The cold, war-like battle over Taiwan has the potential to result in another Vietnam-type scenario. This may result in China undergoing a similar fate as the Soviet Union. With the Soviet Union pecked from existence by the succession of numerous provinces, the retention of Taiwanese liberation from China will likely open the door for other successions. The possibility of this happening continues to grow, especially when you couple China?s interest in the re-acquisition of Taiwan with the Bush administration?s pledge to take a hard-line China.

Then add the American citizens? push to see this carried out??thanks to the media?s coverage of the Hainan Island incident, which set the strained relations between the United States and China in public view?the pulling match over Taiwan has begun. Thus, a worldwide focus has shifted to the island of Taiwan, where the fate of the last communist superpower rests.

Since the Chinese government depends upon the re-acquisition of Taiwan to complete its never-ending “revolution,” you can rest assured that they will not budge on the issue. And in the wake of the Hainan Island detainee crisis, the United States government has sent a strong diplomatic message to Beijing by selling an arsenal of defensive weapons to Taiwan. This message, which has given the Taiwanese government an all-out likelihood of retaining their liberation from China, has placed a message of fear and the foreseeable reality that communist mainland China may soon perish.

However, this foreseeable reality may not be the full-hearted intention of the United States government. For though the Taiwanese were also hoping to purchase the high-tech Aegis Air Defense System (which would have most surely secured Taiwan liberation), the Bush administration strategically left the threat of this sale to ensue, thus sending Beijing a belated message not to test the United States.

This message, which would likely receive a quick retaliation if not for China?s deathly fear of war with United States, has empowered the Bush administration to slowly prevail in the fight for the island (and eventual nation) of Taiwan.

With the events set in motion, the only way for the Chinese to circumvent its actions is to return the EP-3 jet to the United States. Taiwan is the first of many cards which the Bush administration can place on the table, and let us not forget: a boycott of the Chinese economy, the prevention of the 2008 Olympics in China, the sale of the Aegis Air Defense system, and finally military confrontation. Thus, the Chinese government must do the thing most countries or people would never do: beg for forgiveness.

Joshua Wood is an undeclared student. He can be reached by e-mail at [email protected].