Fears of Chinese Aggression Grow in Taiwan

[marmar]

Fears of Chinese Aggression Grow in Taiwan
Beijing's tone toward Taiwan is becoming increasingly aggressive, and most of those living on the island are unprepared for a war against its oversized neighbor. Some, though, are trying to change that.

By Katharina Graça Peters in Taipei
01.12.2022, 14.41 Uhr


(Der Spiegel) The waves from the typhoon crash into the port of Keelung as gusts of wind tug on Chen Wen-chin’s jacket. His gray hair wet from the rain, he points to the ships bobbing in the waves at the quay. A number of fishermen will soon be heading out to sea without knowing if they will be able sell their merchandise. The storm is the least of Chen’s worries.

Keelung is located in the northeast of Taiwan. In the flower-decorated temples, seafarers pray for a bountiful catch. Chen is extremely familiar with the waters here, having bought his first boat when he was in his early 20s. Now, at age 59, he is head of the city’s association of fishermen, and he has a problem.

The season for hairtail fish will soon start, the coveted predatory fish. Last year, around 80 percent of the catch went to China, says Chen – who has now sought shelter from the elements in a port warehouse – and there were 13 containers at the port each day ready to haul the fish away.

But recently, China’s government banned the import of hairtail fish, along with hundreds of other Taiwanese products. Many here believe it is an act of political revenge. "Who is supposed to buy the fish?" Chen asks. "The fishermen don’t understand why they have become the plaything of politics."

....(snip)....

Following the visit of outgoing U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to the capital of Taipei in August, Beijing responded with economic sanctions and military exercises at sea, with the Chinese navy coming closer to the coast of Taiwan than ever before. Almost daily, drones from the mainland fly across the Taiwan Strait, Chinese warplanes buzz past or warships approach the coast. China is not only Taiwan’s largest trading partner, it is also the country’s greatest threat.

With its aggressive posturing, China is also laying down the gauntlet to the United States, which has long been the most dominant power in the Pacific and which supports Taiwan politically and militarily. On the sidelines of the recent G-20 summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned U.S. President Joe Biden to avoid meddling in the domestic affairs of his country. "Reunification" with Taiwan, Xi said, was the Chinese people’s wish. ..........(more)

https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/where-are-we-supposed-to-go-fears-of-chinese-aggression-grow-in-taiwan-a-cf8a94e7-739d-44e0-8019-0c9b4b72163b

[Marcuse]

1. Like Ukraine: if we can't have it we will destroy it.