SHANGHAI, August 11. /TASS/. Taiwan may become another Ukraine, if the United States does not give up its current policies, the Deputy Director of the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, Yan Anlin, told TASS on Thursday.

"If the current situation, with its war risks, develops in the same direction, then the possibility of an ‘unintentional shot’ in the Taiwan Strait cannot be ruled out. If this is really so, then tomorrow's Taiwan can become today's Ukraine. The Chinese Communist Party and government are constantly promoting a policy of peaceful development of relations between the two shores and a policy of joint development. They follow the path of peaceful unification in accordance with the principle of ‘one country - two systems’ and, unless absolutely necessary, they will not opt for unification through military force," the expert said.

He described the current situation in the Taiwan Strait region as tense. The escalation has lasted for the past few years, and this makes many fear the outbreak of an armed conflict.

"The main reason for this lies in the US strategy and policy, based on the desire to contain China using the Taiwan issue," said Yan. Washington is playing the Taiwan card against the backdrop of China’s rise, which the American side sees as a threat to its hegemony. By challenging China's fundamental interests, the United States seeks to restrain its development, the expert believes.

Yan sees another reason for the current crisis in the policy of Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party since 2016, which has set a course towards the island's independence and the severing of ties with mainland China, as well as a rapprochement with the United States.

"This challenges the 'one China' principle, universally recognized by the international community, and harms the once peaceful and stable relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait," Yan said, also pointing out that the "internationalization of the Taiwan issue" was constantly growing, causing adverse effects on relations between Beijing and Taipei and harming the people of the island.

Taiwan has been governed by its own administration since 1949, when the remnants of the Kuomintang forces under Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) fled to the island after being defeated in the Chinese civil war. Taipei has since retained the flag and some other attributes of the former Republic of China, which had existed on the mainland before the Communists came to power. According Beijing’s official position, supported by most countries, including Russia, it is one of China’s provinces.