Provocations and countermeasures around Taiwan

China warned today that it may “take measures to protect its sovereignty.” This was in response to the fact that the United States announced trade talks with Taiwan.

Although Taiwan and China have had no formal relations since the split in 1949, they are linked by trade and other economic investments worth billions of dollars.

The pursuit of peace through the economy

China is also the island’s largest trading partner. Until recently, this was the situation that brought China and Taiwan closer. The People’s Republic has always sought in these and other ways to restore its territorial integrity by peaceful means, which the well-known state violated. de facto Autonomy of Taiwan. By definition, reclaiming territory is an assertion of Chinese sovereignty.

More and more mystery

For the United States, which does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, the island is its ninth largest trading partner. More export deals between Taipei and Washington could help Taiwan’s separatist leaders distance themselves from Beijing and make peaceful reunification more difficult. Kurt Campbell, US President Joe Biden’s Indo-Pacific coordinator, said last week that trade talks would “deepen our relationship with Taiwan” but continue to claim that Washington’s policy remains unchanged. This paradoxical position is what US leaders call our “strategic ambiguity.”

Asking for respect

The government of Chinese President Xi Jinping has criticized the planned trade talks and asserted that Taiwan has no right to conduct its foreign affairs. Beijing has again warned Washington not to encourage separatists in Taipei. Ministry of Commerce spokeswoman Xu Juying called on Washington to “fully respect China’s core interests.” Ms. Xu Jueting said US politicians know that “China has always been against any form of official exchange between any country and the territory of China’s Taiwan.” She clearly predicted: “China will take all necessary measures to firmly protect its sovereignty.”

Sanctions against people

In response to official visits to Taiwan, first by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and then by 5 other senior US representatives, China has imposed visa bans and other sanctions on Taiwanese political figures suspected of secession. Previously, there were intense armed maneuvers around the island for China by law It belongs to its territory, and therefore where the Chinese army has the right to practice. He. She Taiwan office The Chinese Communist Party has banned some politicians from visiting mainland China or the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions. The targets are Taipei’s top US envoy, Bi-Kim Hsiao, and anti-China activist Lin Fei-fan. They are also Ku Li-xiong, Tsai Chi-chang, Ke’er Shen-ming, Chen Jiao-hua, and Wang Ting-yu. Last year, there were such sanctions against Su Tseng-chang, You Si-kun, and Jaushieh Joseph Wu.

dangerous escalation

The escalation of tensions that Beijing says Washington is heading towards is further demonstrated by major military exercises planned by the United States and its allies next week. In doing so, politicians from Japan and the United Kingdom announced their intention to follow Pelosi’s lead. These are risky steps and are not designed to create an atmosphere of peace, respect and understanding for each other’s interests.

Sources: Global Times, Morningstar