Cross-Straits ties haven't reached a crisis point

Tensions and security risks may be rising across the Taiwan-Straits, but the situation cannot be called a crisis. Since taking office in 2016, the island's leader Tsai Ing-wen has refused to acknowledge the 1992 Consensus that there is only one China and, instead, pursued the "Taiwan independence" line, which has deteriorated cross-Straits relations.

In order to use the worsening Sino-US relationship last year to her advantage, Tsai tried to join forces with Washington against Beijing and seek advanced weapons and security protection from the US administration, further straining cross-Straits ties.

Over the past two years, the US Congress has approved or discussed a number of Taiwan-related moves, including exchange of senior officials' visits, and proposals to hold joint "military drills" and normalization of arms sales to the island. These moves have raised serious questions on the United States' pledge to honor the one-China principle.