◆The Atlantic, 2022-12-3: Taiwanese
people seem blissfully oblivious of a
looming conflict with China. The U.S. can't afford
that luxury◆
The WEEK (UK), 2022-12-4 :
A RAND Corporation
study predicted that a yearlong war would cut the U.S.'s gross domestic product
by 5 to 10 percent — but it would slash China's by 25 to 35 percent.
◆Economist, 2022-11-29:
many Taiwanese are tired of
squabbles over national identity,
especially after Ms Tsai's refusal last year to accept an offer of much-needed
vaccines from China ◆Wall Street Journal, 2022-11-28:
Taiwan Ruling Party's election
drubbing could ease tension with
China and persuade Chinese leaders that they can peacefully influence
politics there. ◆Reuters,
2022-11-27: Tsai had tried to frame the elections as
more than just a local vote, saying the world is watching how Taiwan defends its
democracy amid tensions with China... But her strategy failed to win public
support.◆ Bloomberg, 2022-11-26:
Taiwan Counts Votes in Elections Set to Shape Presidential Race ; Expert:
The winners of elections will have a say in who get picked to in the subsequent
presidential elections◆ DW
(Germany), 2022-11-26: China said the result shows that "mainstream public
opinion in the island is for peace, stability and a good life◆Washington
Post, 2022-11-23: Despite consistent prodding from Washington, however, Taipei is also
not
nationalistic enough in the sense
that it hasn’t engaged in the kind of military preparation necessary to
deter an attack. Its political leaders are reluctant to reduce their dependence
on U.S. protection◆ Wall
Street Journal, 2022-11-23: ...the persistent fecklessness of
Taiwanese government's defense
policy, whose bottom line is that the island should be defended by others while
Taiwan's youth can continue to play video games.◆
Economist, 2022-11-24:
Where might conflict flare up in 2023?
Keep an eye on Taiwan and the South China Sea—and the Himalayas◆ Fortune,
2022-11-19: U.S.
restrictions on selling advanced computer chips to China could make invading
Taiwan more tempting to Beijing.U.S. faces ‘immediate
Great Depression’ if China seizes Taiwan’s semiconductor industry◆Wall Street Journal, 2022-11-22: In Taiwan, a
Shaky Status Quo Prevails; The people here have little
desire either to yield to Beijing or to provoke a war◆ Economist, 2022-11-18: Will Taiwan be the
Ukraine of Asia?The
status quo is breaking down, making war more likely◆CNN's
meanwhile in China,
2022-11-14:
For
Beijing, no red line is starker or more crucial than its claim over Taiwan...The
Chinese believe the US goal is to keep China down so we can contain it. And the
US believes China's goal is to make the world safer
for authoritarian states, push the US out of Asia and weaken its alliance system◆
full text
"Taiwan's
midterms"
♣
CNN, 2022-11-27:
Taiwan's President billed midterms as
all about China. The
pro-independence DPP's losses come as a heavy blow for Tsai as she had tried
to frame the election – as a way to send a message against
Beijing's rising bellicosity toward the island.
edition.cnn.com/2022/11/27/asia/taiwan-election-analysis-intl-hnk/index.html
♣
Reuters, 2022-11-27:
Tsai had tried to frame the elections as more than just a local vote,
saying the world is watching how Taiwan defends its democracy amid
tensions with China... But her strategy failed to win public support.
Taiwan democracy ♣ DPP-friendly
mass media FTV (民視, 2022-11-28, 2022-11-27;
ftvnews.com.tw/video/detail/h0489vFQzf4, youtube.com/watch?v=2Nn4iEsCHGA,
etc )
analyzed that one main factor causing DPP drubbed
in local vote is
war fears growing.Reuters, 2022-11-27:
" Taiwan president
strategy 'resist China and defend Taiwan'
backfires".
♣ WSWS.org,
2022-12-1: Taiwan currently has the
second-highest CovID-19 deaths per
million.
While
economic and social issues were major factors in the election, the
result also reflects real fears about Taiwan being transformed into a US
pawn for a war with Chinawsws.org/no/articles/2022/12/01/bqmc-d01.html
◆CNN,
2022-11-13: Biden's
repeated statements on the American obligation to defend Taiwan in the event of
a Chinese invasion have done little to lower the temperature.◆Washington Post,
2022-11-13: Congress seeks to
arm Taiwan quicklybefore the bullets start
flying
Economist,
2022-11-10: International attention is always
welcomein Taiwan's quest
for global recognition◆ NY
Times, briefing, 2022-11-11: Taiwan is the top issue.Biden
has taken a bolder stance on Taiwan than previous U.S. presidents.◆ Washington Examiner,
2022-11-11:
commander of U.S. Strategic Command:
This
Ukraine crisis is just the warmup, the
Taiwan war may be the next world war◆ Washington Post,
2022-11-10: Beijing might also resort to force
to stem what it sees ... a growing Taiwan-centric
identity — as well as deepening U.S.-Taiwan security ties◆DW
(Germany), 2022-11-8: Beijing denies having
an accelerated timeline on Taiwan "reunification"◆Washington
Times, 2022-11-8: It
would take at least a decade to design and build new types of ships and aircraft
to counter China's threats... US
Forces in the Indo-Pacific may not be able to defend Taiwan successfully
today ◆
Newsweek, 2022-11-8: Beijing's forces have "a lot of work to do" before
attempting what would be one of the most difficult military campaigns in modern
history◆National
Interest, 2022-11-4: Washington shouldmediate
a political solution between Moscow and Kyiv and
refocus its global efforts on deterring Beijing from invading Taiwan ◆
USNI, 2022-11-7: Pentagon official: China will increase pressure on Taiwan in
next two years rather than invade ◆ The
Atlantic, 2022-11-7: Because Taiwan is an island, it will be difficult to
resupply in the event of hostilities; Taiwan needs support now◆ Fox News,
2022-11-4: If China
conquers Taiwan, it would be huge blow to US national security, economy◆
FoxNews, Reuters, Hill,Vice, 2022-10-31:
US to Put Nuclear-Capable B52s in Australia as Taiwan
Invasion Fears Grow◆
Fortune,
2022-10-30:
China's Xi Jinping now has
'unlimited power' and could use Taiwan as a
distraction from 'internal problems'◆
CNN, 2022-10-27:
A hot war in Asia remains unlikely in the
foreseeable future
◆
Washington Post, 2022-10-28:
Taiwan, missiles and spying set to be
China’s priorities under new Xi term◆
WarOnTheRocks, 2022-10-28:U.S. support for Ukraine and other
dynamics have led some to
question if the current administration is truly prioritizing Taiwan◆
