United States (U.S.) President Joe Biden said yesterday that the U.S. does not support Taiwan’s independence, after Taiwanese voters gave the island’s ruling party a third presidential term, and the U.S. Secretary of State added that the U.S. remains committed to peace and security in the region.
Earlier yesterday, Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate and Taiwan’s vice president Lai Ching-te won the presidential election, despite calls from China not to be elected and vowed to stand up to Beijing but also seek negotiations.
“We do not support independence…,” Biden said when asked about his reaction to yesterday’s Taiwan election.
The U.S. is committed to preserving peace and stability on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and to the peaceful settlement of differences, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
A few hours before the opening of the polls, Washington warned “that it would be unacceptable” for “any” country to interfere in these elections.
Taiwan, an island claimed by China, has been a democratic success story since holding its first direct presidential elections in 1996, the culmination of decades of struggle against authoritarian rule.
The U.S. is Taiwan’s most important international patron and arms supplier despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties to the island.
The Biden administration feared that the election and the new government would escalate the conflict with Beijing.
Moreover, Biden has been working to mend relations with China, including agreeing to discuss differences on security issues at a summit in California with President Xi Jinping in November.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said yesterday that the election victory of Taiwan’s ruling DPP candidate Lai Ching-te will not change the basic contours of the island’s relationship with mainland China.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated yesterday that Moscow still views Taiwan as an integral part of China.
