A Chinese aircraft carrier crosses the Taiwan Strait under heavy surveillance, reigniting tensions between Beijing and Taipei. This maneuver takes place in a context of increasing military pressure exerted by China on the island, with large-scale encirclement exercises and lethal munitions. What does this new Sino-Taiwanese standoff reveal?
As tensions between China and Taiwan continue to escalate, one event has once again ignited the heat in this high-pressure region. On Wednesday, Taiwanese authorities noticed the passage of a Chinese aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, in the Taiwan Strait, the true epicenter of bilateral friction. A significant military maneuver, which comes just a week after the massive encirclement maneuvers carried out by Beijing around the island.
A context of growing military pressure
It’s no secret: China considers Taiwan one of its provinces, which it intends to reunify with the rest of its territory. If Beijing says it is in favor of the peaceful path, last week it did not fail to underline that it does not rule out the use of force. A warning that sounds like a thinly veiled threat, as Chinese military pressure around Taiwan has continued to increase in recent years.
Live fire exercises, record number of air strikes, deployment of warships: Beijing increases displays of force to intimidate Taipei. Already in mid-October, maneuvers of unprecedented scale were organized in the strait, a few days after the Taiwanese national holiday. Operations which saw the Liaoning sailing near the Japanese coast, east of Taiwan.
A response to the American presence?
The passage of the Chinese aircraft carrier this week may be a response to the recent presence of American and Canadian warships in the strait. Beijing has strongly condemned this step, considering it an attack on peace and stability in the region. But for Washington and its allies it is, on the contrary, about reaffirming the international status of this highly strategic waterway.
Towards an escalation of tensions?
Since Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen came to power in 2016, accused by Beijing of wanting to widen the gap with the continent, Sino-Taiwanese relations have continued to deteriorate. And the ever-increasing Chinese military pressure in Taipei is worrying, where there is a fear of an escalation of tensions that could lead to an open conflict.
Taiwan will not give in to China’s intimidation and threats.
Cho Jung-tai, Taiwanese Prime Minister
For now the Taiwanese government wants to be reassuring and says it is carefully monitoring movements in Liaoning. According to several analysts, the aircraft carrier is in fact en route to the port of Qingdao in China for refueling and maintenance, after having participated in the recent maneuvers. But its presence in the strait still remains a strong signal sent to Taipei.
Beijing keeps up the pressure
For its part, China continues to affirm its determination to reunify Taiwan, including by force if necessary. The spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also dismissed Taiwanese concerns raised by the Liaoning crossing, declaring:
Taiwan is a Chinese territory. The fact that a Chinese aircraft carrier sails on its territory and in its territorial waters is completely normal.
Lin Jian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
And insist that “no matter what the Taiwanese authorities say or do, they cannot change the fact that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China.” A rhetoric developed for some time by Beijing, but which takes on a very particular resonance in this context of increased tensions.
What future for Sino-Taiwanese relations?
While peaceful reunification officially remains Beijing’s preferred option, it is clear that military pressure and thinly veiled threats have become the norm across the Taiwan Strait. A strong trend that does not seem destined to reverse, given that the Taiwanese issue remains a crucial issue for the Chinese regime.
In the face of this constant pressure, Taipei can count on the support of Washington, which is committed to helping maintain its self-defense capability. But how far is the United States willing to go to defend Taiwan in the event of an open conflict with China? The issue remains unresolved and fuels all the concerns of the region.
One thing is certain: in this powder-keg Sino-Taiwanese face-off, the slightest incident could ignite the dust and precipitate a major crisis with potentially global repercussions. The passage of the aircraft carrier Liaoning through the strait this week reminded us of this once again.
