I was thoroughly dismayed by the reaction of China on the US Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Visit to Taiwan in early August.
It was all threats of consequences before the visit, but after her plane actually touched down, what China did and is still doing now are a farce – protests, military drills, and exercises around Taiwan, sanctioning of Pelosi, restricting the importation of certain Taiwan produce, and getting some friendly leaders to condemn the visit. Do all these matter to the US?
They do not even create a small ripple in the US, let alone expecting them to change their attitude.
I think China should stop all these inconsequential and embarrassing actions.
The No 1 lesson to be learned is this: Stop trusting the American leaders totally and absolutely.
China has been saying that America is always saying one thing and doing another. Yet, they continue to be nose-led by the US when it comes to meetings between the leaders. Biden would say, Xi, I want TO speak with you, and Xi will certainly oblige. And all the old lines would be repeated in their respective announcements after the meeting.
Henceforth, Yang Jiechi and Wang Yi should stop taking Jake Sullivan and Antony Blinken’s call.
Lesson No 2: Send all the MoF spokespersons to a refresher course on Sun-tze.
Sun-tze tells us how to win a war without having to fight battles, or win a battle without to sacrifice any soldier. You do not show your cards to your enemy; you keep them guessing. You bid your time and strike only when you are ready. Springing surprises are a sure way of throwing your enemy off balance. All very basic, yet spokespersons like Zhao Lijian seem to forget.
What China must not do…
One of the immediate measures China did was to stage big military drills and exercises around Taiwan. That is fine. But what I found very embarrassing is the brags their media are now throwing to the world. They look very Mickey-mousy. Who is taking them seriously? Only the Taiwanese fishermen maybe. (The missiles might land on them, some said!) You only give the Western world and Japan an opportunity to ridicule your silliness.
The other is the immediate ban on some of Taiwan’s agricultural produce – in the name of health concerns. How silly can this be? Go ahead by all means to punish the Taiwanese leaders if you can. But you must not further alienate the Taiwanese masses, 70% of whom do not want to come under China at the moment. (50 years of somewhat benevolent rule by Japan has already Nipponised the natively born Taiwanese.)
What should China do instead?
Stop all the unnecessary and awkward repeats of those “sovereignty, territorial integrity, our internal affairs, and the likes” chest-thumping talks and do the following:
(a) Downgrade diplomatic ties to that of the charge d'affaires Level
(b) Instruct all Chinese officials to adopt aloofness in all levels and spheres of Interactions with America.
And march confidently forward with its Belt-and-Road initiatives, scientific, technological and military capabilities and economic and societal transformations (Xi's way of Kung-tze'ism) but make these pledges to the world…
(i) Total commitment to the One-Country-Two-Systems, regardless of the mode of reunification that will finally eventuate.
(ii) Assurance that no country will be deprived of chips when Taiwan returns to the fold of China.
(iii) Preparedness to share the resources of the South China Sea with its ASEAN neighbours.
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