US allies should be aware of the risks of backing Washington’s reckless gamble

In his meeting with former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger in New York on Monday, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who apparently agrees with Kissinger’s previous remarks that US-China relations are already in the “foothills of a Cold War”, stressed that the top priority now is to properly manage the Taiwan question.

In recent times, the United States has been making one reckless move after another and sending multiple wrong signals to pro-independence forces on the Chinese island, all to serve the US’ strategic intention of using the Taiwan question as leverage to contain China and retain its global hegemony.

These moves have become more incessant since US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan last month, with other US lawmakers following her example, the sales of more arms to the island and the “Taiwan Policy Act of 2022” making its way through Congress, which would invalidate the commitments Washington made in the three joint communiques.

In the latest provocation, a US Navy warship and a Canadian frigate sailed through the Taiwan Straits on Tuesday, the second time in a month for a US Navy ship and the second joint transit by US and Canadian naval vessels in less than a year.

With its repeated and escalating provocations, the US is constantly stoking tensions in the Taiwan Straits. It seems that it is intent on pushing China to have a showdown with it. The US side shoulders the full responsibility for fueling the current tensions over Taiwan and any military conflict that may arise.

Wang made it clear that if the Anti-Secession Law is violated, China will take resolute actions to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Washington has been forewarned that if it does not seek a war it is in danger of walking too far along a dangerous road over the Taiwan question.

The significance of China-US relations has gone far beyond the bilateral scope and assumed pivotal global importance. One misstep or a severe deviation from previous US pledges and commitments to the Taiwan question could bring disastrous consequences to all. The US allies should exercise caution and not let Washington lead them into the bloody reality of bravado punctured by bullets.

A sober gambler always knows when it’s a losing bet. Washington’s dangerous gambling on the Taiwan question shows it has become caught up in its heady game and is in danger of losing all reason. The US’ allies should not lose their heads putting their all behind Washington’s bet.

Beijing has been forced into the game by Washington, and it is prepared for every outcome even if it has to fight till the end to safeguard its core interests and territorial integrity. So Washington and its allies should pause for thought and consider whether the costs of the game are worth paying.