China’s threat to Taiwan is ratcheting up fears of a third world war. A comment by the Chinese government saying they will “never tolerate Taiwanese independence” has prompted fears an all-out invasion is imminent.
The chilling threat was made by Premier Li Keqiang as top Chinese officials met in Beijing for the annual meeting of parliament on Monday. “We will never tolerate any separatist schemes or activities for Taiwan independence,” Li Keqiang said. He also stated that China will promote the peaceful growth of relations across the Taiwan Strait and “advance China’s peaceful reunification. We will remain firm in safeguarding China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and will never tolerate any separatist schemes or activities for Taiwan independence.”
According to The Daily Star, China has been infuriated over plans made by the US to strengthen ties between Washington and Taipei. The plans would allow Taiwan bosses to enter the US “under respectful conditions” and meet their American counterparts. Officials had already told Taiwan on Friday the country would only get burnt if they relied on the US, adding to the warnings from state media about the risk of war.
Beijing considers democratic Taiwan to be a wayward province and integral part of “one China”, ineligible for state-to-state relations and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. China’s hostility towards Taiwan has risen since the election to president of Tsai Ing-wen from the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party in 2016.
Global tensions have continued to increase in recent years, with many signaling China as the country to watch. Fears heightened as China’s Communist dictator Xi Jinping just gave himself the go-ahead to remain in power for as long as he wants. There are about 3,000 delegates to China’s National People’s Congress, and theoretically, they can vote any way they want. But in its history, it has never vetoed a proposal by China’s Communist Party.
There is already massive dissent online because of Xi’s power grab, and China’s censors are working hard to squash it. They temporarily (although nothing is as permanent as a tempory government edict) banned the use of the phrases “personality cult” and “my emperor,” and also references to Winnie the Pooh; a character long used to mock Xi Jinping based on an apparent resemblance. The letter ‘N’ has also been banned by the Chinese government because of it’s reference to the number two, signaling two terms in office. But they Chinese have kindly lifted the ban on the letter as of Monday.
China isn’t going to do anything to Taiwan unless the United States keeps provoking it.
I may be wrong; but, isn’t the Carl Vinson moving through those waters right now? Sounds like provocation/provocative maneuvers are happening right now. Considering the “N” letter ban, I expect the Captain of our ship to go ‘nanny-nanny nu-nu’ as we coast by the Spratley islands. Give a whole new meaning to Mischief Reef.
Move them all here, that would diffuse the Taiwan problem?
I’m a bit of a student of China.
I took and subsequently forgot two
years of the Mandarin
language and Chinese history.
To this day I don’t understand this hard on
they have for Taiwan.
I understand why they hate Japan.
I understand the Korea mess.
I understand the Russian,Indian, and Tibet
problem.
Taiwan completely escapes me.
Its a communist bullshit thing
Chang Kai Shek fought Mao for years and with USA nearly wiped out the Communist movement. When he escaped with thousands of supporters (traitors) to Taipei island, USA protected him from being arrested, with the US navy.
He declared with US connivance the story that Taipei was China and that Mao and the 90% of territory and people were not really China. It took from ’49 to ’71 to have the Peoples Republic recognised as the legitimate government and to have Taipei taken off the Security council.
It was as though Alaska declared itself the real USA and for 22 years the world went along with the scheme.
Taipei wants to separate and become independent from China. China says ‘in your dreams.’
China just wants its hand in the Taiwan Pie. Its a control issue.
Never hear much about the Panama Canal any more that Pres Carter let go of. Everybody freaked out when he did that. Any ramifications today from that?
Under its One-China Policy the PRC refuses diplomatic relations with any country that recognizes the ROC (Republic of China).
The major division in politics is between the aspirations of eventual Chinese unification or Taiwanese independence – Wikipedia
The PRC has threatened the use of military force in response to any formal declaration of independence by Taiwan or if PRC leaders decide that peaceful unification is no longer possible – Wikipedia
In my opinion regarding the bases The Chinese are building on reefs or small Islands is to isolate Taiwan
from any Western Interference or military aid when they strike.
They must wipe out all appearances of capitalism and personal freedom because it makes their form of government look inferior.
“Wikipedia” as a reference? How reliable NOT.
But it was the closest to what I wanted to say without having to do all that typing.
