New Delhi:

In his New Year speech a week ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping threatened that “no one can stop the reunification” of Taiwan with China. As President Xi delivered his speech, the People’s Liberation Army Navy carried out military drills to show its might to Taiwan and the rest of the democratic world.

Much of the military manoeuvres were carried near the islands of Kinmen and Matsu – which are a sovereign territory of Taiwan and barely 5.3 nautical miles (10 km) and 10 nautical miles (19 km) respectively from the coast of mainland China. In comparison, these islands are 150 nautical miles (280 km) and 114 nautical miles (211 km) from the coast of Taiwan.

Despite being right on the coastline with mainland China, it is interesting to note that Beijing has never been able to take over these Taiwanese islands in battle. In fact, China has lost two battles decisively to Taiwan.

PRC vs ROC

China and Taiwan are separated by the Strait of Taiwan – a waterway that connects the South China Sea to the East China Sea between the two nations.

Before 1949, China was known as the Republic of China and was founded on the ideology of democratic values. It was led by the Kuomintang Party, founded in 1912 and advocated by its founder and ideologue Sun Yat-sen, who organised the party on a values of democratic centralism. Years later, during the civil war with communist forces led by Mao Zedong, the Kuomintang was led by Chian Kai-shek, a co-founder of the party and then President of the Republic of China.

The Chinese civil war ended in 1949 with a victory of Mao Zedong’s communist movement and defeat of Chiang Kai-shek’s ruling Kuomintang party, which had to flee to Taiwan. Mao Zedong declared that the Republic of China will henceforth be known to the world as People’s Republic of China – a communist country.

The Kuomintang and its democratic ideals took shelter in the island nation of Taiwan, whose official name is still the Republic of China – a democratic nation.

This is the way it has remained for the last 76 years, despite multiple attempts by communist forces to decimate democracy and wipe out its ideals from Taiwan and its territories – all of which have failed.

China, now considered a global superpower, still aims to make Taiwan its own, and Xi Jinping, who currently leads the Chinese Communist Party desires to fulfill what Mao Zedong couldn’t.

THE BATTLE OF KINMEN

Towards the end of the civil war, when victory over Mainland China was certain, Mao Zedong’s Communist Party decided to launch a crushing offensive against Taiwan – the final frontier yet to be conquered. So fervent their hatred for the Kuomintang and its democratic ideals that the Communist Party wanted to eradicate every square inch of the Republic of China. Beijing’s stance to take over Taiwan “at all cost” stems from the policy that as long as there is a Republic of China, there is a chink in the armour, from where an uprising, a civil war or the spread of another ideology is possible.

Taking over Taiwan would mean leaving the mainland and sending troops overseas to the island nation and going to war with them in their own territory – a move that would not be easy. Mao Zedong decided that to finally take over Taiwan, it is a must to first take over is islets and territories which are located closer to the mainland – namely the Kinmen and Matsu.

Kinmen consists of two large islands and thirteen islets. Being the closer of the two Taiwanese territories, Mao Zedong decided to target these first. Greater Kinmen – the largest island – became the primary target. But its geography was an advantage to the Taiwanese forces. Its eastern side has mountainous terrain and its coastline rocky and rugged makes it a challenge for an external threat. its western side, facing mainland China has beaches which are easier for an enemy to breach in times of war – and for Beijing logistically suitable too.

The Chinese Army decided to do this in two bursts – the first comprising roughly 10,000 soldiers who would reach the island and set up a garrison, then wait for reinforcements to arrive – another 10,000 soldiers. This they thought would be enough to overpower the Taiwanese forces, which were estimated to be of a similar strength in numbers. China assumed that the Taiwanese forces would be demoralised with the fall of mainland China and would be easy to defeat. But that wasn’t to be.

Anticipating such a move by communist China, Taiwanese forces had lined up the coastline with nearly 7,500 landmines. The beaches were secured to stop any form of amphibious transport and the rest of the island was fortified with strategically placed mines, traps, and hundreds of bunkers.

Taiwan had also prepared well for such an attack by strengthening its infantry as well as its armoured divisions, including two tank regiments. The battle began on October 25, with China aiming to wrest control of the island in three days. So began the Battle of Kimen, which is officially known as the Battle of Guningtou.

