Unwelcome advances

China believes that the ongoing Taiwan crisis is caused by opportunistic moves of the Democratic Party in the US

- XIE CHAO

A stone makes a thousand waves. This old Chinese saying can best describe the impact of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s official visit to Taiwan on major power relations and regional stability. The Chinese government had raised serious and principled objections to the visit, but still failed to dissuade Pelosi from landing in Taiwan. The historical volatility in bilateral relations further worsened Chinese perceptions regarding America’s ultimate intentions over Taiwan. The Chinese government, therefore, deemed that corresponding reactions were needed and, subsequently, the People’s Liberation Army announced a series of military exercises around Taiwan.

To the Chinese government, the issue of Taiwan means a prolonged civil war since the 1940s when its attempts to liberate the island were interrupted by the US. A forgetful world might be oblivious to historical facts, but unlike most territorial disputes between countries, the belonging of Taiwan to China is historically recognised by the international community. The Chinese military is, therefore, still called a liberation army. The Chinese government is thus obliged to fulfil the remaining task to liberate the island, and the aggression that China could sense from Pelosi’s visit helped it enhance domestic cohesion to stand strongly against the provocative move.