Current:Home > MarketsThe US plans an unofficial delegation to Taiwan to meet its new leader amid tensions with China-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
The US plans an unofficial delegation to Taiwan to meet its new leader amid tensions with China
View Date:2024-12-23 19:29:49
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration will send an unofficial delegation comprised of former senior officials to Taiwan shortly after the self-governed island holds an election for a new president this weekend, a move that could upset Beijing in an already-fragile bilateral relationship.
A senior administration official confirmed the plan on Wednesday without offering more details but said such a face-to-face meeting was the “most effective way” to engage the new Taiwanese government and convey U.S. policy in the region.
The official, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive plans, said the administration believed the move would contribute to peace and stability in the region.
Beijing claims Taiwan to be part of Chinese territory and vows to unify with it eventually. The Chinese have repeatedly warned Washington to stay out of Taiwan and oppose any official contact between the U.S. and Taiwanese governments.
In August 2022, Beijing reacted angrily by firing missiles and blockading the island after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. Chinese President Xi Jinping, at his most recent meeting with President Joe Biden in November, called Taiwan the “most sensitive issue” in U.S.-Chinese relations.
Washington has a security pact with Taiwan to provide it with sufficient hardware and technology to deter any armed attack from the mainland. The U.S. has stepped up support for Taiwan and its democratically elected government in recent years as Beijing ratchets up military and diplomatic pressure on the island.
The U.S. government takes no side on the island’s statehood but insists the differences must be resolved peacefully. Biden told Xi in November that the U.S. government opposes any unilateral change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.
The Biden administration has endorsed no political party or candidate in Taiwan’s upcoming presidential election. Beijing, for its part, has made it clear that it does not want a victory by Lai Ching-te, the candidate from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party known for its pro-independence leaning.
Lai is considered the front-runner in the race, but Hou Yu-ih from the opposition Kuomintang party trails closely. Kuomintang opposes independence, but it does not support unification with the mainland, either.
Beijing has labeled Lai as a “Taiwan independence element,” and Chinese officials have suggested to Taiwan voters that they could be choosing between war and peace, for Beijing has vowed to annex the island forcibly should it declare independence. Lai, however, is unlikely to take such a drastic step.
The U.S. official acknowledged a period of higher tensions lies ahead with Taiwan’s presidential election but said there have been “contingency conversations” in the U.S. government for dealing with them. The official added that the White House also is engaging with Beijing on Taiwan to manage “difficult situations” and avoid unintended conflict.
The U.S. official also said the Biden administration opposes any outside interference in Taiwan’s election and that the administration has repeatedly raised the concern with Chinese officials.
veryGood! (4978)
Related
- 'Heretic' spoilers! Hugh Grant spills on his horror villain's fears and fate
- America, we have a problem. People aren't feeling engaged with their work
- U.S. files second antitrust suit against Google's ad empire, seeks to break it up
- Former Top Chef winner Kristen Kish to replace Padma Lakshmi as host
- Trump ally Steve Bannon blasts ‘lawfare’ as he faces New York trial after federal prison stint
- Scott Disick Spends Time With His and Kourtney Kardashian's Kids After Her Pregnancy News
- The $16 Million Was Supposed to Clean Up Old Oil Wells; Instead, It’s Going to Frack New Ones
- Friends Actor Paxton Whitehead Dead at 85
- Fire crews on both US coasts battle wildfires, 1 dead; Veterans Day ceremony postponed
- Justice Department reverses position, won't support shielding Trump in original E. Jean Carroll lawsuit
Ranking
- US Diplomats Notch a Win on Climate Super Pollutants With Help From the Private Sector
- A tiny invasive flying beetle that's killed hundreds of millions of trees lands in Colorado
- Exxon announced record earnings. It's bound to renew scrutiny of Big Oil
- Vitamix Flash Deal: Save 44% On a Blender That Functions as a 13-In-1 Machine
- Kate Hudson and Goldie Hawn’s SKIMS Holiday Pajamas Are Selling Out Fast—Here’s What’s Still Available
- Junk food companies say they're trying to do good. A new book raises doubts
- Larry Birkhead Shares Rare Selfie With His and Anna Nicole Smith’s Daughter Dannielynn
- Sarah Jessica Parker Breaks Silence on Kim Cattrall's “Sentimental” And Just Like That Cameo
Recommendation
-
Sister Wives’ Janelle Brown Alleges Ex Kody Made False Claims About Family’s Finances
-
Prosecutors say man accidentally recorded himself plotting wife's kidnapping
-
Days of Our Lives Actor Cody Longo's Cause of Death Revealed
-
Can bots discriminate? It's a big question as companies use AI for hiring
-
Noem’s Cabinet appointment will make a plain-spoken rancher South Dakota’s new governor
-
Could Migration Help Ease The World's Population Challenges?
-
Save $95 on a Shark Multi-Surface Cleaner That Vacuums and Mops Floors at the Same Time
-
A Watershed Moment: How Boston’s Charles River Went From Polluted to Pristine