China has been playing a game of cat and mouse with Taiwan. They’re letting the small island nation know that, in due time, they’re coming for them. China continues to taunt Taiwan by flying military aircraft into their country’s defense zone before turning tail home, but by as early as 2025, Taiwan believes their neighbors’ foolish little games could solidify into a full-scale invasion.
Chiu Kuo-cheng, Taiwan’s defense minister, recently told journalists, “With regards to staging an attack on Taiwan, they currently have the ability. But [China] has to pay the price.” He added that all of this could drastically change over the next few years as China continues building its deadly arsenal.
Concern reached its peak when China recently flew 150 fighter jets and several nuclear-capable bombers into Taiwan’s airspace to say hello. Chiu said tensions are running higher than they have for at least the past 40 years.
In a report submitted to lawmakers, Taiwan’s military said that China’s slow buildup around the Taiwan Strait will be in full force by 2025. In light of this, they also submitted an $8.6 million budget for upgrading and increasing their current defense capabilities.
Taiwan didn’t provoke the Chinese in any way and they’ve given no indication of taking the retaliatory measures China is hoping to pull them into. Chiu said, “We will make preparations militarily. I think our military is like this — if we need to fight, we will be on the front lines.”
Taiwan came of age seven decades ago following China’s bloody civil war. Upon their defeat, Chinese Nationalists took refuge in Tapai and established their own government. The Chinese Communist Party, though never having officially governed the island, feels like its 24 million inhabitants should hold Chinese citizenship. In contrast, the democratically controlled island could not disagree more.
Bejing has made no bones about capturing Taiwan with military force if need be. As expected, China is blaming the rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait on what they say is “collusion” between the U.S. and Taiwan. They say their hand is being forced.
Though a date has yet to be announced, plans are underway for U.S. national security Advisor Jake Sullivan to shake hands with a senior Chinese diplomat by the handle of Yang Jiechi, on neutral ground in Zurich. The meetings’ purpose is to”exchange views on China-US relations and relevant issues.”
A spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, Hua Chunying, got straight to the point by saying, “The US has been making negative moves by selling arms to Taiwan and strengthening official and military ties with Taiwan, including the launch of a $750 million arms sale plan to Taiwan, the landing of US military aircraft in Taiwan and frequent sailing of US warships across the Taiwan Strait.”
There’s but one available option to appease China’s delirious wishes, and this would be for the U.S. to stop assisting Taiwan. This would, in turn, result in one of two things. China would either back off or they’d easily stroll in. We know which we would choose to be the correct assumption.
The second would be to keep our solemn vow to an important ally the way America always has and always will. Standing up to China is the best way to keep them wasting jet fuel with their silly cat and mouse games.
As long as the Chinese know the U.S. is standing between them and Taiwan, they’ll continue to cower back home. But should we back away, the mousetrap of communism will snap with a sound heard around the world. And this cannot be allowed to happen.
