Senator Lindsey Graham has promised that he will initiate “pre-invasion sanctions from hell” if China’s Communist regime makes any attempts to annex Taiwan. The pledge was made in response to an NBC report stating that Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping informed U.S. President Joe Biden about Beijing’s plans to “reunify” Taiwan with mainland China through peaceful means.
According to the report, the message was delivered during the two leaders’ face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the APEC summit in San Francisco last month. It claimed that three unnamed U.S. officials relayed the “blunt” message to the NBC news outlet.
Outraged by the report, Senator Graham expressed his determination to collaborate with both Democratic and Republican colleagues to strengthen Taiwan’s defense and formulate pre-invasion sanctions against China if they move to seize Taiwan.
He warned China by stating, “To communist China, if you think you can bully your way into destroying world order without consequences, you will be making Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine look wise.”
China has repeatedly signaled its intention to bring the democratic island under its control. Last October, Xi asserted that China seeks “peaceful reunification” with Taiwan but does not rule out the use of force.
The Chinese regime has carried out several large-scale strike drills around Taiwan in recent years and intensified military activities near the island before the Taiwanese presidential and parliamentary election.
Senator Graham stated that the U.S. Congress is fed up with China’s provocations. He believes that the current situation proves the old saying, “weakness anywhere provokes aggression everywhere.”
The White House reaffirmed the United States’ position on Taiwan in response to the reported conversation between President Biden and Xi. National Security Council’s coordinator for strategic communications, John Kirby, refused to disclose details of the private conversation. He emphasized that Xi’s desire for reunification with Taiwan is not new and reiterated the U.S.’s adherence to the “One China” policy.
The upcoming presidential election in Taiwan could redefine the island’s future and impact U.S.–China relations. The CCP has escalated political and military pressure ahead of the election. Taiwan’s defense ministry stated that it detected eight Chinese aircraft and three vessels operating around the island.
Vice President Lai Ching-te and running mate Hsiao Bi-khim from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party are leading in the polls. The CCP has labeled them as the “independence double-act” and rebuffed Mr. Lai’s offers of talks. In a televised policy address, Mr. Lai rejected Beijing’s accusations and warned against allowing China to define Taiwan’s independence. The election, scheduled for Jan. 13, 2023, is expected to have significant implications and could escalate tensions between the U.S. and China, reminiscent of past occurrences in 1996.
In conclusion, the reported conversation between President Biden and Xi has heightened global concerns about the situation in the Taiwan Strait. The upcoming election presents a critical juncture in which the future of the island may be drastically altered, potentially triggering broader repercussions for the region and global politics.
