This Wednesday U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken responded to China’s claims that issues with Taiwan are internal affairs by stating that the world has had its own response, and said, “No, it is our business,” in a Foreign Affairs article.
Blinken wrote the article in Foreign Affairs to review how the Biden administration worked to rebuild U.S. leadership around the world. His exclusive interview on Wednesday shined a light on geopolitical challenges facing the United States.
Regarding trends such as the alliance between China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, Blinken noted that the countries had considered their own interests and weaknesses when making such decisions. He stated that China is pursuing leadership, but must evaluate how it's perceived by the international community. He elaborated that during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. exposed China as the largest supplier of Russia’s defense industry.
Blinken said the U.S. government has made an effort to bridge the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific, involving four Indo-Pacific partners in North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) discussions, summits, and projects.
Since taking office, Blinken said the U.S. has opened more eyes to Taiwan’s situation, allowing people to gain a deeper understanding of the issues it faces, and making it a global matter should a crisis arise due to China’s actions. As 50% of commercial container traffic goes through the Taiwan Strait each day and 70% of microchips are made in Taiwan, there would be a global economic crisis should Taiwan be affected, according to Blinken. He further stated that while China is saying it’s an internal affair, the world has already decided that it’s not.
Blinken took office in 2021 during Biden’s presidency and will step down from his role as secretary of state in January.