China: US preparing to evacuate Americans in Taiwan

evacuation of American citizens from Taiwan. In the report, published earlier Monday, sources said the war in Ukraine and heightened tensions over Taiwan had moved the U.S. to undertake the planning.

White House press briefing, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said that while it was not standard U.S. policy to evacuate private citizens from war zones, the U.S. has procedures in place “for any type of emergency” — in Taiwan or anywhere else.

“It's not routine U.S. policy to evacuate private American citizens from areas of conflict, and there's no indication at this time that current conditions in Taiwan would warrant any reconsideration of that policy,” Kirby said.

“As always, we take our responsibility for the safety of our citizens and personnel seriously, wherever that is, all around the world,” he said. “And we have routine procedures in place to make sure that we're prepared for any type of emergency."

Taiwan and its leader, Xi Jinping, has pledged to “reunify” his nation with Taiwan – using force if necessary to do so.

In 2020, under 5,000 Americans lived in Taiwan, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). However, that number is likely higher on a daily basis with tourists and business travelers visiting the island.

Tensions between the US and China have soared in recent months with a series of high-level visits to the island and the United States by both American and Taiwanese politicians.

Relations reached a boiling point earlier this year when a Chinese balloon traversed the US. Washington says it was a spy balloon while Beijing claims it was only used for civilian purposes.

In a saga that saw Joe Biden heavily criticized by his opponents, the balloon was allowed to cross over the continental US before being shot down over the coast of South Carolina.

U.S. policy requires American embassies worldwide to prepare evacuation plans for American citizens, and in some cases more detailed evacuation plans are prepared in conjunction with the Department of Defense. But while policies state that the government may assist with an evacuation of American citizens under the right conditions, they do not guarantee such support. The Biden administration has come under fire for not providing enough help to Americans – most recently in Sudan, where heavy fighting erupted in April, and in the chaotic final days of the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan in August 2021.

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Sarah H

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