Xi’an Redux

Victor Gao (高志凱), a controversial Chinese commentator and vice president of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) think tank, suggested in a July 4 interview with Shanghai’s Guancha (觀察者網) that Taiwan stage a “second Xi’an Incident” — a reference to the 1936 kidnapping of Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek by his own generals with the demand he united with communist forces against the invading Japanese. Gao’s contemporary replay would involve kidnapping Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) in order to expedite “reunification.” Specifically, describing what was clearly a coup scenario, Gao suggested in the interview that someone could “suddenly control Lai” (把賴清德控制住) before inviting Chinese security personnel to land in Taiwan. The remarks quickly drew attention from media in Taiwan, where scholars dismissed them as “indulging in fantasy” (異想天開). They warned, however, that Taiwan must remain alert to potential fifth column activities.