Two-faced US behavior betrays its commitment to sound relations: China Daily editorial

The United States insists that it still adheres to the one-China principle. Yet belying that claim, it is colluding with "pro-independence" forces on the island, stoking cross-Straits confrontation and undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits.

It is not surprising then that the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, which US President Joe Biden has signed into law, not only contains irresponsible remarks on the Taiwan question but also includes provisions for military financing and arms sales to the Chinese island.

By hyping up the outdated "China threat" theory, the $858 billion US military spending package, which authorizes up to $10 billion in security assistance to the island, $2 billion as military loans within five years, as well as accelerated arms sales to Taipei, is nothing but a blatant interference in China's internal affairs as well as a serious political provocation against China, as China's Foreign Ministry said in a strongly worded statement condemning the hyping up of the "China threat" narrative and the blatant interference in China's internal affairs.

Obviously, the US views the Chinese island as an important piece in its zero-sum game, thanks to which high-stake tensions and exacerbated confrontation have plagued the Taiwan Straits over the past year. The new US defense spending bill provides further evidence — should any be needed — that it is the US that is sabotaging peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits.

As State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi pointed out in his telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday, the US engages in dialogue and containment at the same time, and talks cooperation while stabbing China in the back.

This two-faced US behavior is not reasonable competition, but irrational suppression. It is not meant to properly manage disputes, but to intensify conflicts. In fact, it is still the old practice of unilateral bullying, Wang said.

In the cordial meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Biden in Bali, Indonesia, last month, the two leaders agreed bilateral ties needed to be turned around and put back on the track of sound and stable development. But since then, Washington, while sending teams for a series of engagements with China, has continued making efforts to contain and suppress China's development, especially by constantly challenging China's redlines in "salami-slicing" ways.

Washington should know the zero-sum mentality it is embracing and peddling in the world will only lead to more frictions and push the two countries to mutual attrition and ultimately head-on collision. Such a scenario would be disastrous. For the US included.

Washington should fully honor its commitment to the one-China principle and work with Beijing to advance relations on the course charted by the two leaders so as to stabilize and improve China-US relations, which is in the interests of both countries and the world.