On 5th October 2021, the United States (US) President Joe Biden spoke to the Chinese President Xi Jinping over the growing tension especially the military one between China and Taiwan. This is the second phone conversation since February this year when the Chinese President called after Joe Biden took over as the US President after Donald Trump. During the conversation which lasted about 90 minutes according to the President Biden administration, the two leaders covered the issues of mutual concern as well as how the relationship between the two countries can be restored and further enhanced positively.
Further, both the countries have agreed to abide by the Taiwan agreement. President Biden referred to the countries long-standing policy under which it officially recognizes Beijing rather than Taipei, and the Taiwan Relations Act, which makes clear that the U.S. decision to establish diplomatic ties with Beijing instead of Taiwan rests upon the expectation that the future of Taiwan will be determined by peaceful means. The talks come as a peace foundation between the two countries and that the present situation does not convert into unwanted conflict.
After the meeting President Biden stated that “I’ve spoken with Xi about Taiwan. We agree … we’ll abide by the Taiwan agreement,”. “We made it clear that I don’t think he should be doing anything other than abiding by the agreement.”
The agreement binds the US from providing any means to Taiwan to defend itself from China yet the relationship between both the countries have grown over the years with stronger and closer communication ties. China has always maintained it saying that Taiwan is a part of their territory whereas Taiwan regards itself as an independent country. The growing Chinese military, diplomatic as well as economic pressure especially in the recent days is increasing the tension in the region. According to the Taiwan’s defence minister, the conflict between the two countries is at the worst point in the last 40 years. He has further warned of China’s capability of full-scale invasion of the island by 2025.
The US State Department spokesperson Ned Price recently stated that “The United States is very concerned by the People’s Republic of China’s provocative military activity near Taiwan, which is destabilizing, risks miscalculations, and undermines regional peace and stability.” This statement came as a follow up to the Taiwan reporting of the 148 Chinese air force planes entering in the southern and southwestern part of its air defence zone over a four-day period for which the US pressed China to stop its military activities near Taiwan.