“The cause is for patrol, but it will always be a means of military pressure.”
As it is an international transport route, tensions seem to continue… Neighboring countries response inevitable
This time, China pulled out a regular patrol card in the Taiwan Strait, and attention is focused on its intentions.
On the 10th, spokesperson Sui of the Eastern District of the People’s Liberation Army in charge of Taiwan came out through the official account of the Eastern District WeChat (Chinese version of KakaoTalk).
Spokesperson Sui announced that the joint military exercises around Taiwan would be completed, adding, “We will resolutely defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country by regularly organizing combat-preparatory border reconnaissance in the direction of Taiwan.”
In other words, when relations between the two countries (兩岸, China and Taiwan) are smooth, low-intensity exercises such as maritime patrol and search and rescue will be conducted, but when tensions escalate, they will continue to carry out military operations with the Taiwan invasion scenario in mind. it has been expressed
Because of this, fear is growing in Taiwan, which was placed under blockade with ignoring its territorial waters and airspace, and concerns are growing that the Taiwan Strait, an important international waterway in East Asia, will be blocked again.
Lizwan Rahmat, chief analyst at Jane’s, a defense intelligence analysis agency, said the Chinese military’s message was “a kind of pressure on Taiwan”, saying, “It is intended to maintain a military presence around mainland Taiwan.”
Michael Laska, an assistant professor at the Rajaratnam Institute for International Studies (RSIS) at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, said, “Ahead of the 20th Party Congress, China must secure stability, so it will adjust the scope and frequency of military operations around Taiwan.” It will always be a means of military pressure.”
What should not be overlooked is that these regular patrols by the Chinese military are intended to neutralize the midline of the Taiwan Strait.
According to Bloomberg, Shi’s remarks opened up the possibility for the Chinese military to conduct military exercises across the midline of the Taiwan Strait established by the United States.
In fact, during a military exercise last week, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army poured 11 Dongfeng (DF) series ballistic missiles, including four that crossed the midline of the Taiwan Strait and passed over Taiwan.
During this period, more than 100 Chinese military aircraft and dozens of Chinese warships crossed the midline of the Taiwan Strait.
The Taiwan Strait middle line was declared in 1955 by U.S. Air Force General Benjamin Davis to prevent military clashes after the signing of the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and Taiwan in December 1954. .
According to Bloomberg, the midline of the Taiwan Strait has served as a vaguely defined buffer zone that has kept peace around Taiwan, but China has reduced this buffer zone with this military exercise as an opportunity.
He added that China, which had ‘successful’ in changing the current situation, is now determined to strengthen it through regular patrols in the Taiwan Strait.
China seems to have a position that China’s sovereignty applies to the Taiwan Strait as well, as Taiwan is China’s territory according to the ‘one China’ principle.
“If[China’s takeover of the Taiwan Strait through regular patrols]is so old and accepted as normal, it will give China more diplomatic and military flexibility,” said Song Won-ti, a political scientist in charge of the Australian National University’s Taiwan Studies program. .
In the midst of this, if the Chinese military goes on regular patrols in the Taiwan Strait, there is a possibility that tensions in the Taiwan Strait will continue for a considerable period of time, and that the international community’s movement against China will materialize.
First of all, it is expected that Taiwan, which has been in a lockdown state for several days, will respond to the invasion of its territorial waters and airspace.
In addition, South Korea and Japan, as well as the United States, are expected to prepare countermeasures.
Diplomats believe that, given that the Biden administration has consistently stated that it will not be intimidated by any threat, it will be inevitable to respond to China’s attempt to neutralize the Taiwan Strait midline, which is a regular patrol this time.
Considering that the US administration kept the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan and the carrier strike group in the Philippine Sea throughout the Chinese military training period, there are also observations that the carrier will be stationed near Taiwan in the near future.
/yunhap news