Biden Addresses Pelosi's Visit, Chinese Exercises 共軍軍演 拜登不認為中國會進一步動作

China announced large scale military exercises in areas surrounding Taiwan following U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan. U.S. President Joe Biden spoke about this situation for the first time.

Joe Biden, US President: “I'm not worried, but I'm concerned that they're moving as much as they are. But I don't think they're going to do anything more. (Do you think it was a wise move of the Speaker to go to Taiwan looking at it now?) That was her decision.”

On Aug. 8, U.S. President Joe Biden addressed the Taiwan Strait issue for the first time since U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan. He stressed that it was Pelosi's own decision to visit Taiwan and that he doesn't think China will do anything more. Meanwhile, the Pentagon accused China of manufacturing the current Taiwan Strait crisis, and added that China is acting exactly as the U.S. anticipated and that its tricks won't work.

Colin Kahl, US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy: “(Clearly the PRC is trying to) coerce Taiwan, clearly they're trying to coerce the international community, and all I'll say is we're not going to take the bait and it's not going to work. I think you should expect that we will continue to do Taiwan Strait transits, as we have in the past, in the coming weeks.”

The Pentagon also said it has not changed its assessment of China's possible timetable for taking military action against Taiwan, which means it doesn't believe China will invade Taiwan by force within the next two years. The Pentagon will continue sending U.S. warships to transit the Taiwan Strait as a show of support for Taiwan. Over in Taiwan, Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Wu convened an international press conference to denounce China's military operations.

Joseph Wu, Foreign Affairs Minister: “China is attempting to scare and frighten the Taiwanese people. However, we are not frightened. We will not be knocked down. For the Taiwanese people, the value of freedom and democracy is in our DNA. No one can take it away.”

Wu proclaimed that China's strategies against Taiwan are merely excuses and warned that its ambitions are not limited to Taiwan. He called on democratic countries to work together to respond jointly. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs asserted that relations with Taiwan's remaining 14 diplomatic allies remain solid and that Taiwan will see more and more international support in the future.

美國總統拜登說：「我不擔心，但我擔心他們（中國）會像現在這樣行動，但我不認為他們會做更多的事情，（裴洛西去台灣訪問），那是她的決定。」

拜登在裴洛西訪台後，首度回應台海議題，表示那是裴洛西自己的決定，但不認為中國會有更近一步作為。五角大廈也持同樣看法，認為現在的台海危機是中國製造出來的，作為都在美國預期中，這種手段不會奏效。

美國國防部次長卡爾指出：「脅迫台灣，顯然他們試圖脅迫國際社會，我只想說，我們不會上鉤它不會奏效，我認為你應該期待在接下來的幾週內，我們將繼續像過去一樣通過台灣海峽。」

五角大廈表示，沒有改變中國可能對台採取軍事行動時間表的評估，也就是北京沒有計畫在2年內武力犯台。接下來美艦將會繼續通過台海，表示對台支持。外交部長吳釗燮今日更親上火線，召開國際記者會，譴責中國軍事行動。

吳釗燮則說：「中國試圖讓台灣人擔心害怕，但是我們沒有被嚇倒，更不會被擊倒，對台灣人而言，自由民主的價值存在於我們的DNA，沒有人可以奪走。」

吳釗燮表示，中國對台手段只是藉口，野心絕對不僅止於台灣，呼籲民主國家一起合作，共同因應。至於目前邦交的狀況，外交部表示14個邦交國關係穩固，國際社會支持也會越來越多。