Testing Time for President Biden

President Biden has only been in office for six days, but it is very apparent that a number of nations are already testing him and his administration, as is usually the case with an incoming president. Not surprisingly, one of these nations is China, which is becoming more and more aggressive, particularly in the South China Sea and in regard to Taiwan.
China sent a very strong warning to the Biden administration, to Taiwan and the rest of the world over the weekend. On Saturday, China sent a dozen bombers and fighter jets into Taiwan and sent 16 military aircraft on Sunday. Taiwan reportedly responded by scrambling jet fighters and broadcasted warnings by radio and deploying air defense systems.
According to China’s state-run media, the flights were designed to “defend China’s sovereignty” and act as a warning against “collusion” between the U.S. and Taiwan. China has made it no secret that it views Taiwan as part of its nation and is trying to pressure Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-Wen, into recognizing Taiwan as part of Chinese territory. This is something Taiwan should never concede.
Ing-Wen, who was elected in 2016, rejects the idea that Taiwan is part of “one China,” which is probably a major reason why he was elected. The U.S. has an official and unofficial opinion on whether or not Taiwan is part of “one China.” Taiwan separated from China when the Chinese Communist Party took over in China in 1949, and many people in China fled to Taiwan. The U.S. had recognized the nationalist government in Taipei, Taiwan for three decades. In 1979 the U.S. switched diplomatic recognition of Taiwan to Beijing. However, Taiwan has very strong bipartisan support in Washington and appears to also be supported by the Biden administration.
Biden’s administration has said its commitment to Taiwan is “rock solid” and is rightfully concerned by China’s “pattern of ongoing attempts to intimidate its neighbors. The Biden administration is urging China to use diplomacy with Taiwan, which may very well be wishful thinking.
‘We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic and economic pressure against Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan’s democratically elected representatives,” stated Ned Price, a spokesman for the Biden administration.
We are not sure how diplomatic China will be in regards to Taiwan. If China’s crackdown on Hong Kong and China’s behavior in the South China Sea are any indication, they will not be very diplomatic. Hong Kong initially enjoyed one nation, two country’s status. That is not the case anymore.
The Biden administration is and will continue to be tested by China for free commerce in the South China Sea, which is absolutely crucial for numerous nations. Roughly $3.4 trillion worth of global trade passes through the South China Sea every year. This is not something the U.S. and other nations can let China control, but it is clear that China does wish to control it. In recent years, China has constructed numerous military air bases in the South China Sea. China has been rightfully accused of trying to build a maritime empire in the area.
The truth of the matter is that China is rapidly growing more powerful militarily. China has the second largest economy in the world and the second most powerful military in the world. Russia has more nuclear weapons, but China’s military is far stronger right now. Russia is also arguably Chinas’ greatest ally and conducts military exercises with China, as well as Iran. China has upgraded its navy recently and is reportedly launching its biggest aircraft carrier this year and has put far more money into its military, particularly its navy, in recent years.
The long-term goal for China is to absorb Taiwan and control the South China Sea. This is something the U.S. cannot allow to happen under any circumstances if it wishes to remain a super power. We expect the Biden administration to be diplomatic with China, and we agree that it should be. However, the U.S. needs to continue to negotiate from a position of strength. For example, a U.S. carrier group, led by the USS Theodore Roosevelt and accompanied by three warships entered the waterway of the South China Sea. This was an appropriate response to China’s fly over Taiwan. This nation needs to continue to be a deterrent to China in the South China Sea, not just for us and our allies in the area but for the rest of the world.
-Kernersville News Editorial