[Washington Examiner] In 1997, the British ceded administrative control of Hong Kong to the Chinese under the "one country, two systems" stipulation that the defiantly democratic region would maintain most of its independence until 2047. Yet in violation of this pact, and after years of pressure by the Chinese Communist Party to prevent international recognition and support for Hong Kong, this June, the party forced Hong Kong to pass an extradition bill that represents the end of the semiautonomous territory’s independence. The national security law ensures that Hong Kong, which was one of the freest and most prosperous regions in the Far East, is subject to the same authoritarian restrictions on speech and commerce as the communist mainland. Now, Taiwan fears it could be next, and it is speaking out in an effort not to go so gently into that good night.
A Sept. 18 headline for an editorial run by the Global Times, a propaganda newspaper run by the Chinese Communist Party, is terrifying: "PLA Friday drills not warning, but rehearsal for Taiwan takeover." The People’s Liberation Army is China’s military and has with increasing frequency been running what the paper calls "real-combat military exercises near the Taiwan Straits."
While Taiwan is not formally recognized as an ally, the United States maintains relations with the East Asian country. The Chinese Communist Party sees this as "provocation." According to the Global Times, these military exercises, which it calls "restrained," are necessary responses to U.S. meddling. "Every time a high-ranking U.S. official visits Taiwan, the fighter jets of the PLA should be one step closer to the island," asserted the editorial. "If the U.S. secretary of state or secretary of defense comes to Taiwan, the PLA should fly its aircraft over the island and conduct exercises above it. The missiles we test should also fly over Taiwan, even its ’Presidential Office Building.’ If Taiwan authorities continue to act aggressively, such scenarios will definitely come true." |