China has crossed 'Red Line', warns Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen after two nations cut political ties with Taiwan in a single month

Taipei: Burkina Faso, an African country has announced to break off political ties with Taiwan. While it becomes the second nation to make such a declaration within the span of only a month due to China’s pressure, Dominican Republic had also previously made a similar announcement. Being antagonised due to this, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen unleashed a barrage of criticism at China. She accused the country of using the ‘dollar diplomacy’ and warned that it had crossed a red line.

In the year 2016, Tsai Ing-wen was elected President of Taiwan. Effectively, Taiwan received a fearless and tough leadership who is an aggressive proponent of Taiwan’s independence. However, China who has been claiming Taiwan as its own territory, began making aggressive moves after Tsai Ing-wen assumed office. It began to assertively demand by saying, “Sever ties with Taiwan first if you wish to make investments in, trade with and take loans from China”. As a result, four nations cut off political ties with Taiwan after 2016. The Caribbean island nation of Dominican Republic and the African nation of Burkina Faso, took the decision to sever ties with Taiwan in order to please China.

After Burkina Faso announced its decision on Thursday, Taiwanese President strongly condemned it. “The country took this decision under China’s pressure. This move has shown China’s restlessness clearly indicating its loss of confidence. This will additionally damage China’s image at the international level,” claimed President Tsai Ing-wen. She also alleged that China was using its ‘dollar diplomacy’ which means essentially using the influence of its financial powers for it.

“Taiwan will not tolerate these tactics of China. This will further strengthen our resolve for independence. Taiwan will take strides by deepening its ties with the US and other like-minded countries,” Tsai Ing-wen stated while clearly putting forth that Taiwan would not bow to pressure from the mainland. While the tensions between the two nations have likely risen in the past few weeks, the stand adopted by the US with respect to Taiwan appears to be responsible for it.

With the ‘Taiwan Travel Act‘ being passed in the US Senate, the US leaders and officials can now meet with their Taiwanese counterparts and hold discussions more efficiently. This was like an unofficial approval given by the US to Taiwan’s independence. China had reacted fiercely to it and had issued a strong warning to the US. The country had threatened it would make a military strike on Taiwan. Nevertheless, Taiwan had befittingly retorted to the mainland by saying that it would not pay any heed to China’s military threats.

Chinese bombers violate Taiwan’s airspace

Following severe criticism of China by the Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, the country tried to issue a warning to the island nation by sending its bombers. Early Saturday morning, two of China’s H-6 bombers flew around Taiwan. Nevertheless, the Taiwanese Defence Ministry assured its citizens by stating that its aircrafts were chasing the Chinese bombers.

Taiwan Air Force received information about the Chinese bomber infiltration in time and its aircrafts even chased off these bombers. Thus, the Taiwanese Defence Ministry made an appeal by saying that there was no reason to worry and that the Taiwanese Defence Forces had the capability to secure the nation. It is apparent thus, that the tensions in the region are on the rise due to the increased movements of the Chinese warplanes there.

China had created tensions previously too by sending its warplanes close to the Taiwanese airspace. Even so, Taiwan at the time had retaliated to it as well.