China Maneuvering Against Taiwan

One of China's ambassadors said the quiet part out loud, and got his leash yanked by Beijing. He was discussing Ukraine, and I think that he made the mistake of using an argument that China has prepared with respect to Taiwan.

"China moved on Monday to limit damage to its relations with Europe, repudiating comments made by Beijing’s ambassador in Paris, who had questioned the sovereignty of post-Soviet nations like Ukraine in a televised interview. ...

"Responding to a question from the French television station, TF1, about whether Crimea was part of Ukraine under international law, he said that Crimea was historically Russian and had been handed over to Ukraine; then he added, 'Even these countries of the former Soviet Union do not have an effective status in international law, since there is no international agreement that would specify their status as sovereign countries'.”

China’s Ambassador Lu Shaye Comments on Ex-Soviet States Drawing Ire - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

China didn't want to jump the gun on this argument, which is one that they would use to challenge any objections to a "Crimea-style" forced annexation of Taiwan. I have no doubt that China's apologists in the U.S. (who are already lukewarm on supporting Ukraine) would go "all in" on this claim that "no international agreements" support Taiwan's claim to govern itself.



Vibrant democracy in action in Taiwan..  smile


dave said:

Vibrant democracy in action in Taiwan.. 
smile

Better a little too vibrant than not vibrant at all.

Hong Kong’s Memory Is Being Erased

"It was just one example of how Hong Kong, a global, tech-savvy city whose protests were once livestreamed around the world, is being transformed. But authorities aren’t merely choking off future protest; they are attempting to rewrite Hong Kong’s history. ...Revisionism — with its ancillary altering or obliteration of memory — is an act of repression. It’s the same playbook China used after violently crushing the 1989 pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijing.

...

"In Hong Kong the silence has set in much more quickly. The gagging of dissenting voices and editing of the past has happened at warp speed, mirroring the blink-and-you-miss-it modern news cycle. This has its own logic; the faster the blanket of silence is thrown over Hong Kong, the less time there is for criticism to take root, and the faster the next phase of transformation — whatever that may be — can be introduced. The cycle of unmaking accelerates."

That's the same "bargain" that the People's Republic of China is offering to the people of Taiwan.


Trump to China: "Be my guest." 


Taiwan "took" US chip business away the same way China "took" the Trump tie business away. 


Here's some new propaganda. It's shamelessly tankie (China "may be the most sovereign country on Earth").


nohero said:

Here's some new propaganda. It's shamelessly tankie (China "may be the most sovereign country on Earth").

On the other hand, Norton is worried about Western sanctions on China and their potential to lead to war, saying, “I truly believe in the possibility of promoting peaceful cooperation, mutually beneficial development.”

The accuracy of Norton’s “may be” claim aside — if mutual ties are a key to peace, doesn’t it follow that any power’s increasing sovereignty could be destabilizing?

Norton has been living in China for only a month, and hopes to be there for years, so he has some time to think that question through.


DaveSchmidt said:

On the other hand, Norton is worried about Western sanctions on China and their potential to lead to war, saying, “I truly believe in the possibility of promoting peaceful cooperation, mutually beneficial development.”

The accuracy of Norton’s “may be” claim aside — if mutual ties are a key to peace, doesn’t it follow that any power’s increasing sovereignty could be destabilizing?

Norton has been living in China for only a month, and hopes to be there for years, so he has some time to think that question through.

I think Ben has made up his mind about things like that. For example, in this comment on a tweet by the President of Taiwan, he says that supporting Taiwan's sovereignty against China's claims is "pro-imperialist".


Aw, he's been in China for 30 days.  That's cute.  


Taiwan elects Lai Ching-te as president. China calls it a dangerous choice. (WaPo)

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan has elected as its president Lai Ching-te, once a scrappy advocate for Taiwanese independence, now a key proponent of the Democratic Progressive Party’s efforts to maintain peace with Beijing while repelling its aggression.

During the closely fought race, Lai promised to work closely with the United States to boost Taiwan’s defenses at a time when trust between Beijing, Taipei and Washington has frayed and when escalating Chinese military harassment is threatening to tumble into outright conflict.

Taiwan’s election had shown the world that “between democracy and authoritarianism, we will stand on the side of democracy,” Lai, who has been vice president since 2020, said in a victory speech Saturday. “I want to thank the Taiwanese people for writing a new chapter in our democracy,” he said.

The PRC can suck eggs.

Now there will be a**holes blaming the people of Taiwan for provoking the PRC into military action.


nohero said:

The PRC can suck eggs.

Now there will be a**holes blaming the people of Taiwan for provoking the PRC into military action.

just like Putin calling on the security council to condemn the USA and UK for their attacks on Yemen…


PVW said:

Taiwan elects Lai Ching-te as president. China calls it a dangerous choice. (WaPo)

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan has elected as its president Lai Ching-te, once a scrappy advocate for Taiwanese independence, now a key proponent of the Democratic Progressive Party’s efforts to maintain peace with Beijing while repelling its aggression.

During the closely fought race, Lai promised to work closely with the United States to boost Taiwan’s defenses at a time when trust between Beijing, Taipei and Washington has frayed and when escalating Chinese military harassment is threatening to tumble into outright conflict.

Taiwan’s election had shown the world that “between democracy and authoritarianism, we will stand on the side of democracy,” Lai, who has been vice president since 2020, said in a victory speech Saturday. “I want to thank the Taiwanese people for writing a new chapter in our democracy,” he said.

Was any choice not going to be "dangerous" according to China?

It seems any kind of democratic elections would be considered dangerous by the PRC.


China has always said Taiwan is part of China.  

China says it after every election in Taiwan.

It's even the official US State Dept position on the situation.


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