Former US Deputy State Secretary Armitage says Xi Jinping is making errors

2022-08-16

U.S. deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage has called China a bully, adding that Chinese leader Xi Jinping had recently been making many mistakes. The comments were made during an interview with Radio Free Asia where the official weighed in on China’s increasing military action near Taiwan. Armitage also played down the threat of an armed conflict in the Taiwan Strait. He said that China’s white paper on Taiwan had little significance, and that Taiwan would be a challenging military target. He also called on U.S. President Joe Biden to speed up weapons sales to Taiwan to show the U.S.’ support for Taiwan.

Following recent congressional delegations to Taiwan, China has launched a series of military exercises aimed at intimidating Taiwan. The situation has further exacerbated the already tense U.S.-China relationship. In an interview with Radio Free Asia, former U.S. Deputy State Secretary Richard Armitage addressed the issue, and criticized China for what he called bullying behavior.

Richard Armitage
Former US deputy secretary of state
He’s made a series of errors, and I would say his bullying behavior – particularly against Taiwan – is another error, another error that he’s made.

Armitage led his own delegation in Taiwan back in April, when he visited on behalf of U.S. President Joe Biden to express his country’s support for Taiwan. Asked in the interview what China’s exercises meant for the U.S.’ allies in the region, Armitage said that bullying was the only move in China’s playbook.

Richard Armitage
Former US deputy secretary of state
China has a playbook too, but it’s only got one play, and it’s militarily bullying people, and so that’s what China’s trying to do with the recent exercises, the second exercises around Taiwan.

Armitage said that Chinese leader Xi Jinping has been making numerous mistakes including his actions in the Taiwan Strait, his response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and his zero-COVID policy. Even if Xi were to hold on to power after China holds its National Congress in November, Xi would be facing numerous problems, he said.

Richard Armitage
Former US deputy secretary of state
The life on Taiwan, the life Taiwanese have lived under since coming ashore in Taiwan in 1949. First of all, Taiwan is not an easy target for the Chinese, particularly the mountainous nature.

Armitage said that Taiwan would be a difficult military target for China, but he advised the Biden administration to expedite sale of land and sea-based defense systems for Taiwan. Such action would demonstrate the U.S.’ support for Taiwan, he said. On the issue of China’s recent white paper on Taiwan, he said it was largely an attempt at cognitive warfare with no real significance.

批中軍事霸凌美前副國務卿:習近平連犯錯誤

2022-08-16

美中近來因為台海議題而關係緊張，美國前副國務卿阿米塔吉週一接受自由亞洲電台訪問，認為中國國家主席習近平犯下許多錯誤，包括在台灣議題上錯估美國戰略，他也提到中國近來的作為，正是對日韓等美國的亞太盟友釋出訊號，告訴大家他們只有軍事霸凌這一招。

美國國會重要訪賓接連來台，中國軍演恫嚇不斷，美中之間處於新的緊張關係。美國前副國務卿阿米塔吉接受自由亞洲電台專訪，分析台海局勢，批評中國霸凌。

[[美國前副國務卿阿米塔吉]]
“他(習近平)犯下一系列錯誤，而我認為，他的霸凌行為，尤其是針對台灣是他犯下的另一個錯誤。”

阿米塔吉4月時也曾跟代表團訪台，當時是代表總統拜登前來傳達支持。而近來共軍動作頻頻，究竟對美國的亞太盟友釋出什麼訊號？阿米塔吉解讀，反而凸顯中國只有軍事霸凌這一招。

[[美國前副國務卿阿米塔吉]]
“中國也有自己的劇本，但只有一招，那就是軍事霸凌別人，這正是中國在做的，包括最近的軍演和台灣周邊的第2次軍演。”

他也分析獨攬大權的中國國家主席習近平，近來在台海議題、俄烏戰爭、還有堅持防疫清零方面連番犯錯，就算他在二十大後順利連任，面對的麻煩也不會少。

[[美國前副國務卿阿米塔吉]]
“從1949年撤退來台後，台灣與台灣人的生活就一直是現況。首先，台灣對中國來說並非簡單的目標，尤其是其多山的自然環境。”

阿米塔吉指出，台灣因為天然地形加上台灣海峽，其實很難攻下，不過他也建議拜登政府加快提供台灣移動性高、防空及海上水雷等軍備，如此就能更實際地證明美國對台支持。至於中國近來發表新的對台白皮書，阿米塔吉則認為並無新意，只是在搞心理戰罷了。