US secretary of state Antony Blinken has said that China is moving “on a much faster timeline” in its plans to unify with the island of Taiwan.
Blinken was speaking at an event at Stanford University, where he suggested that Beijing could go as far as using coercion or military force if it could not achieve reunification via peaceful means.
The status of Taiwan is disputed, with the island considering itself distinct from mainland China. On the contrary, Beijing upholds a ‘One China’ principle which considers Taiwan as part of its territory.
In China, the ruling Communist Party has been meeting for its week-long quinquennial congress where president Xi is expected to be confirmed to serve a historic third term in office.
In his opening congress speech, Xi refused to rule out using military force to reintegrate Taiwan.
He said that “reunification of our country must and will be realised” and that China “will continue to strive for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and the utmost effort, but we will never promise to renounce the use of force.”
Tensions have ramped up between the US and China in recent months after Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the US House of Representatives, visited Taiwan. At the time, China condemned Pelosi’s visit and conducted several military exercises in response as a show of force.
Now, Blinken said that China’s refusal to rule out use of force was “profoundly disrupting the status quo and creating tremendous tensions” even further.
Blinken said that US would support Taiwan’s ability to defend itself as per the country’s official policy stance, but his president has gone further.
US president Joe Biden has previously suggested that American forces would intervene to defend Taiwan if China were to launch a military incursion, a move which its policy does not officially commit to.
