Published 13:15 IST, July 20th 2020
'Taiwan Invasion Prevention Act' to be introduced to US Congress this week
Bill allowing US to use military force against China if the latter attempts an armed invasion in Taiwan would be introduced in the US Congress this week.
Reaffirming its stance to oppose China’s developments in Taiwan, a bill allowing Washington to use military force against Beijing if the Asian superpower attempts an armed invasion in Taiwan would be introduced in the US House of Representatives this week. According to the comments made by Republican Congressman Ted Yoho in a televised interview with an international media outlet, a bill called ‘Taiwan Invasion Prevention Act’ will be introduced that according to him is going lay America’s ‘clear intent’. Yoho said that “if China invades Taiwan, and it’ll be a sunset for five years, that Authorization for Use of Military Force, that would authorise the president to use force”.
In an interview with the Fox News, the Republican Congressman also noted that the current agreement between the United States and Taiwan allows the former to sell ‘enough weapons’ to the latter for self-defence. Yoho said that when Chinese President Xi Jinping announced, he’s “ready to draw blood over Taiwan and reunify them, they forgot to ask Taiwan”. The US lawmaker insisted that Taiwan has “never” been a part of the People’s Republic of China and “nor do they want to”.
Meanwhile, in an operation including fighter jets, warships and 8,000 servicemen, Taiwan successfully conducted a five-day drill in which they repelled a simulated coastal assault. The recent military drill was a part of Taiwan’s largest annual live-fire exercise and comes at a time when China is beginning to exert more military pressure to gain authority of the tiny island. The military exercise had begun on July 13 and was observed by Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen. In a tweet later, she said that the exercise demonstrated Taiwan’s robust military capabilities and its strong determination to resist China.
US officials are 'hijacking' public opinion
Republican Congressman's comments came when China’s foreign ministry said on July 17 that the American officials have “lost their minds and gone mad” while dealing with Beijing. In the development in the months-long war of words between two of the world’s greatest superpowers, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying lashed out primarily on US Attorney general Bill Barr who had previously accused the Asian superpower of mounting an "economic blitzkrieg" to replace the US as the world's pre-eminent power and spread its political ideology across the globe.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said, "These people, for self-interest and political gain, do not hesitate to hijack domestic public opinion... to the point where they have lost their minds and gone mad.”
"A sparrow cannot understand the ambition of a swan. This is a serious misjudgement and misunderstanding of China's strategic intent," she added.
Updated 13:15 IST, July 20th 2020