President of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen, recently embarked on a 10-day trip to Central America, which included stopovers in New York and Los Angeles. President Tsai’s diplomatic mission to Guatemala and Belize has sparked criticism from China, which argues that any contact between Taiwan and the United States is a violation of the One China policy.
Threats of Retaliation From China
Ahead of her trip, China had already expressed its opposition to President Tsai’s travels to the United States, citing concerns that it may raise tensions between Washington and Beijing. Meanwhile, the US has clarified that the visit by high-level Taiwanese officials is routine and does not contradict its long-standing policy of recognizing Beijing as the sole legal government of China.
However, China has threatened retaliation if any high-ranking US official meets with Taiwan’s President during her stopover in the country. Specifically, it has condemned House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s scheduled meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen in Los Angeles.
Taiwan Continues to Walk on “the Road of Freedom and Democracy”
Despite these controversies, President Tsai declared in a speech that Taiwan will continue to pursue its diplomatic relations with other countries. “External pressure will not deter our government from engaging with the world,” she stated, “Taiwan will continue to walk on the road of freedom and democracy.”
The visit to Central America highlights Taiwan’s fragile status and its need to shore up its diplomatic partnerships amid concerns about several countries in Central America and the Pacific switching recognition to China.
Strained US-China Relations
The transit comes at a time when tension between the United States and China is heightened due to a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon being shot down over Pennsylvania. Additionally, there have been multiple communications between US and Chinese officials regarding providing information about past transits of Taiwan’s presidents.
US officials have welcomed President Tsai’s transit as they have in past years, but they remain mindful of Beijing’s reaction. The US has urged China not to use the incident as an excuse to escalate tensions.
Taiwan’s Fragile Status
The status of Taiwan is one of the most sensitive issues in US-China relations, with China viewing Taiwan as a renegade province that must be reunited with the mainland while Taiwan sees itself as an independent state, albeit with unofficial diplomatic relations with many Western nations.
China has not ruled out using force for peaceful unification with Taiwan, despite its opposition to Ma Ying-jeou’s current visit to China to promote cross-strait student exchanges. Taiwan has criticized the trip as inappropriate, given that Honduras established diplomatic ties with Beijing, leaving Taiwan with only 13 formal diplomatic allies.
The Next Taiwanese Presidential Election
Taiwan’s next presidential election is scheduled for January 2020 and is expected to heighten tensions between the two countries. Former President Ma Ying-jeou, who encouraged stronger economic ties with China during his term, is also touring mainland China at a time of deepening tensions over Taiwan’s future.
In conclusion, while President Tsai Ing-wen’s diplomatic mission to Central America may appear routine, it has been met with criticism from China and has highlighted the tension between the US and China over the issue of Taiwan. As Taiwan prepares for its upcoming election and tries to maintain its fragile status amid a changing global landscape, it will need to continue balancing its priorities carefully.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
