Contributed from Victoria

Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan is a blatant provocation and this is exactly what it is intended to be. The justification provided is that the United States is pursuing “western interest and values.” On Touching down the Congress house speaker representing the United Sates government declared it is “essential that America and her allies make clear that we never give in to autocrats.”

This truth is that this is the new language to describe old fashioned western imperialism and a re-invention of the right to carve out spheres of influence and impose western imperialism’s version of civilisation across the planet.

Taiwan’s streets have been hit by protests.

Taiwan citizens Protest against Nancy Pelosi’s visit in the capital Taipei

Video from India Today

A critical part left out of the public relations propaganda is that the present policy is contradictory. The truth is that the United States and its allies long ago recognised, and this includes Australia, that Taiwan is part of China. This is still on the books. But they then go on acting as if this is not the case and pretend that Taiwan is a separate nation.

There was good reason for the recognition of Chinese claims to return stolen lands Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau in 1968. Taiwan for example, had historically been an integral part of China, except that in 1949, the losing side of the Chinese civil war escaped to the Island, overwhelmed it, and set up a government that insisted it was the real government of China.

This was supported by the west and principally the United States. The problem was that over time it became evident that the Taiwanese claim could never be realised, and in an era when greater cooperation between the United States and China was sought, the policy of backing Taiwan was no longer useful, the one China policy that was adopted, Taiwan was recognised as part of China.

Historic encounter still resonates 45 years later

On 21 February 1972, China’s leader Mao Zedong and US President Richard Nixon met to normalize relations between their two countries.

Video from CGTN

Circumstances have changed. Cooperation with China is no longer sought by the United States and its allies. This has been replaced by a new drive to carve the east as a sphere of influence, and intervention is part of a policy. The main aim is to block the economic rise of China and the political influence this might bring.

Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan is about this. The threat of communism is being raised. There is the pretence that this is about the protection of democracy.

Another truth that gets left out, is that many Taiwanese want reunification with what they consider the motherland. There are also those who want to break away. But this is a political issue to be resolved by the people of Taiwan, and not for the balance to be tipped by outside intervention. Such intervention is blatantly undemocratic since it denies the right of the people to decide.

This is also a matter that concerns the mainland population and government.

Imagine that by some quirk of politics the Tasmanian government decided that the island was no longer part of Australia and China supported this, and then sent its own wart ships and planes to “protect” the island and aim missiles towards mainland cities. The Australian people and government would react angrily. It would be said that this is justified, and Australia has the right to defend itself.

Photo by Hector Retamal/AFP: Viewing the Taiwan claimed Kinmen Islands from China’s mainland shows how close Taiwan is.

Isn’t this exactly how China is being treated at the moment? To deny the same right to the Chinse people and government is a case of double standards. It also explains why China won’t back down. The strategists in Washington know this, which leaves only one possible conclusion, the intention is to provoke a Chinese military attack, and that this will lead to war. This is why Pelosi is in Taiwan. She is there to promote conflict.

It is a stupid and dangerous policy. It is stupid because it won’t work. China is too big, and it is too late to stop its rise. This horse has bolted. Washington risks isolation and logistically over spreading itself with the NATO expansion over the Eurasian landmass, continuing involvement in the Middle East and Persian Gulf, and its entry into the Pacific. most importantly, it risks political isolation. It is dangerous because it brings the potential to engulf the word in a nuclear conflict. If this happens, no one will come out of it the winner. The cost will be far beyond anything humanity has ever experienced.

When our leaders play Russian Roulette with this threat and use us as their pawns, they prove they are not fit for the role. They are the problem. They are the ones the attention should be turned on.