In a statement, Access Now says it was “told that diplomats from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) were putting pressure on the Government of Zambia because Taiwanese civil society participants were planning to join us in person.”
In a statement, Access Now says it was “told that diplomats from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) were putting pressure on the Government of Zambia because Taiwanese civil society participants were planning to join us in person.”
These stories are here to remind that there is an elephant in the room. Fortunately it’s only breathing loudly at the moment.
China has territorial ambitions regarding several neighbours (sea areas) and serious ambitions about Taiwan (taking it over) and unless the international community can help Taiwan and other countries achieve a peaceful co-existence with China (and this means backing them)…
(note: air raid simulations with 100+ aircraft testing Taiwan’s responses or naval blockade simulations with tens of warships around the island are not peaceful coexistence, and China has been running such exercises)
…then we better start learning how to make microchips in every country and obviously pay for that. Because if war happens, Taiwan will be in ruins and China under a boycott, possibly with a few strategic locations also in ruins - and the rest of the world in a severe economic crisis due to lack of microchips. There is also nonzero risk of China attempting to conquer Taiwan escalating to a bigger war between coalitions of countries, with all the possible consequences.
If someone is bullying someone else, the wider community wold be wise to intervene early and dissuade agression.
So yes, what we are seeing is a prelude, which will likely lead, if not dissuaded, to agression against Taiwan at some day in future. What the rest of the world thinks about on that day, is not yet determined. The US and Japan and South Korea have previously made fairly clear what they will think, but recently the US is running headless.