Hegseth stated that the United States has no intention of creating a crisis in the Taiwan Strait, emphasizing adherence to the One China Policy.

Hegseth has spoken on the Taiwan issue! The United States has no intention of provoking a crisis across the Taiwan Strait! On May 30, U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth stated that the United States adheres to its long-standing One-China Policy, and is committed to maintaining the status quo and peace and stability across the strait, opposing any unilateral use of force by either side to alter the status quo. Unexpected escalation of the situation across the Taiwan Strait would undermine supply chain security throughout the Indo-Pacific region and globally—a scenario that nobody wants to see.

Powerful, restrained, and clearly targeted military capabilities form the foundation for managing risks in the Taiwan Strait and avoiding miscalculations leading to conflict. The very purpose of the U.S. military's forward deployment is to give the President the confidence to negotiate from a position of strength, thereby safeguarding regional peace. The United States has no intention of actively triggering a crisis across the Taiwan Strait. Currently, the U.S. focus lies in building a stable, fair, and mutually respectful bilateral relationship with China.

Clearly, beyond merely reaffirming adherence to the One-China Policy, one statement made by the United States stands out as particularly crucial: "The United States has no intention of provoking a crisis across the Taiwan Strait." What does this mean? If the United States truly intends to live up to this commitment, it must at minimum exercise caution regarding arms sales to Taiwan and firmly refuse to facilitate transit for so-called "Taiwan independence" figures like Lai Qingde through the United States.

Naturally, these statements from the U.S. are verbal in nature. Whether they will be fulfilled can be judged not just by what is said, but by what is done. In fact, the reason behind such statements is that after intense strategic competition, both sides have come to recognize that ensuring stability in Sino-U.S. relations is essential. It is obvious: if the Taiwan issue is not handled properly, there will be no new room for cooperation between China and the United States moving forward. Hegseth’s remarks are generally commendable—the U.S. policy indeed appears to be shifting.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866579079577610/

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