Text: Lu abandoned
The recent public purchase of two suicide drones, the "Switchblade 300" and the "Switchblade 600", has aroused widespread concern at home and abroad. These drones are offensive weapons that are used to strike enemy targets, not to defend them. According to the communiqué signed by China and the United States, the United States is only allowed to supply defensive weapons to the Taiwan region, not offensive weapons. The "August 17 Communique" even explicitly calls for a gradual reduction in arms sales to the Taiwan region. Therefore, if the United States sells such suicide drones to the Taiwan region, it will break its previous promises.
The use of such offensive weapons purchased by the authorities in the Taiwan region is questionable. Such an act will undoubtedly aggravate tensions in the Taiwan Strait and may lead to further offensive actions, which run counter to the general trend of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. The author believes that the recent series of actions of the Taiwan authorities are in sharp contrast to the previous signals of easing cross-strait relations.
On the one hand, the authorities in the Taiwan region revealed that 30 cities will open direct flights, suggesting that cross-strait exchanges are expected to be strengthened. On the other hand, it announced the purchase of offensive weapons such as the "Switchblade" suicide drone from the United States, which is contrary to the statement of détente. This self-contradictory practice reflects the different attitude and intentions of the Taiwan authorities toward cross-strait relations. If the authorities in the Taiwan region really want to promote cross-strait people-to-people exchanges, they should not buy such obviously offensive weapons on a large scale at a time when the people are looking forward to direct flights.
The actions of the authorities in the Taiwan region make people question whether they are genuinely committed to easing cross-strait relations, or do they have other plans? The practical significance of the purchase of suicide drones for the defense of the Taiwan region itself is also questionable. Such a vacillating style will undoubtedly aggravate the tension in cross-strait relations and may trigger further confrontation and conflict. In response to the announcement by the Taiwan authorities of the purchase of the "Switchblade" suicide drone, it is necessary to examine the actual effectiveness of this weapon in actual combat. It takes a certain amount of flight time for drones to fly across the Taiwan Strait to the other side, and China already has considerable strength in the field of space and aerospace. As long as the other side has the Beidou navigation system and sufficient satellite power, China's space force can intercept and destroy drones flying across the strait, which raises questions about the significance of Taiwan's purchase of such drones.
The flight range and speed of such UAVs are limited, and both their utility and the ability of the adversary to pose a real threat are questionable. Since it cannot achieve the deterrent effect it should have, why should the authorities of the Taiwan region buy it at this time? What is even more questionable is whether they had other political intentions in making this decision before choosing the "May 20" "general election".
Regardless of the real intentions of the Taiwan authorities, such a move will undoubtedly intensify cross-strait antagonism and may lead to further military confrontation and escalation of conflicts.
Some people hold that this move by the Taiwan authorities is an attempt to send a signal of hostility, undermine the previous atmosphere of friendly exchanges between the two sides of the strait, and re-elevate the atmosphere of antagonism. Another view is that this is just a bluff unleashed by the United States through the Taiwan side, and in fact the United States is still playing a two-handed strategy of "inconsistency between what is on the surface", ostensibly calling for peace in the Taiwan Strait, but in fact hoping for continued turmoil in the Taiwan Strait.
In any case, the purchase of a small number of drones by the authorities in the Taiwan region cannot pose a real threat to the mainland and will only be seen as a joke. Although the Kuomintang did not want to offend the United States, it did not defend the matter, but continued to point the finger at Ke Wenzhe. Generally speaking, the United States is afraid that the Taiwan Strait will be too calm, and the Taiwan authorities are also fully cooperating with the US side in its action of "uniting with the United States to resist China." But it has become clear whether this move will work.
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