(NewsWorthy.news) – Republican Kentucky Representative Andy Barr, who co-chairs the House Taiwan Caucus, has slated President Joe Biden over what the Republican called a lack of “moral clarity” regarding the relationship between the United States and Taiwan. When meeting with the newly inaugurated government of Taiwan at the first U.S. Congressional Delegation, Barr told reporters that the problem was less about “ambiguity” on the part of the White House but rather about members of the Biden administration contradicting themselves.
Several times since entering the White House in 2020 Democrats have been forced to backtrack on controversial statements made by Biden regarding Taiwan. In 2021 he spoke of commitment to defending Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack, which prompted Beijing to accuse Washington of violating the “One China agreement” that does not formally recognize Taiwan’s sovereignty or diplomatic links. Then-press secretary for the White House Jen Psaki clarified that the president had not made any changes to the country’s policy.
In April 2024 a $95 billion foreign aid bill that promised military aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan was passed following months of delays due to opposition from Republicans. Taiwan and other security partners in the region will receive $2 billion of the military aid funds, which according to the U.S. will help counter “Chinese aggression”. Another $1.9 million will be invested in defense provided to Taiwan and other partners in the Indo-Pacific, and $542 million will be spent on reinforcing the U.S. military in the region. China attacked the package, claiming that it forced Taiwan toward a “dangerous situation”. Beijing claimed the aid contravenes Washington’s commitments to China and that it also sends the wrong message to Taiwan’s separatist forces.
In December 2023 the Republicans released an AI-generated video that predicted what state the U.S. will end up in if the incumbent president is re-elected; the video painted a scenario in which the border crisis continues to worsen, national guard troops patrol the streets of the U.S. and in which the policies of the “weakest president” have led to war breaking out between Taiwan and China. That same month Republicans expressed alarm at Chinese President Xi Jinping’s message to Biden at a San Francisco APEC Summit, in which he bluntly told the U.S. president that the People’s Republic of China will “reunify” with its island neighbor.
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