SCMP, 2022-10-30:
Tsai administration accused of
stalling decision due to
plan's unpopularity with young voters;
Better training needed if Taiwan extends mandatory military service, experts say◆US News, 2022-10-27:
Russia's
Sechin SaysU.S. attempts
to create its own complex microchip industry showed that "Taiwan's return to its
native harbour" was "on schedule"◆
The Guardian, 2022-10-25: Xi Jinping's
party purge prompts fears of greater Taiwan invasion risk◆Voice
of America, 2022-10-22:
Analysts say even
though Beijing doesn’t want to go to war to reunify the two sides, it may feel
forced to do so if the current trend of U.S.-Taiwan relations continues◆New
York Times, 2022-10-20: The longer, written version of
Xi's speech also stated that China has strengthened its “strategic
initiative for China’s complete reunification,” suggesting greater
urgency for its future plans◆Newsweek,
2022-10-21: Beijing has
responded to the U.S. Navy's warning of a potential Chinese attack on Taiwan as
soon as this year by cautioning Washington against any intervention on the
sensitive geopolitical issue◆
Daily Express, 2022-10-21: the 'Weakness'
of US could 'encourage' China's efforts to blockade
Taiwan; Experts urged the US to stand firm against
Beijing◆
The Diplomat, 2022-10-21:
recent polling has indicated
over 50 percent of Americans support coming to Taiwan’s defense if an invasion
were to occur
◆
BBC, 2022-10-18: China is pursuing unification with
Taiwan "on a much faster timeline" than previously expected,
Blinken says, Beijing had decided the status quo was no longer acceptable ◆New
York Times, 2022-10-19: the Chinese leader is unlikely to seek
military conflict, either to divert attention from domestic challenges or to act
before China's power peaks.◆
CNBC, 2022-10-18: Political watchers say the speech showed that Xi is not
be keen to take Taiwan by force◆
Reuters,2022-10-17:
Analysis-Xi's new generals face
tough military challenges post-congress; the
conundrum for the PLA is the lack of operational
experience◆New
York Times,2022-10-16: On Taiwan, Xi Jinping (at CCP
Congress) warns against international
'interference'......China is
still exerting what Xi also uses in the speech — 'strategic patience’◆
full text
◆
VOA,2022-10-16:
Despite Tough Words, Japan Might
Not Enter a Taiwan War◆
USNI news, 2022-10-18: China is looking to speed up its timeline
for taking control of Taiwan to 2027◆
NPR, 2022-10-18: there's evidence to suggest that from China's point of
view, what they really want is control, not that kind of symbolic unification◆Washington Post, 2022-10-16: Xi: the party had
already created a “new choice” for humanity with its unique path to
modernization — a nod to China's emergence as an
alternative to Western democracies.◆
The SUN (UK),2022-10-16:
an authority on China's military, recently warned the
country is convinced it needs to hit America "hard and early " in a surprise Pearl
Harbor-style attack to invade Taiwan.◆TIME,
2022-10-11:
Defending far-off Taiwan ...is about defending
Americans' security, liberties, and prosperity ◆Washington
Post, 2022-10-12: Xi's looming third term in China raises threat of war over Taiwan...“Before, leaders talked about
unification as something to be achieved in the long run. Now, it's
number one on the agenda.”◆Wall
Street Journal, 2022-10-10: Mr. Xi may be disinclined to wait, given the risk of
a more assertive president in Taipei in May 2024 or Washington in January 2025.
Beijing's recent rhetoric has been consistent with
this hypothesis ◆ Economist, 2022-10-10: In Washington, there is talk of intelligence that
the pla has
been told to be in a position
to take Taiwan by 2027...The liberal political order is at stake ◆ CBS News,2022-10-9:
while much of the world thought an
invasion might be imminent, polls showed that a majority of Taiwanese think that
is unlikely any time soon, if ever..."This
is not a matter of if they will invade, it's a matter of when they will invade" ◆NY
Times, 2022-10-5: the U.S. was intensifying efforts to build a giant stockpile of weapons in Taiwan, turning it into a “porcupine” bristling with armaments to discourage aggression from mainland
China◆Forbes, 2022-10-3:
Defense Secretary Austin: Chinese Invasion Of Taiwan Not
'Imminent';
“What we do see is China moving to
establish what we would call a new normal".◆ CBS News,2022-9-18:
Biden tells <60 Minutes>
U.S. forces, U.S. men and women would defend Taiwan, but White House says
this is not official U.S. policy ◆
Wall Street Journal,2022-9-19:
China Is Capable of Blockading
Taiwan, U.S. Navy Commander
Says◆ The
Global and Mail (Canada), 2022-9-10:Taiwan's long-term survival prospects
are much worse than Ukraine's...it would probably take Taiwan five years of defence spending at 5 per
cent of GDP, ... a return to several years of
conscription and large active reserves in the Israeli model◆NY
Times,2022-9-10: Drones
started buzzing the islands off Taiwan-the
latest front in China's mounting campaign of
intimidation and psychological warfare◆
New York
Times, 2022-9-9: The
"silicon shield"...If
it is clear that China will be better off with a steady flow of chips from
Taiwan, peace is likely to prevail◆NY Times, 2022-9-4:
Washington is increasingly wary
that an emboldened China might invade Taiwan in the coming years.◆
abc
news, 2022-9-5:
Taiwan's weaknesses on that front, chiefly in two areas: its reserves and
civilian defense force.◆ NY Times, 2022-8-25:
China could try to impose a blockade
to force the island into concessions or as a precursor to wider military action◆ NY Times, 2022-8-21:
critics argued the tensions over
Taiwan showed that Washington
needed stronger military and economic strategies.◆ SCMP,
2022-8-21: PLA adopts nuclear deterrence to stop foreign intervention on Taiwan:
analysts◆
full text
No guarantee
that
U.S. military
will hold the same view as Biden
to defend Taiwan
♣
Foreign
Policy, Politico, 2022-10-2:
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin declined to directly endorse
President Joe Biden’s statement that the U.S. military would
defend Taiwan
politico.com/news/2022/10/02/lloyd-austin-china-taiwan-biden-00059922
♣The Hill, 2022-10-3: US defense chief sidesteps
questions on Biden’s pledge to defend Taiwan
news.yahoo.com/us-defense-chief-sidesteps-questions-200504858.html
♣
VICE, 2022-9-28:
no guarantee that the next U.S.
