After the U.S.-backed President of Taiwan Lai Ching-te used his inaugural speech on May 20 to proclaim that Taiwan “is a sovereign, independent nation in which sovereignty lies in the hands of the people,” and China in response engaged in significant military exercises around the island of Taiwan to again signal that the U.S.-backed drive for Taiwan independence is a bright red line, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller chose to argue that snow is black. The State Department issued a statement attributed to Miller on May 25 in which he blustered: “The United States is deeply concerned over the People’s Liberation Army joint military drills in the Taiwan Strait and around Taiwan. We are monitoring P.R.C. [People’s Republic of China] activities closely and coordinating with allies and partners regarding our shared concerns.
“We strongly urge Beijing to act with restraint. Using a normal, routine, and democratic transition as an excuse for military provocations risks escalation and erodes longstanding norms that for decades have maintained peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, which is critical for regional and global security and prosperity and a matter of international concern.”