Teng Jianqun, a researcher on the China Institute of Worldwide Research, instructed the Chinese language media outlet Capital News in an interview that China should stay ‘extremely vigilant’ towards what he known as the U.S.-Taiwan ‘collusion.’ Stressing that the U.S. doesn’t have ‘the ultimate say’ on China’s ‘nationwide reunification, however Beijing does, he added: ‘We’ll make our judgment based mostly on the precise conditions and push for the reunification in keeping with the established plans of the nice rejuvenation of the Chinese language nation. We’ll by no means get sidetracked by some international locations, together with the U.S. Below the present circumstances, China has made its statements extra clarified and clear-cut than earlier than – i.e. that we now have the potential and resolve to attain our nationwide reunification.’
Under are excerpts from his interview:[1]
(Supply: Taiwannews.com.tw)
‘The U.S. Hopes To Enhance Its Provide Of Missiles To Taiwan’
Capital News: ‘The availability of arms and navy workouts are the main target of this yr’s dialogue. How do you view these ‘Monterey Talks?”[2]
Teng Jianqun: ‘A very powerful subject of the ‘Monterey Talks’ is arms gross sales, particularly missiles transfers, adopted by navy exchanges.
‘The administration of [Taiwanese President] Tsai Ing-wen has put ahead some requests for weapons acquisitions, such because the ‘Harpoon’ anti-ship missile system that may hit the targets on the mainland and a few initiatives for software program upgrades. America additionally hopes to extend its provide of missiles to Taiwan. Because it can’t straight ship U.S. troops to Taiwan, america expects to make use of this format of arms gross sales to kind a ‘each offensive and defensive missile system’ within the so-called ‘first island chain.’
‘America is pitching a ‘exhausting promote,’ however the Tsai Ing-wen authorities haven’t any objection to it. As an alternative, in recent times, they’ve stored on actively initiating requests to ask for strengthening the institution of a ‘each offensive and defensive missile system’ on the island. Lately, we now have noticed some modifications at Jiu Peng Air Pressure Base within the southeastern nook of Taiwan: the hilltops have been levelled and its infrastructure is being expanded. We will inform that the Tsai Ing-wen authorities are making associated preparations for such a system.
‘Along with it, one other focus of the dialogue by each side is on the strengthening of navy exchanges between america and Taiwan, corresponding to sending American instructors to the island of Taiwan to conduct trainings.
‘The truth is, the exchanges between the protection personnel of the 2 sides have lengthy existed. For instance, the U.S. Special Forces as soon as performed particular operations workouts on the island. Additionally, the frequency of transfers of Taiwan Air Pressure’s F-16 fighter jets ‘deployed’ on the Luke Air Pressure Base within the U.S. state of Arizona has elevated. We should stay extremely vigilant towards this sort of collusion between america and Taiwan.’
‘U.S. Arms Gross sales To Taiwan Have Already Undergone A Qualitative Change’
Capital News: ‘With this yr’s talks, are the weapons and the weapons programs supplied by the U.S. to Taiwan seen as a metamorphosis from the defensive nature to each offensive and defensive, or to the offensive?’
Teng Jianqun: ‘The U.S. arms gross sales to Taiwan have already undergone a qualitative change, having advanced from the so-called ‘defensive’ nature prior to now to the present ‘each offensive and defensive.’
‘To begin with, the amount of weapons offered by america to Taiwan has grown. And second, the restrictions on the standard of weapons have been steadily lifted. With the arms gross sales to Taiwan prior to now, america usually offered quite a lot of junks to earn safety charges. However these days, when it comes to the kinds of arms offered to Taiwan, there should not solely F-16V fighters to switch the F-16A, but in addition ‘Sidewinder’ air to air missiles. The modified and improved F-16Vs are good for not solely air fight maneuvering (ACM) or dogfights, but in addition attacking ships and floor targets. Though Taiwan’s missiles are small in sizes, they pose critical threats to floor warships.
‘From the attitude of protection, the Tsai Ing-wen authorities plan to buy 108 M1A2T Abrams important battle tanks beginning in 2023. Though the sort of tanks is in lively responsibility within the U.S. Army, they aren’t very helpful or useful dealing with the terrains of the excessive and steep mountains and networks of water irrigation and patches of rice fields on the island of Taiwan. There have been incidents of Taiwan’s personal 40-ton class tanks and armored automobiles falling off bridges or flipping into ditches.
‘Then why does Taiwan nonetheless need to purchase these M1A2T important battle tanks weighing 50 to 60 tons? They’re really the weapons and tools forward-deployed and pre-positioned by the U.S. navy. As soon as wanted, they are often rapidly transferred and mobilized to satisfy the U.S. calls for in regional conflicts.
‘On the identical time, the U.S. navy can also be specializing in upgrading the software program capabilities of Taiwan’s weapon programs. At current, the information hyperlink and command/management system of the Taiwan navy are principally the identical as these of the U.S. navy. American ‘Pave Paws,’ the long-range early warning radars, have lengthy been put in on the Leshan radar station within the northwest of the island of Taiwan. They’re able to detecting and monitoring threats past 2,500 kilometers. In the course of the Chilly Conflict, america used the ‘Pave Paws’ to take care of the ballistic missiles from the Soviet Union. However they’re now for monitoring the mainland China.’
