After two particularly tense days, the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, ended her short visit to Taiwan and continued on to South Korea. Contrary to previous concerns, China did not divert the plane from its course, did not send fighter jets to accompany it, and did not fire missiles toward the island during the visit. Ostensibly the drama is over and the US has scored an important diplomatic achievement, after not backing down in the face of China's threats. But it is too early to rejoice. The tension surrounding Taiwan is expected to remain for a long time and will also affect Israel.
In the short term, along with extensive cyberattacks and the closure of social media sites on the island, China has imposed a series of sanctions on the import of food from Taiwan and the export of sand to it. In addition, the Chinese army is currently holding a large-scale military exercise in a tight belt around the island. Already at the start of activity, it was reported that Chinese ships penetrated the island's territorial waters and fighter jets penetrated beyond the line of Taiwan's air detection zone. Extensive military activity will likely continue in the coming days, and perhaps include ballistic missile fire, and in any case will gradually erode and redefine the status quo between the parties.
In the long term, Taiwan will continue to pay economic and security prices for an extended period (in the previous round of escalation, the activity lasted nine months). China-US relations, which sustained a severe blow, will suffer from greater mistrust, and worse, China's reluctance to cooperate with the US in a variety of fields. So far, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected the US request to join China in the nuclear disarmament dialogue. In addition, Foreign Minister Wang Yi is not expected to meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting this week.
Despite the geographical distance, Israel is also expected to find itself in a dangerous position, between an important trading partner, China, and its close friend, the United States. As tension in the Taiwan Strait increases, Washington will show increasing intolerance for any ties to with China and will demand that its allies align with it. Israel must be aware of the new situation and adapt its policy with sensitivity and responsibility, in order to preserve its good relations with all parties involved.
After two particularly tense days, the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, ended her short visit to Taiwan and continued on to South Korea. Contrary to previous concerns, China did not divert the plane from its course, did not send fighter jets to accompany it, and did not fire missiles toward the island during the visit. Ostensibly the drama is over and the US has scored an important diplomatic achievement, after not backing down in the face of China's threats. But it is too early to rejoice. The tension surrounding Taiwan is expected to remain for a long time and will also affect Israel.
In the short term, along with extensive cyberattacks and the closure of social media sites on the island, China has imposed a series of sanctions on the import of food from Taiwan and the export of sand to it. In addition, the Chinese army is currently holding a large-scale military exercise in a tight belt around the island. Already at the start of activity, it was reported that Chinese ships penetrated the island's territorial waters and fighter jets penetrated beyond the line of Taiwan's air detection zone. Extensive military activity will likely continue in the coming days, and perhaps include ballistic missile fire, and in any case will gradually erode and redefine the status quo between the parties.
In the long term, Taiwan will continue to pay economic and security prices for an extended period (in the previous round of escalation, the activity lasted nine months). China-US relations, which sustained a severe blow, will suffer from greater mistrust, and worse, China's reluctance to cooperate with the US in a variety of fields. So far, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected the US request to join China in the nuclear disarmament dialogue. In addition, Foreign Minister Wang Yi is not expected to meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting this week.
Despite the geographical distance, Israel is also expected to find itself in a dangerous position, between an important trading partner, China, and its close friend, the United States. As tension in the Taiwan Strait increases, Washington will show increasing intolerance for any ties to with China and will demand that its allies align with it. Israel must be aware of the new situation and adapt its policy with sensitivity and responsibility, in order to preserve its good relations with all parties involved.