Biden invites Taiwan to Summit for Democracy, enraging China

Shanghai, China, Nov 24 (EFE).- United States President Joe Biden has included Taiwan among more than 100 invitees to a Washington-led Summit for Democracy next month, enraging China on expected lines.

China reacted angrily after seeing Taiwan in the list of the countries for the virtual summit on Dec.9 and 10 that does not include Beijing, which considers the self-ruled and democratically governed island as its territory.

China’s State Council Taiwan Affairs Office said: “It is a mistake” to have the island on the list published on the website of the State Department.

Zhu Fenglian, the spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office, reiterated the Chinese government’s firm opposition to any formal interaction between the US and the island.

“We firmly oppose any form of official interaction between the US and the island, which is a clear and consistent stance,” the spokesperson said.

She urged the US government to uphold the one-China principle and three joint statements between China and the US by handling the Taiwan question properly.

The island authorities had already earlier said that they were negotiating the invitation for the summit with Washington to “share democratic experience.”

Taiwan has been governed autonomously since 1949, even as China claims sovereignty of the island and considers it a rebel province.

China has not ruled out the use of force to achieve reunification.

In 1979, Washington broke its official diplomatic ties with Taipei in favor of Beijing.

However, it continued to maintain its ties with Taiwan through its ‘de facto’ embassy on the island called the American Institute in Taiwan.

The US-Taiwan ties are governed by the so-called Taiwan Relations Act.

Washington has pledged to help Taiwan in defense matters, even as it neither guarantees nor rules out that the US will intervene militarily in the event of a possible Chinese attack on the island.

Washington has pledged to help Taiwan in defense matters, even as it neither guarantees nor rules out that the US will intervene militarily in the event of a possible Chinese attack on the island.

The December summit will be the first of two on democracy to be held by Biden.

It is to achieve a “democratic renewal” through lines of action such as defense against authoritarianism, the fight against corruption, and respect for human rights. EFE

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