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It ended in a tense way the call between Biden and Xi. The two leaders grapple with what could be a serious crisis in the Taiwan Strait after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that she intends to travel to the island in August in what could be the highest-profile visit of a American authority in 25 years.
The statement released by China’s embassy in Washington said Xi assured Biden that he would remain “firmly committed to resisting interference by external forces in Taiwan”, further warning that “whoever plays with fire will get burned”.
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The Democrat told Xi that the US will not change its policy towards Taipei and does not support the territory’s independence, but will “strongly oppose unilateral efforts to change the status quo or undermine peace and stability” in the strait;
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“Public opinion cannot be violated,” Xi replied, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement, referring to how the Chinese view the Taiwan issue. “I hope the US can see this clearly.”
The White House said Biden and Xi spoke for more than two hours and addressed issues related to the climate crisis and fighting the pandemic, as well as security issues related to the South China Sea, but did not elaborate on the full content of the call.
why it matters: when Xi mentions Chinese public opinion, he is signaling that US insistence on showing support for Taiwanese sovereignty could force him to take stronger action on the island.
Few issues unite more Chinese across all ideological spectrums over territorial integrity, something that is hurt, in most opinion, due to the split between mainland China and Taiwan. Any Chinese leader who ignores this problem risks being seen as weak, which is why the situation can escalate to levels that are difficult to control.
Biden has few options left. While he has previously declared that Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan may “not be a good idea” and fears retaliation from Beijing, a feeling is growing among lawmakers that China cannot dictate what the US Congress does or does not do.
The visit to Taipei is seen by Democrats and Republicans as a sign of independence not only from the Chinese, but also from the US Presidency, marking a position on how the legislature responds to advances from Beijing.
tip of the week
If you want to better understand how the conflict between Taiwan and mainland China began, watch “The East is Red” (东方红), a propagandist musical directed by Wang Ping, which chronicles key events in the country’s history, such as the Boxer Revolution. , the Chinese Civil War and the consolidation of communism in 1949. Available here (English subtitles).
what also matters
The US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs accused China of trying to “build a network of informants within the Federal Reserve system”. [Fed, equivalente dos EUA ao Banco Central]”.
According to the Republican-controlled body, several Fed officials were approached by Chinese recruiters who offered cash payments in exchange for US economic information such as changes in interest rates, for example.
In addition, Chinese law enforcement officials reportedly threatened to arrest an economist linked to the institution in 2019 unless he provided sensitive economic data. He was reportedly coerced into revealing policy information regarding tariffs imposed by then-President Donald Trump during the trade war. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell disputed the committee’s accusations and called the way some Fed officials were described as unfair. China did not react to the accusations.
The head of China’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced that he will resign from his five-year post at the agency. Virologist George Gao is known worldwide for being one of the first officers to lead the response to the coronavirus in Wuhan.
The departure, announced on Tuesday (26), occurs at a time of restructuring of the Chinese CDC, which will leave the structure of the National Health Commission and will become a less relevant body in the country’s bureaucratic hierarchy.
A graduate of Oxford, Gao is one of the world’s most respected experts. He became known for helping to control the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone in 2014 and, throughout the crisis in Wuhan, managed to put the previously ignored CDC in the spotlight of power in China. After announcing his resignation, the virologist was praised for his “great contributions in promoting disease prevention and control.”
Gao will be replaced by his deputy, Shen Hongbing. According to a source heard by the South China Morning Post, “the new leadership is expected to bring about reforms in the institution, including closer adherence to President Xi Jinping’s directives.”
keep an eye
In Brazil to attend a summit of defense officials from American countries, US Secretary Lloyd Austin accused China of “working to undermine the stable, open and rules-based international order” in the region. Austin also said that the Chinese are trying to gain influence among Latino nations and warned of attacks on “the rule of law, human rights and human dignity”.
The Chinese embassy in Brazil reacted to the statements on Wednesday morning (27), saying that the “gesture reveals, once again, the sinister intentions of certain forces in the US that aim to curtail China’s development, harm China-China relations, Latin America and maintain its hegemony in the world”.
Why it matters: After consolidating influence in Africa, Latin America is the next frontier for China’s global ambitions.
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Beijing has made strides in recent years, becoming Venezuela’s essential partner, attracting Argentina to the Belt and Road Initiative and maintaining a strategic partnership with Brazil.
Washington is certainly not happy with the advance in a region it has always considered its “backyard”, and statements like those of the secretary of defense are set to become increasingly common.
to go deep
- The CPFL Institute in Campinas will host the exhibition “Behind the Great Wall” between the 4th and 27th of August. The exhibition brings together works by the great names of Chinese art and renowned Brazilian artists. Information here. (free)
- Observe China held a panel on Thursday to discuss how to study and analyze China from the perspective of developing countries in the global south. The recording was made available on YouTube. (free, in Portuguese)
- The Brics Policy Center is holding a virtual debate this Friday (29) on the energy transition in South America with Chinese funding. The event is organized in partnership with Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (FARN) of Argentina, and registration is open here. (free, in Portuguese)
