The “Thunderous but no Rain” exercise conducted by the PLA Eastern Theater Command in the Taiwan Strait quietly concluded without firing a single shot, followed by news of the sinking of a over 4,000-ton semi-submersible barge, sparking speculation. Although the exercise did not generate much commotion, the propaganda from the Chinese military has stirred up fervor among nationalist supporters.
The official WeChat and Weibo accounts of the PLA Eastern Theater Command not only released videos of the so-called “Six-word Strategy” for attacking Taiwan, but also made emotional appeals to Taiwan before and after the exercise. For instance, prior to the exercise, the Eastern Theater Command posted on Weibo, “What kind of experiences do ‘naughty kids’ need to have a complete childhood?” During the exercise, the Eastern Theater Command posted again, stating, “Experience leads to growth. When ‘naughty kids’ grow up, they will surely thank their parents who are loving and responsible.” On the 25th, the Eastern Theater Command further mentioned, “Every ‘naughty kid’ who doesn’t listen or understand is a bond that parents can’t let go of.”
Clearly, in the eyes of the Chinese Communist Party, Taiwan is seen as the mischievous and disobedient “naughty kid,” while mainland China is portrayed as the “loving and responsible” mother. This analogy is quite peculiar given that this “naughty kid” is 112 years old, while the “mother” is only 75 years old, making the “naughty kid” older than the “mother.”
It is well known that the Republic of China was officially established in Nanjing on January 1, 1912, at a time when the Chinese Communist Party was not even in existence. Months later, the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty abdicated, and the Republic of China officially inherited the political power from the Qing Dynasty. The Republic of China went through periods such as the Beiyang Government and the Nationalist Government on the mainland.
During the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Nationalist Government led by Chiang Kai-shek engaged the Japanese in 22 major battles, 1,117 significant engagements, and 28,931 minor skirmishes, with over 200 generals sacrificing their lives and millions of soldiers dying for the country. Meanwhile, the Chinese Communist Party retreated to the northwest, opportunistically expanding its influence and even colluding with the Japanese to undermine the Nationalist forces.
After the victory in the war, the Republic of China took control of Taiwan and became one of the founding members of the United Nations and one of the five permanent members of the Security Council. Subsequently, the civil war between the Nationalists and the Communists erupted. In 1947, the Constitution of the Republic of China was officially implemented, the Nationalist Government was reorganized into the Government of the Republic of China, and they declared martial law. In 1949, the Communists, through various controversial tactics, emerged victorious in the civil war, seized power, established the People’s Republic of China on the mainland, while the government of the Republic of China retreated to Taiwan. The Republic of China continued to claim sovereignty over all of China, including the mainland, and represented China internationally, but lost its representation more than fifty years ago. In the 1990s, the Republic of China acknowledged the effective rule of the People’s Republic of China on the mainland within the legal framework that did not recognize the sovereignty of the People’s Republic.
In 1971, after spending a considerable amount, the People’s Republic secured the United Nations seat for “China.” However, Resolution 2758 passed by the UN General Assembly at that time did not imply global acceptance of China’s sovereignty claim over Taiwan.
In April of this year, Mark Baxter Lambert, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for China and Taiwan Affairs in the US State Department and head of the “China Department,” explicitly stated in a think tank event in Washington: “First, Resolution 2758 does not equate to, reflect, or imply consensus on the ‘One China Principle’ with regard to Taiwan. The term refers to the PRC’s own stance on Taiwan. Second, Resolution 2758 is unrelated to the sovereign choices of other countries in their relations with Taiwan. Third, regarding the ultimate political status of Taiwan, Resolution 2758 does not represent a UN position. Fourth, Resolution 2758 does not preclude meaningful participation by Taiwan in the UN system and other multilateral forums.”
The newly elected President of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te, emphasized in his inaugural speech that he would uphold the status quo in cross-strait relations and stressed that the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other.
Clearly, based on the current situation on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are far from having a “mother-son” relationship. If the Chinese Communist Party wishes to establish such a relationship, it would make more sense for the 75-year-old People’s Republic to recognize the 112-year-old Republic of China as the “mother.”
In addition to misunderstanding the relationship between the Republic of China and the People’s Republic, the cryptic message posted by the Eastern Theater Command has backfired on themselves. On May 26, the Eastern Theater Command posted a riddle on its official account: “A mouth within a mouth” and “Dots are big,” challenging the “naughty kid” to guess. The answer to this riddle is straightforward: “A mouth within a mouth” is the character for “turn,” and “Dots are big” represents the character for “head,” suggesting that Taiwan should “turn back” and “return to the right path” as soon as possible.
However, given that the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other, what exactly should the Republic of China “turn back” to? Furthermore, even if there were to be reconciliation, it should not imply accepting the People’s Republic as the ancestral homeland.
Yet, the enigmatic message from the Eastern Theater Command could also be interpreted as a warning from a higher power, cautioning the top leaders in Beijing and the PLA against harboring intentions to attack Taiwan and urging them to turn back before it’s too late, or face dire consequences.
责任编辑：莆山