U.S. Aircraft Carrier Positioned Near Taiwan as China Warns Against Election Outcome
In a strategic move ahead of a crucial election in Taiwan, the United States has deployed the USS Carl Vinson, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, in waters east of Taiwan. According to Taiwanese media reports, China has framed the election as a choice between war and peace.
The deployment is seen as a deterrent to China, which had issued warnings to voters, urging them to “make the right choice” to avoid cross-strait conflict. Taiwanese defense experts, Shen Ming-shih, and Su Tzu-yun from Taiwan’s Institute for National Defence and Security Research, stated that the move was a “strategic precaution.”
The USS Carl Vinson, reported to be east of Taiwan after conducting drills with the Philippine navy, is expected to closely monitor the movements of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Another Nimitz-class carrier, the USS Ronald Reagan, has been stationed at Japan’s Yokosuka naval base since November.
Dr. Lin Ying-yu from Tamkang University emphasized that the deployment is not only focused on monitoring PLA movements near Taiwan but also aimed at keeping an eye on North Korea, which recently conducted its first test-fire of the year.
Despite China’s warnings and fiery rhetoric leading up to the Taiwanese elections, voters rejected Beijing’s territorial claims by selecting Lai Ching-te from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as their new president. The DPP advocates for Taiwan’s de facto sovereignty and separate identity, reflecting the population’s China-scepticism.
While the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) response to the election has been relatively muted, Chen Binhua from China’s Taiwan Affairs Office asserted that the election results do not represent mainstream public opinion, and Beijing’s “national reunification” goals remain steadfast.
The Chinese embassy in Tokyo criticized the Japanese government for congratulating Mr. Lai, considering it a “serious interference in China’s internal affairs.” However, several other democracies, including the U.S. and the UK, congratulated the new Taiwanese president.
Analysts predict that, instead of an immediate military response, China may increase economic sanctions, cognitive warfare, and military activities near Taiwanese airspace. While the likelihood of an invasion in the near future is deemed low, some experts anticipate heightened pressure on Taiwan around the time of Mr. Lai’s inauguration in mid-May.