United States' 'Provocative Behavior' in Taiwan Issue Creates More Tensions in Sino-US Relations

Shortly after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited China in an apparent bid to mend the relations between Washington and Beijing, a large delegation of US lawmakers arrived on Taiwan in a move that is unlikely to be regarded positively by the Chinese government.

The US congressional delegation, the largest in recent years, was led by Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee that is responsible for funding and oversight of the United States military.

Dianlong Bi, commentator on the China-Taiwan relations, told Sputnik that the United States is going to continue strengthening its military ties with the island and pursuing the policy of containing China.

The commentator described the US delegation’s visit as a reflection of US President Joe Biden’s lack of leadership, adding that this move basically shows that the United States is not really committed to easing “cross-strait relations” (i.e. relations between mainland China and Taiwan) and to abiding by the One China principle.

According to him, such “extremely provocative behavior of the United States” is unlikely to help improve the Sino-US relations but will rather “lead to more tension” between Washington and Beijing.

“Recently, the military aircraft of the Chinese People's Liberation Army appeared in the airspace around Taiwan Island, which is a serious warning to the collusion between the Taiwan Province authorities and the United States, and also marks that the United States has completely lost its role in mediating and easing cross-strait relations,” Dianlong Bi said.

The commentator further suggested that China “will advance the process of reunification at its own pace and in its own way, and respond to provocative acts that undermine Sino-US and cross-strait relations.”

Following the Chinese Revolution and the creation of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the remnants of Chiang Kai-shek’s Republic of China government fled to the island of Taiwan.

Since then, Taiwan has styled itself as the Republic of China, while Beijing maintains that the island is a province of the People’s Republic of China and that Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan is indisputable.