The land mines and traps led to heavy Chinese casualties and the armoured divisions of the Taiwanese forces gave a crushing blow to the Chinese troops. The amphibious transport vessels were damaged by anti-amphibious weapons and ended up being beached on the island. Their failure to return to the mainland meant that the next round of soldiers could not be sent in time.

The artillery firing from mainland China did not help much. Meanwhile the Taiwanese air force and navy began a counter-offense by first damaging all the Chinese boats near the Kinmen islands. Soldiers of the Chinese Army faced heavy casualties against the US-made machine guns and tanks which the Taiwanese soldiers used.

At the end of day one itself, the Chinese army lost more than half its soldiers and more than 70 per cent of its ammunition and transport. with its boats and amphibious vessels destroyed, the troops were isolated. The Taiwanese military also further strengthened its positions by vastly cutting off Guningtou.

The next day reinforcements managed to reach with approximately 1,000 Chinese soldiers joining the battle. But by then the Taiwanese were on the offense and with US-made M5A1 Suart light tanks aiding the infantry, took control of Guningtou, which was under communist control at the time.

By the end of day two, the Chinese troops ran out of food and supplies. The following morning Taiwanese soldiers overpowered the communist forces and more than 5,000 soldiers were kept as prisoners of war. Not only was Kinmen retained by Taiwan, but the communist forces lost the control of Guningtou too. It was a humiliating defeat for Mao Zedong and People’s Republic of China – a name declared just earlier that month.

Throughout the 1950s and beyond, multiple invasions were attempted by China, but each attempt failed. The United States has on several occasions come to the aid of Taiwan as China’s influence grew, but China never dared attack the US navy directly as Beijing did not want direct war with Washington.

Even today, China considers Taiwan a renegade island province – one that it must take over “at all costs”. Beijing has repeatedly said it will not renounce the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. Its war drills are increasing in scale and frequency with the latest manoeuvres as recently as New Year’s day.
 

Washington DC:

The thought of China is haunting Donald Trump who is troubled over Beijing’s growing influence right under US’ tail – the Panama Canal – a bridge connecting the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean through strategically located Panama, the country which links North and South America.

US President-elect Trump, who is always ready to threaten others with tariffs, is also perturbed by Panama charging “excessive tariffs” for the use of the Panama Canal. So unsettled is he, by the combination of these two factors, that Mr Trump has openly declared that the US might consider taking control of the Panama Canal.

Writing about his concerns on his social media platform Truth Social, Donald Trump warned that he would never let the Panama canal fall into the “wrong hands.” Reminding the government in Panama that the canal was originally built by the United States more than a century ago, Mr Trump wrote “It was solely for Panama to manage, not China, or anyone else”.

He further re-posted a video of himself titled “We would and will NEVER let it fall into the wrong hands!”

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PANAMA CANAL

Till the early 20th century the shortest way to reach the Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic Ocean and vice versa was to either sail around Cape Horn located in Chile at the southern tip of South America or to sail through the Strait of Magellan – also at the southern end of South America – in Chile. Both meant sailing around the entire continent of South America and nearly reaching Antarctica before sailing back up either into the Pacific or the Atlantic – this was neither economical, nor efficient.

After much thought, research and survey, a narrow, but possible way was discovered cutting across the Isthmus of Panama. However, there was a herculean challenge to be overcome in order to achieve that. The waterway was at different levels and there was no way a ship could either climb or descend where there was a sudden change in topography. For the waterway in the isthmus to be converted into a man-made canal, it would require an engineering marvel – one that was both inconceivable and unheard of in the early 20th Century.

The United States of America was the only nation at the time that had the technical knowledge and expertise to be able to make it happen. And so, in May, 1904 – less than a year after Panama declared Independence from Colombia in November, 1903, the US began the construction of the Panama Canal. A treaty was signed between the United States and Panama under which the canal would be constructed and managed by the US. After 10 years of engineering works round-the-clock, the Panama Canal became a reality in August, 1914 with the SS Ancon becoming the first ship to pass through the canal.

The US continued to control and operate the canal and its surrounding areas until a new agreement was signed between Panama and the US called the Torrijos-Carter Treaty in 1977. This provided for the handover of the canal to Panama after joint operations for nearly two decades. The Panamanian government took full control of the canal in 1999.

