Taiwan: Washington reaffirms its support after Chinese aircraft incursions

The United States assured that its support for Taiwan remained

"solid as a rock"

despite the

"attempts at intimidation"

of Beijing, of which several planes again entered Sunday in the air defense identification zone of the island. .

Read also: Taiwan, this fault line between China and America

These statements are the first about Taiwan since US President Joe Biden took office.

State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement on Saturday

"to note with concern the current trend of the PRC

(People's Republic of China)

to intimidate its neighbors, including Taiwan,"

and

"urges Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic and economic pressures on Taiwan ”

.

Mainland China (led by the Communist Party) and Taiwan (refuge for the nationalist army following the Chinese civil war in 1949) have been administered for more than 70 years by two different regimes.

The island has 23 million inhabitants, who enjoy a democratic system.

But Beijing considers it a Chinese province and threatens to take it back by force in the event of a formal proclamation of independence or foreign intervention.

Despite its diplomatic ties with Beijing, Washington remains Taipei's most important military support.

China, opposed to any official link between foreign countries and the island, is trying to isolate the Taiwanese authorities diplomatically.

Read also: China shows its muscles against Taiwan

Former US President Donald Trump had strengthened contacts with Taipei during his diplomatic and commercial standoff with China.

The latter pleaded for a new start in bilateral relations under the Biden presidency, calling on the United States on Thursday to "

deal with the problems concerning Taiwan in a cautious manner"

.

But the new US president should stay on a hard line, as the protection of Taiwan is a consensus topic in the United States.

Last year, the Chinese Air Force made 380 raids into Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone ("Adiz").

An "Adiz" is an airspace in which a State wishes to identify and locate aircraft for reasons of national security.

According to the Taiwanese Defense Ministry, thirteen Chinese planes - eight bombers and five fighters - entered it on Saturday, a particularly large number.

However, the aircraft passed more than 200 km from the coast of Taiwan.

Also according to the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense, China also sent fifteen new planes Sunday - three bombers and twelve fighters in the same area.

To read also: Renaud Girard: "The two American strategies of Beijing"

The Taiwanese Foreign Ministry thanked Washington for its support

"despite current pressure from Beijing

.

"

A subtle but symbolic gesture, the Taiwanese representative in the United States was formally invited to the inauguration of Joe Biden - a first since the United States recognized the Beijing regime in 1979, according to Taipei.

The US press release specifies that Washington

"will continue to help Taiwan maintain an autonomous self-defense capability."

Chance or not, the US aircraft carrier

Theodore Roosevelt

entered the South China Sea further south this weekend, the US Pacific Command said.

It is a disputed area, the scene of a struggle for influence between Beijing and Washington.