The Peoples Republic of China (PRC) enraged by the US Speaker Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan began an extensive aggressive military activity in the Taiwan Strait. The activity included flying of Chinese fighter jets in the Demilitarised Zone along with naval power display by the Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). The Foreign Ministers of the G7 nations (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the United States of America) have expressed concern over Chinese Military Activity in the Taiwan Strait referred to as “threatening actions.”
The spat with China had emerged recently when a Chinese Naval Vessel “Yuan Wang 5” visited the Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka. China’s ambassador in Sri Lanka had referred to aggression faced by the Sri Lanka from its “Northern Neighbour.” The northern neighbour here is “India”. The Indian High Commission reacted with a stern reply to China stating that ambassadors’ comments are a “violation of the diplomatic etiquette and they may be having a personal trait/reflection of the larger national attitude”.
Since the formation of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) in 1949, India has recognised the “One China Policy”. India only has trade and cultural relations with Taiwan (ROC). It has reiterated this policy since the year 2008. The Chinese envoy to Sri Lanka has drawn a link between the Taiwan situation and the visit of the Chinese vessel in Hambantota which was opposed by India. He also rejected the charges made against him by stating that “China has every reason to respond unhesitantly to the severe impacts caused by Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. The two issues may seem irrelevant and thousands of miles apart, but share the same significance between China and Sri Lanka”.
India for the first time labelled the Taiwan Strait as “militarised” zone. It is quite surprising as New Delhi never interfered or spoke about China’s actions towards Taiwan. Sri Lanka is one of the few countries that acknowledges the “One China Policy” amid the tensions in Taiwan.
China has several additional advantages in the current Taiwan Strait Crisis. It has two aircraft carriers, new missiles and has deployed dozens of its fighter along with force multiplier aircraft intended to overpower and overwhelm the numerically smaller armed forces of Taiwan. The ROC has responded by conducting its own military drills post Chinese military manoeuvres in the Strait.
China also conducts live fire exercises and precision strikes near the median line in the Taiwan Strait. It is also monitoring the movement of US Ships in the area. On the 28th of August 2022, the Taiwanese Defence ministry also had reported 23 aircraft and Chinese Ships in the region. Two guided missile destroyers of the US Navy, (USS Chancellorsville and USS Antietam) have demonstrated the “freedom of navigation principle” in the Taiwan Strait.
Though Beijing has enough maritime power to severely disrupt the island’s economy. But, the assistance from the US Navy and its other Western allies to Taiwan can equate the “Strategic Balance” in the Taiwan Strait. After careful analysis of the situation and events, military analysts believe that there can be a possibility of a US-China War and increase in the escalation of hostilities. The Chinese will certainly carry out its vendetta with the United States who has interfered in the so called “territorial affairs” of China.
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