DONALD TRUMP vs PANAMANIAN PRESIDENT JOSE MULINO

Apart from the warning that the US would never allow operations of the Panama Canal to be handed over to another country amid China’s growing influence and muscular posturing globally, Donald Trump expressed his displeasure over “very high” tariffs being charged by Panama.

Writing on Truth Social, Mr Trump said “The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the US.”

“It was not given for the benefit of others, but merely as a token of cooperation with us and Panama. If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question,” Mr Trump added.

Hours after Donald Trump’s warning, the Panamanian government responded, though without naming the US President-elect. Panama’s President Jose Raul Mulino dismissed the threats by posting a video on social media platform X that “Every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent areas belongs to Panama and will continue belonging to Panama.”

“The canal has no direct or indirect control from China, nor the European Union, nor the United States or any other power,” President Mulino said, adding that “As a Panamanian, I reject any manifestation that misrepresents this reality.” His video message was in Spanish.

Mensaje del Presidente José Raúl Mulino pic.twitter.com/DMXU8qAuNT

— José Raúl Mulino (@JoseRaulMulino) December 22, 2024

President Mulino also said he hopes to have “a good and respectful relationship” with the incoming Trump administration. Donald Trump responded soon after the posts by the Panamanian President but kept everyone guessing when he wrote “We’ll see about that!”.

Meanwhile, amid the power tussle between the US and China in terms of its military and naval prowess, it is important to note that China now has the world’s largest navy, surging past the United States. China has a declared fleet size of more than 370 ships and submarines. This is significantly larger than the fleet size of the US Navy, which is 290 ships and submarines.

The Panama Canal is among the most crucial waterways of the world in terms of trade and commerce, and freedom of navigation of the seas has been among the topmost priorities of the democratic world, and a cornerstone of its policy.
 

Tokyo:

Canada is in discussions about joining an expanded AUKUS deal between the US, Britain, and Australia formed to counter China’s growing military influence in the Indo-Pacific region, Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair said.

Canada has said it wants to join a second pillar of AUKUS that will collaborate on new military technologies, including artificial intelligence and quantum computing, but has not so far revealed any details of those talks.

The military alliance AUKUS stands for Australia, United Kingdom, United States.

“There have been important discussions about processes and platforms on a project-specific basis on where other nations, including Japan and ourselves, might participate,” Blair said in an interview in Tokyo where he met his Japanese counterpart Minoru Kihara.

“I would respectfully wait until they’ve come to their determination, but I’m very optimistic,” he said.

Blair said he and Kihara discussed AUKUS, which is already considering working with Japan. The initial phase of AUKUS involves the three founding members working on nuclear submarine technology for Australia.

Blair, who was on his first trip to Japan as defence minister, arrived in Tokyo from South Korea, which is also in talks about a role in AUKUS.

Canada is looking for a bigger security role in Asia and has made forging deeper ties with Japan and South Korea a priority. As its defence commitments expand at home and overseas the country is expanding military spending.

“Next year, my defence budget will rise by 27% over this year, and, frankly, in the next three or four years, our defence spending will triple,” Blair said.

He and Kihara also discussed Chinese incursions into Japanese territory that last month prompted Tokyo to lodge protests with Beijing.

Concerns about that Chinese military activity may be discussed at a meeting of the Group of Seven defence ministers in Italy next month, Blair said.

“It’s an important opportunity for us to have a conversation among the G7 partners about some of the activities that are deeply concerning to Japan and to Canada and to the United States and others,” he said.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

China’s third aircraft carrier, Fujian, took to the seas last week for its maiden trials, a significant moment in its naval expansion to challenge the US global presence. The new aircraft carrier is named after the Fujian province and is the largest, most advanced Chinese aircraft carrier ever built. 

Fujian carrier departed from Shanghai’s Jiangnan Shipyard, and the trials will primarily test the reliability and stability of the aircraft carrier’s propulsion and electrical systems, state news agency Xinhua reported.

The trials will be conducted for almost two years before the carrier is inducted in another five years. The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is the “largest navy” in the world, surpassing the US with over 370 battleships, the US Department of Defense said. 

‘More Heavy, More Advanced’

The Fujian carrier is expected to weigh 79,000 tons, carrying the most potent fighter jet launch system – Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS). Currently, the USS Gerald R Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, uses the EMALS launch system. The other Chinese aircraft carriers, Liaoning and Shandong, use the ski-jump system.

