China launches fresh warning at Joe Biden after Taiwan comments

The Chinese media has come out swinging against the US after Joe Biden boldly declared his country “has a commitment” to intervene with Taiwan.

Chinese state-backed media has come out swinging against the US after President Joe Biden declared his country “has a commitment” to step in and defend Taiwan in the event of a border dispute.

While Mr Biden made clear he has no intention of plunging the two superpowers into a “new Cold War”, the 77-year-old’s bold remarks lit a fire under Beijing, which has used its mouthpiece The Global Timesto shoot out another warning to the President.

China’s Foreign Ministry on Friday made it crystal clear “China has no room for compromise when it comes to safeguarding sovereignty, security and territorial integrity”.

“We urge the US side to earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, be cautious in words and deeds on the Taiwan question, and refrain from sending any wrong signals to secessionist, so as not to seriously damage China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said, warning the US against “standing against the 1.4 billion Chinese people”.

“No one should underestimate the strong resolve, determination and capability of the Chinese people to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Taiwan, which lies off the coast of the Chinese mainland, is claimed by Beijing as a breakaway province. But the democratic nation of 24 million people has never been ruled by Communist China and has been essentially independent for more than 60 years

Biden’s comments are at odds with official US policy on Taiwan which is one of “strategic ambiguity” where it nether confirms nor denies it would defend the island state.

Joe Biden has caused a stir at home and abroad with his recent comments regarding Taiwan.

Diao Daming, an associate professor at the Renmin University of China, criticised Mr Biden for “not backing down” and causing international stress, following the White House’s attempts at hosing down his recent comments against Beijing.

According to State Department spokesman Ned Price, the president “was not announcing any change in our policy and there is no change in our policy”.

“No matter what the White House says, Biden‘s remarks illustrate a US obsession with Taiwan on which his younger aides, including members of Congress, are not backing down,” Mr Daming said.

“Biden has not yet shown dominant strength in handling US domestic affairs. But he is tough on external affairs. He assumes that he has rich experience in this regard. If he has clear targets, he will not be constrained by so-called pressure.”

Mr Daming said “there can only be one explanation” for the recent move from the US leader.

“Biden is trying to convince himself of what to avoid, but at the same time he can‘t let go of this hyped-up obsession on certain issues,” he continued. “Biden wants to see a clash happen in the Taiwan Straits but doesn’t want to take responsibility if that happens, which is extremely dangerous.”

Chinese state media has criticised the US President’s recent swipe against the superpower.

In order to appease Beijing, the US’s “One China” policy means it has no official diplomatic relations with Taiwan although it does have an office on the island. It also doesn’t have a military pact with Taiwan, unlike Japan and South Korea.

The Taiwan Relations Act does state that the US can sell arms to the nation, chiefly so the island can defend itself. However, anything perceived as international recognition of Taiwan is met with a furious response from Beijing.

Lithuania, population 3 million, was told this year by China that it had crossed a “red line” after a decision to open a “Taiwanese representative office”. The office was not a full embassy but Beijing was angry nonetheless as it referred to “Taiwan” in the name.

A Taiwanese F-16 fighter jet flying next to a Chinese H-6 bomber (top) off the coast of Taiwan. (Photo by Handout / Taiwan's Defence Ministry / AFP)

The Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Mr Wenbin said issues relating to Taiwan were “China’s internal affairs that brook no foreign interference”.

The new development came after figures revealed the US recorded a $2.77 trillion budget deficit for the 2021 financial year, the second highest figure ever recorded by a nation, sitting $300 billion behind last year’s eye-watering $3.13 trillion deficit, brought about by extensive spending throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

-- with Benedict Brook