India – Taiwan Ties Will keep China Awake
The India-China standoff and China’s disregard for India’s territorial sovereignty and integrity has made India do a RETHINK. It has definitely contributed to The mutual appreciation and realisation of the need to urgently step up bilateral relations with Taiwan, one of the neighbours of Communist China.
Taiwan’s growing popularity in India is unprecedented. The Indian government has sensed the popular sentiment, and has started a shift in its Taiwan policy. Several steps have already been taken.
Till now India had been foregoing relations with Taiwan for the hope of managing tensions with China. Similarly the independence of Tibet had been kept on the backburner. However these have yielded no results.
China’s aggression at the border front, its decades-old “all-weather friendship” with Pakistan including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, and Chinese attempts to deny New Delhi entry at certain international platforms are examples of its uncompromising stance towards India.
It is not surprising that China has not respected India’s clearly articulated sensitivities on these issues. So now India too is taking off its gloves.
India is one of the most important part of the entire Indo-Pacific region and even the USA has realized this fact.So it is but natural for India to collaborate with like-minded countries to pursue common interests.
China has certainly emerged as the key security concern for India, so if Taiwan is a willing to partner to side with India then there is nothing wrong in strenghtening the mutual relationship.
All the major stakeholders in the Indo-Pacific want to ensure regional stability and peace. Taiwan’s inclusion and participation in the Indo-Pacific is significant, and is being promoted by all major stakeholders. Taiwan’s participation should be seen as a stabilising factor in the region.
The objective of India ‘s deepening engagement must be to first de-hyphenate India-Taiwan ties from India-China relations. Taiwan is reaching out to India; India too should reciprocate. Secondly our ties with Taiwan will certainly be a countermeasure to growing China Pakistan ties.
We are not going to be apologetic about this to any one. It will only be for China to decide, whether they continue to support the terrorist State of Pakistan.
China has clearly violated the Panchsheel Agreement by repeatedly raising the issue of India’s Jammu and Kashmir. It is interfering in India’s domestic politics, and dictating how India should handle its foreign relations. China cannot have a say in how India wishes to engage with other partners such as Taiwan.
The China factor had earlier loomed large on our Foreign Policy. Now India has stopped mentioning its adherence to One China policy or Tibet being an integral part of China in joint statements and official documents since quite sometime.
At the political level parliamentary visits should be restored between Taiwan and India. The two countries are vibrant democracies, and parliamentary interactions and visits will strengthen their commitment towards the rule of law and good governance. This will clearly establish the difference between the Communist China and Democratic Taiwan.
Then for long-term perspective for engaging each other, a policy planning dialogue at the mid-official level may be initiated primarily for information-sharing and dealing with the non-traditional security threats. Including the health sector.
Trade talks have already moved ahead with a fast pace. Taiwan is an integral part of the regional supply chain mechanism, and a trade agreement with Taiwan will help India remain connected to the regional economic dynamism, amidst its attempts to de-couple from China.
Seeing all the above and the growing Quad activities in the Into Pacific the Chinese state media has gone hyper. Global Times article, “The Taiwan question is not a card that India can exploit as a bargaining chip toward China over the border issue.
India’s recognition of the one-China principle and commitment not to support ‘Taiwan independence’ forces have been reciprocated by China’s promise not to support the separatist forces in India.”
In fact, Global Times has openly threatened by staying “If India plays the Taiwan card, it should be aware that China can also play the Indian separatist card.”
It further said, “If India takes the move to support ‘Taiwan independence,’ China has every reason to support separatist forces in Northeast Indian states such as Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Assam and Nagaland. China could even support the resurrection of Sikkim.”
As if India is not aware of Chinese support to Pakistan, its occupation of Tibet, Xinjiang and parts of Indian territory in UT of Ladhak.
Taiwan is central to China’s geopolitical ambition of becoming a leading world power.After China is able to capture Taiwan then it would permit Beijing to base its nuclear submarines in its deep-water ports, allowing them undetected access to the wider Pacific Ocean, turning the Chinese navy into a blue water force. Without this
Chinese PLAN is stuck between “three island chains” constructed by the US and its allies since the beginning of the Cold War.
Further the growing bond between India and Taiwan known for its proven strengths in hi-tech and high-rise construction, can accelerate the process of economic decoupling from China. Last month, trade ministers of India, Australia and Japan declared their intent to road map new supply chains which exclude China. Even the US would seamlessly fit into this ambitious initiative.
As India continues to reduce its alliance on China, Taiwan can benefit by bridging the commercial and technology breach.
Last week Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang said, “With the government’s New Southbound Policy, India is a good place for Taiwanese businesses to build production bases, given its democracy, ample human resources and strategically important location.” India’s start-up ecosystem, smart agriculture, precision medicine, skills training and industrial automation offer great opportunities for India-Taiwan collaboration.