U.S. President Biden And Secretary Of State Blinken ‘Are Saying One Factor, However Doing One other’
Capital News: ‘How do the latest strikes and petty acts by america on the Taiwan challenge replicate the technique of ‘salami-slicing?”[3]
Teng Jianqun: ‘When it comes to legislations, the ‘Taiwan Journey Act’ handed by the U.S. Congress earlier permits members of Congress and a few politicians to go to Taiwan. And plenty of payments have been handed within the Congress and are nonetheless ready to be authorised by the federal government. The Taiwan challenge has been changed into a so-called fortress for the ‘strategic competitors’ between america and China.
‘With regards to the U.S. administration, though President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken have verbally reiterated repeatedly to abide by the one-China precept, they’re in reality saying one factor, however doing one other. They’ve utterly violated all of the commitments made by the U.S. because the institution of diplomatic relations between China and the U.S. Since Biden got here to the workplace, the U.S. navy vessels and aircrafts have been passing by the Taiwan Strait nearly each month. These provocative actions have imposed nice challenges to the state of affairs throughout the Taiwan Strait.
‘Ever because the U.S. authorities put ahead and advocated the ‘Indo-Pacific Technique,’ the U.S. navy has all the time been speeding to the forefront, making an attempt to fabricate every kind of gimmicks, so that each one the assorted curiosity teams of the ‘military-industrial complicated’ in america, such because the Division of Protection, the Congress, navy industrial enterprises, scientific analysis entities, and so on., can justifiably seize the wallets of the taxpayers.
‘On the identical time, the frequency of the navy workouts performed by the U.S. forces within the waters across the Taiwan space has been rising. And they’re way more intensive and focused than these prior to now. For instance, they’ve performed an train of ‘service to service fight,’ utilizing our plane service battle group because the opposing power. Additionally, they’ve carried out joint navy workouts with their allies.
‘Biden’s Remark Throughout His Go to To Japan Was Not A Slip Of The Tongue’
Capital News: ‘Throughout his latest go to to Japan, Biden ‘slipped his tongue’ by saying that america would ‘intervene militarily to guard Taiwan’ if the mainland tried to assault Taiwan. The official web site of the U.S. State Division reinstated the wording that the nation ‘doesn’t assist Taiwan independence’ after it had been eliminated. Is the U.S. coverage of ‘strategic ambiguity’ on the Taiwan challenge altering steadily?‘
Teng Jianqun: ‘Biden’s remark throughout his go to to Japan was not a slip of the tongue, however sending a sign to the surface world, significantly to the Japanese authorities and the Tsai Ing-wen authorities, that america ‘has the potential and is ready to intervene within the Taiwan challenge.’ His function is to hinder and impede China’s reunification, attempt to ‘use Taiwan to comprise China,’ and make sure the management and dominance of america within the Asia-Pacific area.
‘However america additionally understands that its statements can’t be too express and blunt. So it hopes to take care of its present coverage of ‘ambiguity.’ However the connotation of this ‘coverage of ambiguity’ is not what it was once initially.’
‘We Will By no means Get Sidetracked By Some Nations, Together with the U. S.’
Capital News: ‘China’s Taiwan Affairs Workplace, the Ministry of Overseas Affairs and the Ministry of Nationwide Protection have all spoken out on many events, reaffirming their stable opposition to the official contact and navy collusion between america and Taiwan in any kind. What are the brand new traits of China’s latest statements in contrast with the earlier ones?’
Teng Jianqun: ‘Based mostly on my observations, some individuals have certainly been cooking up some scheme because the second half of final yr, that’s, some media retailers and assume tanks in america have stored on taking part in up the mainland China’s intension to ‘unify Taiwan by power,’ identical to when the West continued to impress and incite troubles previous to the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian battle. Their purpose is to set off an actual conflict between the 2 sides throughout the strait, with the delusion that the mainland will get entrapped and slowed down in a predicament throughout its actions of ‘reunifying Taiwan by power.’
‘With out the nationwide reunification, it’s inconceivable to speak about our nationwide rejuvenation. However as to when our reunification might be achieved, it isn’t america that has the ultimate say, however China does. We’ll make our judgement based mostly on the precise conditions and push for the reunification in keeping with the established plans of the nice rejuvenation of the Chinese language nation. We’ll by no means get sidetracked by some international locations, together with america.
‘Below the present circumstances, China has made its statements extra clarified and clear-cut than earlier than – i.e. that we now have the potential and resolve to attain our nationwide reunification.
‘On the Shangri-La Dialogue held in Singapore not way back, the Chinese language State Councilor and Protection Minister Wei Fenghe made it loud and clear: peaceable reunification is the best aspiration of the Chinese language individuals and China is prepared to make all of the efforts to appreciate our targets. But when anybody dares to secede Taiwan from China, we is not going to hesitate to struggle and we’ll struggle in any respect prices.’
[1] News.bjd.com.cn/2022/06/24/10108231.shtml, June 24, 2022.
