TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As Donald Trump threatens to annex Greenland and the Panama Canal, some Chinese commentators believe the new US president could create an opening for China to take control of Taiwan.
Assuming office on Jan. 20, Trump has refused to rule out using military or economic force to acquire Greenland and the Panama Canal, reported Reuters. He suggested imposing tariffs on Denmark if it did not accept his offer to purchase Greenland, which he called an "absolute necessity" for US security.
Previous US governments have urged China to show restraint in the Taiwan Strait and stop using military threats to pressure Taiwan. However, some analysts said Trump’s threats and aggressive foreign policy have undercut this message, creating an opportunity for China.
Nevertheless, the US is bound by the Taiwan Relations Act to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself. At the same time, the US policy of “strategic ambiguity” makes it unclear to what extent the US military will intervene in a Taiwan Strait conflict.
In recent days, Chinese commentators and social media users have been examining the implications of Trump's comments on US policy. Fudan University professor Zhao Minghao said the threats should be taken seriously, as Trump's transactionalism shows he may be amenable to a deal on Taiwan.
City University of Hong Kong professor Wang Jiangyu wrote on Weibo, "If Greenland is annexed by the US, China must take Taiwan.” Another blogger said if Trump moves on Greenland, China should "seize the opportunity to take back Taiwan.”
Central China Normal University professor Chen Fei added that Taiwan is a core security interest for China, similar to Greenland for Trump.
However, other analysts have not drawn parallels between Taiwan and Greenland. German Marshall Fund analyst Bonnie Glaser said, "The Chinese believe that Taiwan is already and always has been part of China —they won't pay money for it, and no government in Taiwan will agree to be bought.”
Former US defense official Drew Thompson said he believes that Trump's refusal to rule out force to achieve his goals could deter Beijing from taking action that would prompt the US military to defend Taiwan.
