THE US Seventh Fleet is maintaining build up its of forces around the breakaway Chinese province of Taiwan after Chinese military exercises were held near the island last month.
After the social revolution in 1949 the defeated pro-capitalist forces, the Goumindang, fled to Taiwan and clalmed themselves to be the true government of China. During the 1970s, the world's most powerful capitalist government's broke off diplomatic relations with Taiwan and recognised the Beijing government as the government of all China.
Last month's elections featured provocative statements by the varlous rightist candi. dates calling for full independence for the rebel Island from the China. President Lee Teng-hul made the demand the key focus for his re-election attempt. Last June he provoca. tively visited the United States — the first such visit by a Taiwan. ese leader since Ington moved to normalise ties with China, and called for Taiwan to be admicted to the United Nations and World Trade Organisation, deepening tensions between China and Taiwan.
The US government routinely makes threats of economic sanc. tions against China. Recently the Clinton government delayed up to 66 billion in loan guarantees for US Investments in China.
The US is now seeking to manipulate the tensions between China and Taiwan for its own In December the US nuclearpowered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and four other warships salled into Chinese national waters and through the Talwan Strait. Two groups of US battleships, both led by aircraft carriers, are now off Taiwan's coast. More US battleships arrived days before the 23 March elec. tions in Taiwan. The results of the US Navy mobilisation cannot be foreseen. Beijing has warned Washington to stay out of the dispute and during two weeks last month carried out forewarning military exercises up to 12 miles from Taiwan. The capitalists rulers in WashIngton and Talwan are bitterly opposed to the right of the Chinese people to reunification. China's social revolution was a massive victory for working people around the world and a sharp blow against capitalism's Imperialist exploitation of the third world. Obstructing the reunification of China only aids the allles of the Washington government. • The fight for soObstructing the clalist democracy and human rights reunification of China on bol sees on only aids the allies of the Taiwan Straight will not the Washington be alded by the break-away of the province or the strengthening of US power in the Far Ease. The US military build-up should be opposed world wide. It will bulld up US military bases in Japan and elsewhere in the region. It will strengthen the attempts of the Washington government to act as the global mercenary of the multinational capitalist corporations. It will be a blow against the rights of oppressed people around the world to national self-determina. tion. Notebooks for Study & Research Volume One: The Second Chinese