[Teeth53]

However, since the news of Pelosi’s potential visit to Taiwan was made known two weeks ago, China’s foreign ministry has issued five stern warnings, emphasising that it was “fully prepared for any eventuality”. Its defence ministry also warned that the People’s Liberation Army would not “sit idly by”.　

"... the current situation is not as tense as the three previous Taiwan Strait crises, and the biggest difference is Taiwan’s weakening role." — Lu Yeh-Chung, professor from the Department of Diplomacy at Taiwan’s National Chengchi University

The Chinese and US militaries have not been explicit about the actions that they would take, both sides are taking a hard line amid an escalating situation. Given the heightened risk of a military conflict in the Taiwan Strait, MIT political science professor Taylor Fravel has warned of a “Fourth Taiwan Strait crisis” if the situation does not let up.

Taiwan’s diminishing role
However, Lu Yeh-Chung, a professor from the Department of Diplomacy at Taiwan’s National Chengchi University, told Zaobao that the current situation is not as tense as the three previous Taiwan Strait crises, and the biggest difference is Taiwan’s weakening role.

Lu said that the 1954-1955 and 1958 Taiwan Strait crises were clearly the extension of the civil war between the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party, and were military conflicts between both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Meanwhile, the US played a critical role in the 1995-1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis, which was triggered by then Taiwan president Lee Teng-hui’s visit to the US