The fallout of China’s actions
Its growing aggression under Xi, including a possible Taiwan attack, will be felt across Asia
After several days of unprecedented military drills in the Taiwan Strait following the visit of United States (US) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, which resulted in soaring tensions in many parts of Asia, China has issued a white paper on Taiwan that strongly reiterates the possibility of using force to take the self-governed island of 23 million people. The document with the wordy title, The Taiwan Question and China’s Reunification in the New Era, is, like most such Chinese documents, focused on righting the perceived wrongs of history and building a “new China” under strong leadership by President Xi Jinping at its core. It is the first white paper on Taiwan since Mr Xi came to power and states very clearly that China “will not renounce the use of force” for the so-called reunification of Taiwan. It pledges a response with the use of force to interference by external forces and accuses the US of inciting groups inside Taiwan to stir up trouble. The document also marks the withdrawal of an earlier promise by China not to send troops or administrators to Taiwan if it takes control of the island, making it clear that even a semblance of autonomy will not be on offer.
China’s drills in the Taiwan Strait, with warships and combat jets, repeatedly crossing the “median line”, or the halfway point between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland, signalled an intention to alter the long-standing status quo in these waters. In another unprecedented move, missiles fired during the exercises overflew Taiwan and even landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone. Such steps fit in with China’s aggressive and assertive actions across the region in recent years, especially under the leadership of Mr Xi. Such actions are unlikely to win Beijing many friends or lead to a better appreciation of China’s position.
A possible attack on Taiwan has been one of the greatest unspoken fears in Asia since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Taiwan’s foreign minister Joseph Wu has warned that the Chinese drills were a preparation for the invasion of the island and that China’s ambitions go far into Southeast and South Asia. Most countries that have acknowledged the “one-China” policy have been reluctant to speak openly on the fallout of Beijing’s actions, and it remains to be seen whether Mr Wu’s forceful call for all freedom-loving nations to respond to what he described as an “expansion of authoritarianism” will be taken up.