China Slams Ted Cruz’s “Bare Provocation” In Taiwan Act, Threatens Disastrous War

President Trump is still playing coy  about whether he plans to sign a bill declaring support for the Hong Kong protesters over the objections of the Chinese government, but the strain that this controversy has caused to the US-China relationship is becoming too difficult to ignore.

An editorial published Tuesday by the Global Times, a popular Chinese tabloid and Communist Party mouthpiece, slammed Ted Cruz over his support for the “Taiwan Symbols of Sovereignty Act.” Among other provisions, the act will legalize the display of the Taiwanese flag at US government agencies.

It might not seem like much, but these changes carry some heavy symbolism: If passed, it will allow heretofore-prohibited deference to the Taiwanese flag, ultimately contributing to the legitimization of Taiwan as an independent state, rather than a rogue province legally ruled by China.

In response, Beijing blasted Cruz and policy advisor and former Trump aide Christian Whiton, accusing them of trying to court relevance by going after China.

In the eyes of certain US politicians like Cruz and Whiton, the one-China policy has inflicted “extreme insults” to Taiwan citizens and set restrictions for the US, but it is exactly this policy that has helped maintain stable China-US ties over the past 40 years. Once Cruz’s ridiculous bill is passed, it would be an overt violation of Washington’s own words, would cast all his predecessors’ efforts to the wind, and lead to disastrous consequences.

China must be and will be reunified – this is Beijing’s persistent position. China has already made it clear that “if anyone dares to split Taiwan from China, the Chinese military has no choice but to fight at all cost for national unity.”

GT called Cruz’s plan “an overt violation” of the “One China” deal, which has maintained peace between the two countries for 40+ years. They added that the bill’s passage would carry “disastrous” consequences for the US.

In the eyes of certain US politicians like Cruz and Whiton, the one-China policy has inflicted “extreme insults” to Taiwan citizens and set restrictions for the US, but it is exactly this policy that has helped maintain stable China-US ties over the past 40 years. Once Cruz’s ridiculous bill is passed, it would be an overt violation of Washington’s own words, would cast all his predecessors’ efforts to the wind, and lead to disastrous consequences.

The rhetoric employed by GT in the editorial was surprisingly violent. At one point, the author even warned that the Chinese army would assassinate American lawmakers like Cruz who get out of line.

The bill is a bare provocation. Anyone who challenges China’s core interests must pay a heavy price. Once Cruz’s proposal becomes a concrete policy, the US will certainly be placed in a dangerous situation. If US politicians continue to interfere in the Taiwan question, they will eventually draw fire against themselves. The worst-case scenario could even be a termination of the US-led order in Asia.

And one more example of Beijing threatening war…

China must be and will be reunified – this is Beijing’s persistent position. China has already made it clear that “if anyone dares to split Taiwan from China, the Chinese military has no choice but to fight at all cost for national unity.”

It happened almost a year ago and it’s easy to forget, but Chinese President Xi Jinping opened the year with a belligerent speech about reunification, something the Taiwanese vehemently oppose, but Xi insists will become a reality before his time on the throne ends.

With the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong ascendant, and the trade war with the US weighing on the Chinese economy, Beijing has seemingly refocused on Taiwan ahead of a critical election.

And the last thing the pro-independence faction needs is a victory in the form of a legislative win in Washington.