By Neelam Rahim

In discussion with Radio Islam International on this week’s Asia Pacific Report is Senior Research Associate fellow at Institute for Global Dialogue, Senusha Naidoo.

Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan is a significant development in tensions between Washington and Beijing and in the face of the Russian and Ukraine conflict. 

According to Senusha, the whole issue of Taiwan Is linked to the One China policy. Still, it is also linked to the fact that Beijing and Washington have a kind of defective arrangement where Washington recognises Beijing in terms of the One China policy. However, it does not necessarily ventilate it.

She says the trip of Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan has become a more significant geopolitical and international issue for China and Washington. The Chinese also see this as an undermining of the One China policy. This has been a critical question for China in many of its diplomatic relations. 

Regarding the reactions of other Asian countries, Senusha said three things are happening in the region. One is about building alliances so other countries may question where the US has gone in this visit. They may be urging the US to be more tempered because it could deepen these military offences and increase a much more belligerent China in the area.

Senusha further tells Radio Islam that the big challenge for Taiwan is that many economic sanctions will hit them and how much economic trade they deal with in Beijing will hurt the economy. This is because of how many of how much Beijing’s imports or exports from Taiwan.

Meanwhile, the breaking News headlines hitting South China morning post headlines say the Chinese have now kicked off a war game circling Taiwan. 

The Hong Kong and Uighur issue will further challenge China’s diplomacy. 

Senusha said it also challenges China as it has become very aware of its public diplomacy and global poster. More importantly, it has become very nervous about the negative energy and connotations.   

Listen to the Asia Pacific Report on Radio Islam’s podcast below.