president will hold the same view as Biden, given the lack of a
formal commitment by the U.S. military to intervene in the event of an
attack by the PLAvice.com/en/article/m7gp7v/taiwan-defense-china-invasion-conscripts
◆ SCMP, 2022-8-23: Beijing's sorties across the median line responded to Taiwan's
"diplomatic salami"; Taiwan was also inching away from the status quo with its history textbooks
for schoolchildren downplaying a China-centric view of history on the island◆NY Times, 2022-8-11: Taiwan, which has struggled with accidents and
morale in the face of such a would-be foe as China. By many accounts, Taiwan's
forces are poorly equipped and understaffed◆
Economist, 2022-8-10: Ms Pelosi's visit has
allowed Beijing to move to a new level of military activity
unchallenged, which will make it harder for America to defend
Taiwan.◆
New York Times, 2022-8-7:After China's
Military Spectacle, Options Narrow for Winning Over Taiwan◆
full text
CBS, 2022-9-18: Biden :
"U.S. forces, U.S. men and women
would defend Taiwan"
The Guardian,
2022-9-21
the president's
remarks are provocative to Beijing without providing security to Taiwan
or the US, Biden is conveying anxiety
rather than confidence
...
theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/sep/21/biden-taiwan-comments-china-war-independence
DW
(Germany), 2022-9-19
scholars: "it
can lead to very different results than what Biden might be thinking he has the
capacity to do,"," US "strategic ambiguity is
becoming more strategic and less ambiguous."
dw.com/en/biden-us-forces-would-defend-taiwan-if-china-invades/a-63166248
Le Monde (France), 2022-9-19
Alors que l’occupant de la Maison Blanche a tenu des propos forts sur le
dossier taïwanais dimanche soir, la Chine a dénoncé « une grave
violation de [son] engagement important à ne pas soutenir l’indépendance
de Taïwan .
lemonde.fr/international/article/2022/09/19/joe-biden-affirme-que-les-etats-unis-defendraient-taiwan-en-cas-d-invasion-chinoise_6142183_3210.html
Japan
Times (Japan), 2022-9-20
Cornell
prof. called Biden's
remarks “dangerous",
this
new combo (a pledge to send troops + decisions about independence are
Taiwan’s) suggests an unconditional commitment, U.S. is issuing Taiwan a
blank check
japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/09/20/asia-pacific/politics-diplomacy-asia-pacific/biden-taiwan-remarks-uncertainty/
Bloomberg, 2022-9-20
“Such comments will do more to feed Beijing's
sense of urgency than they will bolster deterrence”
Taiwan's
leaders could move closer to independence — U.S. allies like Japan or
South Korea will almost certainly be made more uneasy...
risks pulling them into a war
msn.com/en-us/news/world/biden-s-vow-to-defend-taiwan-makes-us-policy-shift-explicit/ar-AA123qxX
France
24 (France), 2022-9-19
most explicit statement so far on the issue,
something sure to anger Beijing.。Biden's
Asia policy czar, Kurt Campbell, has in the past rejected any move to
"strategic clarity" over Taiwan, saying there were "significant
downsides" to such an approach”msn.com/en-gb/news/world/biden-says-us-forces-would-defend-taiwan-if-china-invades/ar-AA11YIsO
Daily
Express (UK), 2022-9-19
Bonnie Glaser:
"
if Mr Biden makes such pledges he needs
the "capability" to back them up,
If President Biden plans to defend Taiwan, then he should
make sure the U.S. military has the capability to do so",
“"Rhetorical support
that isn't backed up by real capabilities is unlikely to strengthen
deterrence"
express.co.uk/news/world/1671100/Joe-Biden-Taiwan-China-Xi-Jinping-CBS-Nancy-Pelosi-White-House-ont
Bloomberg
(US), 2022-9-19
Expert Bonnie Glaser:
“China has long assumed that the US would intervene to defend
Taiwan, so these statements don’t change PLA plans”,Prof. Lev Nachman:
“The
worry is that this will exacerbate Taiwan's current high-tension moment
rather than reduce it.。”
Bloomberg msn.com/en-us/news/world/biden-says-us-would-defend-taiwan-from-unprecedented-attack/ar-AA11Yf55
Chicago Tribune,
2022-9-23
At what cost to US national
interests?if China needs to be confronted militarily (and that's
unlikely), Taiwan is precisely the wrong place to try to do that chicagotribune.com/opinion/commentary/ct-opinion-taiwan-china-biden-tensions-20220922-tjd6rxcmozgunew3djsycoodsa-story.html
Modern Diplomacy.eu, 2022-2-25
Under the Budapest Memorandum, the US and UK promised to ensure
Ukraine's security, geographical integrity and sovereignty, but, the
world has seen that both the US and UK have not fulfilled their promise.
moderndiplomacy.eu/2022/02/25/ukraine-is-betrayed-by-the-us-and-uk/
Washington Post (US), 2022-9-19
Biden’s most hawkish comments on Taiwan yet / The
implications for that are huge. This is still in the realm of the
hypothetical, but it’s a majorly consequential hypothetical that now
includes a firm commitment — whether that firm commitment is technically
official policy or notwashingtonpost.com/politics/2022/09/19/biden-taiwan-china-defense/
Global Times (CHN) , 2022-9-19
his most explicit answer so far on the question, which analysts believe
suggested a shifting process in Washington's decades-long "strategic
ambiguity" policy ...not
only his personal views, but also those in his White House team and
various political forces on Capitol Hill. China clearly knows that
the US is trying to erode its "one-China policy." If the US moves
further toward such "strategic clarity" that is entirely targeted
against the Chinese mainland and supports Taiwan's pro-independence
behaviors, we will certainly have diplomatic, military and economic
countermeasures for them, Xin said.
globaltimes.cn/page/202209/1275600.shtml
The Conversation
(Australia),
2022-9-20
so does this support mean economic
aid, supply of weapons or U.S. boots on the ground? China and Taiwan are
left guessing if – and to what extent – the U.S. will be involved in any
China-Taiwan conflict.
news.yahoo.com/biden-again-indicates-us-defend-181440760.html
CNN
(US), 2022-9-20
looks like the US has moved from ambiguity to deterrence...
