By Humeyra Pamuk

WASHINGTON (Reuters] – According to a list published Tuesday, the Biden administration invited Taiwan into its “Summit for Democracy.” This is likely to upset China as it views Taiwan’s democratically governed territory as its own.

This gathering will test President Joe Biden’s claim, made in his February foreign policy speech, that he would restore the United States’ global leadership and face down China’s authoritarian forces.

The State Department invites 110 people to the virtual event Dec. 9-10. This is a way for citizens around the world to stop democracy backsliding. China and Russia do not appear on this list.

China’s increased pressure on other countries has led to Taiwan being invited to attend.

Taiwan’s self-ruling Taiwan claims that Beijing does not have the right to speak on its behalf.

Sharp differences (OTC) over Taiwan remained despite a meeting between Biden, President Xi Jinping of China earlier in the month.

Biden reiterated the U.S.’s longstanding support for “One China”, which officially recognizes Beijing over Taipei. However, the White House stated that he was also against unilateral attempts to alter the status quo and undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

According to state news agency Xinhua Xi claimed that Taiwanese who want independence were being “played with fire” by their American supporters.

Rights groups wonder if Biden’s Summit for Democracy, which includes some leaders accused of harbouring authoritarian tendencies and others who were invited to the Summit, can motivate them to do meaningful work.

According to the State Department, the event will not only bring together mature democracies like France or Sweden, but also other countries like the Philippines, India, and Poland where democracy activists fear is at risk.

In Asia, U.S. allies like South Korea, Japan, and South Korea were invited while Vietnam and Thailand were excluded. U.S. NATO members Turkey and Egypt are notable absences. With Israel and Iraq as the only countries allowed, the Middle East region will have a small representation.