Update(11:28am): The influential former editor and current commentator for China’s state-run English daily Global Times issued a shocking comment hours into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Hu Xijin weighed in on Thursday’s PLA fighter jet breach of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone by saying “Get used to it. There may be more PLA aircraft fly[ing] there tomorrow.”
While the prominent state-linked English language pundit is known for trolling the West and denouncing Washington policy in Taiwan and the South China Sea broadly, he also typically echoes the thinking of top CCP officials in Beijing.
Did he just warn the West that China is about to move on Taiwan – at a “perfect storm” moment that all eyes are on the war in Ukraine? Did Putin just set the example for near-term Chinese military action?
* * *
Taiwan was quick to issue official statement vehemently condemning Russia’s early morning launch of war on Ukraine. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou denounced the attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty, at a tense moment that Beijing continues to eye Taiwan as its own territory.
“Ukrainian cities like Kyiv has been attacked by gunfire, leading to fears of a full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine,” she said. “We call on all sides to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and oppose the use of violence or coercion to change the status quo.”
At the same time China’s initial reaction noticeably failed to condemn the invasion, with the Chinese foreign ministry calling for all sides to “exercise restraint” – while ultimately castigating the United States for “fueling fire” in the build-up of tensions.
According to a review of a lengthy press briefing in Beijing, the ministry spokesperson refused over and over again to acknowledge an “invasion” of a sovereign country by Russia:
In a Ministry of Foreign Affairs briefing that went on for more than 90 minutes, spokesperson and Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Hua Chunying dodged more than 11 questions regarding Russia’s actions in Ukraine. They included repeated inquiries on whether Beijing would consider Russia’s acts an invasion and whether they violated Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
Hua added that China would begin importing Russian wheat, a move that could ease the impact of Western sanctions on Russia.
She called the conflict “very complicated” while urging that the legitimate “security concerns of all parties” must be addressed – which is a clear acknowledgement that China takes of utmost seriousness Moscow’s rejection of NATO expansion.
According to the exchange with reporters:
After questions from multiple media on whether China considered Russia’s moves an invasion, Hua asked reporters, “Why are you obsessed with this question?”
“You can ask the US side. They keep fueling fires… You can ask them if they have any plans to put out the fire.”
Meanwhile on Thursday as the world’s attention is fully on Ukraine and Putin’s “shock and awe” war unfolding there, Taiwan’s air force scrambled fighters to warn away nine Chinese PLA aircraft that breached its air defense identification zone.
While Chinese aircraft entering the area off the island’s south is nothing new, and has occurred on a weekly basis for more than the past year, it’s led to speculation that China could take a page out of Putin’s playbook and mount its own rapid overwhelming attack. This after the Communist Party takeover of Hong Kong via its local puppets has already long been a done deal.
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Do it please, destroy the evil American Empire already and hang every WEF demon.
I think the great Seneca’s words are relevant now:
No matter what happens, the one constant thing in all of it is yourself: everything good or bad which you have lived through, you were there, though many times had no control over the outcomes. The only thing in this world we have absolute control over is ourselves and how we perceive life.
We are certainly living in interesting times.
There are two options for the CCP.
One is to continue the grey war against Taiwan and cause the nation to burn up resources and wear out its military. China sends hundreds of sorties thru Taiwan’s airspace every month, tiring pilots and burning fuel and spare parts etc, answering the chineese incursions.
There are ship loads of Taiwan semiconductors and tech parts having a little difficulty getting ashore and and payments reaching Taiwan. Puts a bit of financial crunch on Taiwan as well. So the option for China, is to wear Taiwan down to the point where China will basically be invited in so that things go back to ‘normal’.
Or, China does an invasion of its own. Taiwan has prep’d for a sea landing and china would lose heavily. A large air assault would probably be the initial push, pounding with jets and missiles, followed by heli’s dropping troops and finally a sea landing support. Anyway its done would be costly in manpower and military gear but its not like the CCP cares to much about that.
Which will it be… and when will it be??? This is the year for the big meet and Xi is fighting an internal battle as well… interesting.
Brian, this ain’t WW II with a Normandy-like landing on Taiwan’s shores. The CCP will do what Russia did in Ukraine and the US did in Iraq, use air power to quickly knock the Taiwan military on its ass. Once that is done, and it only took Russia a few hours today, the CCP can send cruise ships with their solders on them to take over Taiwan.
The CCP doesn’t want to destroy the country. They just want to take over the industries.
Based on the US impotence, I expect this to happen before summer.
Thats why I said the initial push would be air, missiles, troop drops by helo’s then sea supported drops with the heavy gear. China has been ‘practicing’ coastal breaches for a few years now… Some of the video they released is pretty laughable, but they are practicing it…
They want Taiwan because of the semiconductor manufacturing as much as they wanted Hong Kong for its financial industry… meaning a lot… Whether they make that move this year is anybody’s guess… A lot of varying factors…
Wars and rumors of wars! Now available in every headline from every source! Guess what?
Why stop at Taiwan.
Me Chinese, me play joke, me go pee pee in your coke.
That seems perfect for the banana republic that we’ve become.
Biden and Trudeau probably use the same type of phones.
Chinese are no dummies when it comes to assessing the military capabilities of a potential foe.
They would not dare join conflict with the CONQUERS OF GRENADA! sarc/off.