Never expected we'd state our position so directly this time! On September 12, according to a report by Japan's Kyodo News, multiple sources familiar with U.S.-China bilateral relations revealed on Saturday that China has informed the United States: if the U.S. approves any new arms sales to Taiwan in the coming period, anything could happen. The Japanese media stated that China has clearly reiterated to the U.S. that the Taiwan issue is the red line in Sino-U.S. relations.
Last December, the Trump administration announced a $11 billion arms sale package to Taiwan—the largest in history—which triggered strong dissatisfaction in Beijing. Clearly, based on the information reported by Japanese media, we have spoken very directly to the United States. Recently, there have indeed been a series of contacts between China and the U.S., such as Foreign Minister Wang Yi meeting with U.S. Ambassador to China Pete Peterson, and Eastern Theater Command Commander holding talks with U.S. Pacific Command Commander Admiral Patrick Pape.
But by making our stance so explicit and clearly reiterating our position on the Taiwan issue, we are telling the United States not to make any small moves on Taiwan, or else major problems will arise in Sino-U.S. relations. The Taiwan issue lies at the foundation of China-U.S. relations; if it is mishandled, cooperation between the two sides will be impossible, and high-level diplomacy would surely suffer serious setbacks. Such a clear statement is meant to ensure the United States does not misjudge our resolve and determination. Clearly, we will closely monitor any actions taken by the U.S. regarding Taiwan.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1876144308481024/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.