If democratic Taiwan fell to the communist Chinese regime, there would be “catastrophic“ consequences for regional peace and democracy, President Tsai Ing-wen warned amid a dramatic escalation in tensions across the Taiwan Strait. “Taiwan is on the frontlines of the global contest between liberal democracy and authoritarianism,” Tsai wrote in an essay for Foreign Affairs published on Oct. 5. Her comments come a day after a record number of China planes entered its air defense zone. On Oct. 4, the Ministry of National Defense spotted 56 Chinese air force planes, pushing the total to 148 in four straight days. The stepped-up incursion by Chinese aircraft began on Oct. 1, the anniversary to mark the Chinese Communist Party’s rule. The communist regime claims Taiwan as its province and has vowed to take it by force if necessary. However, democratic Taiwan, a de facto independent country, has its own military, democratically-elected government, …