Roving Periscope: China threatens two-front war—against India and Taiwan

Virendra Pandit 

New Delhi: Refusing to learn from its loss of many soldiers against India in 2020, China now seems ready to double its own humiliation against both India and Taiwan.

For, days after unilaterally “renaming” parts of Arunachal Pradesh as Chinese territory—which India promptly rejected—Beijing on Thursday upped the ante in Taiwan also where it deployed more warships amid US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy meeting Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in California.

“Democracy is under threat,” Taiwan’s President said on Wednesday, standing along with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Soon after her statement, China threatened a “resolute” response as it deployed more warships next to Taiwan.

“It is no secret that today the peace we have maintained and the democracy which we have worked hard to build are facing unprecedented challenges,” she said, adding Taiwan is grateful to have the US by its side. This showed her island was “not isolated” on the international stage.

Tsai Ing-wen, who was greeted by the top Republican in California, said she had received a warm welcome in the United States from politicians on both sides of the aisle.

“Their presence and unwavering support reassure the people of Taiwan that we are not isolated and we are not alone,” she told reporters at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley.

Tsai’s visit to California is technically a stop-over after a trip to Latin America to see two of Taiwan’s dwindling band of official diplomatic allies.

Despite its having been ruled separately for more than 70 years, China views Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to one day seize it, by force if necessary.

Beijing balks at any official contact Taipei has with other countries, insisting there is only “One China,” and hours after Tsai and McCarthy appeared in front of the cameras, it shot back.

“In response to the seriously erroneous acts of collusion between the United States and Taiwan, China will take resolute and effective measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” its spokesperson said in Beijing.

McCarthy, second in line with the US presidency, said a shared belief in freedom and democracy underpinned a relationship that was “a matter of profound importance to the free world.”

He vowed US arms sales to Taiwan—which infuriates Chinese leadership—would continue, in what he said was a proven strategy to dissuade aggression.

“And what we know through history, the best way to do so is to supply the weapons that allow people to deter war,” he told reporters.

“It is a critical lesson that we learned through Ukraine, that the idea of just sanctions in the future is not going to stop somebody” who wants to wage war.

Under a carefully constructed diplomatic fudge, the United States formally recognizes authoritarian Beijing, but, unofficially, is an important backer of Taiwan, and maintains strong commercial ties.

Taipei enjoys bipartisan support in the US Congress and has grown closer to Washington under Tsai’s leadership, much to China’s annoyance.

Support for Taiwan — and disapproval of China — is one of the few issues that unites America’s politicians.

Last year, McCarthy’s predecessor, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, sparked fury in Beijing by becoming the most senior US politician to visit the island in over two decades.

That prompted Beijing to launch its largest-ever military exercises in waters around Taiwan.

McCarthy had originally planned to go himself to Taipei but opted instead to meet Tsai in California. This was viewed as a compromise underscoring the US support for Taiwan but avoiding inflaming tensions with China.

Pelosi on Wednesday praised the California meeting, which was attended by over a dozen lawmakers, both Democrat and Republican.

“Today’s meeting between President Tsai of Taiwan and Speaker McCarthy is to be commended for its leadership, its bipartisan participation, and its distinguished and historic venue,” she said.

Tsai’s stop in southern California comes after her trips to Guatemala and Belize and after a brief stop in New York last week, where she was greeted by flag-waving Taiwanese expatriates.

Tsai times out as Taiwanese president in 2024, and her party faces a challenge from opponents who are closer to Beijing—this is what China is waiting for right now.

She has positioned herself as a defender of the status quo– de facto, but unspoken, independence, even as China ramps up the pressure, poaching allies and pressuring foreign governments to isolate Taipei.

“It is no secret that today, the peace that we have maintained, and the democracy which have worked hard to build are facing unprecedented challenges,” she told reporters.

“We once again find ourselves in a world where democracy is under threat and the urgency of keeping the beacon of freedom shining cannot be understated.

“Taiwan is grateful to have the USA by all sides as we confront the unique challenges of our time.”