06 Aug 2022 13:22
Rupert Wingfield-HayesBBC News (Taiwan)
image provided, AFP
A loud sound echoed from Pingtan Island in China, which is located on the opposite shore of Taiwan, and a helicopter was confirmed to be flying.
The escalating tensions between China and Taiwan, which began with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s controversial visit to Taiwan, are unfolding as expected so far.
First, China announced that it would establish six exclusion zones around Taiwan. The self-governing island of Taiwan is viewed by China as a province separate from itself.
The situation mirrors the pattern in 1996 when Taiwan tried to chastise Taiwan for seeking international recognition as a state.
It is clear that the purpose of this exercise is to intimidate Taiwan.
At the same time, however, Taiwan’s shipping and aviation industries have also been hit hard. The waters near Taiwan are one of the busiest routes in the world, forcing all ships to change routes.
At Bisha Fishing Port on Taiwan’s northern coast, fishermen yelled and complained while mending their nets. “Politicians always struggle with ordinary citizens like themselves, who are powerless.”
“But what should I do? It’s too dangerous to go out to sea now,” said one captain.
image provided, EPA
A man watches Chinese military exercises from the coast of Taiwan (not shown in this article)
Another, returning to port, had the ship secured with ropes. “We went fishing this morning, but after that we got a radio call from the Coast Guard telling us to return to port immediately.”
Still, the man said he wasn’t worried.
“We don’t know where the no-go zone is, so we have to do what the Coast Guard tells us.”
The man’s wife on the wharf was not so optimistic. She said, “If this happens every day, it’s just a loss. I can’t catch any fish and I have to pay my crew!”
Most people the BBC spoke to did not believe China was on the verge of attacking Taiwan. “(China) is a bunch of gangs,” said a man fishing on the pier.
“The communists talk big but do nothing. We have been living under threat from them for 70 years.”
However, as of this writing, China’s exercises have only had their first day, and there is still plenty of time left to make things worse.
There is also the possibility that Chinese ships may enter Taiwan’s territorial waters.
China’s missile overflying Taiwan is also a much-anticipated possibility.
One of China’s declared no-go zones is located in the Pacific Ocean off the east coast of Taiwan. If a missile launched from China falls there, it will pass over Taiwan. In other words, a dramatic airspace violation will occur.
(Editor’s note: Japan’s Ministry of Defense announced on the 4th that four of the five Chinese ballistic missiles that are believed to have fallen into Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) are believed to have passed over Taiwan’s main island. did)
Will the Chinese government do the same as North Korea? That’s the question at this point.