SHANGHAI, July 17. /TASS/. The US is using Taiwan as a pawn in its efforts to contain China's development and also making a profit from this, said Chen Shiliang, head of the secretariat at the Taiwan Studies Institute of the East China Normal University.
He was commenting on Donald Trump's statement that Taiwan should pay the US for protection from mainland China.
"To achieve independence, Taiwan is willing to become a pawn in the hands of the United States, which is designed to contain the development of mainland China. Taiwan views the United States as a shield," the analyst said.
He said he believes that the US is pursuing its own self-serving goals regarding Taiwan.
"The United States has only one goal, which is to squeeze money out of Taiwan using various ways and methods of deception," the analyst said.
He said he was referring, among other things, to sales of weapons to the island and such demands as payment for protection.
"Regardless of who is elected US president, the stance toward China will not change. China and the US will live and develop through the process of playing hardball. China and the US are, in fact, largely interdependent, but in order to dominate the world as a hegemon, the US can’t allow a strong China to develop, so it often plays various 'Taiwan cards' to contain mainland China," Chen Shiliang said.
He said the island understands its independence is impossible, so it plays this game according to its capabilities.
Taiwan has been governed by its local administration since 1949 when the Kuomintang’s remaining forces headed by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) were defeated in the Chinese Civil War and took refuge on the island. Taiwan has preserved the flag and several other symbols of the Republic of China that had existed before the Communists took over the mainland. Beijing regards the island as one of its provinces.
The US is formally committed to the One China policy, but regularly provokes China by sending officials to Taiwan and selling weapons to the island.