In view of Beijing’s growing military, Taiwan should internationalize Taiwan Strait issues to build support from countries that are concerned with cross-strait peace, a Taiwanese academic said on Thursday.
Tamkang University professor of international affairs and strategic studies Wong Ming-hsien (翁明賢) made the suggestion after a report published by the US Department of State on Wednesday said that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aims to modernize its warfare capabilities by 2027 to counter the US presence in the Indo-Pacific region, with the aim of forcing Taiwan into unification negotiations.
The report, titled Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China, said that the PLA’s goals are to defeat “a strong enemy,” coerce Taiwan and other rivals into territorial disputes, counter a third-party intervention in China’s periphery and project power throughout the world.
Wong said that the report’s projections correspond with comments made by retired US Navy admiral Philip Davidson in March that China could attempt an invasion of Taiwan within the next six years.
The symbolism of completing China’s military modernization on the 100th anniversary of the PLA’s founding is not lost on its leadership, he said, adding that anti-access and area denial capabilities have been crucial to the PLA’s reforms.
China’s frequent sea and air drills around Taiwan since 2016 is evidence that the PLA remains wedded to the doctrine of using military force as an instrument of political coercion, he said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) will need to decide whether he is to prolong his term for another five years when the Chinese Communist Party convenes the 20th National People’s Congress next year, Wong said.
If Xi wishes to remain in power, he might find it necessary to take action against Taiwan, which he had characterized as a problem that cannot be passed down to future generations, he said.
Meanwhile, Taiwan should augment its alliance with the US and build support among nations that have an interest in cross-strait peace, Wong said.
Efforts should also be directed toward strategic and intelligence-sharing arrangements with nations in the Indo-Pacific region that share Taiwan’s values and interests, he said.
Domestically, the country should strengthen its civil defense program and forge a political consensus to defend the nation against foreign threats, he said.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chao Tien-lin (趙天麟) said that the Pentagon report vindicates President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) efforts to obtain arms from Washington and bolster local defense industries.
Taiwan should focus its energy on indigenous warship, submarine and missile programs, while not panicking, Chao said.
Citing the Pentagon report, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Charles Chen (陳以信) said that Taiwan’s outlying islands are already vulnerable, given the PLA’s capabilities.
The PLA possesses the strength to occupy the Pratas Islands (Dongsha, 東沙群島) and Itu Aba (Taiping Island, 太平島), while putting the larger and better-defended Kinmen and Mastu Islands under threat, Chen said.
The concerns expressed in the US report make it difficult to share the confidence of National Security Bureau Director-General Chen Ming-tong (陳明通), who said that the risk of conflict is low, Charles Chen added.
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