EU, US should cooperate
The implicit agenda in France's heavy-lifting for China is to assert that Paris' foreign policy is independent from Washington's, as well as being payback for the perceived slight by the administration of US President George W. Bush on the Iraqi War ("Et tu, Chirac?" Jan. 28, page 1).
The EU would commit a "grave error" by selling arms to China. Such sales violate the EU's own code of conduct on human rights and of not proliferating arms to "areas of conflict." China has 500 missiles aimed at Taiwan, and selling more arms to China will further tip the military balance in its favor.
The US will not welcome the prospect of having American EP-3s intercepted by Chinese pilots flying French Mirages. The US and the EU should work together to defuse this possibility.
Vincent Wang Wei-cheng
Virginia
The blind do not fear guns
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (
Apparently, they are not taking China's missiles seriously enough.
As a Taiwanese saying goes, "Blind people are not afraid of guns." I hope Lien and Soong are not blind. Probably, they will support the defensive referendum only after the first missile hits Taiwan.
Even if China launched its 496 missiles leisurely one after another at an interval of seven minutes per missile, Taiwan would be flattened in less than 58 hours. The referendum and sovereignty would be moot.
Lien and Soong claim that they already know the answers to the two referendum topics proposed by President Chen Shui-bian (
In the last four years, the opposition camp has opposed practically everything for the sake of opposition. The most typical opposition figure is Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
Charles Hong
Columbus, Ohio
As the war in Burma stretches into its 76th year, China continues to play both sides. Beijing backs the junta, which seized power in the 2021 coup, while also funding some of the resistance groups fighting the regime. Some suggest that Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) is hedging his bets, positioning China to side with the victors regardless of the outcome. However, a more accurate explanation is that China is acting pragmatically to safeguard its investments and ensure the steady flow of natural resources and energy for its economy. China’s primary interest is stability and supporting the junta initially seemed like the best
The US election result will significantly impact its foreign policy with global implications. As tensions escalate in the Taiwan Strait and conflicts elsewhere draw attention away from the western Pacific, Taiwan was closely monitoring the election, as many believe that whoever won would confront an increasingly assertive China, especially with speculation over a potential escalation in or around 2027. A second Donald Trump presidency naturally raises questions concerning the future of US policy toward China and Taiwan, with Trump displaying mixed signals as to his position on the cross-strait conflict. US foreign policy would also depend on Trump’s Cabinet and
Numerous expert analyses characterize today’s US presidential election as a risk for Taiwan, given that the two major candidates, US Vice President Kamala Harris and former US president Donald Trump, are perceived to possess divergent foreign policy perspectives. If Harris is elected, many presume that the US would maintain its existing relationship with Taiwan, as established through the American Institute in Taiwan, and would continue to sell Taiwan weapons and equipment to help it defend itself against China. Under the administration of US President Joe Biden, whose political views Harris shares, the US on Oct. 25 authorized arms transfers to Taiwan, another
Navy Commander Admiral Tang Hua (唐華) said in an interview with The Economist that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been implementing an “anaconda strategy” to subdue Taiwan since President William Lai (賴清德) assumed office. The Chinese military is “slowly, but surely” increasing its presence around Taiwan proper, it quoted Tang as saying. “They are ready to blockade Taiwan at any time they want,” he said. “They give you extreme pressure, pressure, pressure. They’re trying to exhaust you.” Beijing’s goal is to “force Taiwan to make mistakes,” Tang said, adding that they could be “excuses” for a blockade. The interview reminds me