Taiwan’s national security is increasingly jeopardized – externally, from two different directions, and also from within. The largest and most direct threat, of course, is the People’s Republic of China. Beijing’s long-standing position is that Taiwan must not formally politically separate itself from China. The red line for military action by the PRC has never been crystal clear. Taiwan presidents from
Chen Shiu-bian (2000—2008) to current president
Lai Ching-te have publicly said “Taiwan is an independent, sovereign country.”
Until recently it was reasonable to believe Beijing might be content to kick the can down the road indefinitely as long as the governments in Taipei did not attempt a gesture that would seem to codify juridical separation from China, such as altering the Republic of China constitution.
That has become doubtful, however, under paramount leader Xi Jinping. Xi has expressed impatience with the lack of progress toward unification,
saying Taiwan’s de facto independence “should not be passed down generation after generation.”
