[Epoch Times, August 5, 2022](Comprehensive report by The Epoch Times reporter Lin Yan) Janka Oertel, director of the Asia Program of the European Council on Foreign Relations, wrote an article on Thursday (August 4) calling on Europe and the United States to Unite, don’t accept the CCP’s rhetoric that distorts Taiwan.
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan has sparked an “angry” response from Beijing, as Chinese leaders say they have sovereignty over the island and have been threatening to take back control of the rebellious province, Taiwan. In fact, the CCP has never ruled Taiwan for a day.
Autor sharply pointed to the purpose behind Beijing’s angry response. “By presenting Pelosi’s visit as the ultimate provocation, Beijing is trying to justify it for further increasing military pressure on Taiwan and changing the status quo and established agreements,” she wrote.
“Beijing is also reinforcing the narrative – it’s simply resisting the aggression of others and presenting it as a victim of the United States, accusing the United States of being unwilling to accept that its role in the world has been diminished while China is defending its own interests. .”
Autor said that if the Chinese Communist Party was allowed to achieve this goal and put Taiwan, one of the most economically dynamic and progressive democracies in Asia, under its rule, it could be as the Chinese ambassador to France publicly stated in the French media. Yes, they want to re-educate Taiwan “after reunification”.
Beijing has always publicly stated that the provocation this time came from the so-called independent forces in the United States and Taiwan, but denied the fact that both the Taiwanese government and opposition parties welcomed Pelosi’s visit.
Chinese diplomats also warned the U.S. not to interfere in cross-strait relations, vowing to make the U.S. regret it and bear the consequences, and it has casually wanted to blame Washington for any further escalation, the article said.
Accepting Beijing’s excuse to invade Taiwan will only fall into the hands of the CCP
Autor cautioned that the EU should not accept all the excuses for aggression sought by Beijing. “Paying for China’s claims about Pelosi’s visit will only fall into Beijing’s hands,” she cautioned.
She said Beijing did not appear to want to launch an invasion of Taiwan, but to show force, but the risk of miscalculation and accidents would be high. This concern was expressed in both the G7 and the joint statement of the ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting.
Taiwan maintains self-discipline and restraint while CCP increases threats
In addition, Beijing also wants to affect the normal traffic and exchanges between the world and Taiwan. She reminded that the CCP put all the blame on the United States, but it was Taiwan who bore the consequences. Fortunately, Taiwanese are not panicked by Beijing’s move, because they are not new to the threat of the CCP, but for the world, this time it is more and more obvious that the threat from the CCP is seen.
Taiwan’s leaders have been calling for international attention over the past few years to fend off new levels of Chinese aggression against Taiwan. Tsai’s government has avoided any form of aggressive action or rhetoric, and she has not called for independence, but she has built a model system for handling the growing challenge of China’s disinformation and has worked with partners to address Beijing’s hybrid attacks.
“From beginning to end, the Tsai Ing-wen government has demonstrated a high degree of political self-discipline and restraint,” Autor said.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Taiwan has accelerated efforts to strengthen its defense capabilities. Beijing is also speeding up to target more missiles and other advanced weapons at the Taiwan Strait. At the same time, it goes against the facts, tries to seize the commanding heights in speech, puts the blame on others, and plays the role of the victim.
Seemingly evil neighbor Taiwan is not the only target of the CCP
Autor cautioned that Taiwan would not be China’s only target as it seeks to compete for a tougher regional and global role.
Beijing is already aggressive in the Indo-Pacific region, and it has disputes with its surrounding neighbors, from India, the Philippines, to Australia, to which Beijing is exerting varying degrees of military or economic pressure on them to engage with China’s political Requirements remain consistent.
Autor said Taiwan remains focused on continued economic engagement with China, and its core values of defending democratic governance have won the support of allies. Because of this, it has aroused the resonance of parliamentarians from different countries around the world.
Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan is not a deviation from the established agreement as the CCP says
In recent months, Taiwan has welcomed dozens of European and American lawmakers, including the vice president of the European Parliament. “Pelosi’s visit is not an unacceptable departure from the established agreement as China claims,” Autor said.
Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan drew broad support from her colleagues, a rare display of bipartisan unity in a deeply divided Congress.
“Pelosi’s trip also demonstrates that at a time of growing systemic competition with China and increased pressure on Taiwan, lawmakers’ solidarity in support of democratic principles and determination to oppose the use of coercive force marks a fundamental change.”
“This is a peaceful, unequivocal, non-provocative form of democratic deterrence,” Autor added.
Fighting bullying collectively is better than acquiescing
Autor suggested that countries such as the United States and the European Union would be better off collectively dealing with China than keeping silent. Autor said that the recent joint statement by the G7 foreign ministers on the Taiwan issue is an important signal. On the other hand, the response of the CCP also shows that the visit to Taiwan of members of democratic countries such as Pelosi has played some key role. .
“When dealing with bullying, collective resistance is a better strategy than acquiescence,” she said, because the EU also has a keen interest in stability across the Taiwan Strait. If a conflict breaks out in the Taiwan Strait, the EU’s supply chain and the global economy will take a huge hit from the conflict.
Rupert Hammond-Chambers, chairman of the Washington, D.C.-based U.S.-Taiwan Business Council, told Politico that in Taiwan’s supply chain at the center of the world, China’s military operation has The level of anxiety caused by the CEO of a global business is the highest he has ever seen in his personal career.
“The catalyst for this anxiety is the ever-present threat from China,” he said.
Taiwan received an A1 rating — low corporate risk — according to a February country risk assessment by German financial services firm Allianz, but the report also warned of growing geopolitical tensions with China.
The BlackRock Investment Institute earlier in August ranked the U.S.-China strategic rivalry, including “accelerating military action to unify Taiwan,” as sixth among the world‘s 10 most serious geopolitical risks.
Responsible editor: Ye Ziwei#