2023-08-08 21:45:00
DISPATCH — Along with the war in Ukraine, tension is mounting between China and Taiwan. On Tuesday August 8, after the island endured Chinese military intimidation for a year, former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso took a stand and called on the international community to “wake up”.
Supported by the United States, Taiwan faces China in a way like Ukraine faces Russia. The president of the sovereign state, Tsai Ing-wen, also explained that these regional tensions reflected “friction between authoritarian and democratic regimes”, which were reaching a “critical point”. As Russia considers Ukraine to be historically its own territory, so does China vis-à-vis Taiwan.
Also, since Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in August 2022, Beijing’s anger has only risen and China is playing big with military exercises in the strait.
Today, a close neighbor of the two adversaries, it is Japan which has made itself heard: “The most important thing for us now is that there is no war in the region, including in the Taiwan Strait”, declared the former Japanese head of government in his address to the forum which brings together maritime and defense experts each year.
“We must wake up now. From Taiwan to the United States, and other countries on the same side, it is time to demonstrate our will and our determination to fight, and our power of deterrence,” he added. Japan “must be the first to express [sa] position and also to send a clear message to the international community, including China”, continued Taro Aso. Still considered a heavyweight within the Japanese Liberal Party, Mr. Aso still has influence on the decisions which are taken by the land of the rising sun. Perhaps, therefore, he would have chosen his camp…
For her part, the President of Taiwan affirms her position: “We do not seek military confrontation and wish a peaceful, stable and profitable coexistence with our neighbors, but Taiwan is always ready to defend its democracy and its way of life”. Before ensuring to be determined to fight “the expansion of authoritarianism”.
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