China warns Taiwan that US withdrawal from Afghanistan is a lesson that the US “won’t help” if war breaks out and Taiwan will “collapse in hours”

Back in April, Taiwan told the world that 25 Chinese Air Force warplanes breached its airspace and defense zone in just a day. The incursion into Taiwan’s airspace took place months before the United States decided to pull out of Afghanistan.

Seeing the U.S. as an empire in decline both economically and militarily, China made the largest ever breach of Taiwan’s airspace further. According to China News Daily, citing a Taipei-based think tank, Chinese air force warplanes made a record 380 incursions into Taiwan’s airspace in 2020 for a total of 91 days from January to November 2020.

Fast forward four months later, China is confirming what everyone has been talking about–the potential invasion of Taiwan by the Chinese military. Last week, the Chinese’s state-run Global Times newspaper warned Taiwan that the US “abandonment” of Afghan allies should be a lesson, as the disputed island would be left to fend for itself and “collapse in hours” in a war with China.

Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leaders must keep a “sober head” and advocates for secession from China should “wake up from their dreams,” the English-language newspaper said on Monday.

In its editorial titled “Afghan abandonment a lesson for Taiwan’s DPP,” Global Times wrote: “The US troops’ withdrawal from Afghanistan has led to the rapid demise of the Kabul government. The world has witnessed how the US evacuated its diplomats by helicopter while Taliban soldiers crowded into the presidential palace in Kabul. This has dealt a heavy blow to the credibility and reliability of the US.”

The paper continued: “From what happened in Afghanistan, they should perceive that once a war breaks out in the Straits, the island’s defense will collapse in hours, and the US military won’t come to help. As a result, the DPP authorities will quickly surrender, while some high-level officials may flee by plane.”

“Taiwan is the region that relies on the protection of the U.S. the most in Asia, and the island’s Democratic Progressive Party [DPP] authorities have made Taiwan go further and further down this abnormal path,” the paper added.

Also in a post on Twitter, Global Times said:

“From what happened in Afghanistan, those in Taiwan should perceive that once a war breaks out in the Straits, the island’s defense will collapse in hours and US military won’t come to help. As a result, the DPP will quickly surrender.”

#环球时报Editorial: From what happened in Afghanistan, those in Taiwan should perceive that once a war breaks out in the Straits, the island’s defense will collapse in hours and US military won’t come to help. As a result, the DPP will quickly surrender. https://t.co/ZUrZmcsSWf pic.twitter.com/wFG4vrHbTo

— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) August 16, 2021