U.S. State Secretary: Won’t Stand for ‘Bullying’ from China

Washington D.C. continues to make a tough stand on China as U.S. State Secretary Lloyd Austin has made a strong statement on the Taiwan issue. Austin has assured in his recent press conference that while they are willing to engage in diplomatic dialogue to avoid any escalation with China regarding its aggression towards Taiwan, it won’t be bullying from Beijing on this matter. He further stated America’s commitment towards a “free, open and secure Indo-Pacific within a world of rules and rights” to shield China’s aim of dominating the region., as per AP.

The U.S. State Secretary has emphasised their vision to maintain the status quo in the Indo-Pacific region, which houses most of the world’s trade routes. Taiwan is important for the U.S. for many reasons. Not only is Taiwan a key strategic partner in terms of keeping China’s aggressive navy under check, but Taiwan is the larger exporter of lithium in the world, a key component of the most technical gadgets used around the globe. Last year, America’s former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, caused major international turmoil after she visited Taiwan despite China’s threat of military action against this visit. While the tensions between U.S. and China continue to remain high on this matter, the two nations will keep engaging diplomatically. 

Image source: Reuters