UPDATED: China To Taiwan: America Will Abandon You…

 

Op-Ed: Our withdrawal from Afghanistan signals to the world that the U.S. can't be relied upon

Opinion | Biden’s Taiwan Policy Is Truly, Deeply Reckless  . . . "Media coverage of President Biden’s foreign policy tends to focus on his efforts to withdraw from Afghanistan, get tough on Russia and negotiate with Iran. But none of those may prove as consequential as Mr. Biden’s quiet, incremental moves to establish official relations with Taiwan. Because only his policy toward Taiwan is meaningfully increasing the risk of world war.

"He’s doing so by undoing a diplomatic fiction that for more than 40 years has served the United States, Taiwan and the world exceptionally well. In 1978, when the United States established diplomatic relations with Beijing, it agreed to pretend that there was only “one China.” The arrangement was absurd: Taiwan was, and is, effectively an independent country. But to Beijing, its de facto independence is the bitter fruit of imperialism — Japan stole away the island in 1895; America’s Seventh Fleet prevented the mainland from taking it back in 1950. By keeping U.S. relations with Taiwan unofficial, the “one China” fiction helped Beijing imagine that peaceful reunification remained possible. Which gave it an excuse not to invade." . . .

'No Chance' U.S. Can Stop Chinese Invasion of Taiwan, Military Expert Says

Here’s What Could Happen If China Invaded Taiwan - Bloomberg

“I am increasingly concerned that a major crisis is coming,” said Ian Easton, senior director at the Project 2049 Institute who wrote “The Chinese Invasion Threat: Taiwan’s Defense and American Strategy in Asia.” “It is possible to envision this ending in an all-out invasion attempt and superpower war. The next five to 10 years are going to be dangerous ones. This flash point is fundamentally unstable.”

 Chinese state media sends 'ominous' warning to Taiwan after U.S.'s Afghanistan exit (yahoo.com)  

Tim O'Donnell, Contributing Writer

In an editorial from The Global Times, the Chinese state media outlet sent what appears to be an 'ominous' message to Taiwan, which China claims as its territory, amid concerns that Beijing may one day launch an invasion of the island. The gist of the message? That the outcome in Afghanistan shows that the U.S., Taiwan's closest and most powerful ally, won't be around to help when the island needs it most.

Taiwan's political leaders "need to a keep a sober head, and the secessionist forces should reserve the ability to wake up from their dreams," the editorial reads. "From what happened in Afghanistan, they should perceive that once a war breaks out in the [Taiwan] Straits, the island's defense will collapse [within] hours and the U.S. military won't come to help. As a result [Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party] will quickly surrender, while some high-level officials may flee by plane."

"In the lead up to the U.S. exit from Afghanistan, several foreign policy analysts predicted that Washington's adverseries, including Beijing and the Kremlin, would push such a narrative as a way to undermine the United States' role on the world stage. It appears the ball is already rolling.

"Afghanistan today, Taiwan tomorrow? US treachery scares DPP" - Chinese Communist Party Global Times    . . . "Yesterday's Saigon, today's Afghanistan, and tomorrow's Taiwan?" read some online posts by internet users in the island of Taiwan, implying that the so-called alliance that Taiwan has forged with the US is nothing but an empty promise that will eventually "leave the Taiwan people hurting alone."

"An Op-Ed in local Taiwan news site udn.com said that the unexpected end in Afghanistan has "shocked" US allies and partners, who have become wary of putting the safety of Taiwan in the hands of the US, as the latter may pull the same tricks played in Kabul." . . .