Wisconsin Rep. Thomas Tiffany (R-WI-07) called on the Biden administration Thursday to reinstate diplomatic relations with Taiwan. A letter, written by Tiffany and three other members of Congress, shared concerns over the 600 plus warplanes that have violated Taiwan’s air defense identification zone since January.
Tiffany tweeted, “Effective diplomacy has to be more than just words. The Biden admin must take concrete steps in response to Communist China’s dangerous and reckless provocations in the Taiwan Strait.”
Effective diplomacy has to be more than just words. The Biden admin must take concrete steps in response to Communist China's dangerous and reckless provocations in the #Taiwan Strait.https://t.co/cRJ8KoJzEt
— Rep. Tom Tiffany (@RepTiffany) October 7, 2021
As reported by Taiwan News, “On China’s national day, Friday (Oct. 1), a record 38 Chinese military aircraft violated Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), though this mark was quickly surpassed with 39 more People’s Liberation Army Aircraft (PLAAF) planes the next day. An additional 16 PLAAF aircraft appeared on Sunday (Oct. 3), and another record-shattering 56 planes breached the zone on Monday (Oct. 4), bringing the four-day total to 149 warplanes.”
Tiffany, along with Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA-10), Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-TN-04), and Rep. William Gregory Steube (R-FL-17), called the actions by Beijing “reckless provocation” saying they feared a Taiwan response to China’s overstep could be a “pretense for a Chinese attack.”
The letter praised Taiwan for “exercising restraint” in the face of China’s aggression, but warned that Biden’s “failure to take any concrete action” might further embolden Beijing. As reported by Taiwan News, “The congressmen noted that since the collapse of Kabul, China has been ratcheting up political and military pressure on Taiwan as a test of Biden’s resolve.”
They went on to address the Taiwan Relations Act that ensured that “any effort to determine the future of Taiwan by other than peaceful means … would be of grave concern to the United States.” The letter argued that Beijing’s behavior implies that it will not uphold its commitment.
The letter suggested the Biden administration impose “import restrictions and broad economic sanctions” if China continues to fail to abide by their commitment to secure a peaceful resolution of disputes in Taiwan. They also “exhorted Biden to hold China accountable for its actions in Taiwan, as well as Hong Kong and Xinjiang, or face further escalations.”
The United States State Department spokesperson Ned Price recently tweeted out, telling China that “The U.S. urges Beijing to cease its destabilizing behavior across the Taiwan Strait.”
The U.S. urges Beijing to cease its destabilizing behavior across the Taiwan Strait. https://t.co/oo7EQFT4i7
— Ned Price (@StateDeptSpox) October 3, 2021
The representatives said in their letter that it will take more than “strongly worded tweets” to hold China accountable.
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Hayley Tschetter is a reporter with The Minnesota Sun and The Wisconsin Daily Star | Star News Network. Follow Hayley on Twitter or like her Facebook page. Send news tips to [email protected].
