By: Sophia Yingxuan Wang
China may possibly invade Taiwan, claiming that Taiwan is a “breakaway province”, and that it will eventually be under Beijing’s control again. China has said Taiwan must rejoin China, even if force is necessary. China has promised to crush any attempt the US might make to support Taiwan.
China took Taiwan back from Japan after Japan’s loss in WWII. However, a civil war occurred between the nationalist party, Kuomintang, and the communist party. The communists won in 1949, forcing the nationalists to flee to Taiwan. The Taiwanese claim that they were not part of the People’s Republic of China established by Mao Zedong in 1949, therefore they are not part of modern China.
In response to the warplanes China sent close to Taiwan recently, President Biden said that China was “flirting with danger” and promised to protect Taiwan’s military if it was attacked. The US does not have any official diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but the Taiwan Relations Act states that the US must provide the island with the necessary materials for Taiwan to defend itself. Beijing responded saying that the US was interfering in Chinese affairs and that China “would not hesitate to fight”.
When Gen Milley, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, was asked whether China would attack Taiwan, he said that “In terms of capability I think China clearly is developing capability. President Xi [Jinping] has mentioned that in public forums, he’s mentioned it in speeches, that he has challenged the PLA [China’s People’s Liberation Army] to develop the capability to attack Taiwan at some point in time.”
Many fear that an invasion of Taiwan would trigger a war, but analysts say that it is unlikely. There has also been debate on whether China would be able to handle such an invasion, but many agree that China understands that it would be too dangerous and costly.
Although Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen insists that Taiwan is a sovereign state, she has tried not to formally declare independence, as it would be a trigger for China to attack Taiwan. The US is also trying to avoid a costly war.
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