China says US ‘gravely wrong’ to congratulate new leader
China has accused the US of sending a “gravely wrong signal” to those advocating for Taiwan’s independence following the results of Saturday’s election.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken conveyed congratulations to Taiwanese president-elect William Lai, prompting Beijing to assert that the message violated Washington’s commitment to maintaining only unofficial ties with Taiwan.
Mr. Lai has pledged to defend Taiwan against an increasingly assertive China. However, Beijing considers Taiwan its territory and vehemently opposes any government challenging this stance.
Congratulations for Taiwan’s new leader came from worldwide sources after the election, including Blinken, who underscored the partnership between Taipei and Washington rooted in democratic values. He expressed anticipation for collaboration with Dr. Lai and Taiwan’s leaders of all parties to advance shared interests and values.
While emphasizing the commitment to maintaining cross-strait peace and stability, Blinken also stressed that such cooperation should align with the US One China policy.
Under this policy, the US recognizes and has formal ties with China instead of Taiwan, which China regards as a breakaway province to be reunified with the mainland.
Beijing criticized Blinken’s remarks, interpreting any expression of support for Taiwan as legitimizing a candidate and political party it views as separatists aiming to establish Taiwan as an independent sovereign nation.
In a statement, China’s foreign ministry said Mr Blinken’s congratulations violated the US’s promise to maintain “only cultural, commercial, and other unofficial relations” with Taiwan.
It stressed that the Taiwan question is “the first red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations” and said it had lodged a formal diplomatic complaint.
“China firmly opposes the US having any form of official interaction with Taiwan and interfering in Taiwan affairs in any way or under any pretext.”
Beijing’s statement will likely serve as a warning to Washington after it sent an unofficial delegation of former US officials to hold talks with leading political figures in Taiwan just hours after the self-ruled island elected Mr Lai.
Deployed by US President Joe Biden, who himself welcomed the election results, the delegation includes a former US national security adviser and a former deputy secretary of state.
Other Western countries, including the UK, France and Germany, congratulated the new leader.
Beijing’s Communist government reviles Mr Lai’s pro-sovereignty Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which has governed Taiwan for eight years.
That is because China sees any statement of support towards the DPP as lending legitimacy to politicians, which Beijing sees as a gang of separatists hoping to turn Taiwan into an independent sovereign nation.
