On May 20th, the countdown to the inauguration ceremony of the President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has begun. The US Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Daniel Kritenbrink, stated on the 13th that it is currently a critical period and the priority for the United States is still to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. He expressed confidence in their ability to tackle challenges.
Reviewing the implementation progress of the Indo-Pacific strategy by the Biden administration over the past two years, Kritenbrink highlighted Taiwan’s significance in global transportation and semiconductor industries. He emphasized that any threat to the Taiwan Strait would have significant impacts regionally and globally.
Kritenbrink reiterated that the US policy towards China is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Joint Communiqués between the US and China, and the Six Assurances to Taiwan. He stated that the US has been assisting in maintaining stability across the strait for the past 45 years.
The overall US strategy continues to focus on maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and upholding the current status quo. Despite the correctness of the US strategy, Kritenbrink noted the escalating pressure and coercion from China toward Taiwan. Therefore, the US must utilize the tools provided by the Taiwan Relations Act and cooperate with regional partners to preserve stability and deter any aggressive behaviors.
According to the Taiwan Relations Act, any attempt to determine Taiwan’s future through non-peaceful means, including economic coercion and embargo tactics, will be seen as a threat to peace and stability in the Western Pacific region, a matter of grave concern to the US.
This US domestic law stipulates the provision of defensive weapons to the people of Taiwan, maintaining US capabilities to resist any use of force or other high-pressure tactics that endanger the security and socio-economic system of the Taiwanese people.
Unlike the US State Department’s avoidance of directly naming China in April and merely urging “all countries” not to provoke before President-elect Lai Ching-te’s inauguration, as the countdown to May 20 approaches, Kritenbrink’s language has become clearer.
He stated on May 1st that during US Secretary of State Blinken’s visit to China, Beijing was explicitly asked not to escalate tensions in the Taiwan Strait around May 20th. The US will closely monitor China’s actions.
Kritenbrink also agreed with US Congress members on the point of “China changing the status quo,” stating that President-elect Lai Ching-te’s post-election remarks were “very responsible,” clearly expressing the shared commitment of the US and Taiwan to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
While diplomatic allies of the Republic of China (Taiwan) have announced their attendance at the inauguration ceremony, the United States has yet to publicly confirm the delegation members and the schedule of their visit to Taiwan.
During President Tsai Ing-wen’s first inauguration ceremony in 2016, former US Trade Representative Ron Kirk led a US special envoy delegation to Taiwan. In 2020, for President Tsai’s re-election, the US sent an online delegation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including then-White House Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Pottinger.
At President Ma Ying-jeou’s first inauguration ceremony in 2008, the George W. Bush administration appointed former White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card to lead the delegation. During Ma Ying-jeou’s re-election in 2012, the Obama administration sent former White House Chief of Staff William Daley to attend.