Taiwan has grappled for decades with the possibility of military conflict with China. But Beijing under its leader Xi Jinping has more adamantly pressed its claim of sovereignty over the self-ruled island, launching live-fire drills and simulated blockades to deter “separatist forces.”
In preparation, some Taiwanese have started learning skills like first aid and marksmanship, while civil defense organizations have provided emergency response training. At the same time, immigration consultants said the political uncertainty has spurred more inquiries about moving overseas. A variation on the refrain, “Ukraine Today, Taiwan Tomorrow,” returned after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, emphasizing the island’s vulnerability to a similar attack by China.
There’s little indication that China intends imminent military action. While Xi has threatened to take Taiwan by force if necessary, such a step could prompt US retaliation and lead to a costly conflict that would devastate global trade.
Nonetheless, Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has proposed a $40 billion bill that includes one of the biggest arms deals ever between the US and Taiwan. As the proposal has encountered local political opposition and protests from Beijing, US senators visited Taiwan this week to encourage its legislators to reach an agreement.
Pessimism over domestic and international politics is one reason why more Taiwanese people are purchasing property in Thailand, said Edward Lai, a Taiwanese real estate agent working in Bangkok. He said his company has been on a hiring spree to keep up with the influx of inquiries, 70% of which are from Taiwanese worried about geopolitics, he estimates. “It’s not just a domestic issue. It also carries international consequences,” said Charles Wu, an assistant professor of political science at the University of South Alabama. “If China now sees that Taiwanese people are basically giving up their will to fight, then maybe an invasion is unnecessary. Maybe they could buy it out.” The
US has a vested interest in Taiwan’s security, as a geographically strategic and democratically aligned partner in countering China’s rise. Under US legislation, Washington is obligated to sell Taiwan weapons for self-defense, but President Donald Trump has – in line with longstanding US policy – declined to say whether he would send military assistance if China attacked. Trump and Xi are expected to discuss Taiwan when Trump visits Beijing in May.
Source: Here