Biden's remarks don't necessarily equate to how he would behave
in a real crisis.
edition.cnn.com/2022/09/19/world/joe-biden-taiwan-answer-analysis/index.html
Washington Examiner (US),
2022-9-20
wrong to commit to Taiwan's defense unambiguously,
two
key concerns here.
(1) Taiwan's defense spending remains ludicrously low in
face of the existential threat it faces.
(2)
It's one thing to tell a pollster that you're willing to fight
and die for your country. It's a different thing to take
painstaking steps to prepare for that eventuality. And the hard
truth is that far too few Taiwanese are currently taking those
steps
msn.com/en-us/news/world/the-two-problems-with-bidens-taiwan-defense-pledge/ar-AA120KGw
Politico,
2022-9-19
The big question is, what are the costs we're really willing to
pay?” Stanford's Skylar Mastro said.
politico.com/news/2022/09/19/biden-leaves-no-doubt-strategic-ambiguity-toward-taiwan-is-dead-00057658
Washington Post, 2022-9-19
Yet presidential pronouncements alone can only deter China so
much... Congress should provide Mr. Biden and his successors
with a stronger set of legislative instructions
washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/09/19/biden-china-taiwan-60-minutes/
Can "silicon shield" protect
Taiwan?
TIME, 2022-10-5
Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen recently
argued in Foreign Affairs that the
island's chip industry is a “‘silicon
shield’ that allows Taiwan to protect itself and others from aggressive
attempts by authoritarian regimes to disrupt global supply chains.” That's a
highly optimistic way of looking at the situation. time.com/6219318/tsmc-taiwan-the-center-of-the-world/
New York Times,
2022-9-9
Taiwanis
protected by something far more subtle —The
"silicon shield"...If
it is clear that China will be better off with a steady flow of chips from
Taiwan, peace is likely to prevail
New York Times,
2022-8-29
Analysts debate how much
protection China's reliance on Taiwan gives
it. Some argue that calculations over
supply chains are insignificant in a decision over war.
National
Interest,
2022-5-15
Taiwan's
“silicon shield”—the name for a strategy that entrusts the island's
defense to both Chinese and American reliance on its semiconductors—is
an outmoded concept that burdens the United States, emboldens Taiwan,
and fails to deter China
VOA News,
2021-5-10
Song Hong, assistant general director at the
Institute of World Economics and Politics under the Chinese Academy of
Social Sciences shrugged off the
geopolitical implications of Taiwan’s silicon shield, saying that China
views Taiwanese issues as domestic affairs and will not be deterred from
its goals by U.S. action
AIT (US), 2021-5-22
Taiwan should not regard TSMC as a
guaranteed security blanket.
Fox News,
2022-8-26
Why would the U.S.
fight China over Taiwan,
Trade is the key reason and the aforementioned importance of semiconductor
production is the glue
The
Atlantic, 2022-10-3
The U.S. Has a Microchip Problem.
A Chinese
attack on the island would imperil the world’s supply of
semiconductor components.Safeguarding Taiwan Is the Solution.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2022/10/taiwan-microchip-supply-chain-china/671615/
New
York Times,
2022-1-25
75
percent of production takes place in East Asia.Ninety percent of the most advanced chips are made in
Taiwan...China
could use economic coercion, cyberoperations and hybrid tactics to try to
seize or harm Taiwan's semiconductor industry — Biden
promised he would work to bring production of semiconductor chips back to the
United States.
nytimes.com/2022/01/26/us/politics/computer-chip-shortage-taiwan.html
CBS
News, 2022-9-25
Blinken said. "[Which is] one of the reasons we're now investing
so heavily in our own capacity to produce semiconductors here in the United
States. We designed them, but the actual production is done in a handful
of places, and Taiwan produces most of
them… The effects that that would have on the global economy would be
devastating."
Taiwan dominates
the global production of computer chips /
◆
BBC, 2022-1-12,
source: The Military Balnce, IISS 2021
◆Reuters,
2022-8-7:The ability to enforce a
blockade would give Beijing leverage to bring Taiwan to the negotiating table
;A former Chinese defence official
:"Seeing
how the U.S. and its allies responded to the drills, how confident can Taiwan
leaders be in counting on them to come to the rescue should the PLA attack?"◆New York Times, 2022-8-2:
China is preparing a hostile response of some sort...This
is an exceptionally dangerous situation, perhaps more so than Ukraine
◆CNN,2022-7-29:
Pelosi's possible visit
potentially triggers the worst cross-strait crisis in decades
... the escalating tension barely made
headline news in Taiwan this week.Taiwan has made few comments
about the situation.
