The visit of US Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan is an eye opener for India. The visit of Pelosi sparked fury in Beijing after she ignored China’s warnings not to travel to the island. Taiwan is self-ruled – but China sees it as a breakaway province that will eventually unite with it.
Ms. Pelosi – the most senior US politician to visit in 25 years – departed on Wednesday after meeting leaders in the capital Taipei. China has warned that the US will have to face consequences for the visit. Despite the threat, Speaker Pelosi went ahead with the visit. For India, her visit and the decision of the US government to stand by her should be a big lesson.
China has been provoking India and is in illegal possession of India’s land in the Ladakh region. For the last few years, the PLA has repeatedly been active very provocatively along the LAC. Strangely the Indian government has been maintaining stoic silence. To the extent of even refusing to publicly acknowledge the illegal intrusion into Indian Territory in eastern Ladakh.
It is time for India to wake up from its deep slumber and take decisive action to counter China. The US walks a diplomatic tightrope with its Taiwan policy. On the one hand, it abides by the “One China” policy, which recognizes only one Chinese government, giving it formal ties with Beijing and not Taiwan. But on the other, it also maintains a “robust unofficial” relationship with the island, which includes selling weapons for Taiwan to defend itself. India also needs to assess its relationship with China and Taiwan. To counter increasing Chinese hostility India needs to start looking for a partnership with countries that share a common concern over Chinese activities including Taiwan.