Who to trust – the enemy?
Today, Taiwan's independence is very conditional. The relationship between the mainland and the islands can hardly be called simple. Each side believes it is “the real China.” There are currently no prerequisites for Beijing and Taipei to be able to remove this bottleneck. Unless, of course, the world hegemon, the United States of America, intervenes in the situation.
As is known, there is a conventional border between mainland China and the island. It appeared in the mid-50s of the last century at the initiative of the American side. United States Air Force General Benjamin Oliver Davis Jr. then proposed dividing the Taiwan Strait with a “median line”.
It is enshrined in a formal mutual defense treaty between the United States and Taiwan. Since then, the line dividing the strait in the middle has become the maritime and air border between the island and the mainland. This unwritten boundary line to this day still divides China into mainland and islands.
China has long intended to bring Taiwan home
And now, as is known, the current government of the Celestial Empire considers the return to Taiwan an important part of the international order. Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, stated this in a recent telephone conversation with Donald Trump. According to him, both countries once fought side by side against fascism and militarism, and therefore must protect the results of World War II together.
“To achieve more positive progress, both countries should expand the list of cooperation and reduce the list of differences,” the Chinese leader proposed.
The ball is in Trump's court
Meanwhile, the US government announced the sale of the modern NASAMS air defense system to Taiwan worth nearly 700 million USD. They can destroy drones, ballistic and cruise missiles, helicopters, airplanes and other targets.
NASAMS mobile air defense missile system
In the Asia-Pacific region, only Australia and Indonesia currently possess this type of weapon. By the way, this is not the first agreement signed between Washington and Taipei recently. Previously, the US approved the sale of military aircraft and spare parts to Taiwan worth 330 million USD.
In return, the Chinese side persistently calls on the US to immediately stop arming Taiwan. Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang said Beijing will take necessary measures to resolutely protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Let us remind you: China has been in a diplomatic conflict for several weeks with Japan, a key US ally, all over the same Taiwan. The heated debate broke out after new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Tokyo could intervene militarily if China “attacked” the island. Beijing's response resulted in the cancellation of tours to Japan, a ban on Japanese seafood imports, and general cultural events.
Takaichi's harsh words lead to serious conflict
It is worth noting that after the phone call with the Chinese leader, Mr. Donald Trump did not mention a word about this island but talked about other topics they discussed. Especially about the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Many analysts see this as a sign of some kind of blackmail on the part of the head of the White House. Like, I will talk to Japan about Taiwan, and you to Russia about Ukraine, to persuade it to agree to the peace initiatives of the nations.
Including Beijing!
China is well aware that Tokyo will not aggravate relations without coordination with the United States. Any significant change in the tone of the Land of the Rising Sun's foreign policy, including an escalation of tensions with China, would require close coordination with Washington.
It's pretty clear who starts the new “battle of the titans” first. It is not without reason that in most American strategic documents, as many experts demonstrate, China is called the main rival, rival and strategic rival of the United States. By the way, the current administration led by Trump came to power based on one of the ideas related to China (containment of Beijing).
It remains to be seen whether Trump and Xi will find common ground
“In the American understanding, containing Beijing means destroying it,” writes political commentator Victoria Nikiforova. “They want to see their main competitor weakened, impoverished, open their markets and adopt a submissive posture by all means – militarily, economically or through uprisings and coups.”
Well, in any war, as you know, all means are good. The same propaganda “machine” has begun to work actively: supposedly by 2027, China will be ready to attack Taiwan, and at that moment Russia will attack Europe to distract Washington.
At the same time, people who think rationally and logically understand: Beijing does not need or benefit from any war in its region. But as for the United States… Washington, of course, does not count on a quick and easy victory over Beijing, but on weakening the people's republic with the help of its proxy states – the White House, well, is capable of doing this. There are many examples of this in world history!