◆NY Times, 2022-7-28: The United States and China are
on a collision course in the Taiwan Strait.Chinamay
soon be capable of seizing democratically
ruled Taiwan — even in a fight with the United States.◆NY Times, 2022-7-25:
Chinese leaders might try
to move against the self-governing island over the next year and a half —
perhaps by trying to cut off access to all or part of the Taiwan Strait
◆ CNN,2022-7-25: Under Xi, a rising wave of nationalism has swept
China, and support for "reuniting" with Taiwan — possibly by force — is
running high ◆ Washington Post, 2022-7-23:
Many Asian leaders have voiced fears that Russia’s
effort to take over Ukraine could embolden China to move aggressively into
Taiwan◆ le Monde (France), 2022-7-21:
China
appears determined on using force in Taiwan◆
DW (Germany),2022-7-22: Japan defense report warnsRussia's invasion of Ukraine could encourage
China to act against Taiwan◆
for full text,
cyber-link
Taiwan proposes large rise in defense spending
specifically to acquire new fighter jets and other projects to
boost naval and air capabilities
Taiwan vs. US
Taiwan VS. US's "porcupine" weapons
The
US disagrees Taiwan's
requests for big-ticket weapons
◆
Financial Times, 2022-8-19:
Intensified
military pressure from China has reinforced Taiwan's
desire to acquire large weapons platforms such as warships and
fighters...widens
gulf on procurement policy between Taipei and its main arms
supplier
ft.com/content/0d492ad7-9346-4c9e-b186-834c6fc75e85
◆ Economist,
2022-5-10:These flashier purchases are politically
popular... Some of Taiwan’s political and military
leaders believe it is more important to counter such “grey zone”
attacks than to prepare for an invasion. A full-scale assault
has long been hypothetical, after all, while incursions have
increased every year ◆WEEK
(UK), 2022-5-12:
Taiwan
plans to
“throw a thousand tanks at the beachhead” in the event of a
Chinese invasion that could result in “brutal tank battles”
◆United
Daily (Taiwan), 2022-5-19
: Can the
guerrillas of Stinger missiles and Javelin missiles really block
the Russian main force in Ukraine?
◆United
Daily (Taiwan), 2022-10-6
: Taiwan
military was forced to accept the concept of "asymmetric war",
in last year $80 billions Harpoon Coastal Defense Missile systems
were forcibly sent to Taiwan ... but missiles are not good for
China's gray-zone war at present. udn.com/news/story/11091/6665520?from=udn_ch2cate6643sub11091_pulldownmenu_v2
◆
The China Times (Taiwan), 2021-10-26
:Urban
guerrilla warfare will turn cities into ruins and cause a large
number of civilian casualties。
◆
Foreign Policy,
2020-8-20 : “Their underlying thinking is that PLA
has grown to be too strong for us to fight militarily anyway...
Taiwan should just focus on putting up a good show of being
tough, buy enough U.S. weapons for display, and pray that
Americans come to our rescue
◆Financial
Times,
2022-5-17: Washington was right to
push Taipei to focus procurement more on the threat of invasion,
but that forcing its hand was counterproductive.
◆
War on the Rocks, 2022-8-22: flashy F-16 sales do little to
defend Taiwan from China's
missile force.warontherocks.com/2022/08/the-fourth-taiwan-strait-crisis-is-just-starting/
◆
Financial Times, 2022-8-19:Washington is trying to force Taipei
to prioritise “asymmetric” weapons — systems that exploit an adversary’s
weakness instead of trying to match its strengths.
◆
Business Insider, 2022-8-21: expensive equipment such as fighter
jets, helicopters, and tanks to prepare against a possible Chinese
invasion, defense experts say these would easily be destroyed by an
attacker, according to the Journal's report.
businessinsider.com/taiwan-learns-ukraine-porcupine-strategy-defend-against-china-2022-8
◆ New York Times,
2022-5-7: USpresses Taiwan to
buy
missiles and smaller arms for asymmetric warfare (Suited
to Win Against China); But some Taiwanese
defense officials are resistant. ◆
FoxNews,
2022-5-12: Taiwan may not have military equipment to defend itself against
Chinese invasion warns Rep. McCaul
◆
Politico,
2022-5-11: The Biden administration is rebuffing some of Taiwan’s requests
for big-ticket weapons,...these expensive
items, while fine for peacetime operations, would not survive an all-out
assault from the mainland.
◆
Economist, 2022-5-10:
expensive conventional
equipment such as tanks, battleships and submarines—
are hard to hide and easy to strike with a missile—a "porcupine"
strategist would focus on agile and concealable weapons
◆
Politico,
2022-5-19:the U.S. effort to reshape Taiwan’s military has
taken on new urgency since the Russian invasion...the
administration would no longer support arms sales for Taiwan “outside
their definition of ‘asymmetric’ defense,” ◆
WSJ ,
2022-5-8: F-16s Are the Wrong Way for Taiwan to Defend Itself ◆
National Interest, 2022-5-15:
One important task has been to tailor the
provision of defensive weapons to the needs of Taiwan’s
military—procuring Stingers and Javelins rather than Abrams tanks and
Seahawk helicopters.
◆ Foreign Policy
, 2020-10-19 : Taiwan's
leaders have gravitated toward military showpieces
◆
Diplomat, 10-5-2020:
Taiwan needs mobile systems,long-range surveillance
armed drones...
China published a white paper titled
"The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era"
GT, 2022-8-10
the
wellbeing
of the people in Taiwan hinges on the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation... it
will create huge opportunities for social and economic
development in Taiwan and bring tangible benefits to the people
of Taiwan。globaltimes.cn/page/202208/1272637.shtml
Global Times, 2022-8-24
The latest white paper actually
signals an invitation to the Taiwan compatriots to participate in the future
institutional arrangements,...Ironically, the
DPP does not allow Taiwan people to participate in the institutional
arrangements after reunification globaltimes.cn/page/202208/1273805.shtml
NY Times, 2022-8-15
The 2000
paper said nine times
that negotiations between Taiwan and China to determine that framework
would be conducted on “equal
footing,” or other similar language. But that pledge appeared
only once in the new paper
nytimes.com/2022/08/15/world/asia/china-taiwan-us.html
Reuters, 2022-8-10
A line in the 2000 white paper that said "anything can be
negotiated" as long as Taiwan accepts that there is only one China and does
not seek independence, is missing from the latest white paper.
reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/china-withdraws-promise-not-send-troops-taiwan-after-unification-2022-08-10/
Forbes,
Reuters, 2022-8-10
...in two
previous white papers on Taiwan, in 1993 and 2000, that it "will
not send troops or administrative personnel to be based in
Taiwan" after achieving unification ... is missing from the
latest white paper.
