At a press conference at the APEC meeting in Shanghai last month, China's Minister of Foreign Affairs Tang Jiaxuan (
The DPP and President Chen Shui-bian
In his criticism of Tang, Qian said: "At international meetings, we can show a bit more flexibility. You could have let him [Lin] speak, after which you could have added your remarks. The initiative would have remained in our hands." I hear that Qian's tone of voice wasn't particularly stern, but that he had a severe look on his face.
People in the know point out that an unyielding and belligerent attitude, and a lack of refined and courteous behavior, are common traits among Chinese diplomats, and certainly not the exclusive preserve of Tang. Most of the China's diplomats have a background in the Cultural Revolution, some having served among the Red Guards.
Wu Jianmin (
Some international friends of China have actually told its Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the country's diplomats don't behave diplomatically. Old habits die hard, don't they?
Wu Suli is a columnist for the Hong Kong-based Open Magazine.
Translated by Perry Svensson
With each passing day, the threat of a People’s Republic of China (PRC) assault on Taiwan grows. Whatever one’s view about the history, there is essentially no question that a PRC conquest of Taiwan would mark the end of the autonomy and freedom enjoyed by the island’s 23 million people. Simply put, the PRC threat to Taiwan is genuinely existential for a free, democratic and autonomous Taiwan. Yet one might not know it from looking at Taiwan. For an island facing a threat so acute, lethal and imminent, Taiwan is showing an alarming lack of urgency in dramatically strengthening its defenses.
Every day since Oct. 7 last year, the world has watched an unprecedented wave of violence rain down on Israel and the occupied Palestinian Territories — more than 200 days of constant suffering and death in Gaza with just a seven-day pause. Many of us in the American expatriate community in Taiwan have been watching this tragedy unfold in horror. We know we are implicated with every US-made “dumb” bomb dropped on a civilian target and by the diplomatic cover our government gives to the Israeli government, which has only gotten more extreme with such impunity. Meantime, multicultural coalitions of US
The people of Taiwan recently received confirmation of the strength of American support for their security. Of four foreign aid bills that Congress passed and President Biden signed in April, the bill legislating additional support for Taiwan garnered the most votes. Three hundred eighty-five members of the House of Representatives voted to provide foreign military financing to Taiwan versus only 34 against. More members of Congress voted to support Taiwan than Ukraine, Israel, or banning TikTok. There was scant debate over whether the United States should provide greater support for Taiwan. It was understood and broadly accepted that doing so
I still remember the first time I heard about the possibility of an invasion by China. I was six years old. I thought war was coming and hid in my bed, scared. After 18 years, the invasion news tastes like a sandwich I eat every morning. As a Gen Z Taiwanese student who has witnessed China’s harassment for more than 20 years, I want to share my opinion on China. Every generation goes through different events. I have seen not only the norms of China’s constant presence, but also the Sunflower movement, wars and people fighting over peace or equality,