If Taiwan hurts China, so does Lipulekh and Kalapani to Nepal

KATHMANDU: On July 18th, the Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi wrote on the social networking site Twitter, highly appreciating Nepal’s strong opposition to ‘Taiwan independence’ and expressing confidence that Nepal will stand firm in its commitment to the One-China policy.

After US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, during the growing Sino-US tension, in the time of increasing Sino-US tension, Nepal expressed its commitment to Taiwan or Tibet, as expressed by China.

However, the question arises: Has China spoken on the question of ensuring Nepal’s land under India’s occupation: the Lipulekh and Kalapani?

Is it not true that India and China have agreed to open an international border to India through the land of Nepal?

The freedom and sovereignty of any country, whether small or big, are the same and the question of sovereignty and independence of the country hurts Nepal, just like Tibet, Taiwan, or Hong Kong to China. Nepal is suffering more than that in Kalapani and Lipulekh.

Why is China abstaining from this question by saying it is ‘Nepal’s internal affairs’?

This anger expressed on social media was mainly connected with the topic of Taiwan, which is currently raging.

Although China considers Taiwan as its own province, 14 countries of the world and the Vatican have accepted Taiwan as a sovereign country.

Taiwan has its own powerful military and powerful countries including the US and is an independent country. But now Taiwan’s future is getting dim because of the interference of this powerful nation.

Even though the US has not recognized the country, for 40 years it has established facilities and relations similar to an independent island country.

China has been putting pressure on other countries, including the US, not to recognize Taiwan or do anything that looks like recognition of Taiwan as an independent nation. In the midst of this pressure, US Speaker made a high-level visit to Taiwan for the first time in years.

Then, does it mean that the question of Nepal’s sovereignty is small but China’s big?

As Chinese Ambassador Hou said when she was looking for help and support from neighboring countries, China and Nepal are good neighbors, reliable friends, and reliable partners connected by mountains and rivers. History is a witness to this.

In addition, Nepal has always been helping China in issues of core interests related to China’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity. It has also been continuously supporting China’s agenda and spirit.

The relationship and trust, as Ambassador Hou said, are mainly linked to the commitment to the One China policy. But while Nepal is working together with China to protect each other’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity, shouldn’t China’s signing and commitment to unilaterally open the Kalapani Lipulek crossing with India be reviewed?

When China is asking for Nepal’s commitment on the issue of Tibet, Hong Kong, or Taiwan, this is an important question related to its sovereignty that Nepal should raise.

Because by the encroaching of the Lipulek and Kalapani area, India has not only built a road, China has signed an agreement with India to make this border an international trade border.

What is the Taiwan problem?

Taiwan is a country with an open market and liberal economy and democratic culture. Taiwan has its own flag. It has its own constitution and laws. It has its own parliament and its own stamp. 14 countries of the world have recognized different nations.

Although Taiwan is a country, China, which is about 100 miles away from Taiwan, has been treating Taiwan like its own vassal province. That is why the agenda of sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity in Taiwan Island has been raised in the same way for a decade.

After China made it clear that Taiwan will be occupied by force if it tries to make Taiwan a separate and independent country, the US and its allied countries made a commitment to protect Taiwan’s sovereignty.

Because Taiwan’s elected constitutional government argues that its country is independent, China has been threatening to integrate Taiwan into China if necessary, saying that Taiwan is under its own republic in history.

Despite the obstacles and interference of many world powers, Taiwan is still considered one of the most prosperous countries in the world.

Taiwan has its own powerful military and powerful countries including the US and is an independent country. But now Taiwan’s future is getting dim because of the interference of this powerful nation.

China, which is dealing with one country, two systems, has started to treat Taiwan like Hong Kong. Western countries, including the United States, have openly stood in favor of not allowing the existence of Taiwan to disappear.

Since China has started attacking the independence of Taiwan, the risk of freedom of speech, political activism, and independent journalism shrinking in Taiwan at any time, just like the politics of independent and semi-autonomous Hong Kong.

The young generation of Taiwan is not satisfied with this policy of Beijing. This may also worsen the historical relationship between Taiwan and China.

There are 24 million citizens on the island of Taiwan, a country with a per capita income now above 22,200 dollars. In other words, in terms of gross domestic product, Taiwan is the 20th richest country in the world. Taiwan ranks 17th in the world in terms of per capita income.

The human development index is also at a very high point. Under Beijing’s new strategy, Taiwan’s air defense zone has been subject to regular intrusions; especially, after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Taiwan during her visit to the Asian country last week.

After she landed in Taiwan’s Taipei from Malaysia via Singapore, China got angry with Washington. Pelosi landed in Taipei under the protection of 24 fighter jets of the US Navy and Air Force while warning Beijing not to play with fire and to be prepared to suffer the tragic consequences if it does.

