Photo: MARY ALTAFFER/AP/PICTURE ALLIANCE / Deutsche Welle
China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, warned at the UN that Beijing would take forceful measures to prevent any external support and interference to Taiwan’s independence.
“We must firmly combat Taiwan independence separatist activities and take the strongest steps to oppose external interference,” said the head of Chinese diplomacy in his speech before the General Assembly of the United Nations.
Wang met on Friday with his American counterpart, Antony Blinken, and warned about the efforts of Washington to support Taiwan, at a time when Congress is promoting an initiative to provide direct military aid to the island.
In his speech to the UN, where Taipei is not represented, the Chinese foreign minister took a hard line. “Any action to obstruct China’s reunification is bound to be crushed by the wheels of history,” he asserted.
Taiwan was part of China and Chian Kai-sheck nationalists defeated by Mao Tse-Tung forces fled to Taiwan after the civil war in 1949.
US forces would defend Taiwan
But Taiwan, although it never formally declared independence, is self-administered, has a democratic system, and many Taiwanese do not see a connection to China.
President Joe Biden said a week ago that US forces would defend Taiwan from a Chinese invasion, although the White House made it clear that his policy toward China had not changed.
Washington severed formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979, when it went on to recognize Beijing as sole representative of China.
But at the same time, he was instrumental in supporting Taiwan.
A law passed by Congress obliges Washington to sell military supplies to Taipei to guarantee its self-defense against Beijing’s forces.
However, the United States maintains what is known as “strategic ambiguity”, designed both to prevent a Chinese invasion and to dissuade Taiwan from provoking Beijing by declaring independence.