Evening star., 1954-12-29
All Bark and No Bite?

States and reaffirning Red China's deter
nination to 4liberate' FormoSa, Premier
Chou En-Iai has done little more than re-
peat what he has said several times before.
However, In doing so, he has displayed
enough persistency and enough bellicosity
to suggest that the Peiping regime, with the
Kremlin's blessing, may really be planning
to launch an armed assault In an effort to
seize the Chinese Nationalist stronghold
from Generalissimo Chang Kai-shek.
On its face, of course, the possibility OF
such an attack seems to be very remote
right now for two reasons above all. The
first Of these is that the powerful United
States 7th Fleet is in the area in combat
ready status and under firm orders to strike
back with full force against any attempt
to invade Formosa or the outlying Pesca-
dores. And the second reason is this: That
our country has formally committed itself
in the mutual security treaty signed with
Chiang's government few weeks ago-to
take whatever other military action may be
necessary, in the event Of Communist
assault, to help the Chinese Nationalists
hold on to the islands.
AS Secretary of State Dulles has ex
planned it, this commitments purely de-
fensive undertaking designed to deter ag-
gression-means that if Peiping tries an
invasion, American forces will join Chiang's
in counteraction of a sort that could include
heavy blows against the mainland of Red
China. Such blows, according to Mr. Dulles,
would not necessarily be atomic, nor would
they automatically result in general warfare,
but unquestionably the worst kind Of po-
tentialities would be inherent in them. Ac-
cordingly, since there is reason to believe
that the Chinese Communists do not want
to take on the risk of all-out hostilitieS at
this time, and since they apparently still lack
the great amount Of shipping and naval-air
strength that would be needed to challenge
the 7th Fleet with an amphibiouS attack
across 100 miles of dangerous sea, their
threat to "liberate" Formosa seems to be a
rather empty mixture of bluff, bluster and
braggadocio
Yet, with all that said, the fact remains
that within recent months the Peiping Reds
have been going out of their way, with in
creasing frequency and mounting stridency,
not only to demand the withdrawal of
American political and military support
from Chang, but also to vow before the
Chinese people and the entire world that
nothing will defect them from their liberia
ton" course. Is this just propaganda on
their part-a bark that they cannot imple
ment with bite? Or could it possibly mean
that they are preparing-wi a promise
of full support from the Soviet Union-to
attempt to do what they have repeatedly
threatened?
Considering the role of "face" in Asia,
and the Importance attached to it by the
Chinese Communists, there is at least little
ground for cautious hesitancy before dis
missing their run1blings as mere sound and
fury signifying nothing. Conceivably, es-
pecially if they have the idea that the
United States is blufing, they may actually
decide one of these days to strike out against
Formosa. Hence, remote as it may appear
to be at the moment, this is a possibility
that our country-in view of It's commit
ment to the islands defense-would be
prudent to reckon with at all times.