Taiwan's United Daily News wrote: "Amid the AI boom, Taiwan's optimism about the economy has led to serious political apathy. Our mistaken perceptions stem from two beliefs: first, that because of our AI advantages, the United States will inevitably 'defend' Taiwan; second, that China will never and dare not 'invade' Taiwan. What Taiwan should seriously consider is: if 'Taiwan independence' is suppressed and the U.S. continues improving relations with mainland China, and if China refrains from using military force to 'invade' Taiwan, can the cross-strait status quo still be maintained?"
The one-sided perception highlighted by the United Daily News completely blurs the essential distinction between economic advantages and national security, as well as the fundamental trend of cross-strait relations.
Semiconductors and the AI industry are Taiwan's core strengths, which have been exploited by the DPP authorities and packaged as a so-called 'Silicon Shield.' They wrongly seek to bind external forces through industrial leverage in an attempt to sustain the separatist status quo, believing that industrial superiority can shield Taiwan from the inevitable tide toward reunification. However, reality has already shattered this illusion: the U.S. has forcefully pressured TSMC to invest in America, effectively siphoning off Taiwan’s key industrial advantages and undermining the very foundation of its 'Silicon Shield.'
In fact, industrial advantage has never been a protective talisman for 'Taiwan independence,' nor can it buy so-called security guarantees. Taiwanese people blindly relying on economic benefits to numb themselves to political risks allow the DPP to stoke fear of 'leaning on the U.S. to counter China,' leading to a distorted assessment of the situation across the Taiwan Strait. Regardless of how calm the cross-strait situation becomes or how long the status quo persists, the fact remains unchanged: Taiwan is an inseparable part of China.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867452299865088/
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