ABC news ,
Australia,
2022-8-11
China says there are
"profound historical and cultural
ties" with Taiwan..."Its economy is highly complementary with that of the mainland."...Taiwanese
citizens who would "enjoy a high degree of autonomy
as a special administrative region".
msn.com/en-au/news/australia/why-does-china-want-taiwan-when-its-already-so-big-and-rich-the-answer-is-about-more-than-land-and-money/ar-AA10z5KJ
NBC, 2022-8-10
... reiterated its desire
for “peaceful reunification.” But it did not rule out the use of
force as a “last resort taken under compelling circumstances,”
without specifying what those circumstances might be
nbcnews.com/news/world/is-taiwan-worried-china-threat-invasion-pelosi-visit-rcna41964
The white paper received a warm response and wide support from Chinese people at
home and abroad, and the DPP authorities' misinterpretation cannot deny that
"one country, two systems" is a
peaceful, democratic, good-faith and win-win solution
chinadaily.com.cn/a/202208/12/WS62f58be5a310fd2b29e71b7a.html
full text:
https://www.scio.gov.cn/zfbps/32832/Document/1728489/1728489.htm
Washington Post,
2022-8-17:
if there's
a crisis
on Taiwan, Americans say~
(msn.com/en-us/news/world/what-americans-think-about-china-and-taiwan/ar-AA10L80C)
65 percent
support sending additional arms and military equipment to Taiwan
62
percent
support having the U.S. Navy prevent China from imposing a blockade
around Taiwan
only 40 percent
favor sending U.S. troops to help the Taiwanese government defend
itself.
46 percent of Americans were willing to explicitly commit to defend
Taiwan from attack.
◆
Defending Taiwan by Taiwanese ??
some human factors ~
President Tsai I. W.
youngsters
the public
♣
VICE, 2022-9-28: president's prescriptions have been piecemeal, and
there is no national plan to overhaul the military. (developing
asymmetric warfare capabilities as US experts advise)
♣
Roll Call, 2022-9-28: ...overhaul its military reservist program
— our general public, especially young parents, those people from 40 to
50 and their children, will fight against that policy... “It's hard for
the ruling party to do it !" Younger voters are a critical base of
support for president Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party.
♣
New York Times, 2022-6-19:
politicians have
electoral considerations ( military
conscription reform)
♣
United Daily (Taiwan), 2022-10-6: The policy of
lengthening mandatory military
service
won't be decided until end of 2022 , obviously the admin. is with an eye
to presidential election.
udn.com/news/story/11091/6665523?from=udn_ch2cate6643sub11091_pulldownmenu_v2
♣
Roll Call, 2022-9-28: Most people do not want to
join the military... The March opinion poll : lower levels of support
among the 20-24 age group for lengthening Taiwan's
mandatory military service to one year.
♣
China Times (Taiwan), 2022-9-28: 81.5% of
Taiwanese youth oppose lengthening Taiwan's mandatory military service
to one year. World media wrongly report Taiwanese people are
willing to be on the battlefield.
chinatimes.com/opinion/20220927005188-262101?chdtv
PS:
By law, all able-bodied men in South Korea must serve 18-21
months in
the military under a conscription system; In Israel -
men 32 months and women 24 months, minimum.
♣
axios,2022-9-27:
...the common belief in Taiwan that if China were to invade, Taiwan
would have no choice but to surrender immediately.
♣Economist,
2022-3-5: Taiwanese seem too uninterested to
fight to defend their land.
Taiwan's
sloth in reforming its defence capabilities ...
♣Global Times,
2022-10-10:a poll shows that only 41.4 percent gave a
definite "yes" to the determination to sacrifice themselves to defend
the island, according to Taiwan-based mediaglobaltimes.cn/page/202210/1276853.shtml
♣
Washington Examiner,
2022-9-20: It's one thing to tell a pollster that
you're willing to fight and die for your country. It's a
different thing to take painstaking steps to prepare for that
eventuality. And the hard truth is that far too few Taiwanese
are currently taking those steps
♣
Brookings, 2021-1-22:
Only 23% thought that democracy was more important than economic
development.16% believed that protecting political freedom was more important than
reducing economic inequality.
♣
United Daily (Taiwan,
聯合報), 2022-10-10:
The great majority of polls show Taiwanese are not willing to fight for
"Taiwan independence".udn.com/news/story/121823/6674688?from=udn_ch2cate6643sub121823_pulldownmenu_v2
☉ S. Korean presidential candidates have never tried to win the election
by shortening mandatory military service (their service days is about 5
times of Taiwan's), but Taiwan's politicians do ! for
instance, a ruling party's law-maker Tsai argues what's the reason to
lengthen
military service !? (see
udn.com/news/story/11091/6665523?from=udn_ch2cate6643sub11091_pulldownmenu_v2
2022-10-6 )
☉
United
Daily,2022-10-10: The Defense chief told the US that the
mandatory military service can be lengthen up to 2~3 years, but
President Tsai decide it'll be just 1 year at present for
electoral considerations.(and
not to declare until end of election) brief udn.com/news/story/121823/6674688?from=udn_ch2cate6643sub121823_pulldownmenu_v2
陳一新榮譽教授
◆ Business
Insider, 2022-7-21: CIA chief: the Ukraine war
likely won't shake China's resolve to invade Taiwan◆
FoxNews, 2022-7-20: CIA director 'wouldn't rule out' near-term Taiwan
invasion◆Asia
Nikkei (Japan), 2022-7-20: Taiwan's ex-defense chief calls for sweeping military
reforms
◆ FoxNews, 2022-7-7:
Chinese diplomat says 'reunification' with Taiwan near◆Washington Post, 2022-7-3: these steps
(asymmetric warfare) may not be enough to
repel a far more powerful opponent like China.Taiwan's mandatory
military service ... spend
more time doing menial labor than learning combat skills. Tactics taught are
comparable to those (Gulf War or the Vietnam War) ◆ N.Y. Times, 2022-6-19:
A Looming Threat / ...Taiwan politicians have electoral considerations. Extending
military conscription, for example, would probably not be very popular
◆
New
York Times, 2022-6-13: Taiwan's defenses are, by many
accounts, ill-equipped and understaffed...Should China
invade, Taiwan's defenses will almost certainly
crumble unless the United States and its allies help.◆ AFP, France24,
2022-6-10: China
will 'not hesitate to start war' if Taiwan declares independence, Beijing says ◆ NY Times, 2022-6-10: American officials ... worry
that China's leader, Xi Jinping, may be willing to go
to war over Taiwan in the coming years.
