(UnitedVoice.com) – China has become increasingly more aggressive over the last several years about territory it believes belongs to Beijing. Its claims on the South China Sea are especially controversial. Most recently, there’s a very real concern that the Chinese government could attack Taiwan. Comments by President Xi Jinping have elevated those worries.
Prepare for War
On July 6, Xi carried out an inspection tour of China’s Eastern Theater Command in the Jiangsu province. This is the command center responsible for ensuring the security of the nation’s eastern region, including the Taiwan Strait and the East China Sea.
During the visit, Xi reportedly told those in attendance that they must “persist in thinking and handling military issues from a political perspective.” He went on to say that they should “dare to fight” and be good at it because they might have to defend the country’s “national sovereignty, security, and development interests.”
Xi has spent years strengthening China’s military to compete with the United States. Its Navy is now the largest in the world regarding size. Behind America, it invests the most in its Armed Forces. It has used its ships and planes to conduct aggressive maneuvers against US military ships in international water and airspace. The country has also repeatedly flown its jets in Taiwan’s buffer zone.
The aggressive tactics of the communist government as of late make Xi’s remarks even more concerning.
Strained Relations
China and the US have a very close economic relationship that has long kept them on relatively friendly terms. In recent years, those relations have become more fraught diplomatically. During the pandemic, China was accused of keeping vital health information secret, making the situation worse for America and other countries. Then, there were the allegations that the entire outbreak might have resulted from unsafe practices.
China’s genocide of the Uyghur people is also a point of contention. Both former President Donald Trump’s and President Joe Biden’s administrations agreed that it was taking place. The communists have denied the allegations.
Then, there are the constant threats from China against Taiwan. The US has taken steps to help the tiny island prepare for the possibility of an invasion by the Chinese Communist Party. Taiwan has purchased weapons from American military contractors, and US lawmakers have visited the island in recent months, angering Xi’s regime.
President Joe Biden has vowed US forces would help defend the Taiwanese people in the event that China attacks. For now, there’s a waiting game to see just how far Xi intends to go.
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