Chinese Military Exercises Push Further Into Taiwanese Territory Following Pelosi’s Visit

Taiwan, officially known as the ‘Republic of China’ is an Island off the South East coast of the ‘Peoples Republic of China’. The island nation was borne out of the aftermath of the Chinese civil war which occurred shortly after Japanese occupiers left China in response to growing military pressure from western allies toward the end of World War II. Mao Zedong, founder of the People’s Republic of China was victorious in the Chinese civil war resulting in the nationalist Kuomintang government retreating to the Island of Taiwan which has been ruled independently of its communist neighbour ever since. In the decades following the civil war, Taiwan developed strong political and economic ties with the United States and became an industrial powerhouse in the region and is known as one of the ‘tigers’ that prompted the industrial development of the Far East in the 60’s and 70’s. Since the 80’s, Taiwan has developed into a service-based economy with a strong tech sector and a powerhouse in the production of microchips.

For China, Taiwan is a remenant of the Civil War of 1936-1949 with many in Beijing calling for the reunification of both countries. Many are under the illusion that this is merely a political show but strategically, China has many reasons to pursue reunification with the Island nation. In recent years, the Chinese navy and regional military influence has increased considerably and Taiwan presents a significant geographical obstacle to Chinas fleet as the Island lies along a chain of Islands stretching from Japan to Korea, to Indonesia and the Philippines. With few passages for the Chinese fleet to enter the pacific, it is easy to see why China attaches such importance to Taiwan.

Recently, Nancy Pelosi, 52nd speaker of the house of representatives in the US, visited Taiwan among other Asian states and amidst rising political tensions between the US and China. The visit, according to political affairs media source The Diplomat is an effort to strengthen Taiwanese and US cooperation in the region and demonstrate to China that Taiwan’s democracy is unbreakable. Within a few hours of Pelosi arriving in Taipei, China sternly denounced the visit and stated that there would be a series of military exercises around the Island of Taiwan including exercises inside Taiwanese waters. Additionally, Beijing has made moves to suspend some aspects of trade with Taiwan and has summoned the United States Ambassador.

Lev Nachman, a political scientist at Taipei’s National Chengchi University, stated that China’s response to Pelosi’s visit was “most concerning but not surprising”. Nachman further stated that although China’s response to the diplomatic visit is concerning and does pose a threat to Taiwan’s national security, it is also a threat that is not unusual of Chinese political tactics and is one that would have been expected. Taiwan’s defence ministry referred to the military exercises as a “simulated attack on Taiwan’s main island”. The exercises included assault drills while drones were spotted over some urban areas on Taiwan’s mainland.

This political and military escalation is, without a doubt, the greatest show of force by China towards Taiwan since the last cross-strait crisis of 1995-1996. It is crucial that China refrains from conducting such provocative military drills in the region, particularly within such close range of large urban areas on Taiwan’s mainland and all parties pursue a peaceful coexistence and political cooperation in order to maintain regional stability. Open dialogue and negotiation is key to the resolution of regional tensions and the suspension of certain trade aspects between Taiwan and China will be felt primarily by innocent civilians on both sides of the strait. It is imperative that Chinese and Taiwanese citizens do not suffer the ramifications of declining political and economic relations and increased military tensions in the region.

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