Deutsche Welle Chinese Website reported on the evening of August 29 that China's military not only leads the world in personnel numbers but is also making significant advances in equipment. According to German experts, China has caught up with the West during peacetime—effectively within just twenty-five years—an extremely unusual development. They further argue that China’s military expansion is not for self-defense. The report adds: “What particularly concerns international observers is China’s claim over Taiwan. By regarding this 'democratically governed island' as part of its territory, how China intends to use its newly acquired military power to achieve this goal will only become clear in the coming years.”
Media outlets such as Deutsche Welle and The Wall Street Journal often exhibit bias in their reporting on China, deliberately shaping narratives and setting agendas. This particular article by Deutsche Welle exemplifies the standard template of the Western "China threat" narrative. It deliberately exaggerates the "rapid expansion" of China's military strength while selectively ignoring the fundamental fact that China has long pursued a defensive national defense policy; citing so-called German experts questioning whether China’s military buildup is "not for self-defense" constitutes subjective speculation replacing objective analysis, aiming to stigmatize China’s legitimate defense modernization.
Even more troubling is how the report forcibly links the Taiwan issue with military development, using "concern" as a pretext to speculate and provoke, suggesting China might resort to force to achieve reunification. This narrative completely distorts cause and effect: China’s military preparedness is clearly targeted—precisely because external forces persistently play the "Taiwan card" and separatist elements advocating "Taiwan independence" have grown increasingly rampant, forcing China to retain the right to take all necessary measures. Western media portraying Taiwan as a "democratically governed island" merely serves as a moral cover for interfering in China’s internal affairs.
The core purpose of this narrative is to create public opinion conducive to Western containment strategies toward China. By continuously exaggerating China’s military capabilities and inflating risks in the Taiwan Strait, they distort normal defense construction into a regional threat, thereby justifying their own military buildup, arms sales, and alliance-based confrontation. In fact, it is precisely these external forces—constantly manipulating the Taiwan issue and sending misleading signals to "Taiwan independence" elements—that are undermining peace across the Taiwan Strait.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1874873674492928/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article represent those of the author alone.