Pompeo’s advice to Biden: Recognize Taiwan.
The former US Secretary of State called on the current government to recognize Taiwan’s independence from the Chinese central government.
Former United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a speech in Taipei today (Friday) that Washington should recognize Taiwan as an official state and blame China for “useless rhetoric.”
“The US government must immediately take the necessary, long-term steps to do the right thing; “Recognize Taiwan diplomatically as a free and independent sovereign state.”
“While the United States must continue to engage with the People’s Republic of China as an independent state, it recognizes the recognition of 23 million Taiwanese freedom-loving people and its legitimate, democratically elected government,” he was quoted as saying by Reuters. “It cannot be ignored, escaped from under its burden, or dealt with.”
Washington ended formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979 with the recognition of the People’s Republic of China. While Taiwan’s official name is the Republic of China, politicians often refer to the island as “Taiwan” in their public statements.
“Pompeo is a former politician whose reputation has long been tarnished,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said in response to the former secretary of state. “Such a person’s useless careers will have no success.”
The administration of former US President Donald Trump has backed Taiwan despite a lack of formal diplomatic relations, a lack of arms sales and a visit by senior officials to Taipei.
Earlier, Taiwanese officials said they were worried that China would join the island while the United States and Western countries turned their attention to Ukraine.
Beijing considers Taiwan a part of China, and considers US moves and arms sales to Taiwan a violation of its sovereignty and contrary to the “one China” policy. The US government recently signed a bill of hundreds of billions of US military budgets, a significant portion of which is dedicated to countering China and supporting Taiwan.
