Why was a US submarine in the South China Sea?
A US nuclear submarine hit an "unknown" object while it was patrolling near the Chinese coast. Why does the US have a presence there?
US officials announced that a US submarine collided with an unidentified object underwater, causing injuries to its crew. The late announcement, as the crash happened October 2, comes amid renewed tensions in the region. The Chinese government has flown regular sorties over the island in recent days, which it sees as a breakaway province, testing the US commitment to defending its Indo-Pacific ally.
The US has called on the Chinese to stop their posturing, but you may have questions why the US government cares so much about such a small island next to China.
Psaki expresses US concern over China's military flight activity over Taiwan: "We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic and economic pressure and coercion against Taiwan & we have an abiding interest in peace & stability across the Taiwan strait." https://t.co/IsGT1AMGRW pic.twitter.com/3oWklbkOWS
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 4, 2021
Why is the US that near to China anyway?
The US has defensive commitments to Taiwan, China's neighbor or province, depending on your politics. This dates back to the Second World War when the Taiwanese government ruled China. At the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949 the Kuomintang, China's government, fled to the island of Taiwan.
Despite being much smaller than its new communist brother, Taiwan kept its permanent seat at the UN until the 1970s when most of the world accepted the People's Republic of China (PRC) as the sole representative of China. Despite this, the US has maintained a military presence on the island. A treaty in 1955 affirmed the US defense of Taiwan.
The PRC has never controlled Taiwan militarily due to the protection offered by the US. The US sells billions of dollars to Taiwan each year to defend the island from Chinese encroachment. The Chinese regularly test Taiwanese resolve by conducting military tests nearby and flying military aircraft into Taiwanese airspace.
We believe that the Taiwanese people should decide #Taiwan's future. Taiwan stands united in our commitment to the values of democracy & freedom. And we will do whatever it takes to defend our values & our way of life.
— 蔡英文 Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) October 5, 2021
My article in @ForeignAffairs: https://t.co/6XxOblPB1D
US designates China as its new enemy
Hawks, meaning pro-war American lawmakers, have designated China as its target for the 21st century. As undisputed global hegemon, with the threat of a rising power coming to meet it, the US has deemed China an existential threat. This is compounded by China's socialist government, a political ideology loathed by the US political class and much of its populace.
Taiwanese Foreign Minister warns his country is preparing for war with China, asks Australia for helphttps://t.co/EZFjMki05a
— ELIJAH (@ElijahSchaffer) October 4, 2021
Conservative media regularly runs stories on how Taiwan is preparing for a Chinese invasion at any moment, usually accompanied by a new sale of American weapons to the island. Whether China invades or not, the US is really the only power that can do something to prevent an attack.