The live-fire exercises in the Taiwan Straits and the flights around Taiwan conducted by the PLA to specifically target Taiwan independence forces in recent days have shocked the island. Still some separatists attempted to embolden themselves by hyping their US support.

It was reported by Taiwan media on Wednesday that a pair of US B-52 bombers flew within 250 kilometers of Guangdong Province’s coastline in South China. Taiwanese media outlets hyped the flight route as indicating the bombers could have been involved in a mock attack of launching cruise missiles that could reach the mainland.

However, both the Pentagon and US media made no mention of the flight by press time. The Taiwan independence forces had better abandon their dream that the US can protect them. Military competition between the mainland and the US in the West Pacific is not all about Taiwan. The only way for Taiwan separatists to preserve their safety is to mind their words and deeds.

The defense ministry announced Thursday that the Dongfeng-26 ballistic missile has been commissioned into the PLA Rocket Force. The new medium- and long-range ballistic missile will serve for both nuclear and conventional precision strikes, against targets on land and in the sea. It’s a new weapon to strengthen PLA deterrence. The Taiwan independence forces should carefully study the strategic impact of this missile on the Taiwan Straits situation.

The mounting military pressure against Taiwan independence forces is a response to the escalation of their separatist activities. The Democratic Progressive Party is keen to woo the US to get more involved in the Taiwan question. As a result, the PLA will build up its preparations for military conflicts.

The Taiwan question will not easily become a military showdown. But the activity of the Taiwan independence forces will intensify military wrestling, lead to military confrontation and disputes, even a crisis. Taiwan will finally find that with the mainland and the US turning Taiwan into a focus of their competition, the island will slip into a powder barrel.

Mainland military aircraft will fly closer and closer to Taiwan and in the end fly above the island. If the Taiwan authorities openly promote the “Taiwan independence” policy and cut off all official contacts with the mainland, the mainland will deem Taiwan a hostile regime and has endless means to deal with it.

The US cannot prevent the mainland exerting military pressure on Taiwan. If Taiwanese society is willing to support Taiwan independence forces at any cost, they can take the plunge. But the Taiwan authorities should assess whether the Taiwanese public is willing to pay the price.

The mainland’s flights and live-fire exercises are a clear warning to Taiwan independence forces. It’s unknown whether the two B-52 bombers really flew close to the mainland. Even if they did, two B-52 bombers are far from enough to deter the mainland. But the actions taken by the PLA have changed many people’s expectations on how the Taiwan question will be solved. This is just a start.