Secretary of State Antony Blinken, 59, opened another controversy saying the U.S. would defend the Philippines in the event of Chinese invasion. Whether that’s likely or not, it anyone’s guess. What’s known for sure is that Blinken just attended a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations [ASEAN] in Phnom, Penh, Cambodia Aug. 5 where he sat at the same table as 71-year-old Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and 68-year-old Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, both of whom Blinken didn’t utter a peep. You’d think the top U.S. diplomat would make an attempt to talk to his Russian and Chinese counterparts to iron out any differences or at least start a dialogue. What’s Blinken doing not talking with either Lavrov or Yi? Blinken’s claims he spoke July 28 with Lavrov by phone over the Brittney Griners situation, especially the attempted prisoner swap to get her out of Russian prison. So, why would Blinken avoid Lavrov at the ASEAN meeting in Cambodia?
Blinken’s inability to engage with Russian and Chinese colleagues in constructive dialogue speaks volumes about he’s not fit for the job of Secretary of State. No matter what the differences with Russia and China, it’s Blinken’s job to keep open lines of communication. Sitting at the same table in Phnom Penh and saying nothing is inexcusable. Then, t raveling to Manilla to meet with 64-year-old Philippine’s President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Blinken boldly proclaims that the 70-year-old mutual defense pact with the Philppines is firmly intact. When it comes to Taiwan, the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, signed into law by former President Jimmy Carter, negated the 1954 Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty. Carter agreed in the Taiwan Relations Act to recognize only one China, the one in Beijing, but, more importantly, to cancel the mutual defense pact protecting the democratic island nation of Taiwan.
Blinken knows that Philippines is not under any siege by the Peoples Republic of China [PRC] like Taiwan. Before 82-year-old House Speaker Nancy Pelosis decided to visit Taipei, the Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House there would be severe consequences for any visit. Pelosi defied the Chinese Communist Party [CC] to let China and the world know that the U.S. has Taiwan’s back. But Blinken didn’t travel to Taiwan to announce a new Biden foreign policy that he would defend Taiwan in the event of Chinese invasion. No, that rhetoric was left for Biden May 23, when, in typical Joe fashion, the said that the U.S. would, in fact, defend Taiwan. White House officials went to great lengths to walk back Biden’s gaffe, despite the fact he meant what he said. Xi realized with Pelosi’s visit that the U.S. invalidated the Taiwan Relations Act, reinstating the Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty.
Biden didn’t unilaterally change the Taiwan Relations Act because that’s up to Congress, not the Executive Branch. But when Xi heard Biden say May 23 that he’d defend Taiwan then watched Pelosi do the same thing Aug. 2 in Taipei, he heard enough. Xi ordered the Peoples Liberation Army [PLA] to encircle Taiwan, launching a series of military drills, including fighter jet flyovers and Chinese naval exercises. So, Blinken’s meeting in Manilla raised eyebrows guaranteeing President Marcos that the U.S. has the Philappine’s back. “An armed attack on Philappines armed forces, public vessels and aircraft will invoke the U.S. defense commitments under that treaty, “ Blinken said. “The Philippines is an irreplaceable friend, partners, and ally to the United States. Pelosi said basically the same think in Taiwan, yet mentioned nothing of a U.S. change to the Taiwan Relations Act.
Marcos told Blinken that he didn’t think Pelosi’s visit changed much in Taiwan or around the South China Sea. Marcos said Pelosi’s visit “did not raise the intensity” of the conflict over Taiwan, only made it more visible. “We have been at that level for a good while, but we have sort of got used to the idea,” Marcos said, meaning that Taiwan Strait is always under threat from Beijing. Making pledges to Manilla is easy enough for Blinken because the Philippines, while not directly challenging China in the South China
Seal, does not hold the same status to Beijing as Taiwan. Taiwan has been a thorn in Communist China since Gen. Chiang Kai-Shek led a band of nationalists off Mainland China during the 1949 Maoist Revolution to the island of Formosa. Mao Zedong, China’s first Communist premier and founded of the CCP, made no effort to conquer Taiwan in the last 73 years.
Blinken likes to take the easy way out making promises to Marcos about a U.S. commitment to Philippines security. At the same time, Blinken blew a golden opportunity to speak with Lavrov and Wang Yi at the Phnom Penho ASEAN meeting. Sitting only a few table settings away from Lavrov and Wang Yi, Blinken didn’t utter a peep, showing why he’s not fit for his job as America’s leading diplomat. No matter what the differences, it’s Blinken’s job to build rapport, open up a dialogue with U.S. adversaries. Before talking to Lavrov by phone July 28 about Brittney Grinder’s situation, Blinken hadn’t talked with Lavrov since before the Feb. 24 Ukraine War. With the U.S. giving unlimited cash-and-weapons to Ukraine, the Kremlin understands that the U.S. is at war with the Russian Federation. If Blinken wants to make progress on a prisoner swap or anything else, he needs to talk.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
