World Desk, AnyTV, Washington
Published by: Harendra Chaudhary
Updated Thu, 24 Feb 2022 06:28 PM IST
Summary
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last week that what would happen in Ukraine would echo in Taiwan. But American commentators have said that for the time being, China is carefully monitoring the situation in Ukraine. He will assess how Western countries react to Ukraine…
At a time when the world is eyeing the US-Russia conflict over the Ukraine dispute, the US defense establishment is also eyeing Taiwan. Sources in the US Defense Ministry, Pentagon, have drawn attention to the media briefing that China has declared itself the target of annexing Taiwan. He has never ruled out the possibility of using force to do so.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s statements seem to suggest that he too has set the goal of annexing Ukraine to Russia. In a keynote speech this week, he described the peoples of Russia and Ukraine as part of a “common people’s community”. However, analysts are of the opinion that it is not easy for Putin to make Ukraine a part of Russia. China is in a position to take such a step in the case of Taiwan. Yet most American experts are of the opinion that China will not take such a risk.
Waiting for response from western countries
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last week that what would happen in Ukraine would echo in Taiwan. But American commentators have said that for the time being, China is carefully monitoring the situation in Ukraine. It will assess how Western countries react to Ukraine. For now, the US, UK, European Union, Canada, Australia and Japan have announced sanctions against Russia.
Lev Nachmann, a research fellow at Harvard University’s Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, told the TV channel CNN- ‘Whatever the US response to Ukraine, it will not be the same in Taiwan’s case. The US has developed relations with Taiwan differently over the decades. The US responsibility in his case is different from the obligation towards Ukraine.
An eye on the Chinese Communist Party’s convention
Some other experts have also denied the possibility that China would be encouraged to annex Taiwan after the attack on Ukraine. Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute at the University of London, said: “I don’t think China will use force against Taiwan this year.” Xi Jinping really doesn’t want to take any risk. Tsang said Xi is currently eyeing the Chinese Communist Party’s general convention in October this year, in which he will try to get a third term for himself. If the Taiwan campaign fails, their purpose will not be fulfilled. So they will not take any such risk this year.
David Sachs, a research fellow at the Council for Foreign Affairs, a New York-based think tank, told CNN that the dynamics of the US-China relationship are different. Therefore Ukraine and Taiwan cannot be compared. He said- ‘If China occupied Taiwan, then it would establish its supremacy in that area. So America’s bet there is different. Chinese leaders understand that the US response to Taiwan will be of a completely different nature.
Expansion
At a time when the world is eyeing the US-Russia conflict over the Ukraine dispute, the US defense establishment is also eyeing Taiwan. Sources in the US Defense Ministry, Pentagon, have drawn attention to the media briefing that China has declared itself the target of annexing Taiwan. He has never ruled out the possibility of using force to do so.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s statements seem to suggest that he too has set the goal of annexing Ukraine to Russia. In a keynote speech this week, he described the peoples of Russia and Ukraine as part of a “common people’s community”. However, analysts are of the opinion that it is not easy for Putin to make Ukraine a part of Russia. China is in a position to take such a step in the case of Taiwan. Yet most American experts are of the opinion that China will not take such a risk.
Waiting for response from western countries
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last week that what would happen in Ukraine would echo in Taiwan. But American commentators have said that for the time being, China is carefully monitoring the situation in Ukraine. It will assess how Western countries react to Ukraine. For now, the US, UK, European Union, Canada, Australia and Japan have announced sanctions against Russia.
Lev Nachmann, a research fellow at Harvard University’s Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, told the TV channel CNN- ‘Whatever the US response to Ukraine, it will not be the same in Taiwan’s case. The US has developed relations with Taiwan differently over the decades. The US responsibility in his case is different from the obligation towards Ukraine.
An eye on the Chinese Communist Party’s convention
Some other experts have also denied the possibility that China would be encouraged to annex Taiwan after the attack on Ukraine. Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute at the University of London, said: “I don’t think China will use force against Taiwan this year.” Xi Jinping really doesn’t want to take any risk. Tsang said Xi is currently eyeing the Chinese Communist Party’s general convention in October this year, in which he will try to get a third term for himself. If the Taiwan campaign fails, their purpose will not be fulfilled. So they will not take any such risk this year.
David Sachs, a research fellow at the Council for Foreign Affairs, a New York-based think tank, told CNN that the dynamics of the US-China relationship are different. Therefore Ukraine and Taiwan cannot be compared. He said- ‘If China occupied Taiwan, then it would establish its supremacy in that area. So America’s bet there is different. Chinese leaders understand that the US response to Taiwan will be of a completely different nature.