Beijing’s Wolf Warriors On The Prowl To Defend One-China Policy

President Xi Jinping’s Wolf Warriors are hard at work defending the country’s national interest as China believes that Taiwan, encouraged by deteriorating relations between Beijing and Washington seeks to challenge Beijing’s One-China policy. India, like the rest of the world, has long accepted the One-China policy. Yet, China has always been extra sensitive over Taiwan and lashes out against any attempt to project Taiwan’s democratic and independent status. Under Xi Jinping, China’s diplomats are often seen taking an aggressive stand to defend China's national interests. This new assertive band of diplomats are known as the Wolf Warriors.

In recent months, China has tried to rattle Taipei by constantly sending fighter jets into Taiwan’s air defence zone. The incursions have increased ahead of Taiwan’s national day on October 10. President Tsai Ing-Wen, unlike the previous government is, however, much more assertive about Taiwan’s sovereign democratic status and does not see her country as a part of China.

Beijing has long asserted its One-China policy and the international community too has fallen in line with China’s wishes. Taiwan’s President has warned of catastrophic consequences if the island was to be forcibly taken by China. 

Since China’s ties with the US has become much more fractious since the days of Donald Trump’s presidency, where he and his senior aides called out China on several occasions, Washington has upped the ante on Taiwan. Arms sale and visit by US diplomats took place during Trump’s presidency. Earlier, successive American presidents had not played footsie with Taiwan so as not to offend China. President Joe Biden’s government has also so far followed Trump’s policy on China, realising the rise of an assertive China is a challenge to US power in Asia. Wooing India and supporting the Quad is an attempt by Washington to balance China’s growing clout across Asia.

Wang Xiaojian, the spokesperson of the Chinese embassy in New Delhi warned Indian journalists on Taiwan reportage. He tweeted on Sunday, “Recently, certain media and individuals in India have provided platforms for or supported ‘Taiwan independence’ or advocating ‘two Chinas’ or ‘One China, one Taiwan’, which openly violated One-China Principle. We firmly oppose that. Such attempts are bound to end in vain.’’