China's military harassment of Taiwan fires up, Beijing simulates 'sealing off' of island

Tensions between Beijing and Taipei have further escalated with China conducting a large-scale exercise that involved sending numerous warplanes and warships toward Taiwan, simulating a scenario where the island is sealed off, in response to Taiwanese President Tsai ing-Wen's trip to the United States.

Recently, the Chinese military launched a three-day exercise called Joint Sword, which it declared as "combat readiness patrols". This was seen as a warning to Taiwan, which is a self-governed island that China claims as its own. According to Beijing, any contact between foreign officials and Taiwan's democratic government encourages Taiwanese people who seek formal independence, a move that China's Communist Party believes would result in war.

After a civil war in 1949, the two sides, China and Taiwan, split, with the ruling party claiming that Taiwan is obligated to reunite with the mainland, even if it requires the use of force. Military experts have predicted that in the event of a conflict, China may attempt to restrict sea and air traffic around Taiwan, thereby hindering the involvement of the United States, Japan, or other countries by intervening or providing assistance to the island in defending itself.

Currently, Taiwan is aided by the US, despite the latter having no diplomatic relations with the island country. Washington DC has made it possible under the Taiwan Relations Act, a move that Beijing has overwhelmingly opposed.

China’s military harassment of Taiwan

According to a post from the Eastern Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army on the social media platform Weibo, on Monday morning, the Shandong aircraft carrier was announced to be participating in the exercises surrounding Taiwan for the first time. A video was also shared, which showed a fighter jet taking off from the deck of the ship.

China's state broadcaster CCTV, quoting the PLA, reported that the ongoing military exercises were aimed at "simulating the joint sealing off" of Taiwan and included "waves of simulated strikes" targeting key locations on the island.

From 6 a.m. Sunday to 6 a.m. Monday, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense reported detecting a total of 70 planes, of which half crossed the unofficial boundary of the Taiwan Strait that was once tacitly accepted by both sides. The planes that crossed the median included eight J-16 fighter jets, four J-1 fighters, eight Su-30 fighters, and reconnaissance planes.

Later on Monday morning, Taiwan's defence ministry announced that another 59 bombers and multiple fighter jets had been detected flying near Taiwan. This followed a previous day of heightened military activity on Friday and Saturday, during which eight warships and 71 planes were detected in the vicinity of Taiwan.

Despite these developments, Taiwan's Defence Ministry stated that it was taking a cautious approach and aiming to avoid escalating the situation or causing disputes. Taiwan also reported that it had been monitoring China's movements through its land-based missile systems and navy vessels.

Meanwhile, China's People's Liberation Army announced that it would conduct live fire training in Luoyuan Bay, located in China's Fujian province across from Taiwan, in addition to its ongoing combat readiness patrols.

What is the Taiwan Relations Act?

The Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) is a US federal law enacted in 1979 in response to the US breaking diplomatic ties with Taiwan and recognising the People's Republic of China (PRC) as the sole government of China. The TRA is intended to govern US-Taiwan relations in the absence of official diplomatic relations and to provide a legal framework for the US to support Taiwan's security and prosperity.

Here are some of the key provisions of the Taiwan Relations Act:

• Statement of Policy: The TRA declares it to be the policy of the United States to "maintain the capacity of the United States to resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardise the security, or the social or economic system, of the people on Taiwan."
   
• Arms Sales: The TRA requires the US to provide Taiwan with "arms of a defensive character" to help it maintain its self-defence capabilities. This has resulted in the sale of a range of advanced military technology and weapons systems to Taiwan.
   
• Diplomatic Relations: The TRA prohibits the US government from establishing official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but it does not prevent the US from conducting unofficial relations with Taiwan, including economic and cultural exchanges.
   
• Consular Relations: The TRA requires the US to provide consular services to US citizens in Taiwan and to facilitate communication between US and Taiwanese officials.
   
• Taiwan's Participation in International Organizations: The TRA encourages the US to support Taiwan's participation in international organisations where statehood is not a requirement for membership.
   
• Report to Congress: The TRA requires the US government to report to Congress on a regular basis about its implementation of the law, including any arms sales to Taiwan.

Overall, the Taiwan Relations Act provides a legal framework for the US to support Taiwan's security and prosperity in the absence of official diplomatic relations. It has been instrumental in facilitating economic and cultural exchanges between the US and Taiwan, and in ensuring that Taiwan has the military capabilities it needs to defend itself.

Taiwan's remaining 'diplomatic' allies

Having lost Honduras to Beijing recently, Taiwan currently maintains diplomatic relations with Belize, Paraguay, Haiti, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, and Guatemala in Latin America; the Pacific island nations of Nauru, Marshall Islands, Palau, and Tuvalu as well as with Vatican City in Europe. The majority of its remaining diplomatic partners are island nations located in the Caribbean and South Pacific regions, along with Eswatini in southern Africa.

Despite China's efforts to isolate Taiwan, the island nation maintains strong informal ties with over 100 other countries, with its most important ally being the United States. Although the US does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, it recognises Taipei as a vital partner in the Indo-Pacific region.

The South China Sea Dispute & US' Role

The South China Sea dispute is a territorial and maritime dispute over the sovereignty and control of several islands and maritime features in the South China Sea. The dispute involves several countries, including China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan.

At the center of the dispute are a number of small islands, reefs, and atolls located in the South China Sea. These islands are believed to be rich in oil and natural gas reserves, and they are strategically located along important shipping routes. China claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, including these islands, while other countries in the region dispute China's claims.

The dispute has been ongoing for decades, and it has involved a range of diplomatic, legal, and military actions. China has built artificial islands and constructed military facilities on them, which has raised concerns among other countries in the region about China's increasing militarisation of the South China Sea. Other countries have sought to assert their claims through legal means, including by filing claims with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The dispute has also involved the United States, which has maintained a significant military presence in the region and has conducted freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea to challenge China's claims. The US has also provided military assistance and support to other countries in the region, including the Philippines and Vietnam.

The South China Sea dispute is a complex issue with geopolitical, economic, and strategic implications for the region and the world. The ongoing tensions and competition over the South China Sea are likely to continue for the foreseeable future, as countries in the region seek to protect their interests and assert their claims in the contested waters.