Huwei Chifa Matsu Temple

China-backed tabloid Global Times urges warplane flights over Taiwan

In the wake of China''s warplane incursion last Sunday, the Beijing-backed tabloid Global Times has unleashed a series of belligerent pieces against Taiwan. It has carried statements criticizing Washington and President Tsai Ing-wen for, quote breaking the status quo. It is also urging the Chinese government to threaten drastic retaliation against Taiwan, such as testing missiles across the strait or even assassinating its president. President Tsai visited a base Thursday to commend airmen for their bravery. She also announced that Taiwan was on course to produce its first indigenous submarine in 2025. These developments in Taiwan''s military are proving an irritant to Beijing.Chinese state media Global Times has let loose a barrage of jingoistic pieces. It''s urged Beijing to continue its encircling maneuvers around Taiwan and to send military aircraft directly over Taiwan. It''s also called for restarting missile tests like the ones from 1995 to 1996, to intimidate Taiwan at select moments.Immediately following Sunday''s warplane intrusion, Chinese state media has sharply escalated the rhetoric in its missives. It''s said that if Taiwan continues to tear away from China, Beijing should release news of a potential attack, such as a presidential assassination.Wong Ming-hsienInternational affairs professorTo an extent, the reason this is appearing in Global Times may be due to its new editor-in-chief. He has to know the intentions of his superiors. He has to observe what his superiors are thinking and produce actions like this. It could be that China''s central government is quietly waiting to see how Taiwan responds and what the U.S. attitude will be, before it decides how to proceed.As the provocation escalates and tensions becoming increasingly likely to ignite, it''s a delicate dance ahead that Taiwan will have to face with caution.