China’s recent aggressive military posture around Taiwan simply reflects the truth that China is a millennium behind, as Kobe City Councilor Norihiro Uehata has commented.
While democratic countries work for peace, prosperity and progress, authoritarian countries such as Russia and China only care about territorial expansion, superpower status and world dominance, while their people suffer.
Two millennia ago, the ancient Chinese philosopher Mencius (孟子) would have advised Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) that “people are the most important, state is lesser, and the ruler is the least important.” In fact, the reverse order is causing the great depression in China right now, expected to be much worse than the 1929 Great Depression in the US. Both of these two economic depressions are caused by considerable wealth disparity. Studies show that in the 1920s, US workers could not afford to buy the cars they built at the rate of one car per eight minutes, when unprecedented wealth was being created.
However, the US was a democratic country, and political forces were able to reverse the course. China’s prosperity is almost entirely driven and enjoyed by the political elites. Once the vast majority are too poor to even afford the life necessities, the economic engine simply shuts down.
The military force from the world’s second-largest economy would be unable to sustain a long fight, just like Russia in the Ukraine war. However, the damage and suffering can be severe and lasting, as nobody wins in a war, if the dictatorship government is so crazy as to commit the fatal mistake of launching an attack. For this reason alone, Taiwan and Japan should join NATO as members to stop an injustice aggression by the justice defense.
The ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius (孔子) once said: “Virtue is never solitary; it always has neighbors.”
Europe is a good neighbor to Taiwan and Japan, only separated by a few bad apples. The good neighbors of peace-loving countries should unite to look at the enemies of the people in their eyes.
Since Canada has joined the EU’s Security Action for Europe, Taiwan’s and Japan’s membership in NATO would virtually create a Northern Pacific Alliance together with the US.
There can never be peace internally or externally until there is fairness and justice, which are absent from Chinese society. That is bad for China’s neighbors, and it is the cause for Chinese people to rise up for change. However, until China is democratized, Taiwan and Japan would have to be better prepared. By joining NATO, European countries also have the strength to surround the evil empires from all corners.
Japan has already collaborated with NATO and the EU on various projects, including cybersecurity, disaster relief and joint capability development, and has been involved in NATO’s support for Ukraine on cyberdefense and countering disinformation.
Taiwan has also provided significant humanitarian assistance and financial donations to Ukraine. Channeled mainly through non-governmental organizations, Taiwan is one of the leading donors from the Indo-Pacific region.
Moreover, dozens of Taiwanese have volunteered to fight in Ukraine’s International Legion. A 25 year-old soldier, Tseng Sheng-kuang (曾聖光), was killed in action in 2022 and was posthumously given a state award by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Taiwan and Japan would be able to provide comprehensive support to NATO countries, spanning political, military and cooperative efforts, not to mention artificial intelligence and world’s most advanced chips.
Taiwan and Japan joining NATO is the right step forward at a time when Russia is devastating Ukraine, and China is threatening Asian stability. Taiwan and Japan would help secure peace and stability for every member, and vice versa. The commitment from NATO members through collective defense, namely that an attack on one is an attack on all, itself effectively deters potential adversaries. Unity makes strength.
According to last year’s World Happiness Report, based on income, life expectancy, social support, freedom, generosity and trust, Taiwan is the happiest country in Asia, ranking 27th globally, while Japanese are among the most welcoming in the world.
If Taiwan and Japan could join the rank and file of Europe along with the Nordic countries, this could be the happiest country club in the world.
James J. Y. Hsu is a retired professor of theoretical physics.
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