Minister of National Defense Tang Yao-ming (
The media have also reported that China's navy plans to acquire Russian Slava-class cruisers, capable of carrying nuclear warheads, and Akula-class nuclear-powered submarines, which will increase Beijing's naval power dramatically. The expansion and the blatant trespassing into Taiwan's waters by Chinese military ships appear to be a warning.
In 1996, China's attempt to intimidate Taiwan with missile tests was thwarted by US intervention. Since then, China has worked hard to expand its military with a view to becoming a regional power. China has not only increased missile deployments along its southeast coast, but is also building naval fleets powerful enough to deter US intervention. China's military buildup worries Taiwan and makes Southeast Asian nations restless. For the same reason, Washington has redefined Sino-US relations from strategic partnership to strategic competition. China's military power has become a cause for concern in East Asia, even though China and ASEAN nations recently agreed to set aside territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
Beijing has been pushing a two-pronged strategy toward Taiwan, trumpeting direct links and launching a peace offensive while adopting a hard-line "if you don't want commercial shipping links then be prepared to see the arrival of warships" approach. Taiwan has faced this choice before, when Japan forced China to sign the Shimonoseki Treaty in 1894, ceding Taiwan and Penghu to Tokyo. The appearance of Chinese warships does not frighten the people of Taiwan, but instead stirs up anger and resentment. If the Chinese leadership and military believe that Taiwan will agree to open direct links at gunpoint, they are gravely misjudging the response of the people and showing serious ignorance of a democratic system. Far from falling on its knees, Taiwan will only speed up its purchase of Kidd-class destroyers, try to acquire submarines and AEGIS-equipped warships and deepen its military alliance with the US and Japan.
A show of force only highlights China's belligerent attitude. Beijing's military brass wants to flex their muscles on the eve of the Chinese Communist Party's 16th National Congress. However, such brutal behavior shows a lack of transparency in China's power maneuvers. One must resort to power struggles where the winner survives and the loser is destroyed. The people have no say whatsoever.
Taiwan has experienced a dominating military before. The country's political reforms have long been aimed at preventing the emergence of a military strongman and making the armed forces serve the country instead of any particular party. In the early years of his presidency, Lee Teng-hui (
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