A.In the face of growing military tensions with China, Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen has stressed her country’s readiness for action and stressed that her government wants to avoid an escalation. “We are investing significant resources in deepening our knowledge of the Beijing government, which will reduce the risk of misinterpretation and misjudgment and enable more precise decision-making,” Tsai wrote in an article published Tuesday for Foreign Affairs magazine.
In the four days before, China had sent a total of almost 150 military aircraft into the Taiwanese air surveillance zone, fueling concerns that an unwanted incident could set off a spiral of escalation. With the new daily high of 56 aircraft on Monday, China continued its strategy of gradually increasing pressure on Taiwan. In an earlier step, it had declared crossing the so-called center line in the Taiwan Strait the new normal. There are fears that Beijing could enter Taiwanese airspace for the first time in a future escalation step, presumably with an unmanned drone to test the reactions of the Taiwanese military. A shooting down could provide an excuse for further punitive action.
Beijing is aiming for “reunification”
President Tsai wrote in her contribution: “Taiwan will not bow to the pressure, but neither will it incline to adventure.” Her government continues to be open to dialogue with Beijing.
China closed all communication channels with Taiwan in 2016 after Tsai’s first election as president, which increases the risk of escalation. Beijing accuses the president of seeking formal independence for the island, although she has not taken any steps in that direction. Tsai has stated that this is not necessary because her country as the Republic of China, as Taiwan’s official name is, has long been independent. The government of the Republic of China had lost the civil war against the communists in 1949 and fled to the island of Taiwan, which was then part of China. Since then, the rulers in Beijing have been striving for “reunification”, if necessary by force. Among the islanders, however, not even five percent are in favor of a union with the mainland.
How complex the relationship is can be seen from the fact that Taiwan celebrates the 110th anniversary of the Wuchang uprising in central China as a national holiday this Sunday. The insurgents overthrew the last Chinese emperor and proclaimed the republic. Beijing is upset because a group of French senators are traveling to Taiwan this week and are expected to attend the national holiday ceremony.
Japan and Australia express concern
“Taiwan will do whatever it takes to defend itself when its democracy and lifestyle are threatened,” said President Tsai. This is also aimed at the American government, on whose military support Taiwan would depend in the event of a Chinese attack. Washington repeatedly criticizes the fact that Taiwan does not spend enough money on its own defense and that its own people are not preparing for a possible war with the necessary urgency. Taiwan’s Prime Minister Su Tseng-chang also spoke on Tuesday that his country had to “strengthen itself”. “Only when we help ourselves can others help us.”
President Tsai seeks support from other countries. “Should the defense of Taiwan fail, it would not only be a catastrophe for the Taiwanese. It would overturn a security architecture that has made possible peace and extraordinary economic development in the region for seven decades. “
Japan and Australia on Tuesday expressed “concern” about the Chinese maneuvers near Taiwan and called for the conflict to be resolved through “dialogue”. The American government had already called on China on Monday to cease its “provocative military activities”, while the State Department in Beijing blamed American arms deliveries to Taiwan and the landing of an American military aircraft on the island for the escalation. According to a report by the South China Morning Post, the national security advisors of China and America are due to meet in Switzerland this Wednesday for talks.
.