The Russian invasion – and resistance to it – are prompting reassessment in Beijing and Washington as well as in Taipei

Five thousand miles away from Ukraine, Russia’s invasion is bringing long-term questions into close and urgent focus. Concerns about Taiwan’s future have been mounting for years; in January, Beijing’s ambassador to the US said the issue could bring China and America into military conflict. China’s Communist party has regarded the self-ruled democracy as a renegade province since Chiang Kai-shek’s defeated forces fled there at the end of the civil war in 1949; Taiwan has never declared independence for fear of the reaction, but says it is already a sovereign state. China’s leader, Xi Jinping, appears to see unification as part of a personal mission of national rejuvenation.

The sight of a small democracy fighting off a major military power (or, from the Sino-Russian perspective, of the west exploiting others to undermine their legitimate interests) is sharpening everyone’s thinking. Mr Xi vowed to realise unification through peaceful means in an important speech last October. Though China is Taiwan’s largest economic partner, the island’s 24 million people have never wanted a “one country, two systems” deal, and events in Hong Kong have shown this to be a non-starter. Building up a clear military advantage – forcing Taipei and Washington to eventually bow to the inevitable, without a clash – would still serve Beijing best.

Continue reading…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You May Also Like

Teacher vacancies in England 93% higher than pre-pandemic, study finds

Headteachers forced to use non-specialists as turnover continues, education research body reports…

Atom Valley: Andy Burnham’s vision for regenerating Great Manchester

The regional mayor has taken levelling up into his own hands with…

Human skull found by Minnesota kayakers 8,000 years old, experts say

Skull discovered in drought-depleted Minnesota River last summer to be returned to…