The United States will conduct “sea and air transit operations” in the Taiwan Strait in the coming weeks, a senior US official said on Friday, despite heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing over the island, which China considers an inalienable part. from its territory
Despite the tensions, Kurt Campbell, the president’s senior adviser on Asian affairs, stressed that despite the tensions, US forces will continue to “fly, sail and conduct operations where international law permits, consistent with our long-standing commitment to freedom of navigation.” gave “
“This includes regular sea and air transit operations in the Taiwan Strait in the coming weeks,” he added.
He did not specify the type of auxiliary deployment of these maneuvers and said: “There is no comment on the nature or timing of our transit through the Taiwan Strait.”
Campbell noted that his country would respond to China’s “provocation” over Taiwan by promoting trade with the self-governing island, and would unveil a trade plan between Washington and Taipei in the coming days.
He told reporters that China used US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s controversial visit to Taiwan to change the status quo on the island.
He said Beijing used Pelosi’s visit as a pretext to “launch a campaign of intense pressure on Taiwan to try to change the status quo there, thereby jeopardizing peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the wider region.”
He added: China overreacted and its actions are still provocative, destabilizing and unprecedented.
He noted that the US government will continue to “deepen our relationship with Taiwan, including by continuing to strengthen our economic and trade ties.”
He explained: For example, we are developing an ambitious road map for trade negotiations, which we intend to announce in the coming days.
He noted that Washington “has and will have open lines of communication with Beijing.”
Campbell noted that U.S. President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have asked to prepare for an in-person summit, but he declined to comment on reports that a meeting between the two presidents could take place during the meeting. G-20 to be held in Bali in November, refused. .
He added: “We don’t have more details about the time or place.”
Source: Lebanon Debate
