SCMP "The Biggest Obstacle in Biden-Xi Jinping Summit is Taiwan"

Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and U.S. President Joe Biden (Photo by AFP)

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on the 2nd, citing Chinese observers, that for the summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping to take place, tensions between the two countries surrounding Taiwan must be controlled.

Wang Yi, China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister, said during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Rome, Italy, where the recent G20 summit was held, "The most important thing is for both sides to faithfully implement the agreements reached by the two leaders and to make 'political preparations' for the next stage of exchanges."

SCMP analyzed that the political preparations mentioned by Wang refer to the need to control tensions surrounding Taiwan in order to hold the expected U.S.-China summit within this year.

Wang also pointed out the U.S. responsibility regarding the Taiwan issue, stating, "A fake 'One China' policy is unacceptable," and expressed concern that mishandling the Taiwan issue, which is the most sensitive matter in U.S.-China relations, could damage the overall relationship between the two countries.

Researcher Liu Weidong of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences commented on Wang's remarks, saying, "If the U.S. does not make positive concessions on the Taiwan issue, there can be no summit at the end of the year." He added, "The situation around the Taiwan Strait has recently escalated as the U.S. crosses the line to pressure China."

The U.S. has maintained a policy of "strategic ambiguity" regarding Taiwan, but last month, President Biden caused a stir by suggesting that the U.S. could respond militarily if Taiwan were attacked.

On the 21st (local time), at a CNN town hall meeting held in Baltimore, President Biden responded "Yes" when asked if the U.S. would defend Taiwan if China attacked it.

Earlier, in August, President Biden also mentioned Taiwan on the same level as NATO and other allies during an interview with ABC News, implying that the U.S. could militarily intervene if China launched a forceful invasion of Taiwan.

Following Biden's remarks, China reacted angrily, urging not to undermine the One China principle, which sparked controversy. The White House emphasized that there has been no change in the U.S. policy of maintaining strategic ambiguity regarding Taiwan.

Currently, under the Taiwan Relations Act, the U.S. allows arms sales to Taiwan to help it defend itself and has grounds to provide military support in emergencies. However, the U.S. has maintained a stance of "strategic ambiguity" by not clearly stating its position on military intervention in Taiwan, thereby deterring Chinese military actions.

The rift between the U.S. and China has appeared in various fields beyond Taiwan, including trade, technology, human rights, and investigations into the origins of COVID-19. However, SCMP reported that recently, tensions in the trade sector between the two countries have shown signs of easing.

On the 31st, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in an interview with some media outlets, "We expect China to implement the Phase One trade agreement concluded in January last year, but ultimately, we may consider mutually lowering some tariffs."

Professor Su Xinghong of the School of International Relations at Renmin University of China said, "China hopes for tension reduction not only on Taiwan but also in other areas," adding, "The U.S. needs to hit the brakes to avoid serious damage to its relationship with China."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.