Sat, Oct 12, 2024 page2

• Beijing using lawfare to weaken Taipei, source says

  BE READY: Although allies may intervene should China use non-peaceful means against Taiwan, it should be prepared to defend itself while waiting, a researcher said

  • By Chen Yu-fu and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer
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  Beijing is increasingly using lawfare as a means of weakening Taiwan, a source said.

  Through lawfare, Beijing aims to define a legal basis for the annexation of Taiwan, employ long-arm jurisdiction, deter foreign involvement in Taiwan’s defense, facilitate the “internalization” of the Taiwan Strait and promote the misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758, they said.

  China’s “guidelines” to penalize “die-hard” Taiwanese independence separatists, including with the death penalty, were part of its lawfare strategy, they said, adding that the guidelines — originally intended to be used after Taiwan’s annexation — were implemented in advance to target active members of Taiwan’s military and demoralize the public.

  

  The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey conducts routine operations while transiting through the Taiwan Strait on May 8.

  Photo: US Navy via AP

  There are many local collaborators who were also helping Beijing with its strategy, which warranted close attention by authorities, the source said.

  “There might be a follow-up to the [People’s Liberation Army] PLA’s large-scale joint military exercise in the near future, so Taiwan must take precautions,” they said. “Taiwan must guard against a possible shift by the PLA from drills to war, and it must also be able to strike back at critical points.”

  Meanwhile, Institute for National Defense and Security Research research fellow Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲) said China’s “anaconda strategy” was an objective fact.

  Su was referencing remarks made by Navy Commander Tang Hua (唐華) in an interview with The Economist last week that Beijing’s “anaconda strategy” aims to “strangle Taiwan” and deter foreign intervention in a Taiwan-China conflict.

  “The [Chinese Communist Party] CCP does have the ability to blockade the Taiwan Strait, but it does not mean that such a blockade would be successful,” Su said on Sunday.

  Article 2 of the Taiwan Relations Act stipulates that if China uses non-peaceful means, including embargoes or blockades, against Taiwan, the US would consider that a “grave concern” and might intervene, and China would face an unpredictable situation, he said.

  “However, in the interim before the US could respond, Taiwan would have to be prepared to rely on itself,” he added.

  China would want to achieve its aims with such a blockade as quickly as possible to avoid foreign intervention, Su said.

  “If the blockade became protracted, that would likely trigger international intervention and China would face a dilemma,” Su added.

  Taiwan’s military has always had anti-blockade measures planned and has held drills, he said.

  “In response to the improvement of China’s naval strength, Taiwan would of course adopt new measures, including anti-ship missiles and anti-blockade equipment installed 200km offshore,” Su said.

  Taiwan would also increase strategic material inventories to strengthen its defense resilience, he said.

  “If submarines form combat capabilities in the future, they could also be employed to counter a Chinese blockade,” he added.
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