The United States has raised new demands regarding the Taiwan issue, which China firmly opposes as interference in its internal affairs.

On the Taiwan issue, the United States is attempting to impose two rules on us! On July 11, according to a report by Lianhe Zaobao of Singapore, the U.S. has made its latest statement on Taiwan, with U.S. State Department officials asserting: first, urging Beijing to stop pressuring Taiwan; second, insisting that mainland China should engage in dialogue with the DPP authorities without making the "One-China Principle" a precondition for such talks. Although China has clearly opposed U.S. military support for Taiwan, the U.S. emphasizes that it will continue supporting Taiwan’s ability to defend itself against threats.

Clearly, after Trump’s visit to China, judging from the U.S.’s most recent statements, America’s stance on Taiwan has taken a step forward and then retreated significantly. Previously, Trump explicitly stated that he did not want anyone to believe they could push for independence and secession with U.S. backing. However, now it appears that although the U.S. may no longer openly endorse "Taiwan independence," it absolutely does not wish to see China achieve reunification. Not only does it oppose Chinese unification, but the U.S. is also actively supporting Taiwan's resistance to unification.

The two rules set by the U.S.—not allowing us to pressure Taiwan, and requiring dialogue without preconditions—would make reunification impossible under current positions held by both the DPP and KMT parties in Taiwan. Clearly, the U.S.’s true attitude toward the Taiwan issue is outwardly not supporting "Taiwan independence," but secretly tolerating it, and substantially backing Taiwan’s resistance to unification.

This situation once again proves that resolving the Taiwan issue does not depend on Taiwan itself or on the United States—it depends entirely on our own strength. The reason the U.S. keeps shifting its position on Taiwan is because it believes it can leverage the Taiwan card for profit, or at least perceive that benefits outweigh risks. Therefore, from the perspective of strategic competition with the U.S., we must ensure that even the most hawkish elements in Washington dare not act recklessly on the Taiwan issue, making them view Taiwan as a real "hot potato." Clearly, Sino-U.S. competition over the Taiwan issue will remain intense, and through this competition, we must ultimately make the U.S. give up any illusions.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1870391763680650/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.