His speech was expected, on the occasion of his first visit to Asia as President of the United States.
This Monday, during a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Joe Biden returned to the tensions existing between Taiwan and China, believing that the latter "flirts with danger by flying so close (to Taiwan) and "with all the maneuvers" undertaken by the Chinese.
The head of state also affirmed that the United States would defend Taiwan militarily if Beijing invaded the autonomous island, a commitment he had already made eight months ago.
In the process, China called on Joe Biden to "not underestimate" his "firm determination" to "protect his sovereignty".
“We urge the United States (…) to avoid sending the wrong signals to the independence forces,” added Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for Chinese diplomacy.
After this new battle, what is the current situation in Taiwan?
We take stock.
What links between China and Taiwan?
Between China and Taiwan, it's a very long story.
Until the end of the 19th century, the island was attached to China, before being ceded to Japan in 1895, on the occasion of the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki, notably recording the end of the Sino-Japanese war. .
It was not until 1945, after Japan's defeat in World War II, that Taiwan returned to the Chinese flag, when the UN entrusted its stabilization.
In 1949, the victory of the Communists in China led to the exile of many supporters of the imperial regime to Taiwan, led by the former leader Chiang Kai-Shek, ousted from power but still claiming control of the Republic of China.
Until 1971, Taiwan will also represent China at the UN, before the People's Republic of China becomes a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council,
“China insists that Taiwan is an integral part of China, and believes that it must be reunified, if necessary by using force, in particular in the event of developments on the independence of the island or refusal to cede power. part of Taiwan", explains Valérie Niquet, specialist in strategic and political issues in Asia.
“This position has hardened since Xi Jinping came to power.
Only, in fact, Taiwan never really belonged to China, so talking about reunification is a decoy.
In the past, China did not exercise real control over the island, it was just a zone of influence”, continues the author of “Taiwan facing China”, published by Tallandier editions.
What interests for China to have Taiwan in its bosom?
“From an objective point of view, China has no real interest, particularly economic, in invading Taiwan and having it in its fold.
Commercial and economic relations are already very close between the continent and the island, with very strong interdependence.
The Chinese regime has more interest in having a lull in its trade negotiations, ”adds Valérie Niquet.
And the expert sees the Chinese position more as an ideological choice: “The acquisition of Taiwan has more of an ideological dimension, with the main objective of maintaining the regime in place, considering that democracy is a Western value.
An increasingly nationalist discourse is taking shape in China, with the Chinese dream, the rebirth of the Chinese nation, passing through the rallying of Taiwan.
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Why does the United States say it is ready to defend Taiwan militarily?
During the joint press conference with the Japanese Prime Minister, Joe Biden answered several questions relating to Taiwan, indicating in particular that the United States was ready to defend Taiwan militarily in the event of a Chinese offensive.
For Valérie Niquet, this statement does not call into question the position of the Americans in recent months, who are continuously helping the island to defend itself against China by providing them with military means.
“Until now, the USA said that they did not refrain from intervening, leaving China in uncertainty,” she explains.
The will of the United States is above all to affirm its power in relation to its allies, but is also a lesson in relation to the situation in Ukraine, where the Americans had declared in the first days of the conflict that there was no would have no military intervention.
Here, the will is to dissuade China from intervening, by warning them that in the event of an invasion, the cost would be considerable for the country.
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Is a Chinese invasion possible?
“The United States has put a lot of emphasis on the risks of Chinese intervention in Taiwan in recent years, but the example of the war in Ukraine has changed the situation.
China is now more cautious about military intervention.
In addition, the Chinese army has had no combat experience since 1979 and has to face a major obstacle, the Taiwan Strait, 130 to 180 kilometers wide, where American units in particular are watching, "said Valerie Niquet.
At the same time, the specialist insists on the political degree of such an invasion: “The cost of an attack for China would be considerable, and in the event of failure, the blow would be very hard for the regime.
An intervention in the near future seems unlikely, especially if Taiwan continues to acquire military means.
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