“We congratulate Lai Tsing-tae on his victory in the presidential election in Taiwan,” US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken wrote on Saturday evening.
“We congratulate the people of Taiwan for participating in free and fair elections and demonstrating the strength of their democratic system,” Blinken continued.
In A statement China calls the US response a “serious violation of the One China policy”. It “sends a seriously wrong message.”
Under the “One China Policy”, the United States recognizes the People’s Republic of China and does not recognize Taiwan as ‘One China’. This is why, for example, the United States does not have a formal diplomatic representation in Taiwan. Yet it actually has an embassy in Taipei. It is called the American Institute.
On Sunday, the agency announced that US President Joe Biden had sent a delegation to Taiwan for an unofficial visit. It involves a former Defense Adviser and a former Deputy Secretary of State.
They are officially traveling in private because a visit to Taiwan is politically sensitive. The US agency said the delegation would meet with “a series of political figures” starting Monday. Previous visits by US (former) politicians have consistently provoked strong Chinese reactions.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s foreign ministry called on Beijing to “face the truth”. The ministry wants the People’s Republic of China to “stop oppressing Taiwan” after China’s main ruling party, the DPP, won.
Lai says he has no intention of declaring Taiwan independence. He said in his victory speech that he wants to cooperate with China on the economic front. Despite all the tensions, it is still Taiwan’s largest trading partner. Lai also said he wanted peace and stability to continue, though vowed that Taiwan would “no longer be intimidated by Chinese bellicosity” under his leadership.
Most of the world recognizes the People’s Republic of China as ‘One China’, but at the same time they have unofficial relations with Taiwan.
