World war three?

Amid the ongoing Russo-Ukraine war, Taiwan seems to have become another major hotspot for global conflict. Tensions between the leading world powers, the US and China, began to rise in 2016 when President Trump called the then Taiwanese president, which China regarded as a divergence from the US’ stated policy of ambiguity. The recent visit of a high-level American delegation led by the Speaker of the United States House of Representiatives Nancy Pelosi antagonized China which regarded it as interference in its internal affairs. Unless sanity prevails, it seems that the world is heading towards another major global crisis between the two leading economies. The ongoing war in Ukraine has dealt a severe blow to the worldwide economy, resulting in an economic recession, with the developing countries suffering the most. Should another war break out, the consequences would be far more devastating, pushing millions of people around the globe below the poverty line.

Our region has still not recovered from the catastrophic impacts of the war in Afghanistan. The two leading powers must show restraint before the fragile world order completely deteriorates and polarizes the world community. The world needs unity to tackle pressing issues such as climate change, terrorism, and poverty. The US must adhere to its policy of strategic ambiguity as any divergence from it will invite China’s retaliation.

Asad Aziz

Khushab