Recent appointments at several Chinese think tanks on Taiwan studies are part of Beijing’s preparations to possible changes in US policy toward the Asia-Pacific region by US President Donald Trump, analysts said on Friday.
China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations deputy president Yang Mingjie (楊明杰) was appointed director of the Institute of Taiwan Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; and Dai Bingguo (戴秉國), a former Chinese State councilor experienced in foreign affairs, was elected chairman of the National Society of Taiwan Studies.
The appointments are “100 percent related to Trump coming to power,” said Lin Ting-hui (林廷輝), an international relations expert and deputy chief executive officer at the Taiwan’s Prospect Foundation.
He said that people working in Chinese think tanks on Taiwan affairs must be familiar with international relations before they can deal with the situation in the Asia-Pacific region.
Although Trump’s stance regarding relations between Taiwan, the US and China remains unclear, it will certainly be different from that of his predecessor, former US president Barack Obama, Lin said.
Beijing is aware that Taiwan-US ties are governed by the Taiwan Relations Act, which means the US plays a key role in cross-strait relations, he said.
Under these circumstances, Beijing will focus on boosting its efforts toward Washington to deal with its relations with Taiwan, Lin said.
Beijing has long been aware of the correlation between cross-strait ties and international issues, said Tsai Ming-yan (蔡明彥), a professor of international relations at National Chung Hsing University, adding that China’s Taiwan Affairs Office Minister Zhang Zhijun (張志軍) and his predecessor, Wang Yi (王毅), are experienced in foreign policy.
He said that the Trump administration will readjust the US’ foreign policy, which might change the relations between Taiwan, the US and China.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
RSS