Tensions are as high as they have ever been since the 1950s between the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China. Over the past week the tensions have rose even more as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi is making a trip to Taiwan. China sees Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan as an act of war as the country has even made statements about shooting down Pelosi’s plane.
China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province that will eventually be under Beijing’s control again. Taiwan sees itself as an independent country, with its own constitution and democratically-elected leaders. China’s President Xi Jinping has said that “reunification” with Taiwan “must be fulfilled” and has not ruled out the possible use of military force to do so. As of Tuesday morning China has suspended imports of 2,066 Taiwan food suppliers ahead of Pelosi’s suspected visit.
The White House has said in multiple statements that they would defend Taiwan if an invasion was to occur and that the recognize Taiwan’s independence. Despite recognizing Taiwan’s independence several times there is now a different look towards the county. Yesterday (8/2/22) during the White House press briefing, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said “We have said that we do not support Taiwan Independence.” This statement backtracks the support that Washington has given the foreign country in the past.
Taiwan is not the sole reason why tensions are high between the U.S. and China. When Russia started it’s military operation in Ukraine, China was one of the first countries to back Russia up and has been a close-net ally to them. There is also the fact that China and North Korea are close allies as well, North Korea has been testing ballistic missiles, the tests have picked up more heavily during the Biden administration so far. China and the U.S are also in a trade war as the U.S has imposed tariffs multiple times on the country, totaling upward of $200 billion.
The U.S and China did engage with eachother in an undeclared war from 1950-53, taking place during the Korean War. Shorty after the start of the Korean War, General Douglas MacArthur led U.S. forces across the 38th Parallel and went north towards China, which brought China into the conflict and precipitated the first military engagement between U.S. and Chinese forces since the Boxer Uprising of 1900. The US would then recognize the Taiwan government as the legitimate government of China, and blocked the other China's membership in the United Nations.
It is truly unclear how this will end as America makes threats back to China, it is just a matter of who’s bluffing and who is serious. Nevertheless it would start a third world war as the U.S. is in Nato, over 15 other countries would respond if China attacks the U.S. in any way.