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Beijing, which rejects Taiwan’s right to diplomatic relations, was enraged by the visit and by signals from the United States, Taipei’s largest arms supplier, that it intends to sell it $ 7 billion in coastal defense missiles. , drones and mines.
While the increased US support had raised Taiwan’s morale, it also carried a security risk, said Bonnie Glaser, senior adviser for Asia at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.
“On the one hand, we assure Taiwan that we care about them, on the other hand, we are the cause of this great military pressure,” he said. “I think this administration is almost hugging Taiwan too tightly.”
Euan Graham, senior fellow at the International Institute for Asian Strategic Studies, warned that the period between the US elections and the inauguration, while concerned at the national level, could “frame a window of opportunity” for China to take action against Taiwan.
It may not necessarily be a “total invasion across the beach,” he said, and could take the form of a cyberattack, blockade or assault on an outlying island.
But he added: “It cannot be dismissed as bluffing and bragging because they are serious about wanting to reunite and have built a world-class army that is essentially built for that purpose.”
