Photo: VCG

With two weeks to go until the 2020 Taiwan regional leadership election in January, the Tsai Ing-wen authorities have been continuously accusing the Chinese mainland of trying to meddle with the election. US 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which was signed by US President Donald Trump on December 20, even requests the director of National Intelligence to deliver a report on whether there are any "influence operations conducted by China to interfere in or undermine such election" within "45 days after the date of the election." 

However, it must be pointed out that it is not Beijing, but Washington, that has been constantly interfering in the regional leadership election of Taiwan. 

The Chinese mainland's domestically made aircraft carrier Shandong, which was newly commissioned into the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, sailed through the Taiwan Straits on Thursday. It is a routine exercise and the PLA thus did not announce the operation. Yet Tsai's authorities have wantonly hyped up the move, in an attempt to escalate tensions across the Straits, which is allegedly believed to benefit the pro-independence camp's campaign. US Department of State, at this point, is adding fuel to the fire by asking the Chinese mainland to "abstain from coercion" toward Taiwan. This is Washington's latest move to root for Tsai's campaign. 

The so-called attempt to prevent the Chinese mainland from interfering in Taiwan election itself is a dirty calculative campaign plan, in which the US and the Taiwan island have been echoing each other. It is a known fact that the Chinese mainland and the island of Taiwan are at a stalemate politically and militarily. If the mainland interferes in Taiwan's election, the results will only run contrary to the mainland's desire. This is broadly acknowledged by scholars across the Straits. 

Yet the US strategy toward China has been further clarified since November 2018, with Taiwan, used by the US as leverage to suppress and contain the Chinese mainland, being given an unprecedented spotlight. 

Over the past year, US legislative activities and statements on supporting Tsai's authorities have been rampant. The passing of the Taiwan Travel Act, Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (Taipei) Act and the NDAA have all sent one signal - the island of Taiwan can rest assured when confronting the Chinese mainland, the US will firmly support Taiwan authorities, which is taking a hard-line approach toward the Chinese mainland, and the US will only welcome the Taiwan authorities when they are sticking to the hard-line path. 

After the chaos in Hong Kong, which was triggered by an extradition amendment bill, the US has spared no efforts in supporting the city's radical protesters, thus echoing Tsai's move to take the advantage of Hong Kong affairs and shape the Taiwan public opinion for the upcoming election. 

Washington is eagerly hoping Tsai could win the election. This has been an open secret for long. The US, as an external force with crucial influence on Taiwan election, has not at all maintained neutrality as it has been claiming. 

The cross-Straits relationship has been improving since the 1980s, yet it is now in danger of returning to fierce confrontation. 

To a large extent, the US is the manipulator of the change. However, even if the US can manipulate Taiwan, it can hardly manipulate the entire situation across the Taiwan Straits.