China has conducted unprecedented military exercises around the island in the wake of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. Is this exercise just their ‘tough military response’, or Beijing got an opportunity to exert a stronger influence on Taiwan in the emerging situation.
The high-ranking hardliners of China’s ruling Communist Party are likely to be pleased with the situation created by Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. Pelosi has essentially opened a window for them to increase pressure on Taiwan, and they are believed to be using it. China’s military drills around Taiwan include ‘live-fire’ drills. China fired several missiles over Taiwan in the exercise. Through this, the pot has been prepared for the ‘acceptability’ of China’s military measures around Taiwan.
In this exercise, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has flown close and large numbers of warplanes around the Taiwan Strait. It is now considered the ‘new frontier’. The number of people in China who believe that the Chinese government’s policy of incorporating Taiwan into the Chinese mainland is now much more real, even if force is used on it one day if necessary.
Not only Taiwan, through this exercise, China has also been able to show its military power to neighboring countries in Southeast Asia that are competing for the possession of the South China Sea. They have shown how unstoppable the People’s Liberation Army has become in military power.
Beijing’s aim is to scare people into not voting for President Tsai’s party in Taiwan’s 2024 elections. Beijing wants its friendly party, the KMT (Kuomintang), to return to power. However, Beijing has tried to use such tactics before, but without such success.