CATOBAR and STOBAR are two types of aircraft carrier platforms. Short Take-Off Barrier-Assisted Recovery (STOBAR) comprises an elevated ski-ramp that helps a fighter jet generate lift during a take-off. The STOBAR platform limits the aircraft’s take-off weight, thus affecting the payload capacity. 

Meanwhile, the CATOBAR system uses catapults for take-off. The CATOBAR-based carriers have a steam-powered catapult system, which requires more maintenance, is heavy, and takes more space than its alternative. The EMALS catapult offers more smooth, accurate launching of an aircraft carrier, allowing heavier fighter jets to take off. 

China operates only the Chengdu J-15, the ‘Flying Shark’, fighter jets for its carrier-based operations. J-15 is a fourth-generation fighter jet, which is deployed on its STOBAR carriers. However, the US has critiqued its range/payload limitations in operations from carriers equipped with ski ramps rather than catapults. 

In 2021, China developed a catapult-based version of the fighter jet and is developing its fifth-generation fighters to match the US F-35. The US Department of Defence, in its latest report on Chinese naval modernization, said China is reportedly building a fourth aircraft carrier similar to Fujian and is expected to be nuclear-powered. The Fujian aircraft carrier will be the first conventional-energy-powered platform with the EMALS system. 

China’s Naval Expansion

Since the 1990s, China has witnessed a paradigm shift, with a focus on naval expansion rather than the PLA. The shift was driven by its economic growth through the 90s and early 2000s, which led to a rise in Chinese presence in the global economy and turned it into the manufacturing hub of the world. The PLAN slowly transitioned from a defensive-offensive arm to a force that is capable of conducting out-of-area operations and earned the tag of a Blue Water navy. 

Modernisation, which began three decades ago, focused on ship, aircraft weaponry, fighter jets, creating doctrines, training, multilateral exercises etc. The 2015 Chinese white paper of Defence called for safeguarding the Sea Links of Communication (SLOC) as part of its national interests and said the sea links are vital to China’s future. The Indian Ocean, the maritime backyard of India, is the toll-gate for global East-West trade and China is establishing maritime bases south of India to protect its Maritime Silk Road (MSR). 

The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is home to about 2.5 billion people, with some global economies, like India, a regional power, having a dominant presence in the region. The Strait of Hormuz, Bab-el-Mandeb, Strait of Malacca and the Mozambique Channel are choke points in the region and routes vital to China’s global trade. 

“The vital feature which differentiates the Indian Ocean from the Atlantic or the Pacific is the subcontinent of India, which juts out far into the sea for a thousand miles. It is the geographical position of India that changes the character of the Indian Ocean.” KM Pannikar, a visionary Indian scholar said. The Navy, in its maritime doctrine, says that safeguarding the IOR is in India’s national interest. 

The US DoD suggests that although these carriers have value for China, its operations in Taiwan do not require such platforms since it is within the land-based reach of Chinese aircraft. These platforms assert dominance and are viewed as symbols of power. In a face-off between the US and China, the former will outperform and outmanoeuvre the PLAN with its prowess. Politically, aircraft carriers could be particularly valuable to China for projecting an image of China as a major world power.

China wants its navy to be able to deter “US intervention in a conflict in China’s near-seas region over Taiwan or some other issue, or failing that, delay the arrival or reduce the effectiveness of intervening US forces,” a Congressional Research Service report said.

India’s Third Aircraft Carrier

Former Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said last year that the indigenous aircraft carrier-2 (IAC-2) would be a repeat order of INS Vikrant. “We are still working on what size IAC II should be and the capabilities that are desired. But, for now, we have put a hold on it because we have just commissioned INS Vikrant and we are quite happy with the way the ship performed in the trials.” “A lot of expertise has been gained in building IAC I. We are seriously looking at a repeat order for IAC I rather than building IAC II. This would capitalize on the expertise available in the country and we could plough back into the economy,” he added. 

INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya are built on the STOBAR platform and house the MiG-29K fighter jets. The naval version of Rafale and Tejas are expected to replace the MiGs soon.

The production of INS Vishal would begin soon, but it would still take many years for the new carrier to get commissioned. The size of the Chinese economy and its three times bigger defence budget than India’s should be considered. 

