Illustration: Xia Qing/GT

A delegation from the island of Taiwan's legislative authorities recently visited the US, clamoring for the so-called Taiwan-US maritime security cooperation. Wang Ting-yu from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), who was the leader of the delegation, even "proudly" claimed that US officials assured him that "Taiwan is irreplaceable." Taiwan's pro-DPP media quickly hyped this remark, but such self-deceptive narrative cannot hide Washington's strategic exploitation of Taiwan or the DPP's failures on the "foreign policy" front.

Even though they know they're being used, the DPP authorities continue to show gratitude to the US, a clear sign that any kind of "partnership" between the two is fundamentally unequal. The phrase "Taiwan is irreplaceable" is nothing more than a pretext designed to convince the DPP to willingly play its part in the US' Indo-Pacific Strategy as cannon fodder. It's clear that when American politicians call Taiwan "irreplaceable," they don't mean it as a cherished partner, but as a useful pawn. These politicians have exaggerated the "China threat" narrative, approved arms sales to the island of Taiwan and created the risk of war, with the aim of keeping Taiwan in an "undetermined" status forever, neither "independent" nor "reunified with the mainland." Only in this way can Taiwan continue to be a US pawn and provide "strategic value" to it in its efforts to contain China.

It is utter self-deception for the DPP to hail such remarks. By aggressively packaging and hyping the "Taiwan is irreplaceable" narrative, the DPP is trying to project an image of its "growing international recognition" - an illusion completely at odds with reality. Since the DPP came to power, at least 10 countries have severed "official ties" with the island of Taiwan, meaning the DPP's remaining "diplomatic assets" are all but depleted. The DPP refuses to accept one fundamental truth - any diplomatic maneuver that challenges China's sovereignty and territorial integrity under the one-China principle is doomed to fail.

The DPP has turned the so-called diplomatic efforts into a political operation to distract attention from its ruling incompetence and divert social conflicts on the island. The so-called external support is used to strengthen the political legitimacy of "resisting China and protecting Taiwan." It's a reckless and irresponsible path for the island of Taiwan's future. The DPP is seeking "international space" while refusing to show goodwill to the mainland or accept the 1992 Consensus - such political maneuvering against geopolitical realities can only lead to a dead end.

No matter how the DPP tries to whitewash its moves, it cannot hide the fact that Washington sees the island of Taiwan as a chess piece. This kind of hollow, desperate "bravado diplomacy" only makes it easier for people to see through DPP leader Lai Ching-te's move of relying on the US to push for "Taiwan independence."

There is only one China in the world. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. The one-China principle, recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution 2758, is the basic norm in international relations and the broad consensus of the international community. It also represents the trend of the times and the will of the people. Any attempt to seek "external engagements" outside of the framework of the one-China principle will only lead Taiwan down a dead-end road.

The author is director and professor at the Institute of Political Science of Beijing Union University. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn