HomeNewsOpinionProxy war in South China Sea a reaction to Taiwan VP’s US stop-over plans

Proxy war in South China Sea a reaction to Taiwan VP’s US stop-over plans

China does not want officials or political leaders in the US to meet Lai or any other important Taiwanese politicians during what Beijing calls “sneaky visits by independence separatists” from its renegade province

August 11, 2023 / 13:58 IST
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South China Sea
Since China cannot stop contact between Taiwan and the US, it is countering it by ratcheting up tensions in the South China Sea.(Photo: Reuters/File image)

A conflict by proxy is shaping up in the South China Sea. Whether it will flare up or die down will be determined not in the vicinity of the emerging fight, but in New York on Saturday. Again, a week later, what happens on the following Saturday in San Francisco will either add fuel to the fire or the flames will be extinguished — for now.

On the face of it, tensions have risen since August 5 when China water-cannoned a Philippines naval vessel on a supply mission for its troops stationed on the Second Thomas Shoal in the disputed sea. It is a proxy fight. The real reason for the flare-up is the transit through New York and San Francisco of Taiwan’s Vice President William Lai Ching-te on his way to Paraguay and back for the ceremonial swearing-in of that country’s new President.

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Rising Tensions

China does not want officials or political leaders in the United States of America to meet Lai or any other important Taiwanese politicians during what Beijing calls “sneaky visits by independence separatists” from its renegade province. Since China cannot, in practice, stop contact between Taiwan and the US, it is countering it by ratcheting up tensions in the South China Sea.