The Chinese military launched a comprehensive war game this week that stirred panic for the island of Taiwan and its allies.
Troops from across the various branches of the Chinese armed forces participated Monday in military drills to the north, south, east, and west of Taiwan. The drills included the deployment of fighter planes, warships, and even one of China’s aircraft carriers.
“China should face the reality of the existence of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and respect the Taiwanese people’s choice of a democratic and free way of life,” the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office said in a statement following the military drills. “It should cease military provocations that undermine regional peace and stability, and stop threatening Taiwan’s democracy and freedom.”
The encirclement of the small island was intended as a warning against President Lai Ching-te, who gave a keynote address last week rebuking the Chinese Communist Party’s continued claims of sovereignty over Taiwan.
“The Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other. On this land, democracy and freedom are growing and thriving,” Lai said in the address. “The People’s Republic of China has no right to represent Taiwan.”
The CCP’s Taiwan Affairs Office criticized the speech for spreading “separatist ideas.”
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Mao Ning addressed questions about the provocative display of military force during a press conference on Monday, giving no room for discussion of Taiwanese sovereignty.
“’Taiwan independence’ is as incompatible with cross-Strait peace as fire with water, and provocations by ‘Taiwan independence’ forces will be responded with countermeasures,” Mao said. “China has always been committed to maintaining regional peace and stability, to which countries in this region bear witness. For anyone who cares about peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, they need to stand against ‘Taiwan independence’ first and foremost.”
The Taiwanese government has attempted to soften the impact of Lai’s speech, extending offers of peaceful coexistence in the form of regional security agreements and dialogue.
“Our commitment to fostering healthy and orderly cross-Strait dialogue and exchanges based on the principles of parity and dignity remains unchanged; we are willing to contribute to regional security together with China so as to enhance the wellbeing of people on both sides of the Strait,” the Taiwan Representative Office in the United States said following the drills. “China should understand the goodwill expressed by the President on National Day and address its own domestic economic and livelihood issues, rather than persisting in using military force to coerce neighboring countries.”
Taiwan, formally known as the Republic of China, is a disputed island territory east of mainland China. The island severed ties to the People’s Republic of China in 1949 when Nationalist movement leader Chiang Kai-shek and his republican government took the former Japanese colony as a stronghold amid the growing Communist revolution led by Mao Zedong.
While the Taiwanese government insisted that the communist revolution made Mao’s rule over the mainland illegitimate and sought international recognition as the actual successor state to historic China, the global community has long since acknowledged the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party.
This has placed Taiwan in a state of uncertainty, as international allies engage in trade with the island but almost universally fall short of supporting its claims to sovereignty. Out of the 193 countries of the United Nations, only 11, along with the Holy See, recognize Taiwanese independence.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller called this week’s military drills “unwarranted” and warned it “risks escalation” between the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan.
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“We call on the PRC to act with restraint and to avoid any further actions that may undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the broader region, which is essential to regional peace and prosperity and a matter of international concern,” Miller said. “We continue to monitor PRC activities and coordinate with allies and partners regarding our shared concerns.”
The U.S. maintains a strategy of “strategic ambiguity” on the Taiwan question — its “One China policy” affirms the legitimate governance of the People’s Republic of China while simultaneously supporting the Taiwanese people’s right to self-governance.