◆CNN, 2022-6-1: China has the power to take Taiwan, but it would cost an extremely bloody price ...China
is more likely to emulate the "shock and awe" bombardments that preceded
the US' invasions of Iraq. ◆
for full text,
cyber-link
Contrast
Taiwan Strait Crisis in
1996 and 2022
◆
New York Times, 2022-8-5
the U.S. military had
ordered the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan to
“remain on station” in the
region but some distance from the entrance to the Taiwan Strait.,...during
a crisis in 1996, when President Bill Clinton moved
aircraft carriers closer to the strait.
(PS:
and conducted large scale drills zh.m.wikipedia.org/zh-hant/台灣海峽飛彈危機)
nytimes.com/2022/08/04/world/asia/taiwan-china-military-drills.html
◆
New York Times, 2022-8-4
... failing to move more naval
forces into the region, the United States would be perceived by Mr. Xi
as less committed to the region than Mr. Clinton was a quarter century
ago.
◆
United Daily (Taiwan) , 2022-8-5
The drill has been conducted under US tacit permission,
which
shakes the policy of peaceful
resolution...
udn.com/news/story/11091/6515486?from=udn_ch2cate6643sub11091_pulldownmenu_v2
◆ USA Today, 2022-8-6
National Security Council:U.S.
would postpone intercontinental ballistic missile test scheduled...
reducing the risks of miscalculation and misperceptionnews.yahoo.com/china-halts-climate-military-ties-152347684.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall
◆ Global Times
(China), 2022-8-5
the US Navy's Ronald Reagan carrier strike group retreated
hundreds of kilometers eastward overnight, after the PLA
announced live-fire exercise zones east of the island。
China's
Missiles over Taiwan
in 2022-8-5
◆CNN, 2022-8-4
missiles flying over the island marked a significant escalation
◆
New York Times, 2022-8-3
China's
CCTV stated that one of the missiles flew over
Taiwan, marking another escalation of Chinese pressure on the
island and risking serious miscalculation.
◆
China's"staging
the largest-ever People's Liberation Army exercises around
Taiwan" (Newsweek,2022-8-5)
WHY ??
NY Times, 2022-8-25
They were meant to intimidate Taiwan and the United States nytimes.com/interactive/2022/08/25/world/asia/china-taiwan-conflict-blockade.html
NY Times, 2022-8-4
Stanford scholar: “Under the guise of signaling, they’re trying to basically test
their ability to conduct complex maneuvers that are necessary
for an amphibious assault on Taiwan.”
nytimes.com/2022/08/03/world/asia/taiwan-china-military-exercises.html
Business Insider,
2022-8-5
"a show of
force to respond to Pelosi's visit" and "to exhibit [China's]
displeasure" and "presumably to deter the US or other countries
from undertaking visits like this
..." "readiness to
respond to Taiwan provocations"
news.yahoo.com/chinas-missile-launches-military-drills-211102958.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall
AFP (France),
2022-8-6
a former CIA Asia
analyst: main purpose
with its military exercises was to change that status quo.,"The Chinese want to show... that a line has been crossed by the speaker's
visit." American University Professor:
Beijing's message was
meant to signal that China can alter the power balance in the
region if it chooses."The Chinese
seriously believe that the United States has not been respecting
their interests on the Taiwan issue"
news.yahoo.com/us-china-relations-risk-long-215317757.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall
Some Taiwan-based media hyped that
the mainland's economic punishment could antagonize the public..."If the mainland opts for
economic sanctions, it may terminate the Economic Cooperation
Framework Agreement (ECFA)"...
Taiwan had a trade surplus of more than $170 billion with the Chinese mainland
in 2021.
globaltimes.cn/page/202208/1272245.shtml
NY Times, 2022-8-8
not only to intimidate Taiwan and the
United States, but also to appease a domestic audience that had
seemed disappointed by what it perceived as an insufficiently
bellicose posture. cn.nytimes.com/asia-pacific/20220808/china-exercises-taiwan/zh-hant/dual/
BBC, 2022-8-9
this may possibly intimidate South East
Asian neighbours which have rival claims to the South China Seabbc.com/news/62460809
PS:New York Times, 2022-8-7:After
China's Military Spectacle, Options
Narrow for Winning Over Taiwan
; Reuters, 2022-8-7:The
ability to enforce a blockade would give Beijing leverage to
bring Taiwan to the negotiating table
;A
former Chinese defence official
:"Seeing
how the U.S. and its allies responded to the drills, how
confident can Taiwan leaders be in counting on them to come to
the rescue should the PLA attack?"
◆ Daily Express (UK), 2022-5-30:
Putin is
winning his war, China Taiwan is next and that will be so much
deadlier◆ New York Times,
2022-5-27: A 2018
congressionally-mandated assessment warned that America could face a “decisive
military defeat” in a war over Taiwan
◆ NY Times,
2022-5-24: the US is trying to walk a fine line between deterrence and
provocation... risk pushing President Xi Jinping of China to order an attack on
Taiwan◆NY
Times, 2022-5-24: Former presidents have hinted that the United States
would fight for Taiwan but have otherwise remained studiedly vague...Taiwan's
defense budget... remains scandalously low
◆New
York Times, 2022-5-23:
Biden Says U.S. Military Would Defend Taiwan if China
Invaded,
dispensing with the “strategic ambiguity” traditionally
favored by American presidents ◆New
York Times, 2022-5-7: USpresses Taiwan to buy
missiles and smaller arms for asymmetric warfare (Suited
to Win Against China); But some Taiwanese
defense officials are resistant.
◆Wall Street Journal,
2022-5-4: Since the Chinese economyis 10 times as large as the Russian economy, effective sanctions would be
virtually impossible to enforce.Taiwan's
lack of preparedness is increasingly dangerous.
◆
Washington Post, 2022-5-4:China won't
repeat Putin's Ukraine mistakes in Taiwan.
