United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken claims that China is on an accelerated timeline to seize Taiwan as part of its territory amid heightened global tensions.
The American official's remarks came shortly after Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated his desire to take the island by force if needed. Speaking at an event at Stanford University in California on Monday, Blinken said that there has been a change in Beijing's approach toward the self-governing island nation in recent years.
China's Accelerated Timeline
Blinken's remarks came as China held its twice-a-decade Community Party Congress and after Xi's speech on Sunday. There, the Chinese president said that the "wheels of history are rolling on towards China's reunification" with Taiwan.
The Asian leader noted that while China was open to peaceful means and was preferred, he argued that they reserve the option of taking all necessary measures. Blinken said that China had already made a "fundamental decision" that it no longer respected the status quo.
The US secretary of state added that Beijing was determined to pursue reunification on a much faster timeline. However, Blinken did not elaborate further on the details of his claims regarding China, as per the Financial Review.
While President Joe Biden's administration officials regularly accused Beijing of disrespecting the balance of power in the Taiwan Strait, remarks about China's intentions with regard to an invasion are rare.
Many observers are highly sensitive to any comments that might provide insights into how senior Beijing or Washington officials view the potential for war over Taiwan. Such an event would have enormous geopolitical and economic consequences.
According to the Voice of America News, Blinken added that the People's Republic of China (PRC) poses a challenge to the United States' national interests in the future. However, he noted that despite the clearly adversarial aspects, there are also cooperative aspects in the bilateral relationship, including addressing climate change and promoting global health.
Read Also : China: Xi Jinping Wants 'Peaceful Reunification' with Taiwan, But Will Use Force if Necessary
Reunification With Taiwan
Blinken said that under Xi, China has changed significantly, becoming more repressive locally and aggressive internationally. He added that in many instances, the situation poses a challenge to the US's values. However, the US secretary of state said that issues such as climate change and global health are much more difficult to address if China and the US are not engaged in cooperation.
Speaking in Beijing, Xi laid out 15 main points to the nearly 2,300 CCP delegates on Sunday. The Chinese leader vowed to safeguard China's national security and social stability, realize the goal to modernize the nation's military and push for reunification with Taiwan.
He noted that they have waged a major struggle against separatism and interference, noting that they have showcased their strong determination. President Xi said in his speech that Taiwan's status should be settled by the Chinese people and not other nations.
However, the Chinese leader faces a tricky balancing act managing public opinion among the country's 1.4 billion people on an issue that looks set to dominate his third term, Yahoo News reported.
