Beating the war drums, the Biden administration continues to paint China as the biggest U.S. threat, largely over actions related to Taiwan where China continues to send warplane into the Taiwan Strait. But apart from flexing its muscles, China hasn’t stolen much sovereign territory, other than building out military installation on shallow shoals in the South China Sea. Yet, if you listen to the U.S. media, China is an implacable threat to U.S. national security. A recent CNN special hosted by Fareed Zakaria paints China as an imminent threat to the United States, both economically and militarily. Zakaria’s CNN special paints an ominous picture of China, almost seeking approval for U.S. military intervention. Secretary of State Lloyd Austin said today that China’s military flights over the Taiwan Strait look like “rehearsals” for an eventual invasion, something pure speculation..
Austin was careful not to hype the case against China too dramatically but did question China’s motives for flying warplanes into Taiwan’s air defense zone. “I don’t want to speculate, but certainly . . . it looks a lot like rehearsals,” speaking a defense conference in California. Since 79-year-old President Joe Biden and 59-year-old Secretary of State Tony Blinken said the U.S. has Taiwan’s back, China has been sending an ominous message about a possible invasion. When former President Jimmy Carter signed the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, the U.S. no longer has a mutual defense treaty, agreeing to a one-China policy. So all the nonsense about the U.S. or its allies defending Taiwan has antagonized Beijing to the point that President Xi Jinping has been playing war games in the Taiwan Strait. If Biden and Blinken would stop posturing on Taiwan, Beijing would settle down.
Whatever China decides to do with Taiwan, it’s not the U.S. responsibility to defend the Island Nation, despite proving military support since the 1949 Maoist Revolution. Xi wants to make a point to Biden that the Taiwan Relations Act forbids the U.S. from recognizing the independence of Taiwan. If Carter and the U.S. Congress not wanted in 1979 to toss Taiwan under the bus, they would have continued the 1954 U.S.-Sino Mutual Defense Treaty. Carter knew that recognizing only one China meant the U.S. no longer had an obligation to defend Taipei. When it came to Britain’s 1997 loss of its 99-year lease with Hong Kong, the U.S. also has no dog in the fight when it comes to preserving what’s left of Hong Kong’s democracy. While the U.S. has sympathy with pro-democracy demonstrators, there’s nothing the U.S. can do short of war to defends Hong Kong’s past freedoms.
When it comes to U.S.-China relations, former President Donald Trump had it right to deal with economic trade issues, staying clear of Biden’s human rights platform, something that’s soured U.S.-Chinese relations. Biden’s too old to figure out when he says, “America is back,” it’s a 2020 campaign slogan. No one in Asia or the European Union [EU] wants Biden to lead the Free World. While the EU and Asia had some misgivings with Trump, they also knew where he stood on a range of issues, including EU countries contributing more to NATO’s budget. When it came to dealing with China, Trump wanted to profit from the U.S.-Chinese economic relationship, not harass China for not meeting U.S. standards for human rights. Biden hasn’t figured out that lecturing countries like China and Russia about human rights backfires, creating more global tensions.
China doesn’t want to hear the Vice Chief of the U.S. Space Force Gen. David Thomson tell Fox New Sunday host Chris Wallace that China could surpass the U.S. on space operations in the near future. “I don’t think it’s a forgone conclusion they will be the leader in space at the end of the decade, but they are on an incredible pace,” Thomson said, antagonizing Beijing. Beijing doesn’t want to hear a top U.S. general call China a menace, trying to dominate in the militarization of space. “Our capabilities are the best in the world of space, but they’re moving aggressively,” Thomson said. “They’re moving quickly and we need to adapt our approach,” again painting China as the menace. When it comes to Hong Kong or Taiwan, the U.S. has little to say about what happens in the future. Taiwan’s 65-year-old President Tsai Ing-wen needs better relations with Beijing,
When it comes to Biden’s relations with Russia and China, he prefers to burn bridges rather than listen more to Moscow and Beijing’s point of view. Biden has no clout to lecture Putin of Xi Jinping over Ukraine, Taiwan, Hong Kong or any other global topic. Biden plans to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin Tuesday, Dec. 7 about developments in Ukraine. Biden told Putin through the press that he doesn’t heed Russia’s red lines when it comes to Ukraine. If that’s not throwing gasoline on a fire, then what is? Putin has said clearly that he wants NATO to stay away from Ukraine or there would be consequences for such involvement. Biden wants assurances that Putin will not invade Ukraine but refuses to grant Putin’s simple condition that NATO stays out of Ukraine and away from the Black Sea region. Putin understands that the U.S. has no strategic interest in Ukraine.
