Taipei: While the tensions between the United States and China escalate in the ‘South China Sea’ region, Taiwan has expressed willingness to make a base available here for the United States military. Taiwanese scholars have prepared a proposal to make the Taiping Island in the South China Sea available for this purpose. If this happens, it will be a direct challenge by the United States to the Chinese dominance in the South China Sea.
This proposal has been prepared by a group of scholars from Taiwan who propagate independent Taiwan. The Taiwanese media have carried the news that preparations are underway for making the Taiping Island available for deployment of the United States military in the South China Sea. There is a comprehensive plan prepared to lease the Taiping Island to the United States military for a long term.
If this happens, the United States will have an active base in South China Sea. This base will be important for freedom of the seas, freight movement in the South China Sea. At the same time, the deployment of the United States soldiers on Taiping Island will be helpful to defend the sovereignty of Taiwan, claimed some analysts from this Think Tank. This proposal prepared by the analysts in Taiwan is said to be enjoying complete support from the senior military officials in Taiwan.
This is not the first time that a proposal to make a Taiwanese island in South China Sea available to the US soldiers has been made. Even in 2016, when the Tsai Ing-wen government came to power, Taiwan had expressed willingness to lease an island for the US military deployment. But there had been no response from the United States to this proposal.
Taiping Island in the Spratly Island group is under complete Taiwanese control. The Taiwanese military had even carried out some construction work on this island. But China has claimed complete right over the South China Sea region which includes the Taiwanese Island. Along with China, Vietnam and Philippines have also claimed rights over the Spratly Islands.
Meanwhile, China has already expressed displeasure over the growing military cooperation between the United States and Taiwan. At the same time, China has warned the United States not to interfere in the region, claiming complete sovereign right over the South China Sea. In these circumstances, the scheme presented by Taiwan to offer Taiping Island for the United States military deployment can elicit severe reactions from China.
Related posts:
US has violated the ‘One China’ policy by opening an embassy in Taiwan, criticises Chinese Foreign Ministry
US and British warships hold joint war exercises in the South China Sea region
China a threat to undersea internet cables in South China Sea, claims US analyst
China will not concede even an inch of South China Sea and Taiwan, Chinese President warns the US Secretary of Defence
Two US destroyers sail through Taiwan Strait
By sailing destroyers through the Gulf of Taiwan, US is using tactics of Psychological Pressure against China
US vessel enters Taiwan waters snubbing China’s opposition
Pacific countries should establish ties with Taiwan, appeal the US
