Rising tensions between US and China can spark war with Taiwan, claim US analysts

Beijing/Taipei: – Senior officials and analysts are claiming that the tension between the United States and China is consistently rising because of the military movements in the South China Sea, and this tension could spark a war. Officials and analysts claim that the possibility of the war is becoming stronger due to the consistent show of strength by China in the South China Sea, supply of defence equipment by the United States to Taiwan and because of the aggressive stance adopted by the Taiwanese government against China. The Taiwanese defence ministry informed that a US destroyer patrolled in the Taiwanese Gulf on Sunday.

Ni Lexiong, a military analyst at the Shanghai University, claimed that China is holding war exercises at three different locations within its marine limits. These exercises are being held by recognising that there can be an enemy attack from all three sides. This can be a preparation to defend against attacks from the United States, Japan and Taiwan. If one checks the history, such consistent exercises are clear indications of war. A recent statement published by the Chinese foreign ministry warned that China has all the necessary capability to stop any activities from separating Taiwan from China.

The officials and analysts from Taiwan too, along with the US, are pointing to the increased possibility of the war. A foreign diplomat expressed fear that both the sides do not want to start a war. But at the same time, the military movements and the exercises have significantly increased, and these could trigger a war. Sources connected to the Taiwanese security and the political sector endorsed this view. Sources claimed that the way a possibility of a bullet being fired while cleaning a firearm cannot be denied, a similar possibility can be there regarding the China-Taiwan war.

The Proceedings magazine of the US Naval Institute also carried an article on this subject. The article claims that if the Presidential election to be held in November this year becomes controversial, China may take advantage of the situation and attack Taiwan. The report also says that the instability created due to the spate of aggressive anti-China decisions taken by US President Donald Trump could be another reason for triggering a war. The article has been written by James Winnefeld, former senior US official and Michael Morrel, former Acting Director of the US intelligence agency CIA.

Meanwhile, it has been revealed that a destroyer from the US navy carried out patrolling in the Gulf of Taiwan. The Taiwanese defence ministry informed regarding this and said that this was a part of routine patrolling. This is the second instance of a US destroyer patrolling near Taiwan in fifteen days. Before this, USS Mustin, the Guided Missile destroyer of the US navy, had patrolled the Gulf of Taiwan on 18th of August. China has criticised that patrolling by the US navy destroyer is inciting and threatening.