, NHK World reported, citing Taiwan’s transportation ministry on April 11.

The no-fly zone, located 85 nautical miles north of Taiwan and within the Taipei Flight Information Region, was marked out for a 27-minute period from 9:30 a.m. to 9:57 a.m. Sunday because of the possibility of falling rocket debris, according to FocusTaiwan.

Earlier, China reportedly warned Taiwan’s northern flight information zone of the upcoming airspace closure, to conduct aerospace activities in the area.

China said the duration would be five hours per day from April 16-18. However, it will be reduced to about half an hour on only April 16, following the complaint lodged by Taiwan’s ministry, NHK World reported.

The transportation ministry cautioned that the shutdown was inappropriate and would provide significant and unnecessary safety hazards in its complaint against China.

China intends to block airspace over the high seas north of Taiwan, according to Taiwan’s defence minister, who stated that defence officials will closely monitor Beijing’s aerospace actions, which may include a potential satellite launch, according to NHK World.

As tensions between Taiwan and China continue to escalate, Taiwan recently tracked the People’s Liberation Army’s 18 aircraft and 4 naval ships from 6 am on Monday (April 10) to Tuesday (April 11).

In an official release, Taiwan’s Defence Ministry stated, “18 PLA aircraft and 4 PLAN vessels around Taiwan were detected by 6 a.m.(UTC+8) today. 4 of the detected aircraft had entered Taiwan’s southwest and southeast ADIZ. R.O.C. Armed Forces have monitored the situation and tasked CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond to these activities.” (ANI)

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Milius’ transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, said the statement…reports Asian Lite News

The United States Navy, on Sunday, said that its guided-missile destroyer, USS Milius, has conducted a “routine” Taiwan Strait transit through waters but it came days after China concluded its military drills around the island, according to the official statement.

In a statement, US Navy 7th Fleet said, “The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Milius (DDG 69) conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit April 16 (local time) through waters where high-seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law.” “The ship transited through a corridor in the Strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal State. Milius’ transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military flies, sails, and operates anywhere international law allows,” it added.

China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, officially ended its three days of exercises around Taiwan last Monday. This drill came in the response to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s meeting with US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Last week, Monday, China’s Eastern Command said in a statement that the exercise “completely tested the integrated joint combat ability of multiple military branches under actual combat conditions”, Al Jazeera reported.

“If we want to protect peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait we must firmly oppose any form of Taiwan independence separatism,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a regular briefing on Monday.

According to Al Jazeera’s report, Shi Yi, the PLA Eastern Theater Command’s spokesperson, stated that China’s military will be ready at all times to defeat any form of “Taiwan Independence” and foreign interference attempts.

Chinese fighter jets and warships conducted simulated strikes on Taiwan during the weekend. Beijing’s actions sparked protests in Taiwan.

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According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the movable and immovable assets and other types of property of these four individuals will be frozen within China….reports Asian Lite News

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday announced sanctions against Hudson Institute and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and their directors in response to the meeting held between Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and the US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in the United States, Global Times reported.

Under the countermeasures, universities, institutions, organisations and people in China have been prohibited from carrying out exchanges and cooperation with the two US institutions that have been sanctioned. In addition, four senior representatives from these two organisations have been banned from entering China. The four representatives of these institutions who have been sanctioned include Sarah May Stern, chair of Hudson Institute, John Walters, president of the institute, John Heubusch, executive director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute, and Joanne Drake, chief administrative officer of the institute, as per the Global Times report.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the movable and immovable assets and other types of property of these four individuals will be frozen within China. The sanctioned individuals from the two institutes have been banned from entering China and barred from being issued a visa.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that Hudson Institute and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library provided a platform and convenience for Tsai Ing-wen to engage in “Taiwan independence” separatist activities in the US, as per the Global Times report.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry stressed that these actions violated the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communique and seriously damaged China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as per the news report. The Biden administration allowed Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen to “transit” through the US despite China’s firm opposition.

On April 6, the Chinese Foreign Ministry condemned the meeting between Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California and vowed that Beijing will take “strong and resolute measures” to defend China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to the official statement.

