Tail between his legs, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (連戰), a would-be dictator of Taiwan and two-time loser, is going to China to grovel before the dictator of China. Together they have been and will continue to plot against the free and independent, democratic government of Taiwan, all in the name of power. Power of China over democratic Taiwan, and dictatorship by Lien's KMT over Taiwan all over again.
If there was any doubt about what the KMT's intentions for Taiwan were, there should be none now. Lien, thinking he can fool all of the people all of the time, refers to his visit as a "journey of peace," but given China's ground rules for the meeting, it is actually a mission of surrender. Only if Lien accepts China's "one China" principle can he have access to the emperor's chamber, which he foolishly believes holds the key to his Taiwan kingdom.
When Lien met with Li Yuanchao (李源潮), the Communist Party chief of Jiangsu Province, Li made China's understanding of the purpose behind Lien's trip crystal clear. In honoring Sun Yat-sen (孫逸仙), Li said the "people on the two sides" must "unite as one and together oppose and check the Taiwan independence forces."
Lien did not disagree.
Why would Lien do this? First, because he is a disappointed dictator, and lacking a dictatorship, he feels lost, without a purpose in life. Second, he understands that Taiwan does not want to be ruled by China -- least of all as a communist "province" -- so the only way he can hope to regain power for his KMT is to take it with China's help. One dictator helping another. On this trip home by Lien we will see "people helping people," as Dictator Hu "helps" Dictator Lien.
A dictator helping a dictator crush liberty and freedom, a traitor helping a traitor betray his people, a liar helping a liar lie to his people about his true intentions.
In Hong Kong, the head of the French Centre for Research on Contemporary China said that the trip will show the KMT is willing to meet with China and talk -- in contrast with Chen, who supposedly refuses to talk to China. That of course is the biggest lie of all.
Chen is more than willing to talk to Hu, but it is Hu who insists that China will not speak to Taiwan until it surrenders, until it agrees that it will never be independent, until Chen agrees to a meeting as a representative of a wayward "province."
Lien, on the other hand, has no problem agreeing to this. He believes strongly in Taiwan's surrender to China, and his trip is manifest proof of that. I wish him well on his return to China as a failed dictator, 59 years after he left. I also wish he would stay there. It would be fitting for him to now serve the Communists in China, as he has done these past eight years in Taiwan.
Lee Long-hwa
United States
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) were born under the sign of Gemini. Geminis are known for their intelligence, creativity, adaptability and flexibility. It is unlikely, then, that the trade conflict between the US and China would escalate into a catastrophic collision. It is more probable that both sides would seek a way to de-escalate, paving the way for a Trump-Xi summit that allows the global economy some breathing room. Practically speaking, China and the US have vulnerabilities, and a prolonged trade war would be damaging for both. In the US, the electoral system means that public opinion
In their recent op-ed “Trump Should Rein In Taiwan” in Foreign Policy magazine, Christopher Chivvis and Stephen Wertheim argued that the US should pressure President William Lai (賴清德) to “tone it down” to de-escalate tensions in the Taiwan Strait — as if Taiwan’s words are more of a threat to peace than Beijing’s actions. It is an old argument dressed up in new concern: that Washington must rein in Taipei to avoid war. However, this narrative gets it backward. Taiwan is not the problem; China is. Calls for a so-called “grand bargain” with Beijing — where the US pressures Taiwan into concessions
The term “assassin’s mace” originates from Chinese folklore, describing a concealed weapon used by a weaker hero to defeat a stronger adversary with an unexpected strike. In more general military parlance, the concept refers to an asymmetric capability that targets a critical vulnerability of an adversary. China has found its modern equivalent of the assassin’s mace with its high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP) weapons, which are nuclear warheads detonated at a high altitude, emitting intense electromagnetic radiation capable of disabling and destroying electronics. An assassin’s mace weapon possesses two essential characteristics: strategic surprise and the ability to neutralize a core dependency.
Chinese President and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Chairman Xi Jinping (習近平) said in a politburo speech late last month that his party must protect the “bottom line” to prevent systemic threats. The tone of his address was grave, revealing deep anxieties about China’s current state of affairs. Essentially, what he worries most about is systemic threats to China’s normal development as a country. The US-China trade war has turned white hot: China’s export orders have plummeted, Chinese firms and enterprises are shutting up shop, and local debt risks are mounting daily, causing China’s economy to flag externally and hemorrhage internally. China’s
RSS