Commentary
The Chinese Communist Party’s desire to invade Taiwan is no secret.
Since its invasion of China, Tibet, and Xinjiang in 1949 and 1950, the CCP has been attempting to bring Taiwan under its control. Taiwan, however, managed to maintain its freedom by democratizing in 1987 and forming strong partnerships with countries like the United States and Japan. After failed attempts to invade Taiwan in the 1950s, Beijing began planning for a future invasion, taking into account potential economic retaliation from the United States and its allies.
To achieve this goal, the CCP is working towards reducing its reliance on the U.S. dollar for international trade, building a powerful navy to protect shipping routes, and securing energy independence by transitioning to domestic energy sources like wind, solar, hydro, nuclear, and hydrocarbon stockpiles. While supporters often highlight China’s renewable energy successes, these efforts are primarily aimed at ensuring energy independence, as evidenced by China’s simultaneous investment in nuclear plants and fossil fuel stockpiles.
Historically, energy embargoes have been effective tools in conflicts, as seen in the cases of Germany in 1939 and Japan in 1941. Both countries, heavily reliant on foreign oil, faced significant challenges when energy supplies were cut off. China is now seeking to avoid a similar scenario by tapping into the energy resources of the South China Sea, estimated to hold trillions of dollars worth of oil and gas. Additionally, China is ramping up its oil stockpiles, expanding its military capabilities, and engaging in international barter trade agreements.
China’s quest for energy independence includes the development of thousands of dams for hydropower, wind turbines, solar farms, and nuclear power plants. The country is also leading the global electric vehicle revolution, reducing its dependence on foreign oil and establishing itself as a major player in electric battery production.
By setting ambitious emission reduction goals and diversifying its energy sources, China aims to achieve peak emissions before 2030, aligning with a potential invasion timeline for Taiwan in 2027.
While China has received praise for its clean energy initiatives, the underlying motivation appears to be achieving energy independence to support its strategic goals, including a possible Taiwan invasion. This focus on energy security may drive China’s involvement in partner wars and necessitate a defense buildup by the United States and its allies, leading to environmental consequences such as increased air pollution and resource exploitation.
It is evident that the CCP’s priorities lie in energy independence rather than environmental conservation, with historical and current actions reflecting a disregard for environmental concerns in pursuit of strategic objectives.
Therefore, it is essential to critically assess China’s environmental contributions and recognize the regime’s primary focus on energy security for potentially contentious reasons.
Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
