The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is escalating tensions in numerous independent countries around the world at the same time, including Hong Kong and Taiwan, all while the party is facing increasing criticisms from American President Donald J. Trump for the way the Chinese leaders handled the pandemic that has its origins in China.
“China is trying to turn Taiwan into another Hong Kong”, Joseph Wu, the foreign minister of Taiwan warned the United States on Tuesday at a historic diplomatic trip that was the first of its kind since 1979.
During the rare meeting with US health secretary, Alex Azar was told by Wu that Taiwan lived under the constant threat of having its freedoms taken away by China.
Wheels down in Taipei. Our @HHSGov delegation disembarked wearing masks and tested negative for COVID-19.
Honored to be here to convey our support for #Taiwan and their global health leadership. pic.twitter.com/Kwqh2uefhc
— Secretary Alex Azar (@SecAzar) August 9, 2020
These statements by Wu happen at the same time British backed police in Hong Kong are enforcing a strict reading of a new Chinese Community Party’s National Security Law, arresting pro-democracy activists and media people, while protestors there lead a push to retain the country’s independence and their freedom of speech.
China does not agree that either Hong Kong or Taiwan is an independent country to make those demands.
America says that it will uphold “historic understanding” between the two countries. Some people reported that the United States appeared to elevate Taiwan to an equal status with China, recently.
@SolomonYue
Greetings NCM Yue.
Embassy in Beijing of the USA eliminated #China in logo. Seems something surprising would come?https://t.co/3ZcJ5y2xam— Grand Revival (@GrandRevivalYay) August 11, 2020
US Secretary Mike Pompeo released a statement that the US would uphold historic understandings of the two countries.
Thank you very much for visiting the island nation. As an American, I'm please to know that the Trump Administration has utilized the Taiwan Travel Act, to deepen relations with the Taiwanese nation. Hopefully to see Mike Pompeo visit Taiwan.
— 阿忠仔???? (@formosanafro) August 5, 2020
Pompeo: we "intend to uphold our obligations & commitments w/ China w/ respect to the historical understanding btw US & China on Taiwan. We’ve told both…we are going to abide by those…It’s enshrined in US law…So it’s an obligation that we do so.” https://t.co/3tLfG8MLwh
— Bonnie Glaser / 葛來儀 (@BonnieGlaser) August 11, 2020
It may have been a timely movement, at the meeting Wu said, “Our daily lives have become increasingly difficult as China continues to pressure Taiwan into accepting its political conditions, conditions that will turn Taiwan into the next Hong Kong.”
Monday, China caused Taiwan jets to scramble, in an act of aggression toward the country for the third time since 2016.
Coffee or Die reported on the incident and wrote:
“The risk of conflict in the Taiwan Strait is rising,” Ryan Hass, a fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Center for East Asia Policy Studies. “At the same time, it is important to keep in mind that Taipei, Washington, and Beijing each continue to have a strong incentive to manage competition without resorting to force, given the risks of rapid escalation and the catastrophic consequences that any conflict in the Taiwan Strait would create for all parties.”
Chinese PLA attempted again to sneak through #TaiwanStrait airspace centre line on Monday morning around 10am, PLAAF J-10 & J-11 warplanes were detected as Taiwan Air Force scrambled jets to warn off the Chinese fighter jets from Taiwan airspace. pic.twitter.com/QrFDexqJa7
— Taiwan Formosa Club ? (@taiwanformosan) August 10, 2020
The bold action by the Communist party is alarming to Taiwan, a self-ruled island of 23 million people that Beijing claims as its own territory, and has vowed to one day seize, by force if necessary.
Kari is an ex-Community Organizer who writes about Voter Engagement, Cultural Marxism and Campaigns. She has been a grassroots volunteer with the GOP, on and off for 18 years. She is a Homeschool Mom in North Carolina and loves Photojournalism and Citizen Journalism. @Saorsa1776
