President Kagame and President Xi Jinping of China Joint Press Conference | Kigali, 23 July 2018
(Image by Paul Kagame from flickr) Details DMCA
The year 2024 is going to be a game changer on a global scale. Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a New Year's address that he has every intention to reunify China with the island nation of Taiwan, threatening to launch a military attack to achieve his goal.
Taiwan split from China amid a civil war in 1949, and while it governs itself, Beijing continues to view the island as part of Chinese territory. This interest is partly driven by Taiwan's technology-heavy economy. China has maintained its claim over Taiwan by regularly deploying fighter jets near the island's airspace and warships in adjacent waters.
The United States, under its "one-China" policy, recognizes China's claim over Taiwan but simultaneously provides weapons to Taiwan. This approach is described as "strategic ambiguity." President Joe Biden has occasionally stated that the U.S. would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack, but White House officials have reiterated that there is no change in U.S. policy.
Xi'a remarks in his New Year's address left room for interpretation regarding Beijing's intentions towards Taiwan. Xi stated, "China will surely be reunified," emphasizing a shared sense of purpose for all Chinese, including those on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. This suggests a continued firm stance on the idea of reunification with Taiwan.
The Chinese government has also warned of additional trade sanctions against Taiwan if the ruling party continues to firmly support independence. This intensifies the verbal conflict as Taiwan approaches its presidential and parliamentary elections on January 13. These elections are occurring at a time when China, which considers Taiwan part of its territory, is pressuring Taiwan to acknowledge Chinese sovereignty claims.
In the upcoming early elections, scheduled for less than two weeks away, Taiwan's decision will be pivotal in shaping its relationship with China for the following four years. Should Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party, known for his staunch support of Taiwanese independence, emerge victorious, it is anticipated that ties with Beijing might either worsen or remain strained. Conversely, the candidates from the Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People's Party are seen as likely to cause less strain in relations with China. Despite these differences, it's noteworthy that all three parties stand against Beijing's "one country, two systems" policy.
Whether or not war will break out is not yet clear but China is clearly preparing for this moment.
