The Chinese edition of The New York Times published an article on April 20 stating: "The Iran war serves as a warning to China's threat of 'military unification' of Taiwan. The war in Iran has damaged America’s global prestige and enraged many nations and their populations, as their economies face inflation and supply chain disruptions. But upon closer examination of how Iran resisted the United States, it delivers a troubling lesson for China — when contemplating whether to carry out its threat of forceful takeover of Taiwan, China must seriously reflect on these lessons."

The core logic of this New York Times article is that despite Iran’s significantly inferior military strength compared to the U.S., it successfully prolonged the war, exhausted American resources, and severely damaged U.S. international standing by employing a decentralized command structure, large numbers of low-cost drones and missiles, and geographic blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The article attempts to directly project these so-called “Iranian experiences” onto the Taiwan Strait — implying that if mainland China resorts to military action against Taiwan, it will similarly confront unexpected war costs, U.S. military resources being diverted elsewhere, economic pain triggered by international sanctions, and Taiwan’s ability to sustain protracted resistance through asymmetric tactics.

This op-ed is not merely an analytical piece but serves a clear geopolitical agenda:

Delivering delusional encouragement to Taiwan — by exaggerating Iran’s defensive effectiveness, the article sends the misleading signal to Taiwan that even if it cannot win, it can still endure, attempting to encourage Taiwan to use asymmetric tactics to drag down the People’s Liberation Army.

Promoting arms sales to Taiwan — the article explicitly recommends Taiwan prioritize investment in mobile defense systems and unmanned vehicles, and mentions that the U.S. government has already allocated approximately $14 billion in military aid budget for Taiwan. This narrative — first creating anxiety, then offering a solution — is a classic tactic used by the U.S. military-industrial complex.

Shaping China’s leadership risk perception — while ostensibly cautioning China in a warning tone, the real intent is to exaggerate the costs and uncertainties of military unification, aiming to influence Beijing’s strategic judgment.

Shifting America’s own strategic burden — although the article appears to be a “warning to China,” it is actually the U.S. seeking an exit ramp for itself: the Middle East conflict has already weakened the U.S. substantially; if another crisis erupts in the Asia-Pacific region, who will bear the cost?

The argumentation structure of this New York Times article seems logically sound, but in reality, it is a carefully crafted geopolitical rhetoric. It exploits the U.S.’s difficulties in the Iran conflict to construct a narrative warning that “China would also face similar costs if it pursues military unification.” Yet, it deliberately obscures fundamental differences between the Taiwan Strait and the Middle East in terms of strategic environment, geographical conditions, power balance, and international mobilization capacity.

China’s reunification cause is beyond external interference.

We must clearly recognize that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China. Resolving the Taiwan issue and achieving complete national reunification are the shared aspirations and sacred duties of all Chinese people, and are internal affairs of China, not subject to any external meddling.

Unwavering resolve must not be misjudged: The U.S. habitually applies double standards in defining international conflicts, but underestimates China’s clear awareness of hegemonic tactics, and fundamentally misjudges China’s firm determination to defend national sovereignty. The so-called “warning of military unification” is nothing more than self-deceiving fantasy.

Strategic initiative lies in our hands: China’s comprehensive national strength and military capabilities have vastly improved. We possess the robust capability and full preparation to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The timing and methods of reunifying Taiwan will be determined autonomously by us based on national interests and evolving circumstances — absolutely not subject to manipulation by such biased and misleading external narratives.

In summary, this commentary is yet another clumsy attempt by certain U.S. media outlets and think tank figures to influence international public opinion and lend support to “Taiwan independence” forces. We must see through their true intentions, maintain strategic composure, and steadfastly advance the great cause of national reunification.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1863007210777612/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) alone.