U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft will travel to Taiwan in a high-profile celebration of the island’s autonomy from the mainland Chinese Communist Party following the regime’s crackdown in Hong Kong.
“The United States supports the Hong Kong people and all who yearn for freedom,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced early Thursday. “In that vein, I am pleased to announce the upcoming visit of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft to Taiwan, a reliable partner and vibrant democracy that has flourished despite CCP efforts to undermine its great success.”
Pompeo announced Craft’s trip following the mass arrest of 53 pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong. Chinese leaders authorized the arrests pursuant to a national security law that the mainland government adopted in response to protests against Beijing’s encroachment on the city’s traditional freedoms.
“Taiwan shows what a free China could achieve,” Pompeo said.
A senior Chinese official responded that “the U.S. side shall pay a heavy price for its erroneous actions” for backing Beijing’s opponents in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
“For some time, a handful of anti-China politicians within the Trump administration have been staging a show of madness as their days at the rein are numbered, stopping at nothing to deliberately sabotage China-U.S. relations for selfish political interests,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said, per an official transcript of her briefing. “Such ploys go against the trend of history and the friendly sentiment of both peoples and are bound to be punished by history.”
China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since 1949 but never ruled in Taipei, which is the last refuge of the government overthrown during the Chinese Communist revolution. Chinese General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed in early 2019 that Taiwan should come under Beijing’s control through an agreement modeled on the “One Country, Two Systems” pact adopted when the United Kingdom relinquished sovereignty over the former colony, but the repression of the former British colony has hardened opposition to such a deal in Taiwan.
“This is the first Taiwan visit by any incumbent U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, which demonstrates the strong support of the U.S. for Taiwan’s international participation and signals another step to advance the U.S.-Taiwan global partnership,” Taiwanese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou said in response to Pompeo’s announcement.
Pompeo implied that U.S. officials would find other ways to punish China for the Hong Kong crackdown, as well.
“Those arrested are guilty of nothing but exercising the democratic rights promised to them by treaty, and due to them through virtue of their humanity,” he said. “I am also appalled by the news of the arrest of an American citizen as part of this campaign of political repression. Let me be clear: The United States will not tolerate the arbitrary detention or harassment of U.S. citizens.”
