Lloyd Austin warns Wei Fenghe, China to back off of Taiwan
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned his Chinese counterpart this week to back off when it comes to Taiwan, telling him China must “refrain from further destabilizing actions.”
Austin and China’s Minister of National Defense General Wei Fenghe met for the first time face-to-face on Friday amid the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, the Department of Defense detailed in a statement.
“The Secretary reiterated to General Wei that the United States remains committed to our longstanding one-China policy, which is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three U.S.-China Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances,” the Defense Department’s statement read.
“The Secretary reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability across the Strait, opposition to unilateral changes to the status quo, and called on the PRC to refrain from further destabilizing actions toward Taiwan.”
The “one China” policy refers to the US position that the Communist government in Beijing is the sole legal authority over the Asian nation and acknowledges — but does not accept — its claim that Taiwan is part of China.
Under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, the US is not required to militarily defend Taiwan, but is required to ensure Taiwan has the resources to defend itself.
During the meeting, the two leaders discussed defense relations and security issues between the US and People’s Republic of China (PRC) as well as the need to keep open lines of communication.
Austin also reportedly discussed various global security issues regarding North Korea and Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.
The discussions between Austin and Wei come as tensions regarding Taiwan’s future continue to grow.
During his first trip to Asia as president in May, President Biden vowed that the US would come to Taiwan’s aid if the island nation came under attack from Beijing – however the White House quickly walked back on the remarks, clarifying US policy had not changed.
“That’s the commitment we made. We agree with the ‘one China’ policy. We signed on to it,” Biden said at the time. “All the attendant agreements [were] made from there. But the idea that that can be taken by force, just taken by force. It’s just not — it’s just not appropriate.”
China’s foreign ministry swiftly hit back with “strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition.”
“No one should underestimate the strong determination, firm will, and strong ability of the Chinese people to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and do not stand against the 1.4 billion Chinese people,” the foreign ministry said, according to CNBC.
Austin and Wei formally spoke for the first on the phone during a 45-minute call in April, in which they also talked “defense relations” between the US and China.
Their in-person meeting was highly anticipated after a May Wall Street Journal report indicated both leaders would be in attendance at the Shangri-La Dialogue.
