Will Asia go the way of Ukraine in Europe? - EDITORIAL

Europe considers itself to be among ‘the most civilized nations in the world’. Yet, here we are in the 21st century witnessing death and destruction of an unimaginable scale emerging from Ukraine, in the heart of Europe. 

Millions of desperate Ukrainians are fleeing bombardment of their cities, seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. According to the UN, at least 12 million people have fled their homes. While over five million have left for neighbouring countries, around seven million others are thought to be internally displaced. Ukraine itself is being levelled as the Ukraine-Russia war escalates.

What is bad is that the self-styled democracies in the Europe and in the US, (both self-styled human rights protectors), instead of attempting to bring the conflict to a peaceful end, are egging Ukraine’s government to continue to wage the battle. 

Both the US and Ukraine’s European backers in NATO have made it quite clear though, that they will not be putting boots on the ground. Rather they continue to send limited quantities of sophisticated armaments which are now being battle-tested in Ukraine. 

Those who are dying in large numbers are Ukrainians (over 28,521 according to Wikipedia). The damage to buildings and infrastructure being destroyed are Ukrainian. Ukraine’s defence ministry estimated the war had damaged at least 140,000 residential buildings.

Statistica.com reported, ‘by far in absolute terms, the largest supporter of Ukraine, as of August 3, was the United States, with a total of €44.5 billion made up of €25 billion in military aid, €9 billion humanitarian aid and €10 billion in financial aid’ (just €7 billion less than Sri Lanka’s total foreign debt!).  

What is important to keep in mind at this stage is, the US while providing small amounts of military hardware to Ukraine and egging its leaders on to battle Russia, is totally free of battle-scars from the war itself. US personnel are not being killed nor are its cities in danger of damage from a fallout of the Ukraine-Russia war.

Yet, even as this editorial is being penned, geo-political tensions are rising in Asia, where the US is indulging in China-baiting over the island of Taiwan - an island off China not recognized as an independent state. 
Just yesterday, two US warships passed through the Taiwan Strait terming it a reaffirmation of ‘freedom of navigation through international waters’. China views such actions as provocative and maintains that the island of Taiwan is an integral part of Chinese territory. 

Coming in the aftermath of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the island, there is a serious risk of tensions spilling into open hostilities over Taiwan.
According to recent media reports, the Japanese government is considering positioning 1,000 ballistic missiles aimed at China - a move that would mark a major escalation in tensions between Tokyo and Beijing. Japan has also begun taking sides in the Taiwan dispute raising the ire of China.

Since the US Speaker’s visit to Taiwan, tensions between the US, Taiwan and China are increasingly heightened and could lead to an outbreak of hostilities in the region. The US would look to the QUAD grouping to support it. With both India and Japan being part of the grouping, hostilities will take toll on them.  
All three countries India, China and Japan have had and an especially close relationship with us and have been at different time benefactors to our country. 

For Sri Lanka, such a scenario would be disastrous. 
Again as in Europe, a war over Taiwan would see Asian countries and Asian economic power houses destroyed. The US and its NATO allies will be happy to supply arms for the destruction of Asia. While they themselves will remain unharmed.

It is beginning to look as though a new form of neo-colonism has taken shape.
We are witnessing in the Ukraine-Russia conflict, the attempted destruction of economic competition in Europe. Asian giants such as India, China and Japan must rise above pure national interests to ensure they do not fall victim to the same ruse.