The Chinese government has often rebuked the US-led international community for trying to play the “Taiwan card.”
However, ever since President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) was elected in 2016, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) regime has constantly exploited the “Taiwan card” for its own ends, playing it all around the world.
Cross-strait relations have always been part of US-China relations, which today have turned confrontational, with no sign of change in the foreseeable future.
The “Taiwan card” existed long before the China-US confrontation emerged, but it was hidden from view because the Chinese leaders at the time constrained themselves to varying degrees, so that Beijing would not lose face internationally.
However, Xi has drastically changed the course of China’s development, and his actions have shocked the free world while giving it a new understanding of Beijing.
US, JAPAN INTERESTS
To the surprise of everyone, Taiwan’s status has rebounded, its rise showing that Taiwan is a “core interest” of multiple countries.
Beijing has continued to make it known that Taiwan is one of China’s core interests, but the truth is that Taiwan is also a core interest of the US and Japan. If it loses Taiwan, Washington would be losing the massive Pacific Ocean, while Tokyo would be losing its key lifeline. This is an unarguable fact.
As Taiwan is their core interest, what accounts for the three countries’ different approaches?
The problem lies in that the Chinese usually talk the talk, but do not walk the walk, while the Americans and Japanese are exactly the opposite.
For the latter, not saying something does not mean not doing it, and they probably think that talk is cheap. This logic toward Taiwan has been the norm since China’s establishment of diplomatic ties with Japan in 1972 and the US in 1979. Taiwanese have been accustomed to it for years.
Unfortunately, Xi is trying to break the norm, as Beijing not only talks more than it does, but also talks much more than before.
EXPOSED
As a result of such bluffs, a number of unfinished projects and bad debts have been reported among some of the nations that joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative, exposing its actual national strength.
The Chinese government’s foolishness has also been demonstrated by its constant intrusion into Taiwan’s southwestern airspace in the past few years.
China has brought Taiwan to the table during this confrontation, thinking that it can exert pressure on the country. However, it is nothing but a misstep that creates room for the “Taiwan card.”
Western countries are now more aware of the importance of Taiwan, and have seen through the tricks being played by Xi, who has bitten off more than he can chew.
Together, they are warning Beijing about the serious consequences of political misjudgement.
It is intriguing that China has unintentionally created room for the “Taiwan card” by showing off its national strength.
More intriguingly, China would be offering a “Taiwan independence card” to the world if it attempts to annex the nation by force, and some people in Beijing should know this well.
Tzou Jiing-wen is editor-in-chief of the Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper).
Translated by Eddy Chang
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