Why Taiwan might be the next global flashpoint
Why Taiwan might be the next global flashpoint
Why does China have Taiwan in its sights? What does Taiwan want? And how would the US â and Australia â be likely to respond if there was an attack?
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An island 200 kilometres off the coast of China looms as the biggest international test of the Biden administration and Beijingâs relationship with the world. Characterised by its liberal democracy, resilient economy and the existential threat of invasion, Taiwan has lived under a cloud for more than half a century.
Why Taiwan might be the next global flashpoint
Why Taiwan might be the next global flashpoint
Why does China have Taiwan in its sights? What does Taiwan want? And how would the US â and Australia â be likely to respond if there was an attack?
Normal text size
Very large text size
An island 200 kilometres off the coast of China looms as the biggest international test of the Biden administration and Beijingâs relationship with the world. Characterised by its liberal democracy, resilient economy and the existential threat of invasion, Taiwan has lived under a cloud for more than half a century.
The incoming Biden Administration is expected to raise fresh challenges for Australia’s strained relations with China amid concerns the Communist regime will capitalize on upheaval in America and annex Taiwan.
The Chinese government has long claimed the island of 25 million people and is now openly threatening to invade.
In 1949 Nationalists fled to Taiwan after losing control during the civil war, however under the one China policy Beijing has passed a law to reunite the tiny democracy with the broader country.
Australian Strategic Policy Institute Peter Jennings said he “fully expects we will see some sort of crisis along the Taiwan straights in the next few weeks” as China seeks to push boundaries.
“If the United States does not come to Taiwan’s defense it’s the end of the American alliance system in the pacific”.
If China were to take over Taiwan, nations such as South Korea, Japan, the Philippines and even Australia could be left vulnerable to Chinese invasion.
Experts are warning China may capitalize on the current chaos in America to assert its claim over Taiwan, an island of 25 million people which it is now openly threatening to invade.
Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s Peter Jennings says recent American chaos gives Xi Jinping “an opportunity to see how far he can push his luck”.
Liberal Senator Jim Molan told Sky News, democracies were on edge and prepared for "every eventuality" because to lose Taiwan would leave South Korea, Japan and the Philippines vulnerable.