Taiwan stands alone
We can all take delight in seeing the pro-China forces becoming so worried about the recent developments as to spread such negative fatalistic pessimism as thinking that decades of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) rule has pushed Taiwan so much into China’s orbit that there is no way out.
Garbage like this from the KMT is to be expected but it overlooks Taiwan’s inherent assets and strengths particularly after a new pro-Taiwan and pro-active government is in power to shape Taiwan’s future. Notorious among others is Taiwan’s all-important strategic position right in the middle of the first island chain like an unsinkable carrier to anchor the safety and security of East Asia.
That is why China is going to extra lengths to claim and insist, albeit without any legal basis, that Taiwan, whose international status is still undetermined, is a part of China and would resort to force to take it if necessary.
Taiwan’s full-fledged democratic government is a proud and rare showcase of its soft power which will buttress its people’s will to defend themselves — something difficult for the Chinese oligarch to fathom but an asset that is truthfully Taiwan’s No. 1 weapon, not just as a source of its internal solidarity, but also worthy of the free world to come and help out.
Is it that difficult also for Westerners to understand that freedom-loving people of Taiwan would rather die than live under despicable autocratic one-party rule?
Can they not understand it is not what China says or does based strictly on lies or threats that is so important to prevent the whole world lapsing into endless chaos and danger?
The key leverage here is Taiwan’s current and potential geopolitical contributions that are too numerous to mention.
It is up to policymakers in the rest of the world to carefully and thoroughly take them all into consideration in accordance with their own national interests to search for a permanent solution so that the free world will no longer be subject to the harassment, intimidation and blackmail of the Evil One that is also the proverbial bully that just will not let innocent Taiwanese, arguably non-consanguineous to any one single nationality or race, go.
Paul Ding
Redondo Beach, California
Recently, China launched another diplomatic offensive against Taiwan, improperly linking its “one China principle” with UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to constrain Taiwan’s diplomatic space. After Taiwan’s presidential election on Jan. 13, China persuaded Nauru to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Nauru cited Resolution 2758 in its declaration of the diplomatic break. Subsequently, during the WHO Executive Board meeting that month, Beijing rallied countries including Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Egypt, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Laos, Russia, Syria and Pakistan to reiterate the “one China principle” in their statements, and assert that “Resolution 2758 has settled the status of Taiwan” to hinder Taiwan’s
Can US dialogue and cooperation with the communist dictatorship in Beijing help avert a Taiwan Strait crisis? Or is US President Joe Biden playing into Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) hands? With America preoccupied with the wars in Europe and the Middle East, Biden is seeking better relations with Xi’s regime. The goal is to responsibly manage US-China competition and prevent unintended conflict, thereby hoping to create greater space for the two countries to work together in areas where their interests align. The existing wars have already stretched US military resources thin, and the last thing Biden wants is yet another war.
As Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu’s party won by a landslide in Sunday’s parliamentary election, it is a good time to take another look at recent developments in the Maldivian foreign policy. While Muizzu has been promoting his “Maldives First” policy, the agenda seems to have lost sight of a number of factors. Contemporary Maldivian policy serves as a stark illustration of how a blend of missteps in public posturing, populist agendas and inattentive leadership can lead to diplomatic setbacks and damage a country’s long-term foreign policy priorities. Over the past few months, Maldivian foreign policy has entangled itself in playing
A group of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers led by the party’s legislative caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (?) are to visit Beijing for four days this week, but some have questioned the timing and purpose of the visit, which demonstrates the KMT caucus’ increasing arrogance. Fu on Wednesday last week confirmed that following an invitation by Beijing, he would lead a group of lawmakers to China from Thursday to Sunday to discuss tourism and agricultural exports, but he refused to say whether they would meet with Chinese officials. That the visit is taking place during the legislative session and in the aftermath