The Chinese government’s muddleheaded request that businesses around the world refer to Taiwan as “Taiwan, China” on their Web sites must not be taken lightly, because it will affect not only Taiwan, but also the world order.
China’s demand that foreign businesses Sinicize Taiwan is part of Beijing’s plan to universalize its “one China” principle and place it above the “one China” policies of other governments.
This is a slap in the face of those nations and puts pressure on their governments in a way that is difficult to withstand.
This is a matter of direct interference in the domestic policies of other nations and it is precisely how a suzerain treats its vassal states.
China’s 21st-century “neocolonialism” is in full swing, although many nations remain oblivious to this fact as Beijing takes a salami-slicing approach to taking over control.
These nations should all know that if China is allowed to order businesses around the world to deal with Taiwan this way today, then it would order the same businesses to deal with any other nation or target that it is unhappy with in the same manner tomorrow.
Taiwan is far from the only victim. Business is business and it is all about money.
Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Chairman Wang Yang (汪洋) has said that anyone who wants some of China’s rice must be careful not to crack the Chinese rice pot.
However, what happens if this metaphorical rice pot does not only refer to China geographically, but to all its interests?
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) “Chinese dream” is not just about “the great revival of the Chinese people” or concentrating all power in the hands of Xi.
In the international arena, China is using “colonial new deal” infiltration and expansion strategies to slowly wend its way into every continent as it tries to influence politics through economic means in an attempt to build pro-China forces in other nations in the same way that it has been doing in Taiwan.
Once it has nurtured and strengthened these pro-China forces, an alliance of them would be able to form a “Great Wall” that cuts through the international community.
Once that happens, China would be able to effortlessly oppose the US or take over Taiwan.
China knows that if it is to take on the US, it cannot win by using transparent and above-board methods, so it will do what it can to gain an advantage by playing tricks and hitting below the belt.
This means that regardless of whether it infiltrates business and political circles through acquisitions and donations or uses its Belt and Road Initiative as bait to gain control over the ruling cliques in other nations, it will do so with clear and strategic objectives in mind.
China has long understood all too well that buying something is cheaper than fighting for it, and that is why it continues to use incentives, promises of benefits and other tricks to strengthen its position in other nations.
For example, it might be able to break into the Five Eyes alliance — an intelligence alliance comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the US — through New Zealand.
If China succeeds in its gradual approach, it would have come a long way toward achieving its goal of becoming the dominant world power.
Should the world let Beijing continue to do as it pleases as it takes over the world in this Orwellian manner?
Tien Fou is a political commentator.
Translated by Perry Svensson
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