Over the years, the relationship between China and Taiwan has been absurdly dynamic and the controversial dispute has come to light again with China’s quest to rule over Taiwan. It all dates back to seventy-seven years ago when China acquired the island in 1945 after Japan lost World War two. Later in 1949, a clash between two nationalist political government forces directed by Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong’s Communist Party took place. The communists won the war and took control of mainland China while Chiang Kai-shek and Kuomintang (KMT) nationalists fled to Taiwan, and formed their government in Taipei where they eventually ruled for the next several decades. Home to twenty-three million individuals, PRC has its own democratically elected government and politically aware leaders have differing views on the island’s status and relations with the mainland.
Is it a radical decision of China to claim Taiwan as its own, in this century?
Well, not really! Chinese government which is the People’s Republic of China (PRC), opposes acknowledging Taiwan as an Independent nation and the Taiwanese any different from them since it believes that Taiwan and mainland China ecomap two slices of a single country’s territory. Xi Jinping made one thing clear – stating that Taiwan, “must be, will be” unified with China to realize his dream of a revitalized China and become the realm that retakes the spot it held for centuries as a great Asian power.
In genuineness, the PRC rules only Inland China and has no control but claims Taiwan as a stake of its territory under its ‘One China Principle. The ROC which only rules the Taiwan Area (composed of Taiwan and its nearby minor islets namely Kinmen, Matsu, Penghu, Wuqiu, Dongsha, and Nansha) came to be known as ‘Taiwan’ after its largest island. Tautness and rigidity are further noticed after the USA indicated that it would defend Taiwan in the very occurrence of a Chinese invasion and only just after House of Representatives Speaker, Nancy Pelosi visited the island, China has become alert and the chances for things to worsen have increased. Furthermore, if the USA is unable to guard Taiwan, its allies in the Asia-Pacific region- counting Seoul and Tokyo might switch their allegiance to China as a result of economic & military vulnerability and strong-arm tactics.
According to research done in October 2021 by the Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation, 7% of Taiwanese people strongly agree that a war will take place, and 21.1% partly agree there will be a war between Taiwan and China. 40.6% partly disagree and consequently, 23.7% feel there will be no military conflict between them. Besides, 7.6% had no opinion on the same. It was stimulating to watch that most of the observers sensed it was unlikely for a war to take place.
Is the Military strength of Taiwan equivalent to that of China?
China has a gigantic defense budget of $230 billion, which completely outguns Taiwan on the ground, in the air, and at sea. Taiwan’s régime panics that if and when war occurs, it might have to surrender to the mainland.
China has a strength of 6.24 lakh persons in its civil force. But there are only 11,500 soldiers in Taiwan’s civil force.
China-Taiwan military figures that China’s service has an aggregate of 3,285 aircraft. However, Taiwan has only 741 aircraft.
China has 1,200 fighter planes, while Taiwan has a total of 288 fighter planes.
The Chinese air troops have 399 trainer aircraft, while Taiwan’s troops have 207 training jets.
PRC has 912 helicopters, while ROC has 208.
PRC has 3,160 mobile rocket projectors, while ROC has 115 projectors.
PRC has 777 naval fleets, while ROC has 117.
PRC has 79 submarines, while ROC has only four submarines.
China’s tank strength is 5,250, while Taiwan has only 1,110 tanks. If we look at armored vans, China has the upper hand with 35,000, while Taiwan has just 3,472.
Now, you see, three possible outcomes might take place if warfare like condition arises –
The very first one is if China asks Taiwan to surrender. Here, Taiwan will be forced to renounce, by the people of Taiwan itself, since they have got their friends and family in Matsu and Kinmen islands.
Number two, Taiwan would send out its naval ships and go head-on with the Chinese military even if they understand that they do not have a winning chance at all.
And lastly, if China attempts to win the cold war without any losses, merely by paralyzing Taiwan – while Taiwan pursues American help, China keeps on attempting on attacking these islands, resulting in Taiwan coming to talks before the Americans arrive. Now, if Taiwan agrees, well and good; if it does not, China will go on to surmount the Matsu and Kinmen islands which is a quick capture of nearby islands, forcing Taiwan to succumb through intimidation.
Written by Jehan Dabdi Vakharia
Edited by Madiha Tariq
