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Amid military threats from China over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s expected trip to Taiwan, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the United States “will not be intimidated.” He admitted that Joe Biden’s White House “does not support independence” for the island, which the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) military threatened.
Kirby also endorsed Biden’s position on the so-called “One China Policy,” according to which Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and mainland China are part of the same nation-state and thus under the control of the CCP.
“Nothing has changed about our ‘One China Policy,'” Kirby told reporters. “We have said — and we have repeatedly said — that we oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side. We have said that we do not support Taiwan’s independence. And we have said that we expect cross-Strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means”.
John Kirby: "…We do not support Taiwan independence"
Looks like the Biden White House is caving to China pic.twitter.com/KOadfrMrb2
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) August 1, 2022
Visiting Taiwan or pandering to China?
The official warned that China was conducting military exercises over the weekend in what appeared to be a threat against the island and, simultaneously, a direct warning to Pelosi.
“China appears to be positioning itself to potentially take further steps in the coming days and perhaps over longer time horizons,” Kirby said. “These potential steps from China could include military provocations such as firing missiles in the Taiwan Strait or around Taiwan.”
In his words, the last time the communist military fired missiles into the Taiwan Strait was in 1996, so the latest actions are a breach of “historical norms.” He noted that an escalation in tensions “serves no one.”
“Beijing’s actions could have unintended consequences that only serve to increase tensions. Meanwhile, our actions are not threatening, and they break no new ground,” the spokesman continued, referring to Pelosi’s possible rapprochement with the island.
On the other hand, China’s Foreign Minister Zhao Lijian has repeatedly threatened Pelosi and the United States, telling her not to visit Taiwan or else the communist country would take “resolute responses and strong countermeasures to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
In turn, the Chinese military released a video of their military exercises in which they fire missiles and show off their arsenal of warships and fighter jets.
NOW – China's People's Liberation Army just posted a new video on WeChat ahead of Pelosi's potential visit to Taiwan.pic.twitter.com/QaiFcdGCn1
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) August 1, 2022
Pelosi is on an Indo-Pacific trip this week, including visits to Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea. In a phone call between Communist dictator Xi Jinping and President Biden, the Chinese leader threatened the U.S. with stern action if it “plays with fire” in relation to Taiwan.
“Those who play with fire will perish for it,” Xi Jinping told Biden during their call. “The United States is expected to be clear-eyed about this.”
Pelosi is the highest-ranking official to visit the island since former House Speaker Newt Gingrich did so in 1997.
