He made this statement at Georgetown University and warned that Xi has been monitoring Russian President Vladimir Putin's prolonged invasion of Ukraine.
Serious Focus and Ambition
Burns also said that Xi's focus on Taiwan is serious and ambitious and that it's in the US's interest to make its commitment to the status quo clear. He emphasized the US's opposition to any changes to the status quo, especially by force, and the need to help Taiwan defend itself.
Deterring Conflict
In conclusion, Burns emphasized the importance of deterring what would be a deeply unfortunate conflict for all parties involved, including China. His comments come as more than a dozen Chinese military aircraft and four naval vessels were detected near Taiwan.
