Missionary Rob Siirila
Graphic from CNN
If you have been watching the news recently, Taiwan and China have been regularly featured. Taiwan is gearing up for its first direct election of president. China fears that President Lee, who is expected to win, is secretly espousing Taiwan independence. China has said that it will use military force to reunite Taiwan with China, if Taiwan chooses independence. Therefore, China has made some threatening moves, such as large military exercises 100 miles across the Taiwan Straits, to warn Taiwan against independence.
With such uncertainly, the stock market has done very poorly. People's confidence in Taiwan's future has been shaken. A number of people have been emigrating and huge sums of money have flowed off the island.
The big question is: What would China be willing to do to crush the threat of Taiwan independence? A direct attack? Missile attacks? A naval blockade? Or is China simply talking big to frighten Taiwan into submission? This is a high stakes game for leaders on both sides of the straits.
"We may recall crises in the Taiwan Strait threatening U.S. involvement in the late 1950's. In the decades since, peace and stability have prevailed as a result of wise policies on all sides. However, following the visit to the US last summer by Taiwan's president Lee Teng-Hui, tensions have risen with tough political rhetoric in Beijing and a series of military moves by the People's Liberation Army. One Chinese military exercise included the firing for the first time of surface-to-surface missiles into the ocean a hundred miles or so north of Taiwan. These developments have raised serious questions and concerns on the island, in the United States, and in neighboring Asian countries about the stability of the area. Most recently, there has been speculation in the US and foreign press about further military actions by the PRC.
"We are concerned by any rise of tension in the region; we have conveyed this to Beijing. And, we are watching developments closely. However, having examined all of the available evidence, we cannot conclude that there is an imminent military threat to Taiwan. While it is abundantly clear that the PRC wishes its military activities to be noticed in order to influence Taiwan's legislative and presidential elections, they do not in our judgment reflect an intention to take military action against Taiwan. Perhaps more importantly, the Taiwan authorities have reached the same judgment. Though the scale of some of these recent exercises is substantial, the pattern of such exercises in connection with elections in Taiwan is not new; such activities have been observed since 1988. PRC authorities have stated publicly, as well as in diplomatic exchanges, that there is no change in their intention to seek a peaceful resolution of the Taiwan question. We, as always, will continue to monitor closely the situation in the Taiwan strait. But all evidence at our disposal at this time leads to the conclusion that the PRC has no intention to initiate military action."
Taken from an official announcement of the American Institute in Taiwan, the US's unoffical embassy here.
It is a bit unsettling living in a country that is in possible danger of war. Even with all the assurances of the American government, no one is sure what will happen. China's leaders seem to be in a power struggle. None of them can appear to be "soft" toward Taiwan, especially as they court the favor of the army. Although no one seems to want war, a miscalculation on either side could easily result in extremely dangerous conditions.
We ask that you pray for our Lord to control all things, as He most surely does. May he give wisdom to leaders on both sides of the Taiwan straits. May he especially strengthen the faith of our missionaries, their families, and all the Christians on Taiwan. "Our help is in the Name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth."
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February 16, 1996