After that, China ordered its army to be on alert, saying that there might be a war against the US.

Currently, Chinese aircraft have not only regularly patrolled the skies of Taiwan, but have also started the largest war exercise so far.

Taiwan also showed the mentality of going to war if necessary. According to agencies, all three “wings” of the Taiwanese army have started war exercises and have also tested modern missiles purchased from the US.

Similarly, the scene of Taiwanese troops patrolling the border area on board warships and fighter planes also indicates its readiness to war if needed.

The US has instructed its troops to increase their activities in the Asia-Pacific region after Speaker Pelosi arrived in Taiwan.

Understanding the feelings of this young generation and Taiwan’s strategic sensitivity, the US has passed a law that can provide the means to defend itself to the island nation without maintaining official diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and the strike force from it have reached the Philippine Sea. Through the port of Singapore, hundreds of American troops have reached the permanent camp in Japan with modern radar systems, fighter jets, helicopters, and other advanced weapons.

After China made it clear that Taiwan will be occupied by force if it tries to make Taiwan a separate and independent country, the US and its allied countries made a commitment to protect Taiwan’s sovereignty.

Taiwan, the fertile ground of the nationalist front

Taiwan and China were divided after World War II. When there was a fight between the nationalist government forces and the Chinese Communist Party on the Chinese mainland.

After Communist leader Mao Zedong took control of Beijing in 1949, General Simmo, who was fighting in support of the Nationalist government forces, left China. During the Second World War, he fled to Taiwan with fighter planes, ships, and advanced weapons received from America.

As the ruler of China as a whole, it seems that Taiwan was the permanent member of the United Nations Security Council representing China as a whole until 1971.

At the time of World War II, China had no air or sea military capability to establish control over Taiwan through territorial waters.

However, at the 19th Party Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, President Xi Jinping announced that all attempts at Taiwan’s independence would fail and indicated that China was on the way to reunifying Taiwan by force.

At the 19th Congress of the Communist Party of China, the reunification of Taiwan was one of the 14 strategic goals when China’s re-emergence was announced.

China’s renaissance campaign is almost impossible as long as Taiwan remains a separate country and because Taiwanese people have no attachment to China’s political system.

The generation born in Taiwan has dominated politics, administration, and security agencies, and is happy with the identity of a different country. That is why China may have put Taiwan’s unification campaign at the center now.

According to the treaty made between Japan and China in 1895, Taiwan is a territory owned by Japan. But the situation changed after World War II.

In December 1943, at the international conference held in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, China accepted the Chinese ownership of Manchuria and Taiwan and the Pescadores Islands in the waterways of Taiwan and Taiwan. The dispute over Taiwan has continued to rage ever since.

Since Chiang Kai-shek led the anti-Japanese war from 1928 to 1949, just like America, the events after the Second World War improved diplomatic relations between the United States and Britain with the countries involved in the anti-Japanese front, and China established its ownership in Taiwan, Manchuria, and the Pescadores. Taiwan is a very special strategically important geography.

US President Joe Biden has promised to defend Taiwan if China attacks it. But when China, which has built an important military base in the South China Sea, has isolated Taiwan from contact with the outside world, the result can be anything. China is clear about the defense of Taiwan, but strategic ambiguity remains in the rest of the world.

At the same time, there is another strong argument for Taiwan seeking the status of an independent country. Taiwan, which separated from China after the civil war of the 1940s, has its own constitution, democratically elected leaders and more than three hundred thousand soldiers.

The new generation here only understands that Taiwan is a different country and China does not like to call it a separate province.

Understanding the feelings of this young generation and Taiwan’s strategic sensitivity, the US has passed a law that can provide the means to defend itself to the island nation without maintaining official diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Amid Beijing’s efforts to isolate Taiwan from international organizations, the number of countries that stand in favor of Taipei’s nationality or Taiwan’s independence is increasing.

Those who advocate the China-Taipei concept are increasing, but it seems that foreign citizens, analysts, intellectuals and journalists who advocate for the independence of Taiwan are the targets of Beijing.

China, recalling the history of the Second World War, looks eager to join hands for Taiwan-China complete unification. For this, Beijing is now standing in the option of using military force.

US President Joe Biden has promised to defend Taiwan if China attacks it. But when China, which has built an important military base in the South China Sea, has isolated Taiwan from contact with the outside world, the result can be anything. China is clear about the defense of Taiwan, but strategic ambiguity remains in the rest of the world.

Taiwan is 700 miles away from America and America has to invest heavily to establish its influence here. Therefore, Beijing is confident that it can easily gain control over Taiwan.