China's Xi Jinping accuses US of manipulation on Taiwan invasion issue

Is the United States trying to "trick" Chinese President Xi Jinping into invading the island of Taiwan?

As reported by the Financial Times, Xi claimed at the time to state he didn’t fall into Washington’s provocation but warned Chinese government officials to not fall into their traps either.

According to the Financial Times, the Chinese leader told this to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in April 2023.

Business Insider highlights that around the same time, the Chinese government released a press statement remarking how taking control of Taiwan is a priority for Beijing.

“If anyone expects China to compromise and concede on the Taiwan question, they are having a pipe dream and would shoot themselves in the foot”, the press release declares.

Business Insider that for many decades, Washington has enforced a policy of “strategic ambiguity” towards Taiwan. On one hand, the United States has historically been a close ally to the government of Taipei.

On the other hand, the White House stops short in declaring either Beijing or Taipei as the “legitimate” Chinese government, a lingering question since the late 40s, when Beijing fell to the Communists and the Nationalists fled to Taiwan at the end of the Chinese Civil War.

Officially, both Taipei and Beijing agree there’s only one China and both claim control over mainland the mainland Chinese territory and the island of Taiwan. This has been the status quo for over 60 years.

In practice, Beijing controls Mainland China and its dependent territories. Taiwan, regarded as a rebel province, is run by an autonomous democratic government based in Taipei.

However, newer generations seem to be pushing to change the status quo of what was originally a makeshift détente in the early days of the Cold War.

Washington has more than ever shown their support to Taiwan. British newspaper The Guardian wrote back in 2022 that US President Joe Biden affirmed that the United States would defend Taiwan in case of a Chinese attack.

Nonetheless, as Reuters reported in January 2024, Biden stated that the US government would not recognize a declaration of independence from Taiwan.

Meanwhile, in early 2024, Taiwan elected pro-independence politician William Lai as the new president of the island nation, raising concerns from Beijing.

After all, Xi Jinping has declared in numerous occasions his interest on settling the Taiwan question once for all, with a positive outcome for Beijing.

It’s also important to remember that the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine started out because President Vladimir Putin claimed that NATO was “provoking him” by expanding eastwards, adding countries that formerly were part of the socialist bloc.

Will Xi Jinping follow Putin’s example and start his own “special military operation” in Taiwan?

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