The QUAD alliance between the US, India, Australia and Japan for safeguarding the Indo-Pacific region and the Indian Navy’s regular multilateral exercises in the region ensure regional presence and dominance. 

Zhang Youxia, Vice-Chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission, speaks at the Western Pacific Navy Symposium held in Qingdao in eastern China’s Shandong Province on April 22, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

One of China’s top military leaders took a harsh line on regional territorial disputes, telling an international naval gathering in northeastern China on April 22 that the country would strike back with force if its interests came under threat.

The 19th biennial meeting of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium opened in Qingdao, where China’s northern naval force is based, providing a vivid backdrop to China’s massive military expansion over the past two decades that has seen it build or refurbish three aircraft carriers.

The two-day talks have drawn representatives from partners and competitors including Australia, Cambodia, Chile, France, India and the U.S. and comes amid heightened tensions over China’s assertive actions in the Taiwan Strait and the East and South China seas, and as China’s Navy has grown into the world’s largest by number of hulls.

Zhang Youxia, the Vice-Chairman of the ruling Communist Party’s Central Military Commission, which controls the armed forces, spoke of “common development” and said “decoupling, friction and confrontation will only divide the world into isolated islands guarding against each other with suspicion.”

Then he turned to China’s territorial claims, which have not been recognised under international law and in some cases have been denied. Beijing has ignored rulings not in its favour, particularly in the South China Sea, where it is in dispute with five other parties over islands, waterways and undersea resources.

Japan continues to defend its control over the uninhabited Senkaku island chain, called Diaoyu by China, in the East China Sea, against incursions by the Chinese coast guard.

Taiwan last week reinforced its foothold in the disputed South China Sea by establishing satellite communications between the main island and its garrison on Taiping Island, also known as Itu Aba, the largest land feature in the highly contested Spratly Island chain. China has created seven artificial islands in the area by piling sand and cement on coral reefs and equipping them with airstrips and other military infrastructure.

Mr. Zhang said China’s territorial sovereignty “brooks no infringement and its core interests cannot be challenged. We do not provoke trouble, but we will never flinch in face of provocation. The Chinese military will resolutely defend the reunification and interest of the motherland.”

Mr. Zhang has spoken in the past of Beijing’s determination to take control of the self-governing island republic of Taiwan, which it claims as its own territory, using force if necessary. With its crucial high-tech economy, Taiwan has been building up its defences on its own and with help from the U.S., where Congress this weekend approved $8 billion in military aid for Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific.

Taiwan is also building its own submarines and trainer aircraft and waiting on the delivery of upgraded versions of F-16 fighters, battle tanks and other hardware from the U.S.

Mr. Zhang appeared to press China’s unilateralist approach to foreign relations and military conflicts as espoused by Xi Jinping, the top military commander, Communist Party leader and head-of-state for life, who has eliminated all dissenting views.

China “remains committed to resolving maritime disputes with directly concerned countries through friendly consultations, but we will not allow our good faith to be abused,” Mr. Zhang said. “Particularly over the self-governing island republic of Taiwan that Beijing threatens to use force to bring under its control. We will take justified actions to defend our rights in accordance with the law.”

Mr. Zhang’s comments follow a major shakeup of the Chinese military in recent months that has seen the still-unexplained disappearance of former Defence Minister Li Shangfu and several top officers in the missile corps.

Also due to speak at the gathering was the recently appointed head of the Russian Navy, Adm. Alexander Moiseyev, the Russian Defence Ministry said on April 22, according to the official Interfax news agency.

It said Adm. Moiseyev met with Adm. Hu Zhongming, commander of China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy, in Qingdao on April 21, and they agreed to further cooperation on search and rescue.

“The sides emphasised the importance of further developing cooperation between the two countries’ fleets for supporting security and stability on the world’s oceans,” Interfax said.

China has refused to criticise Russia’s full-on invasion of Ukraine and has held multiple rounds of drills with the Russian Navy and other armed forces branches, part of an alignment of their military and political postures to form a joint front against the prevailing U.S.-led Western liberal order.

Ukraine has developed deadly sea drones that have struck Russian Navy ships in the Black Sea. Those successful strikes have embarrassed the Kremlin.