A week ago, Canada Foreign Minister Jolly visited China and met with Foreign Minister Wang Yi. In the presence of the Canadian Foreign Minister, the Chinese side made a lot of heavy remarks. For example, Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed that China-Canada relations are facing difficulties and twists and turns, which China does not want to see and which the Canadian side needs to reflect on. It is hoped that the Canadian side will take a responsible attitude towards history, people, present and future, and promote the improvement of China-Canada relations. On the Taiwan issue, Foreign Minister Wang Yi also stressed that this is China's internal affair and brooks no external interference. Canada's foreign minister pledged that he would continue to abide by the one-China policy and was willing to actively and pragmatically improve bilateral relations.
Canada Foreign Minister Jolly visited China
Then, less than two weeks later, Canada openly launched a serious provocation on the Taiwan issue. According to a report by the global network, on July 31, the Canada frigate "Montreal" passed through the Taiwan Strait from north to south. In this regard, China's Eastern Theater organized naval and air forces to follow the supervision and vigilance throughout the whole process and deal with it in accordance with laws and regulations.
This passage of Canada warships through the Taiwan Strait is extraordinary. In the past, United States sent ships and planes alone or jointly with Canada, but judging from the report, this time it was Canada's warship that crossed the Taiwan Strait alone. Moreover, judging from reports from various quarters, since the US destroyer USS Halsey crossed the Taiwan Strait in May this year, United States has not sent warships through the Taiwan Strait again so far, and in the past United States there have been provocative moves by warships and planes crossing the Taiwan Strait almost every month.
The reason for the change may be related to two factors. On the one hand, China's warnings worked. Looking back in recent months, China's stance on the Taiwan issue has been tougher than ever, not only successively blacklisting a number of United States military industrial enterprises involved in arms sales to Taiwan, but also suspending arms control talks between China and the United States because of United States' continued arms sales to Taiwan. Recently, during the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Foreign Minister Wang Yi even publicly named United States when talking about the Taiwan issue. Therefore, the United States is worried that if it sends warships and planes through the Taiwan Strait, the PLA will take stronger countermeasures than before. However, this does not mean that United States will give up playing the "Taiwan card", and this time the Canada frigate will pass through the Taiwan Strait, and it is obvious that behind it is the arrangement of the United States.
On the other hand, Lai Qingde's "Taiwan independence" stance is too radical, and the United States is weak-minded. Since coming to power, Lai Qingde has made many radical "Taiwan independence" remarks. Although United States has supported "Taiwan independence" in the past in a way that is either overt or covert, in an attempt to provoke cross-strait confrontation and aggravate tension in the Taiwan Strait, at least for the time being, United States does not have the confidence to have a showdown. In the face of such a radical "Taiwan independence" element as Lai Qingde, if United States still wants to show strong support, it will quickly fall into passivity on the Taiwan issue, and even a situation of "waging a dog with its tail" appears.
The passage of the Canada warship through the Taiwan Strait this time is not only meaningless, but also seriously damages Sino-Canadian relations. The Taiwan Strait is completely under the control of the PLA, and the long-range rocket artillery of the coastal defense forces is sufficient to cover Canada the entire Taiwan Strait.
When US and Canadian warships crossed the Taiwan Strait last year, the PLA forcefully drove them away, including cross-cutting interception of warships, the approach of fighter planes, and laser irradiation. If the PLA really intends to do it, the Canada warship will have no power to fight back. So don't look at Canada's arrogance when it hyped up afterwards, in fact, the Canadian side knows very well that during the crossing of the Taiwan Strait, Canada's warships are the live targets of the PLA.
Today, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has achieved regular patrols in the Taiwan Strait, and several exercises around Taiwan have demonstrated its powerful ability to take over Taiwan and deny area. Therefore, the provocative move of US and Canadian warships passing through the Taiwan Strait is doomed to be meaningless, and the island should not harbor any unrealistic illusions about foreign forces.
Facts have once again proved that Canada does not have autonomy and needs to show loyalty to United States by provoking China. Canada's Foreign Minister Jolly said that it would pragmatically improve bilateral relations and abide by the one-China principle, but now it seems that it is only a blank check and Canada will not honor it at all.