If the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) administration ever intended to save face, it surely has not been getting any help from China, as the latter continues to upgrade its military in a threatening manner.
Two days before the launch of the cross-strait weekend charter flights, which President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration has marketed as a sign of thawing cross-strait relations, reports emerged yesterday that Beijing recently upgraded surface-to-air missiles deployed along its southern coast.
Meanwhile, Xinhua news agency has reported that the Chinese military carried out its first parachuting exercise at Hebei Province’s Shijiazhuang Airport on June 18, in which eight civilian aircraft were involved.
In light of these developments, it appears that only one side — ours — still believes in the vows, made only weeks ago, to set aside differences and rebuild mutual trust.
Just because the KMT government chooses to set aside controversial issues does not mean that those issues do not exist.
US Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia James Shinn recently expressed concerns that the threat of a Chinese attack on Taiwan has markedly increased in the past few years, as the balance in the Taiwan Strait tilts toward Beijing.
Unless it has been blinded by wishful thinking, the KMT government must be aware of this. If it is not, then it needs to be reminded that China’s ultimate goal remains the same: annexation, whatever it takes.
Civilian flights could provide the Chinese military with the cover it needs to penetrate Taiwanese airspace and launch a strike against command-and-control infrastructure.
Such a scenario is feasible. On June 8, The Associated Press reported that two Russian fighter jets tailed a Finnair Airbus for several minutes over northwestern Russia en route from Helsinki to Seoul without the Finnish pilot being aware of it. As it turns out, Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen was on that flight.
History shows us that such tactics have their uses. In August 1968, the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia using Soviet military transport planes with airborne troopers on board. By time the aircraft had landed at Prague Airport, the airport had already been occupied by a group of “tourists.” Soon afterwards, Czechoslovakian president Alexander Dubcek was removed from power.
The Soviets used a similar tactic for the invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, using civilian aircraft to transport KGB units, who then occupied the airport, entered the presidential palace and killed Afghan president Hafizullah Amin.
The fact that the Straits Exchange Foundation failed to include cargo flights during its negotiations with its Chinese counterpart now seems to be a blessing in disguise.
In its haste to improve relations with Beijing, the KMT government has undermined national security and — despite his calls for military readiness yesterday — Ma has made it likelier that Taiwan will be added to the inglorious list of countries that play down feasible threats and suffer the consequences.
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