[Correspondent Diary] China Summons Henry Kissinger

8 Years Ago Kissinger's Op-Ed Reflected Taiwan Issue
Kissinger, "Opposes Ukraine NATO Membership, West Should Not Become Russia's Forward Base"

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] On the 25th, the day after Russia invaded Ukraine, China's state-run media Global Times recalled former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Global Times cited Kissinger's article titled "Solving the Ukraine Crisis," which he contributed to the Washington Post on March 5, 2014. That year, Russia forcibly annexed the Crimean Peninsula, drawing condemnation and sanctions from the international community.

In the article, Kissinger expressed his view that Ukraine, as an independent country, should cooperate with the West but avoid hostile relations with Russia.

Kissinger argued, "For Ukraine to survive, it should become a bridge connecting both sides rather than siding with one and becoming a foothold against the other." In other words, Ukraine should not become a Western outpost opposing Russia.

Kissinger wrote that Ukraine and Russia are countries intertwined through history, religion, and ethnic roots, and the Western camp should understand this relationship. He noted that starting from the Battle of Poltava in 1709 (between Russia and Sweden), most of the important battles for Russian freedom took place on Ukrainian territory. He emphasized that Ukraine had been part of Russia for centuries and, from Russia's perspective, Ukraine could never be considered a foreign country.

He then proposed four solutions to the Ukraine-Russia issue: ▲ Ukraine has the right to freely choose its political and economic relations (including with Europe) ▲ Ukraine should not join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ▲ Ukrainian leaders should pursue domestic reconciliation policies among regions and adopt an international stance similar to Finland's ▲ Russia's annexation of Crimea violates the existing world order, so Russia must recognize Ukraine's sovereignty over Crimea.

At first glance, Global Times' article appears to present the causes and solutions for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

However, underlying this is the Taiwan issue. First, China and Taiwan share the same language, ethnicity, and history. Although there was a civil war (the Chinese Civil War), Taiwan is not a foreign country. The Western camp, including the United States, is supporting Taiwan with weapons and encouraging independence. From China's perspective, U.S. support for Taiwan's independence is a pressure tactic to contain China.

If the subject of Kissinger's article from eight years ago were changed to China and Taiwan, the current situation would be almost identical to Ukraine's. This is why Global Times brought up Kissinger's article. It is also a warning to Taiwan and the United States.

If Russian President Vladimir Putin had feared sanctions from the United States, the European Union (EU), and other Western countries, he would not have invaded Ukraine. Concerns are growing that China may also take action when the time comes.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.