American and Chinese tension on Taiwan, how serious is the situation?
There has been a continuous increase in tension between China and the United States over the issue of Taiwan. The question is how serious is this situation and is another war conflict knocking?
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said in his year-end address to the nation, “We can avoid war only if we are prepared for war.”
“Taiwan has to improve its defense capabilities,” Tsai said. He has also announced to increase the period of compulsory military service from four months to one year from the year 2024.
 He said that no one wants war, but my countrymen! Peace does not fall from the sky.
Threat from China
The Taiwan issue has been ongoing since the civil war in China in 1949. Defeated, the Nationalists fled and gathered on the island, while the victorious Communists took over in Beijing. But the possibility of war, which has been ever-present for decades, now seems more than likely.
In August, China held its largest military drills in decades, rehearsing a full blockade of Taiwan and even an invasion.
According to Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, “They fired missiles near Taiwanese waters. They conducted large-scale air and naval exercises. They also carried out cyber attacks. All put together, that’s all they want to achieve by invading Taiwan.”
Wu said this during a discussion on DW’s new documentary on Taiwan
We have to unite Taiwan, China
China has a clear position on the issue of Taiwan. According to Zhu Bo, a former Chinese military colonel affiliated with Tsinghua University, “We in China believe that Taiwan is part of China and we have to annex it.”
He added, “The only question before us is through what means.” Is this possible peacefully or do we have to use force?”
Chinese President Xi Jinping said on the sidelines of the Communist Party Congress in October, “We aspire to a peaceful unification and strive for it with all sincerity.”
But a peaceful union is only an illusion. According to a recent public opinion poll by Taiwan’s Cheng Chi University, only 6.4 percent of Taiwanese people want unification with China immediately or at some point in the future. This means that if Xi Jinping wants to acquire Taiwan, the only way out is to use force.
Ukraine is an example
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a clear example of the fear of war turning into reality. But the resistance of Ukraine in this war put a powerful force like Russia in trouble. Initially, it was being said that a Russian attack on Ukraine would mean the occupation of Ukraine, but the result turned out to be the opposite. Strong resistance from the Ukrainian army and strong assistance from NATO countries turned the tide of the war.
According to Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, “This war was an example for the Taiwanese people. We want to make it clear to the international community that we too can fight with the same bravery to defend our country.”
The international message about this is very important. In the event of a Chinese attack on Taiwan, Taiwanese resistance is possible only if the international community supports Taiwan, especially the United States.
America and China face to face
US President Joe Biden has signed into law a defense bill that will provide $10 billion in military aid to Taiwan. On several occasions this year, President Biden appeared to adopt a tough stance on Taiwan. He even said that if China attacked Taiwan, the US would intervene in such a case.
When it comes to China, Republicans and Democrats all agree that it is an economic, technological, diplomatic and military threat. The passage of a bill to increase military assistance to Taiwan is an expression of this consensus. This year, US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, while the US ban on the export of semiconductor technology to China is also a reflection of US support for Taiwan.
This report has been prepared by journalist Mufti Md Zyia Qasmi according to DW