2024/6/27
The following is from Mr. Akio Yaita's serial column that graces the front page of WiLL, a monthly magazine published on the 26th.
It is a must-read not only for the people of Japan but also for people around the world.
China Becoming North Korea
If anyone tries to split Taiwan from China, it will surely be crushed to pieces and destroyed.
On June 2, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun used the four-character phrase "shattered bones" to discuss the Taiwan issue during a speech at the "Shangri-La Meeting," an international conference held in Singapore. It drew attention in the Taiwanese media.
In Japanese, the phrase " making one's best exertions " means "working hard, without sparing any effort," but in Chinese, where the positions of "bone" and "body" are swapped, the meaning is entirely different.
It literally means "to have one's body crushed and bones shattered," and it is a frightening word that evokes the idea of "dying a miserable death.
A senior official of Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party said, "Recently, the language used by the Chinese side has become more extreme. It may be a stunt to show that they are stepping up pressure on Taiwan's unification, but from our point of view, we can only think that China is turning into North Korea."
It is well known in Taiwan that North Korean officials often use exaggerated threats against South Korea, such as "We will bring down the hammer of ruthlessness" and "We will turn Seoul into a sea of fire," but they are not very effective.
At the inauguration of Taiwan's president on May 20, Lai Ching-kuo, who has distanced himself from China, used several expressions in his speech that could be taken as a complete denial of China's "one China" principle, which provoked a furious response from China.
The official media harshly criticized the speech, calling it "a de facto declaration of independence.
Immediately after that, the Chinese military conducted a large-scale military exercise that simulated a blockade of Taiwan, increasing military pressure on the island.
Dong's comments in Singapore are seen as an extension of this.
Dong claimed that not only the DPP authorities but also "outside forces," with the United States in mind, have "evil intentions" and are attempting to change the status quo through arms sales to Taiwan and other means.
He also stated that "prospects for peaceful reunification are being undermined" by the DPP and the actions of outside forces and that "the Chinese military will take decisive action promptly to prevent Taiwan from gaining independence.
Taiwanese society's reaction to Dong's remarks was extremely calm.
On the following Monday, Taiwan's stock market index rose, and night markets in Taipei were crowded with families and other visitors.
Huang Pengxiao, a Taiwanese political commentator, pointed out that "the duration of the Chinese military exercise was only two days and it was not a live ammunition exercise, so many Taiwanese people took it as a 'performance for the Chinese domestic market.
Huang then said, "Recently, a succession of critical Chinese officials who intimidated Taiwan have lost their posts, and Mr. Dong should worry more about himself than Taiwan.
In fact, it is customary for China's defense minister to mention the Taiwan issue at the Shangri-La meeting held in Singapore every June.
Defense Minister Li Shangfu, who attended last year's meeting, said that "the Chinese military will make any sacrifice" when referring to the Taiwan issue, but disappeared from August of that year and was later dismissed.
Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe, who attended the Shangri-La meeting 2022, boldly stated at a press conference that he would "fight until the very end (to prevent Taiwan independence).
Wei stepped down as defense minister in March 2023 but has since disappeared from the public eye. His movements are unknown, and there are reports that he is involved in a corruption case under investigation by the party's discipline department.
At a press conference during the National People's Congress (National People's Congress) in March 2023, when the Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang was asked about the Taiwan issue, he pulled out a booklet of the Chinese Constitution and read out the preamble, "Taiwan is part of the sacred territory of China.
He then firmly checked the U.S., saying, "The Taiwan issue is the foundation of China-U.S. relations and the first red line that must not be crossed.
However, Qin also lost his post three months after he made the statement.
Regarding the jinxing of the Taiwan issue, an expert on Chinese affairs in Taiwan commented, "As the U.S.-led encirclement of China is being completed, China's diplomatic and security environment is becoming more and more severe. Those in charge of the Taiwan issue, who cannot deal with the situation, have dared to make hard-line statements on the Taiwan issue to evade their responsibility.
The truth may be that they tried to protect themselves by portraying themselves as committed patriots but could not change their fate of losing their posts.
In North Korea as well, the exaggerated threats made by critical figures may not be aimed at South Korea but at pledging allegiance to the country's dictator.
2024/11/28 in kyoto
