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A full-scale Chinese attack or takeover of Taiwan would pose a grave threat to global stability, jeopardising the security of the United States, Japan, the Philippines, and other regional partners, while potentially triggering economic losses of up to USD10 trillion, National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Lin Fei-fan warned in an article published in Foreign Affairs on Thursday, as reported by Taipei Times.
According to Taipei Times, in his piece titled "Taiwan's Plan for Peace Through Strength: How Investments in Resilience Can Deter Beijing," Lin stated that the defence of Taiwan is not a regional issue but a test of the global community's ability to resist authoritarian expansionism. He argued that Chinese President Xi Jinping's long-standing ambition to capture Taiwan by force and establish dominance in the Indo-Pacific has been clear since he assumed power in 2012. Citing China's ongoing military exercises in the Taiwan Strait, frequent air incursions, and state-led disinformation campaigns, Lin said Beijing's approach is designed to erode Taiwan's confidence and weaken its resistance over time. "This is not mere intimidation, it's a calculated effort to destroy Taiwan's will to defend itself," he stated. Lin emphasised that the consequences of Taiwan's fall would reach far beyond its borders. If Beijing were to succeed, China would gain a strategic foothold in the western Pacific, threatening vital sea lanes, disrupting global supply chains, and undermining Washington's ability to uphold security commitments across Asia. Such a development, he warned, would fundamentally reshape the global balance of power in favour of authoritarian regimes. Highlighting efforts by the Tsai Ing-wen administration, Lin said the government had committed USD 18.5 billion over a decade to strengthen civil defence and infrastructure, a foundation that President William Lai is expanding through a comprehensive resilience initiative, as highlighted by Taipei Times. He asserted that Taiwan's defence philosophy, built on the belief that "surrender is never an option," echoes the determination seen in Ukraine, Finland, and Israel. Lin rejected opposition claims that military investments provoke China, emphasising that national unity and preparedness are key to deterrence, concluded with a stark warning that China's authoritarian ambitions threaten global peace and democracy, urging international allies to act decisively to safeguard the Indo-Pacific order, as reported by Taipei Times. (ANI)
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