Hong Kong July 1st 1997 – peacefully – revert back to Chinese rule after being under British control since 1842.
Taiwan will either submit peacefully (To Chinese Control) or it will be taken.
And I don’t believe The U.S. and Allies are willing to spill the blood for it.
There, made me do all that typing.
Rellik, I can clear it all up for you. Up until the Japanese invasion of China, the Republic of China, which is Taiwan’s OFFICIAL name, was fighting a war with the then-emerging China Communist Party led by a commie POS named Mao-tse tung. During the Japanese occupation until the end of WW2, the Chinese Nationalists, which are today’s present Taiwan, had to fight both the Japanese AND the Commies. Those same Chinese Nationalists were our ally in WW2 against the Japs. After WW2, the Nationalists were sold out. All US military and economic aid were cut off to them, thus guaranteeing the commies would take over the mainland. The commies were of course supported by Stalin’s USSR. Chiang Kai-Shek and the rest of his people fled to Taiwan and re-established the Republic Of China [FREE CHINA] on that island. The people of Taiwan today are the ancestors of those same Nationalists who fled from mainland China in 1949. There’s nothing wrong with the people of Taiwan. They are a sovereign and independent nation which RED China has never recognized but has been recognized by many other nations, including the US previously. It was Nixon and Kissinger who started that scumbag ‘One China’ policy back in the 70s when they first reached out to the commies. In 1979, the UN expelled the Taiwan delegation and gave official recognition to Red China. Jimmy Carter also gave full recognition to Red China and downgraded relations with Taiwan. I’ve known a few Taiwanese and they are much better quality people than mainland Chinese. The bottom line is that the commies want to subjugate Taiwan [FREE CHINA] and don’t care how they do it. I know the Taiwanese. They won’t simply surrender to the commies.
China is nasty and those critters are some vile, dirty nasty shits.
CC,
Most Chinese are decent people.
It sounds to me that you are describing
Democrats and Moslems.
CC, mainland Chinese re definitely like that. But not Chinese from Taiwan.
I know the history as well as you. I do not understand The “one China”. I’m not into revenge, so maybe that is why I miss the point.
In addition to Taiwan, the Chinese also claim significant land areas in eastern Siberia. The islands in the South China Sea and another dispute with Japan over some islands that Japan owns. That part of the world is getting antsy.
Clearly if Taiwan, a break away Provence of China, makes the mistake of declaring Independence from the mainland, China will have to invade and unfortunately if that were to happen many would die. Although Taiwan has a military they would be small change to china’s military. If the U.S. were to get involved I suspect China would unleash devastation on the west coast of the U.S.. Much of the U.S. shipping comes into the ports of the west coast with China controlling a large part of the port facilities.
Masdar, uh, don’t know where you’ve been but Taiwan has NOT been officially part of China since 1949. The Republic Of China was pushed out of the mainland by the communists and was set up on Taiwan. They have been a sovereign nation ever since that time. The way the world treats them now is wrong but it is what it is. Taiwanese are better quality people than mainland Chinese. I never met one single mainland Chinese that made a good impression on me.
Any conventional invasion of Taiwan would FAIL!
I am sure that our peace loving Chinese brothers know it too!
China might get a surprise.
Sgt.
if you don’t remember – Prez Trump was in office about maybe a week – the prez of Taiwan called and The Donald took the call – breaking like a 30 year refusal of direct prez to prez contact …
talking about a shit storm !!!!!!!!!!
China isn’t our buddy – about time someone quit the damn game playing and played it strait ….
Nothing new. China has been saying this for decades. And they usually say it right after they buy a bunch of US military stuff. Must have sold them some good stuff this past week. And China will never go to war over Taiwan.
I though the Romans still owns the world…
For the same reason a communist never submit to a nationalist. Once an identity or sovereign nation is established. A nationalist will never submit to a communist.
Sun Yat-sen is being recognize by both parties as the founding father yet he found the national party but not the communist party.
It will never be possible to take over Taiwan by force because of its small size and “selfdestruct nuclear capacities” and China knows it. They can only apply political pressures and pray for them to give up their democracy in exchange for communist.
Taiwan has FAR more anti-ship and anti-air missiles than China has ships and planes.
That 150kms of the Taiwan Strait would be a blood bath. Few would survive the journey.