The US leverages the Taiwan-China situation to keep a firm grip on states in its own backyard.

The News Lens
Date: 2018/11/12
By: By Colin Alexander, Asia Dialogue

Credit: Reuters / Jose Cabezas

A curious incident occurred on Aug. 23, 2018 amidst El Salvador’s announcement that it was breaking diplomatic ties with the Republic of China (ROC, hereafter referred to as Taiwan) in favor of relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC, hereafter referred to as China).

Commenting on the issue, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders stated that the decision “[…] will result in the re-evaluation of our relationship with El Salvador.” Sanders statement, while somewhat vague, included words like “implications,” and condemned China for its ‘interference’ in the Americas, letting the reader know in no uncertain terms that the U.S. thought that El Salvador ought to be put on the diplomatic equivalent of the naughty step.

US White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders had choice words for El Salvador after it switched recognition from the ROC to the PRC. Never mind that the US has not recognized the ROC since 1979.
She continued: “Countries seeking to establish or expand relations with China in order to attract state-directed investment that will stimulate short-term economic growth and infrastructure development may be disappointed over the long run. Around the world, governments are waking up to the fact that China’s economic inducements facilitate economic dependency and domination, not partnership.”    [FULL  STORY]