(TheLibertyRevolution.com)- Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo believes that the United States should strengthen ties with Taiwan and end the era of “blind engagement” with the Chinese, according to The Epoch Times. Pompeo, while speaking at the Global Business Forum in Taiwan, said that the U.S. should strategically decouple itself from China and end the decades-long “naïve engagement” with the communist regime.
“China’s aggressive conduct, diplomatically, militarily, economically … have changed this region. And it brought those who prefer peace and commerce even more closely together,” Pompeo said after arriving in Taiwan as part of a four-day visit.
He is the latest foreign politician to visit Taiwan amid the recent controversy following Pelosi’s visit, which caused escalated tensions between China, Taiwan, and the U.S.
“If we want a free 21st century and not the Chinese century, the century which [Chinese leader] Xi Jinping dreams of, the old paradigm of blind engagement must end,” he continued.
“America must choose instead to engage with China realistically and on our terms, the terms of freedom,” which would include “a deeper and far more enthusiastic relationship with Taiwan,” he said, adding that the U.S. attempted to bolster its relationship with Beijing for enhanced political and economic security but it was not met with success.
“After decades of naive engagement with China, Americans have recognized there was nothing free nor fair about that trade,” he said.
“Trade with China has been unlikely and will not be, in the near future, remotely free. Fair trade for the world is impossible to achieve with countries that do not respect the rule of law, basic property rights, the capacity to enforce agreements.”
Pompeo asserted that the small island that China claims is already an independent nation and called on the U.S. to make their position official as well. Because China sees the island as part of its own, it denounces official visits from foreign officials, like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The Chinese see these high-profile visits as legitimacy of Taiwan’s independent status.
The U.S. ended its formal ties with Taiwan in 1979 in order to recognize Beijing, but still is legally bound to provide it defensive arms should there be an invasion. Pompeo also criticized Biden’s ambiguous stance on the matter. The president has signaled that the U.S. would intervene militarily if China were to invade, but the White House eventually rolled back the comments.
