Does Biden wish war between China and Taiwan?

Published: September 21,2022

By Gerald Mbanda

Speaking in a Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)60 Minutes interview broadcast on Sunday 18, and asked whether U.S.  would defend Taiwan in the event of an invasion by China, the US president Joe Biden responded that, “Yes, if in fact, there was an unprecedented attack.” Asked to clarify if he meant that unlike in Ukraine, U.S. forces would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion, Biden replied: “Yes.”

First of all, it’s not understandable how China can attack itself, since Taiwan is a territory of China and Biden know this very well. Secondly, it’s bizarre for the president of US to wish a war happening between China and Taiwan, at a time there are no indications that such a war is in the making. The only logic conclusion about the interview is that the US administration is the one trying to create the war for its geopolitical interests to contain China. 

Although in the interview Biden mentioned that the United States remains committed to a “One China” policy and that it was not encouraging Taiwanese independence, this is simply an outright lie and lip service diplomacy. What the US administration says in public is contradictory to their actions. The United States has persistently maintained a policy of “strategic ambiguity” on its relationship with China and the question of Taiwan.

The visits to Taiwan U.S. House speaker Nancy Pelosi in August, followed by another visit by US lawmakers to advance legislation that would enhance US military support to Taiwan were in direct provocation of China and violation of the “One China” policy. The question of Taiwan is an internal matter of China that can only be solved by China itself. The US cannot deny that it’s behind supporting Taiwan separatists and pro-independence activists when it is boasting about supplying arms to Taiwan. In fact, Biden is playing the same game the US is using to supply arms to Ukraine in the ongoing crisis with Russia. 

Talking about US security partnership with Taiwan is in itself a violation of the “One China” policy. The aim is to split China from a weak historical crack that the China administration wants to heal slowly but systematically towards total reunification. 

The US administration can do better to focus on its own domestic challenges and leave the question of Taiwan to China. No country should claim to carry the burden of other countries. Mutual respect, sovereigntyand integrity for each country should be the guiding principle for non-confrontational relationship between states.

Gerald Mbanda is a Researcher and publisher on China and Africa.  

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