Biden Secretary of State Antony Blinken says US does not support Taiwan independence

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a press conference Monday that the U.S. does not support Taiwan independence. 

"We do not support Taiwan independence," Blinken said. "We remain opposed to any unilateral changes to the status quo by either side. We continue to expect the peaceful resolution of cross strait differences. We remain committed to continuing our responsibilities under the Taiwan Relations Act including making sure Taiwan has the ability to defend itself."

Blinken made clear that the U.S. does have some concerns about China and what its actions could have on the world. 

"At the same time, we and many others have deep concerns about some of the provocative actions that China has taken in recent years going back to 2016," he continued, according to Fox News. "And the reason that this is a concern for so many countries, not just the United States, is that were there to be a crisis over Taiwan, the likelihood is that could produce an economic crisis that could affect quite literally the entire world."

Blinken wrapped up his meeting with China President Xi Jinping and summarized it as "candid" and "constructive," but admitted to "profound differences" as the two nations seek to repair "unstable" relations with each other.

He said during an interview with NPR that it was important to maintain peace with the nation that China treats as its own. Taiwan is a massive contributor to the global trade market. 

"About 50% of the global commercial container traffic... goes through the Taiwan Strait every day," Blinken remarked, including the vast majority of "high-end semiconductors."

"If either of those things were taken offline as a result of a crisis, it could have devastating consequences for the global economy," he continued.