China expands influence as it warns nations of ‘broken heads’ if they intervene

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China will be the challenge of our generation: Morgan Ortagus

Former State Dept. spokesperson Morgan Ortagus breaks down China's growing aggression toward the West.

The Chinese communist regime is moving aggressively to expand its influence abroad, while issuing unveiled threats to other countries that might think of trying to stop it – as the U.S. is trying to rally allies to push back against the regime's expansionist efforts.

"The Chinese people will absolutely not allow any foreign force to bully, oppress or enslave us and anyone who attempts to do so will face broken heads and bloodshed in front of the iron Great Wall of the 1.4 billion Chinese people," President Xi Jinping said this week as he marked the 100 year anniversary of the party’s founding.

Xi has overseen a regime that has cemented power at home and has been cracking down on dissent and other groups that the regime sees as undesirable, while pushing its influence abroad.

China has been accused of engaging in systematic human rights abuses, including forced sterilizations and forced labor in "re-education camps", of Uighur Muslims in the Xinjiang province. The human rights abuses have provoked international outcry and sanctions on officials by the U.S. government.

"The United States and our G7 partners remain deeply concerned by the use of all forms of forced labor in global supply chains, including state-sponsored forced labor of vulnerable groups and minorities and supply chains of the agricultural, solar, and garment sectors — the main supply chains of concern in Xinjiang," a G-7 statement said last month.

Hong Kong

China essentially abandoned what was left of the "one country, two systems" 1997 agreement for Hong Kong last year when it passed a national security law and immediately began snuffing out the territory’s already-limited freedoms and pro-democracy movement.

Recently, marking the anniversary of the Chinese crackdown, police sealed off a park where pro-democracy rallies have been held since the handover by the British. Large-scale demos have been banned and pro-democracy activists and journalists have been arrested.

Xi, however, is still claiming that his regime is upholding the "one country, two systems" framework. As Western outlets contrasted his remarks with the actions on the ground in crushing dissent in Hong Kong, Chinese state media jumped to his defense.

"‘One country, two systems’ is never something that will turn Hong Kong into an independent or semi-independent place; Just the contrary; it is a security line that protects Hong Kong and its 7.47 million people from the evil hands of foreign-backed political forces and secessionists," an article in China Daily said.

Taiwan

China has been ramping up pressure on Taiwan, which the regime claims is part of China but has seen fierce resistance to that claim by the Taiwanese and Washington

Taiwan and China separated amid a civil war in 1949 and China says it is determined to bring the island under its control by force if necessary. The U.S. switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979, but is legally required to ensure Taiwan can defend itself and the self-governing democratic island enjoys strong bipartisan support in Washington.

With the election of President Tsai Ing-wen in 2016, China’s moves have become more aggressive -- with military planes regularly flying into its air defense identification zone (ADIZ).

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The increased aggression has raised the prospect of a war in the region, but that alongside objections from the international community appears not to have deterred the Communist regime. The State Department under both the Trump and Biden administration's has loosened restrictions on U.S. delegations to the territory – leading to trips that have angered Beijing.

"There is zero room for compromise and not an inch to give," Chinese spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters in April "We urge the U.S. side to grasp the situation, earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, refrain from playing with fire, immediately stop official contact with Taiwan in any form."