By: Satyavan Saurabh
Tension has arisen between the two countries over the visit of US Congressional Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan. When the speaker of the US Congress reached Taiwan on Tuesday, American fighter jets were also left behind in security. Angered by this, China announced military warfare exercises around Taiwan. China is furious. America also made it clear that America stands with Taiwan on the issue of security. Why is China upset over Nancy Pelosi’s visit? Is there a possibility of war between China and Taiwan like Russia and Ukraine? China has not welcomed US Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. This has led to intense tensions between the two powerful countries – China and the US – as China views Taiwan as a separate province.
Taiwan considers itself a sovereign nation, but China considers Taiwan as its province. Nevertheless, Taiwan considers America its biggest ally and the world is heading towards a new confrontation after US Speaker Nancy Pelosi visits Taiwan. Tensions have escalated between the US and China after the visit, with the focus on dominating the global semiconductor trade. It is estimated that Taiwan alone will account for 20 percent of the global semiconductor capacity. The US and China, on the other hand, are among the largest consumers of semiconductors. According to a report by Boston Consulting Group, semiconductors are the fourth most traded product in the world. In this 120 countries of the world are participating. Only crude oil, motor vehicles, their parts, and edible oil are traded more than semiconductors.
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China, is a country in East Asia, between Japan and the Philippines at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Most of the global supply chain of semiconductors is dependent on Taiwan. Currently, only 13 countries (plus the Vatican) recognize Taiwan as a sovereign country. The economies of China and Taiwan are inextricably linked. China is Taiwan’s largest export partner with an export value of $515 billion from 2017 to 2022, more than twice that of the US. Taiwan is much closer to mainland China than the other islands, and Beijing considers it to be it’s own after the Nationalists were driven out during the Chinese Revolution in 1949.
Among the issues over which there is tension between the US and China is the trade war – both have increased import taxes on each other’s products. In recent years, many economic sanctions have also been imposed on each other. America and Western countries are angry due to the increasing influence of China in the sea and the spread of China’s foot in the South China Sea. Due to this, the tension between the two has also increased to a warning. By sieging China, America wants to increase relations with the countries of the Pacific. Here he is trying to stop the influence of China along with his ally Australia. The US, UK, and Australia have recently formed an Ocus Security Coalition. The US also accuses China of violating the human rights of the Vigar minority Muslims, although China has denied this.
The issues of tension between the US and China remain, whether it is Taiwan, the increasing influence of China in the South China Sea, or the ongoing trade war between the two countries; Beyond all this, Taiwan is also becoming a question of the credibility of Chinese President Xi Jinping. The economic condition of China is bad at this time. Xi Jinping would not want to look weak at such a time, so he would resort to nationalism and go toward Taiwan. That is why China is aggressive about Taiwan and is using inflammatory language.
America’s power is decreasing in today’s global environment and China is an emerging power. As far as India is concerned, India is an uncertain power, in the Russo-Ukraine war, India has taken the same side as China. China is a neighbor of India, both share a border of about 3488 km. But for the past few years, India and China have been embroiled in a border dispute. Tension in the relationship between the two has increased after the clash between the soldiers of both countries in Galway Valley in June 2020. India has banned dozens of Chinese mobile apps and also imposed an anti-dumping tax on some Chinese products. At the same time, India has strong relations with America. India is an important ally of America in Asia to counter China.
America has also openly indicated to strengthen relations with India. In such a situation, if the tension between China and America increases, then there is a possibility of its impact on India. Relations between India and China have been strained in recent years. Meanwhile, India has tried to maintain its relations with Taiwan. After the dispute in Galway in 2020, India appointed Gauranglal Das, the then Joint Secretary (US) in the Ministry of External Affairs, as a diplomat in Taiwan. India is yet to have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan. It is not important for India that China and America are talking. It is important for India that the way China has told America that it will not allow anyone to interfere in the matter of Taiwan. This is a sign for India that China will not allow anyone to interfere in the tension between itself and India.
As a part of India’s Act East foreign policy, India has sought to develop cooperation with Taiwan in trade and investment as well as in science and technology, environmental issues, and people-to-people exchanges. For example, the India-Taipei Association and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in New Delhi. India and Taiwan do not have formal diplomatic relations, but since 1995, both sides have maintained representative offices in each other’s capitals which act as de facto embassies. Since 1949, India has adopted a one-China policy that accepts Taiwan and Tibet as part of China.
However, India uses the policy to make a diplomatic point, that is, if India believes in the “One China” policy, then China should also believe in the “One India” policy. Even though India has stopped mentioning adherence to the One China policy in joint statements and official documents since 2010, its engagement with Taiwan is still restricted due to the structure of its relationship with China. After all, the issue of Taiwan is not only about the moral question of allowing the destruction of a successful democracy, but about international morality, the day after China’s invasion of Taiwan will look like a very different Asia, no matter what. Go. In such a situation, in tension in Taiwan, America’s interest, and India’s expressions will prove to be decisive.
The writer is Research Scholar, Poet, Independent Journalist, Columnist, All India Radio and TV Panelist
