The United States and its allies commenced military exercises in Indonesia, while China continues to fly warplanes near Taiwan. Tensions between China and Taiwan have ramped up following Nancy Pelosi’s trip to the region and it doesn’t seem like anything is going to get better. The Chinese government issued a series of warnings to the U.S. not to meddle in regional affairs, but it seems like the Pelosi and other legislators are hell-bent on provoking Beijing. Meanwhile, as US troops have been secretly training Taiwanese forces for at least a year, Taiwan has steadily beefed up its defenses. With both sides continuing to escalate the situation, it seems only a matter of time before something major happens. Let’s just hope that it doesn’t lead to all-out war.
While China continues to escalate their military actions near Taiwan, The U.S and its allies have started to prepare for the worst, under the cover of a so-called “Military Drill.”
According to Fox News, Over 5,000 U.S. and allied soldiers participated in joint combat drills in Indonesia, while China’s aggressive behavior continues to include hundreds of warplane sorties near Taiwan.
This was the largest military exercise since 2009, when the nations began collaborating.
During a time of heightened tension with China regarding Taiwan, Indo-Pacific activities are taking place. Nancy Pelosi became the first Speaker of the House to visit the island since Newt Gingrich in 1997. Before Pelosi’s trip, which had long been rumored, Chinese officials warned that if she went, the U.S. would face consequences.
USS Ronald Reagan and a strike group were sent to the South China Sea in the days leading up to Pelosi’s visit to Asia. A Navy spokesperson said the trip was planned.
In response, China has fired missiles into Taiwanese seas and airspace. As a result, Taiwan has conducted military drills of its own to demonstrate its ability to resist China.
The problems with this trip are not just limited to Nancy Pelosi; the Democrats have major disagreements about it as well. In particular, between Pelosi and the Biden administration.
According to Newsweek, Biden staffers saw no advantage to the Speaker of the House visiting Taipei. Several anonymous sources warned of possible military responses from Beijing. Joe Biden went public with these concerns, saying that “the military does not think this is a good idea at this time.” Following the trip, he outlined his concerns about China’s activities in the region.
As soon as Pelosi touched down in Taipei, she made her position clear: “We must stand by Taiwan.” and “will not allow China to isolate Taiwan.”
In contradiction to that statement, Pelosi called China a “strong democracy” and “one of the most free societies in the world.”
From January 2021 to the present, President Biden’s China policy has been a fragile mix of cooperation and competition. According to the president, each agenda can be pursued simultaneously without adversely affecting the other.
Xi Jinping’s policies are designed to exploit the potential for U.S.-China collaboration to divide Americans. As opposed to focusing on Xi Jinping’s culpability, Washington assigns domestic blame for destabilizing bilateral relations. Having a divided America isolates our friends and empowers our adversaries. “Responsible competition” as it turns out, is deeply irresponsible.
Since coming to power in 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping has implemented a series of policies designed to exploit the potential for U.S.-China collaboration to divide Americans. Having a divided America isolates our friends and empowers our adversaries. “Responsible competition” as it turns out, is deeply irresponsible. By pitting American against American, Xi Jinping’s policies are sowing the seeds of division in our country. If we don’t wake up to this threat, we may find ourselves irreparably fractured as a nation. Now is the time for unity. The divisive tactics of Xi Jinping and Biden’s collaboration need to be opposed. Only then can we hope to preserve the America we know and love.
