US warships are sailing through Taiwan Strait despite rising tensions as China has threatened to take the country by force.
China’s investment in the force, known as the PLA, appears to show that officials are preparing for potential war with the United States over Taiwan.
Further, China’s President Xi Jinping has been open about his goal to bring Taiwan under Chinese rule to mark the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party, which was formed in 1921.
David Sauer, writing for the Hil, said that in order to “deter China, the United States must rapidly build up its forces in the Pacific, continue to strengthen military alliances in the region to ensure access to bases in time of conflict, and accelerate deliveries of purchased military equipment to Taiwan.”
Ernest King said, Taiwan is the “cork in the bottle” for Japan. This means that whoever controls Taiwan will control Japan and the Republic of Korea’s shipping lifelines.
Further, Chinese control of Taiwan will give it influence over both Japan and Korea.
Taiwan Minister of Defense Chiu Kuo-Cheng said before his Congress in October: “By 2025, China will bring the cost attrition to its lowest. It has the capacity now, but it will not start a war easily, having to take many other things into consideration.”
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Few people did say they were a worried about threats of forced “reunification” by Beijing, however, many believed the Chinese government would never really go ahead with it.
For instance, Vicky Tsai, 38, a market trader in Taipei said:
“I think mainland China and Taiwan have always co-existed peacefully.
“There are Taiwanese people in mainland China, and there are mainland people here in Taiwan.
We are all Chinese people.”