On Friday, October 11, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a press conference during the ASEAN summit in Laos. He warned the Chinese Communist Party not to use Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s Double Ten speech as an excuse to engage in provocative activities.
Tsai Ing-wen emphasized in her speech on Taiwan’s National Day that “the Chinese Communist Party has no authority to represent Taiwan” and that Taiwan’s “sovereignty is not to be infringed upon or swallowed up.” She also clearly expressed to the international community that Taiwan’s efforts to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait remain unchanged, while seeking “equal dignity between both sides of the strait.”
She also stated that Taiwan’s commitment to safeguarding democracy and freedom for generations remains unchanged.
President Tsai’s speech was strongly criticized by the Chinese Communist Party. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning accused Tsai Ing-wen of intentionally severing the historical connection between the two sides of the strait. Mao Ning condemned Tsai’s unyielding position as “stubborn” and accused him of “escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait.”
Observers believe that President Tsai’s speech may escalate China’s military activities around Taiwan, possibly leading to large-scale military exercises.
In response, Blinken warned during the press conference on Friday that almost all ASEAN countries strongly desire to see the entire Taiwan Strait region “maintain peace and stability.” He said Tsai Ing-wen’s Double Ten speech was a routine event and “China should not use it as an excuse for provocative actions.”
He emphasized that the United States and many other countries strongly support maintaining the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, with neither side taking actions that could jeopardize the current situation.
Blinken added that the entire region strongly feels this sentiment, as it is crucial to maintaining overall “peace and stability,” which will impact every country in the region and even globally in terms of “life, livelihoods, and future.”
“Every day, 50% of global commercial container shipping passes through the Taiwan Strait. Over 70% of the world’s needed high-end semiconductors are produced in Taiwan,” Blinken stated. Therefore, maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, upholding the current situation, and avoiding conflicts that could disrupt the global economy are in the interest of all countries.
“We continue to emphasize the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea and East China Sea, as well as the necessity of preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” Blinken said.
The Secretary of State also highlighted the importance of the Indo-Pacific region to the United States.
“During my tenure as Secretary of State, I have visited the Indo-Pacific region 20 times, including 8 out of 10 ASEAN countries. I am here in Laos because – as President Biden often says – our future will largely be written in the Indo-Pacific,” he said.
“Recognizing this reality, nearly three years ago, the United States formulated an ambitious strategy to advance a shared vision for a free, open, prosperous, interconnected, secure, and resilient Indo-Pacific region,” Blinken said. “Today, due to extensive diplomatic efforts over the past three and a half years, the United States and our Indo-Pacific partners are closer and more aligned than ever before. This of course includes our relationship with ASEAN.”