Report fuels worries Washington playing risky game with Taiwan: China Daily editorial

A Pentagon report on Tuesday plays into the hands of China hawks in the United States by whipping up the concerns about a possible attack on Taiwan by the Chinese mainland. 

Instead of making wild assumptions and sowing the seeds of paranoia, the US should engage in serious soul-searching as its connivance has encouraged those trumpeting "Taiwan independence" on the island to become ever more strident in their calls.

The report released by the US Defense Intelligence Agency, titled China's Military Power, said: "Beijing's long-standing interest to eventually compel Taiwan's reunification with the mainland and deter any attempt by Taiwan to declare independence has served as the primary driver for China's military modernization."

There will no doubt be those in Washington and the US defense industry rubbing their hands in glee at the prospect it heralds another big arms sale to the island. But the Pentagon is not in the position to make a fuss about China's determination to deter Taiwan separatists. Like any sovereign state, China has a legitimate right to enhance its military capacities so that its defense forces can better fulfill the responsibilities of defending China's territorial integrity.

Especially since, as the report itself makes clear, it is Beijing's anticipation that foreign forces are intervening in what is an internal affair that has prompted it to "develop a range of systems to deter and deny foreign regional force projection". 

Over the years, the US side has played a dishonorable role by encouraging, in both overt and covert ways, those on the island who seek to deny the historical and legal fact that Taiwan is part of China and the two sides across Taiwan Straits belong to one and the same China.

Apart from selling weaponry to the island and sending its warships to the Taiwan Straits, the US has recently upped the ante by passing the Taiwan Travel Act and the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act, in blatant violation of the one-China principle.

As President Xi Jinping pointed out earlier this month, while reaffirming the mainland's commitment to peaceful reunification, Beijing "reserves the option of taking all necessary means" to ensure reunification is not blocked by anyone or any force.

Given that Washington seems intent on encouraging the foolish fancy of secessionists on the island, the People's Liberation Army should continue to improve its capabilities so as to maintain a high degree of strategic deterrence against those who might be emboldened to act out their fantasy.

Rather than playing up concerns about China's military modernization and indulging itself in distorting China's intentions out of apprehensions that China might supplant its pre-eminence in the region, the US should solemnly honor its commitment to one-China policy and allow no room for "Taiwan independence".