US Raid Sparks Fears of Chinese Taiwan Invasions as Beijing Remains Undeterred
The surprise US raid on Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro has sent shockwaves across the region, with commentators in China drawing parallels to a potential invasion of self-governing island Taiwan. The similarities are clear: both countries have an imbalance of power, with the United States having the world's most powerful army, while Venezuela relies on friendly nations for its defense.
However, experts say that despite this comparison, China does not see the situation as being governed by international law and norms when it comes to Taiwan. Beijing views the island as part of its territory, a domestic political matter, rather than an international issue. "China has pursued a strategy of coercion without violence," said Ryan Hass, a former US diplomat in Beijing.
One key factor that China believes will deter it from launching an attack on Taiwan is the military balance in the Taiwan Strait. While China has a more powerful military, Taiwan has the promise of support from the United States in the event of an attack. The US Department of Defense says that China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) is on track to reach its 2027 goal of being able to achieve a "strategic decisive victory" over Taiwan.
But some experts argue that the successful US operation may actually give Beijing pause for thought. Venezuelan's China-sourced weapons failed to defend against the US attack, with nearly 90% of China's arms sales to the Americas going to Venezuela between 2010 and 2020. This failure highlights the limitations of Chinese military technology.
Taiwanese officials have declined to comment on the US operation, despite President Lai Ching-te's previous calls for defending international rules-based order to prevent a Chinese invasion. One popular Taiwanese blogger even suggested that Taiwan should avoid causing trouble for the US by becoming a source of drugs or refugees in order to prevent itself from becoming "another Venezuela".
The US raid has sparked concerns about global norms and the willingness of Western leaders to follow them. Donald Trump's actions, including his failure to condemn the raid as illegal under international law, have set a worrying precedent. European leaders have also been accused of equivocating on the matter.
As tensions between China and Taiwan continue to rise, one thing is clear: Beijing remains undeterred by the US operation in Venezuela. The similarities between the two situations are undeniable, but China's response suggests that it sees the issue as a domestic matter rather than an international one.
The surprise US raid on Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro has sent shockwaves across the region, with commentators in China drawing parallels to a potential invasion of self-governing island Taiwan. The similarities are clear: both countries have an imbalance of power, with the United States having the world's most powerful army, while Venezuela relies on friendly nations for its defense.
However, experts say that despite this comparison, China does not see the situation as being governed by international law and norms when it comes to Taiwan. Beijing views the island as part of its territory, a domestic political matter, rather than an international issue. "China has pursued a strategy of coercion without violence," said Ryan Hass, a former US diplomat in Beijing.
One key factor that China believes will deter it from launching an attack on Taiwan is the military balance in the Taiwan Strait. While China has a more powerful military, Taiwan has the promise of support from the United States in the event of an attack. The US Department of Defense says that China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) is on track to reach its 2027 goal of being able to achieve a "strategic decisive victory" over Taiwan.
But some experts argue that the successful US operation may actually give Beijing pause for thought. Venezuelan's China-sourced weapons failed to defend against the US attack, with nearly 90% of China's arms sales to the Americas going to Venezuela between 2010 and 2020. This failure highlights the limitations of Chinese military technology.
Taiwanese officials have declined to comment on the US operation, despite President Lai Ching-te's previous calls for defending international rules-based order to prevent a Chinese invasion. One popular Taiwanese blogger even suggested that Taiwan should avoid causing trouble for the US by becoming a source of drugs or refugees in order to prevent itself from becoming "another Venezuela".
The US raid has sparked concerns about global norms and the willingness of Western leaders to follow them. Donald Trump's actions, including his failure to condemn the raid as illegal under international law, have set a worrying precedent. European leaders have also been accused of equivocating on the matter.
As tensions between China and Taiwan continue to rise, one thing is clear: Beijing remains undeterred by the US operation in Venezuela. The similarities between the two situations are undeniable, but China's response suggests that it sees the issue as a domestic matter rather than an international one.
I mean can u believe china is like "oh we'll just invade taiwan and no big deal"? 
like what even is going on over there?! 
and btw have u seen those numbers about 90% of china's arms sales to venezuela? like what kinda military technology are they even using?! 
and don't even get me started on the US operation in venezuela 
i mean i know it was a surprise but still can u imagine if china were to invade taiwan? 
i'm literally scared for my life right now 
anyway i guess we'll just have to wait and see how this all plays out 
what if they actually do invade?!?!?! My anxiety levels are, like, skyrocketing 
I need to stay calm but omg this is all so scary 
I'm literally on edge thinking about this 
. The US raid in Venezuela was crazy, and now everyone's wondering if China will take its cue from it and invade Taiwan 
. Newsflash: just because you have the guns doesn't mean you're gonna use them, right? 
. Like, come on guys, isn't it time we take a stand and set some global norms for ourselves? 
"...
. I mean, if Beijing views it as a domestic issue, maybe they're right? We don't know what's going through their heads, and just because we don't agree with them doesn't mean they're wrong 
. And let's be real, China has been making some major moves in the region, so either way, something needs to give 
. The US raid on Venezuela was a wild card, but I'm not convinced it changes everything 
.