War between US and China over Taiwan is probable: Kissinger

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
16 Jun 2023 00:13

During Trump's tenure as President of the US, the former President branded his approach to US foreign policy as "America First."

Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger attends a luncheon with French President Emmanuel Macron, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, at the State Department in Washington (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said in an interview with Bloomberg on Thursday that the US is facing the risk of becoming increasingly isolated if Washington continues to prioritize its sole interests over those of the global community.

"In the present period, the debate had shifted to extremes in which there is an extreme theory of America first, which is applied on both sides, but in such a way that it focuses too much on American interests and not on global interests," Kissinger told Bloomberg. "That is a challenge. But anyone who wants to conduct a serious American foreign policy must balance the two. Or America will become isolated."

Henry Kissinger on US-China: "I think some military conflict is probable, but I also think the current trajectory of relations must be altered."

He adds that recent moves show both sides are interested in de-escalating tensions https://t.co/rC5SoeZgZu pic.twitter.com/dKgveLvA5v
— Bloomberg (@business) June 15, 2023

According to Kissinger, a military war between the US and China over Taiwan is likely, given the current state of the two countries ties.

"On the current trajectory of relations, I think some military conflict is probable," Kissinger said in an interview. "The current trajectory of relations must be altered."

It is now up to both parties, in Kissinger's words, to step back from "the top of a precipice."

During Trump's tenure as President of the US, the former President branded his approach to US foreign policy as "America First."

His successor, Biden, has likewise pursued a similar path with regard to a number of national security issues, especially with regard to Washington's approach to China and Russia.

At 100 years of age, Kissinger is the last surviving member of the Nixon administration.

During the 1970s, the former Secretary of State played a crucial role in several security and diplomatic positions in the White House, including the bombing and destruction of Cambodia, East Timor, and Bangladesh, extending the war in Vietnam, escalating civil conflicts in southern Africa, and supporting coups and death squads across Latin America - amounting to deaths of roughly 3 million people.