The White House on Thursday summoned China’s ambassador to Washington, Qin Gang, to condemn the “provocative” measures taken by Beijing against Taiwan and reiterate that the United States does not want a crisis in the region, according to press reports.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said in a statement published by Washington Post that the diplomat’s summons came after the Chinese authorities had begun their live fire maneuvers around Taiwan, in response to the visit to the island of the president of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi.
Pelosi visited Taiwan last Wednesday despite protests from Beijing, which responded with the start of military exercises with live fire that have caused the closure of maritime and air space in six areas of the island, which has been practically blocked.
“Following China’s actions overnight, we summoned Ambassador Qin Gang to the White House to protest the PRC’s provocative actions,” said Kirby, who considered “irresponsible” the “military actions” of the People’s Republic of China.
The spokesman assured that for the White House, China’s response to Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, an island that Beijing considers a rebellious province, is “irresponsible and contrary” to its objective of “maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait”.
The White House also reiterated to Ambassador Qin that its policy of recognition of “one China” remains unmovedas well as its intention to keep all diplomatic lines of communication open.
Within the framework of the Chinese military exercises, which are taking place by sea and air, Jan denounced that five ballistic missiles fired by Beijing landed in waters of its exclusive economic zonesomething that had not hpened until now.
dialogue suspension
In turn, China announced the paralysis or suspension of open talks with the US on issues ranging from climate change and military relations to the fight against drugsall in response to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan this week.
This measure is the latest in a series of actions promised by Beijing to punish Washington for allowing visits to an island that Chinese authorities maintain is part of its territory and should be annexed. by force if necessary. In addition, it coincides with the Chinese military’s live-fire exercises in the Taiwan Strait, which began a day after Pelosi’s visit.
The Chinese government explained that the dialogue between area commanders and those responsible for the Defense departments will be canceled, as well as talks on maritime security. Cooperation in the return of migrants who do not have legal permits, in transactional crimes, in drug trafficking and in climate change, will be suspended, he added.
Separately, China announced unspecified sanctions against Pelosi and her family. These types of actions usually have a symbolic.
The islanders are overwhelmingly in favor of keeping the status quo of de facto independence and reject Beijing’s demands for unification.
Antony Blinken spoke about China
The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, stated this Friday that China’s military exercises in the Taiwan Strait are “provocative actions” and represent a “significant escalation” that “no justification”and stressed that Washington never wanted to “provoke a crisis.”
“China has chosen to overreact. There is no justification for this extreme and disproportionate response,” Blinken said during a press conference in Phnom Penh, where he is participating until today in the ministerial meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
According to the US Secretary of State, China used Pelosi’s visit, of which it was informed, “as pretext to increase its provocative military activity” in and around the Taiwan Strait.
Blinken assured that the US has not changed anything in its policy regarding Taiwan and that does not pursue a change in the status quo of the island nor does it support its independence.
Taiwan, with whom the US does not maintain official relations, is one of the main sources of conflict between China and the US, mainly because Washington is the main supplier of weons to the island and would be its greatest military ally. in case of war conflict with the Asian giant.
Sources: EFE and AP.
Source: Clarin
