Commentary
In Canada, when we speak of threats posed by foreign adversaries, the term FIMI—Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference—usually comes up, with most reference points drawn from the 2019 and 2021 elections. For Taiwan, however, the threats from China are across the board and can appear in virtual and real spaces every day. In a nutshell, they are far more multi-faceted and all-encompassing.
When it comes to the Chinese threat to Taiwan, most Canadians will probably associate it with China’s sabre-rattling and military exercises in the Taiwan Strait. Indeed, the number of increasing naval and air force intrusions into areas near Taiwan has greatly increased in the past few years. Meanwhile we have seen a steady rise of air sorties crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait, aiming to change the status quo and to pose greater threats. These military exercises are launched with such frequency and growing intensity that, according to Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, they are no longer seen as mere exercises but “rehearsals” for a forced unification….