WASHINGTON, August 1. /TASS/. US President Joe Biden has not realized that Taiwan is much more important than Ukraine from the point of view of preserving American influence in the world, Brahma Chellaney, and Indian pollical scientist, wrote in his column in the Washington-based The Hill newspaper.
According to Chellaney, "Taiwan is far more important than Ukraine to the future of American power in the world." Mainland China, in his words, is signaling that it "is preparing to move on Taiwan at an opportune time — an action that would involve exercising maritime domain control."
"By forcibly absorbing Taiwan, China would drive the final nail in the coffin of America’s global preeminence. A takeover of Taiwan would also give China a prized strategic and economic asset," emphasized.
However, instead of working to "deter and thwart" such developments, Biden "is seeking to shield his tentative rapprochement with China, which has been forged through a series of virtual meetings with Xi and by offering Beijing important concessions," Chellaney noted, adding that China is likely to be "encouraged by Biden’s failure to force Russian forces to retreat from Ukraine, despite Washington spearheading unprecedented Western actions against Russia."
Sharp differences of opinions on the situation around Taiwan have entailed an escalation in relations between the United States and China, which was provoked by a possible visit to Taiwan by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who, according to CNN, is expected to arrive in Taiwan on Tuesday evening and will sped the night in Taipei. The TV channel cites a high-ranking Taiwanese official and a US official, not naming them.
According to US media, Pelosi, the third highest official in the US government hierarchy, planned to visit Taiwan back in April but had to postpone the visit because of the coronavirus infection. It might have been the first visit by a US House of Representatives speaker to the island in the past 25 years.
Taiwan has been governed by its local administration since 1949 when the Kuomintang’s remaining forces headed by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) were defeated in the Chinese Civil War and took refuge on the island. Taiwan has preserved the flag and several other symbols of the Republic of China that had existed before the Communists took over the mainland. According to China’s official position supported by most countries, including Russia, the Island of Taiwan is one of China’s provinces.
The United States severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979 and established then with China. Pursuing the policy of One China, Washington however continues to maintain contacts with the Taipei administration and supplies weapons to Taiwan. Amid the strains with China over Hong Kong in 2020, US 45th President Donald Trump intensified contacts and exchanges with Taiwan, which triggered protests by China.
The Wall Street Journal said last October, citing sources in the Biden administration, that US military instructors had been engaged in secret activities in Taiwan for more than a year to strengthen its defense potential.