Chinese Foreign Ministry in the statement said, “Through the past few days, in disregard of China’s serious representations and repeated warnings, the United States deliberately greenlighted the transit of Tsai Ing-wen, leader of the Taiwan region, through the United States. US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the number three in the US government, had a high-profile meeting with Tsai.”

It further said, “Other US officials and lawmakers also had contact with Tsai and provided the platform for her separatist rhetoric for ‘Taiwan independence’. This is essentially the United States acting with Taiwan to connive at ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists’ political activities in the United States, conduct official contact with Taiwan and upgrade the substantive relations with Taiwan, and frame it as a “transit”. This is a serious violation of the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communique.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry’s statement came after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen met the United States House of Representatives speaker Kevin McCarthy, on Wednesday (local time).

Taking to her official Twitter handle, Tsai Ing-Wen wrote, “Thank you @SpeakerMcCarthy

for the warm welcome. It’s a pleasure to be back at the @Reagan_Library & enjoying the #California sunshine as we work to strengthen the bond between #Taiwan & the #US.”

Kevin McCarthy called it an honour to welcome Tsai Ing-Wen. He tweeted, “The friendship between America and the people of Taiwan has never been stronger. It is my honor to welcome President @iingwen to the @Reagan_Library.”

In another tweet, McCarthy said, “Taiwan is a successful democracy, thriving economy, and global leader in health and science. Our cooperation continues to expand through dialogue and exchange.” (ANI)

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This was the second time Tsai met a top American lawmaker in less than a year, following a visit from then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan in August 2022…reports Asian Lite News

During her meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California, visiting Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen issued a dire warning and said that “democracy is under threat”.

The highly-anticipated meeting took place on Wednesday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley amid warnings from China about a “serious confrontation” as retaliation to the talks.

This was the second time Tsai met a top American lawmaker in less than a year, following a visit from then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan in August 2022, reports CNN.

She is also the first president of Taiwan to meet a US House speaker on American soil.

“It is no secret that today the peace we have maintained and the democracy which (we) have worked hard to build are facing unprecedented challenges,” Tsai said during a joint press conference with McCarthy.

“We once again find ourselves in a world where democracy is under threat and the urgency of keeping the beacon of freedom shining cannot be understated.

“We’re stronger when we are together… In our efforts to protect our way of life, Taiwan is grateful to have the US by our side,” the President added.

On his part, the House Speaker said: “The friendship between the people of Taiwan and America is a matter of profound importance to the free world. It is critical to maintain economic freedom, peace and regional stability.

“Taiwan is a successful democracy, thriving economy, and global leader in health and science. Our cooperation continues to expand through dialogue and exchange.

“Here at the Reagan Library, exhibits show (late President Ronald) Reagan’s belief in democracy and commitment to the ideas of peace and freedom.

“Those values serve as the bedrock of our friendship with the people of Taiwan. And they are more important now than ever before.

“I’m optimistic we will continue to find ways for the people of America and Taiwan to work together to promote economic freedom, peace, and stability in Asia.”

Beijing, however, condemned the meeting, with a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry saying that “China firmly opposes and strongly condemns it”.

“In response to the egregiously wrong action taken by the US and Taiwan, China will take strong and resolute measures to defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity,” CNN quoted the spokesperson as saying on Wednesday night.

It also urged the US to “stop containing China by exploiting the Taiwan issue” and “not go further down the wrong and dangerous path”.

Before the meeting, China had sent a “large scale patrol and rescue vessel” to the central and northern Taiwan Strait for a three-day “joint patrol and inspection”.

Tsai’s visit to the US was part of her trip to Central America which took her to Guatemala and Belize this week. California was the last stop before heading home.

She first arrived in New York on March 29.

Taiwan considers itself a sovereign state, while China views it as a breakaway province that will eventually be reunited with mainland.

Last year, tensions between China, Taiwan and the US reached a new high after Pelosi flew to Taipei to meet Tsai.

Beijing responded to Pelosi’s visit with a week of massive military drills in the waters around Taiwan.

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