Status: 08/02/2022 11:24 p.m
The escalation of the conflict over Taiwan is not surprising, says ARD correspondent Ulrich Mendgen. The danger of war is high. Washington said they were not happy about the visit ARD correspondent Gudrun Engel.
Nancy Pelosi, the US’s third most senior politician, has received a warm welcome in Taipei, reports ARD correspondent Ulrich Mendgen. For Taiwan, one of the few truly functioning democracies in Asia, this is a moving and big day. Pelosi is the highest-ranking US politician to visit Taiwan in 25 years.
Her visit exacerbated the already existing tensions between the US and China. The different interests of the great powers clashed around the island, which lies around 180 kilometers off the Chinese mainland.
China has claimed Taiwan for decades, although the island has never been part of the People’s Republic of China. The violent reaction to Pelosi’s visit, which was described as a provocation, was explained as part of the external image of China, which sees Taiwan as part of the People’s Republic mendgen. The US would have strategic interests in the area through which much of the world’s trade passes.
Ulrich Mendgen, ARD Tokyo, on Pelosi’s short visit to Taiwan
tagesschau24 6:00 p.m., August 2, 2022
“West didn’t look closely”
This conflict is not new and has worsened before, says mendgen. However, the West’s attention has been elsewhere in recent years – it has not looked closely, which is why the ferocity with which the interests of China and the United States are now clashing may come as a surprise.
Taiwan is a special case, but not the only country in the region with which China has a territorial dispute. The People’s Republic lays claim to a large part of the South China Sea, which, in addition to its importance for maritime trade, also has large reserves of raw materials. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague rejected this in 2016 – but China does not recognize the court.
China is pursuing an aggressive expansion course, says Mendgen. The country is converting islands and reefs into military posts, which repeatedly provokes conflicts with the other neighboring states of Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia, which, however, shy away from an open conflict with their big neighbor.
In principle, it must be assumed that the conflict in the region will continue to intensify – and that there is a high risk of war, says mendgen.
Washington ‘not particularly happy’
In Washington, people are not “particularly happy” about Pelosi’s visit, reports ARD correspondent Gudrun Engel. However, she couldn’t be stopped.
“You have to fight communism, you have to take a stand against China,” said Gudrun Engel, ARD Washington, on Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan
tagesschau24 9:30 p.m., August 2nd, 2022
Pelosi is known for fighting for human rights and democracy. This is one of the reasons why it has been important to her to oppose China for many years. In 1989 she was there herself when the protests on Tiananmen Square in Beijing were suppressed.
She had previously visited Taiwan under then-US President Bill Clinton. Clinton also tried to stop her from visiting – in vain. The politician gets support from an unfamiliar corner: 26 Republicans have expressed their support.
“It’s actually serious”
Currently, neither side has an interest in a serious escalation – not even China, explains ARD correspondent Tamara Anthony in the daily topics. Nevertheless, the situation is serious, China has announced “military operations”. Taiwan should be surrounded by units of the Chinese Navy and Air Force. Missiles are to be fired across the island. The Chinese units are supposed to come very close to the coast of Taiwan, sometimes also to the twelve-mile zone, Taiwan’s sovereign waters.
China calls this deterrence and exercise. Taiwan will probably try to de-escalate the situation. Experts consider the fact that direct confrontations could unintentionally occur during such maneuvers to be particularly dangerous Anthony.
Tamara Anthony, ARD Beijing, on the Chinese perspective on Nancy Pelosi’s visit
daily topics 10:15 p.m., August 2nd, 2022
The conflict over Taiwan has not only foreign policy but also domestic significance for Chinese President Xi Jinping. His motto for his term of office was to fulfill the “Chinese dream of national resurgence”, which from the Chinese perspective includes “reunification” with Taiwan. Experts therefore fear that he could order an invasion of Taiwan during his tenure.