In less than 20 days, the PLA twice "encountered" Taiwan warships and was "approached" by Taiwan warships.
The Taiwan warship repeats its old tricks, and the PLA warns
A few days ago, the PLA 052D destroyer Lishui (ship number 157) appeared in the waters around Penghu, and Taiwan's "Chenggong-class" cruiser Zhang Qian (board number 1109) went to "monitor". Eventually, he was reminded by the Yeosu ship to "pay attention to your location".
According to the PLA's prompt, the scene can be restored, and it must have been Zhang Qian's ship that suddenly approached 052D, and the PLA issued a warning to it.
Coincidentally, it is worth mentioning that the incident is the same as what happened on April 22.
The same sea area, the same two warships, the same reminder, this is how the PLA drove away the Zhang Qian ship that came to provoke last time.
【PLA 052D Lishui Ship】
The difference is that this time the PLA's warning is "China's Taiwan 1109 ship, I am the 157 ship, please pay attention to your position, adjust the course to the east, and keep a safe distance from me." ”
Last time, the PLA's warning content was "1109 ship in Taiwan, I am 157 ship, please pay attention to your location".
From these two sentences, it is not difficult to see that the situation this time is more urgent than last time, and it may be that the Taiwan ship is getting closer.
If the situation is true, the Taiwan warships have twice used the same trick to "provoke" the PLA, most likely in order to test the PLA's bottom line.
However, the PLA's current focus is not to really "open fire" with the Taiwan ship, and the tonnage of Zhang Qian's ship is decided, and it is not an opponent of the PLA.
Recently, the mainland has stepped up its military pressure on the island, deploying warships and planes around the island almost every day, crossing the so-called "median line of the strait," in order to declare to the separatist forces on the island that Taiwan is a part of China and that the PLA is resolutely defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
[Taiwan's "Chenggong-class" cruiser Zhang Qian]
Lai Qingde may continue to follow the "Taiwan independence" line
One of the core reasons for the situation in which the PLA has strengthened its deployment and control and the warships on Taiwan Island have "provoked" the mainland is that Lai Qingde is about to take office.
Lai Qingde is a "thorough Taiwan independence worker," as is his deputy Hsiao Mei-qin, and so far, the new core officials officially announced by Lai Qingde also belong to the "independence faction."
The outside world unanimously believes that after 20 May, Lai Qingde's true colors may be exposed, and cross-strait relations may fall to the bottom by then.
Lai Qingde has always stated that he wants to follow the "Tsai Ing-wen line" and denies the "92 Consensus," the one-China principle, the Chinese nation, and other common political foundations of the two sides of the strait.
Against this background, the purpose of the mainland's intensified military moves against Taiwan is to prevent Lai Qingde from "acting rashly," otherwise the mainland will not sit idly by.
[Incoming Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te]
On the contrary, Lai Qingde is also testing the bottom line of the mainland. The Taiwan authorities understand that as long as the mainland "reunifies by force," "Taiwan independence" will only lead to a dead end, let alone be the leader of the Taiwan region.
On the other hand, the United States, on which Lai Qingde depends, has not given a clear signal that if it wants to survive, Lai Qingde must not touch the mainland minefield.
However, the mainland has already made it clear that if Lai Ching-te continues to maintain the "Taiwan independence" line, then the mainland's actions will only become tighter and tighter, and Taiwan's losses will become greater and greater.
What Lai Qingde said on May 20 is very important
The ending has been decided, so the most important thing now is what Lai Qingde wants to say in his inaugural speech.
In this regard, many people in the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) have made an analysis, and most of them believe that the main axis of Lai Qingde's inaugural speech will continue the line of the Tsai Ing-wen administration over the past eight years, that is, the commitment and goodwill to maintain the status quo of cross-strait peace and stability will remain unchanged, and at the same time, they will not "give in" and exchange and dialogue with the mainland on the premise of reciprocity.
According to media on the island, Lai's upcoming inaugural speech has been finalized, which will focus on promoting unity and strengthening social dialogue within Taiwan, promoting economic and energy transition, and will also touch on issues such as housing equity that young people in Taiwan are concerned about.
[Zhu Lilun shouted to Lai Qingde to release goodwill to the mainland]
In addition, in order to "ensure security," Taiwan's "Coast Guard" has made corresponding arrangements, and the Kinmen-Matsu and Peng Branch Administration has planned a vigorous clean-up operation, which is planned to be carried out simultaneously in the three outlying islands of Kinmen, Penghu, and Matsu. This includes close surveillance of suspected vessels, which are immediately evicted and detained for review if illegal crossings are detected.
In fact, it is very simple: As long as Lai Qingde does not make a major mistake of principle in cross-strait relations, he will be able to "maintain security."
On the other hand, if Lai Qingde's cross-strait policy violates the "one-China" principle, then what awaits him will be more severe suppression by the mainland.
Therefore, this is the topic that has attracted the most attention inside and outside the island at present.
At the same time, Kuomintang colleagues on the island are also appealing to Lai Ching-te that cross-strait relations are the most important thing, and that goodwill should be unleashed, dialogue should be strengthened, and confrontation and separatism should not be suppressed.
In short, the relaxation of cross-strait relations is the common expectation of the people on both sides of the strait, and Lai Qingde has entered the countdown to taking office, and any inappropriate remarks on 20 May may make cross-strait relations turbulent.