Details have emerged about a phone conversation between the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, and the US Foreign Secretary, Anthony Blinken, about Taiwan.
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Stabs in the back
According to a report by Fox News, the Chinese official warned his US counterpart against engaging in 'salami tactics' to challenge China’s red line on Taiwan.
Salami tactics or slicing refers to a practice of using many small actions to produce a much larger result that would be not lawful if performed at once.
During the meeting of heads of state in November, Xi Jinping of China had told US President Joe Biden that the Taiwan question ‘was the very core of China’s core interests’ and represents ‘the first red line in bilateral ties that must not be crossed’.
According to Yi, the US must stop dialogue and cooperation ‘when it is stabbing China in the back’:
The U.S. must take seriously China’s legitimate concerns, stop containing and suppressing China’s development, and particularly stop using salami tactics to constantly challenge China’s red line.
China warns US not to cross 'red line' on Taiwan, use 'salami tactics' https://t.co/OByJN3CDBR
— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 5, 2023
Show of force
The phone conversation between the top diplomats came reportedly before China expressed angerat the US for including Taiwan in its annual defence spending budget.
As a result, China launched a 24 hour show of force close to Taiwan by sending 71 planes and seven ships towards the self-ruled island.
According to a statement by China’s Foreign Ministry, Blinken said the US would continue to follow the one-China policy and does not support Taiwan’s Independence, Fox News reports.
Despite the Chinese warnings, the US is not ceasing its support of Taiwan. Bloomberg reports that next week a US delegation will fly over to Taipei to hold trade talks.
Sources used:
-FoxNews: ‘China warns US not to cross 'red line' on Taiwan, use 'salami tactics'
-Bloomberg: ‘US, Taiwan to Hold Trade Talks in Taipei in Defiance of China’
