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China and the United States compete fiercely in the economic, political, and military spheres. So far, this is a peaceful rivalry. If it turns into an armed conflict, Taiwan could be the trigger.

The first formal meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping is now scheduled. Taiwan will undoubtedly be a major issue.

China asserts that Taiwan will be incorporated into the People’s Republic of China. The people of Taiwan are striving to safeguard their rights, independence and democracy. For a long time, the United States has been pursuing a policy toward Taiwan called “strategic ambiguity.”

The United States supports Taiwan politically and militarily, without officially recognizing it. Nor is there an agreement obligating the United States to rescue Taiwan if it is attacked.

However, the message to China from the US administration is clear. Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, was reported to have said at a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi in Zurich that the United States would continue to support Taiwan in self-defense.

He is also said to have made it clear that the United States would oppose any unilateral action to change the status quo regarding Taiwan. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Wednesday that Beijing was undermining peace and stability in the region. The statement came after China sent a record number of warplanes to Taiwan’s air defense zone in recent days.

An agreement to hold a US-China summit by the end of the year was signed in Zurich. It was said that the United States wanted to meet face to face, but Xi Jinping had not left China for nearly two years. Therefore, the meeting will be digital. The leaders of the two countries believe there is a need to improve communication.

The United States wants closer cooperation with China, including measures against global warming and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

But China strongly loathes US criticism of human rights abuses in Hong Kong and Xinjiang and the mounting pressure on Taiwan.

It is important and positive that Xi and Biden finally meet. They have a lot to talk about. Open lines of communication are essential, among other things, to avoid serious misunderstandings.

At the same time, the sting should be pronounced in her speech.

China is raising the risk of conflict in the Taiwan Strait through military rearmament and provocative war games, in the form of increasingly frequent overflights. It is now up to China to reduce tensions in dangerous waters.