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US-China relations
OpinionLetters

Letters | By fuelling cross-strait tensions, the US puts the entire Indo-Pacific at risk

  • Readers discuss how Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan could affect regional stability, and whether the US is really required to defend the island

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US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi walks with Tsai Chi-chang, vice-speaker of Taiwan’s legislature, in Taipei on August 3. Photo: Reuters
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The trip to Taiwan by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has damaged cross-strait relations to an alarming level. There is now a real risk that the heightened tensions in the region could spiral into military conflict, with calamitous consequences.

Some commentators have deduced that the trip was specifically designed for the American audience. With Democrats lagging behind Republicans in the polls, they needed a way to secure votes in November’s midterm elections. Politicians in America are frequently and blatantly using China as a bogeyman with self-serving purposes.
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Obviously, at the age of 82, there is not much time left for Pelosi to engage in contentious manoeuvrings. Hence, her reckless and unnecessary provocation was carried out with political legacy in mind.

She proclaimed that the purpose of her visit was to stand with the people of Taiwan and defend democracy. Her stated intentions were unconvincing, simplistic and lacking in substance. Given the present unstable economic environment, Taiwan is more concerned with combating bread and butter issues and business-related challenges. Pelosi’s provocative visit has only aggravated the situation because China has imposed trade curbs and other restrictions which will hurt Taiwan’s economy.
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With peace and stability at risk, it would be advisable for the Taiwanese authorities and people to remain calm, exercise restraint and avoid unfavourable reactions in words and deeds for the sake of restoring the status quo.

Some Indo-Pacific countries are heading towards stagflation. There is a possibility that several nations in the region will plunge into an abyss of economic uncertainty and instability if the cross-strait crisis escalates out of control.

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