◆Economist, 2022-4-20:
the main lesson that China will draw
from Ukraine is the need for speed—ideally achieving victory within days;
Taiwan can learn ...Fighting
spirit and the right Western arms may stymie a powerful foe◆
for full text,
cyber-link
Pelosi
visiting Taiwana
CRISIS in Taiwan Strait
NY Times, 2022-7-28
Nancy Pelosi's Trip to Taiwan Is Too Dangerous!The United States and China are on a collision course
in the Taiwan Straitnytimes.com/2022/07/28/opinion/china-us-taiwan-pelosi.html
NY Times, 2022-7-31
Mr. Xi may feel pressure
to show a tough stance — possibly including military action...ahead
of an important Chinese Communist Party Congress this fall.
The Biden administration has
grown increasingly worried that
China’s leader, Xi Jinping, might try to move, perhaps with force,
against Taiwan within the next year and a half.nytimes.com/2022/07/31/world/asia/pelosi-taiwan-china.html
Global
Times(China), 2022-7-28
China's
defense ministry issues fresh, rare warning:
The US should not underestimate the crisis and possible disastrous
results it will bring to the Taiwan Straits if Pelosi ultimately
makes the trip...if the US does not pull back but keeps challenging the guardrail,
the price will be beyond US capabilities to pay"...
The
rare expressions "yanzhen yidai"
(嚴陣以待),
PLA
"will not sit idly by"
(不會坐視)
were used
(in Korea war and Vietnam war).“
- China
will not sit idly by if US troops crossed the 38th parallel.
globaltimes.cn/page/202207/1271693.shtml
中囯
Global Times, 2022-7-28
Those who play with fire will perish by it. It is hoped that the US
will be clear-eyed about this," Xi said via telephone,... it
is certain that if Pelosi insists on her provocative plan of
visiting Taiwan, she will face serious and unbearable consequences.
globaltimes.cn/page/202207/1271696.shtml
GT(China),
2022-7-29
it is time for Washington to slam on the brake of its radical moves
on the Taiwan question!
NBC
News, 2022-7-29
GT
former editor : "If the US can't
restrain her
(Pelosi), let China restrain her & punish her","PLA
Air Force will surely make her visit a disgrace to herself and to
the US."
nbcnews.com/politics/congress/pelosi-leading-delegation-asia-friday-taiwan-visit-still-undecided-rcna40535
TIME,
2022-7-28
there's
a good chance that Beijing could sanction Pelosi personally...time.com/6201447/joe-biden-xi-jinping-taiwan-china/
NPR,
2022-7-28
President Biden looks to ease tensions with Xi over Taiwan
npr.org/2022/07/28/1114314905/biden-and-chinas-xi-discuss-tensions-over-taiwan
Reuters(UK),
2022-7-29
"So far, there are few indications in Chinese official statements,
nor online or domestic media, which would suggest that China is
considering more serious military action at this time, although that
could change"
news.yahoo.com/analysis-despite-xis-fire-call-003612894.html
China's possible response to
Pelosi visiting Taiwan
US News, 2022-7-19
China Signals a Military Response to a Taiwan Visit by Pelosi
NY Times, 2022-7-25
...Pelosi's trip. Better to postpone rather than risk war.
Washington Post, 2022-7-23
Key U.S. allies in Asia have expressed concerns
about a visit that they believe will be viewed provocatively
washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/07/23/pelosi-taiwan-trip-biden-military-concerns/
Washington Post, 2022-7-21
Biden: U.S. military opposes Nancy Pelosi visiting Taiwan
washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/07/21/biden-china-nancy-pelosi-taiwan-military/
Washington Post, 2022-7-22
The U.S. military certainly is not prepared to
fight two major wars simultaneously
washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/07/22/nancy-pelosi-should-ignore-china-biden-go-to-taiwan/
EurAsia Times, 2022-7-23
US Worried That China Could...Shoot-Down ‘Invading’ Aircraft
France24, 2022-7-25
Biden's administration which fears the trip may cross red lines for
China -- and that there is no exit path ... China
might feel that they have to do something dramatic
france24.com/en/live-news/20220725-as-pelosi-eyes-taiwan-trip-us-anxious-on-china-red-lines
CNN, 2022-7-22
China could seek to declare a no-fly
zone over Taiwan...China could also respond by flying fighter
jets further into Taiwan's self-declared air defense zone, which could
trigger a response from Taiwan and the US
edition.cnn.com/2022/07/21/politics/pelosi-taiwan-china-concerns/index.html
FT,2022-7-25
Taiwan fears fallout from planned Nancy Pelosi visit threatens US
security commitment ...
China might retaliate against Taiwan if Pelosi went ahead with her trip. ft.com/content/8145aa97-1c46-4e5e-9ec8-1afa139a4a54
Global Times (China), 2022-7-25
Pelosi's visit may accelerate a military showdown globaltimes.cn/page/202207/1271380.shtml
Global Times (China), 2022-7-22
"...extremely drastic diplomatic and military measures against the US, and
the US cannot afford to face such a response"..."Biden's
reaction suggested that
the conclusion from military is very likely definitive and it will amount to cancelling Pelosi's trip."
globaltimes.cn/page/202207/1271152.shtml
Global Times (China), 2022-7-19
If Pelosi goes to Taiwan, it
will be a huge historic mistake for Washington...Defense
Minister Wei Fenghe (Jun.2022): "If anyone dares to secede Taiwan from
China, we will not hesitate to fight, and we will fight at all costs."
"It would be a huge historic mistake for Washington to let these words
fall on deaf ears."
Bloomberg, 2022-7-22
responses from China: Missile Test Near Taiwan or
Flying Over Taiwan or Shadowing Pelosi’s Trip, etc
finance.yahoo.com/news/china-might-respond-taiwan-visit-102743247.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall
◆
Japan Times, 2022-4-19:
U.S. 'strategic ambiguity' over Taiwan
must end!
US policy of ambiguity
toward Taiwan is now fostering instability in the Indo-Pacific region, by
encouraging China to underestimate U.S. resolve...◆ Wall
street Journal, 2022-4-18:
Kyiv's successful use of internet to counter Moscow highlights Taiwan's
reliance on undersea internet cables that China could cut
◆Fox
News, 2022-4-4: "It's not if China moves into
Taiwan, it's when"◆Wall
street Journal, 2022-3-29: Moves under discussion in Taiwan are
still far from the kind of major revamp that some experts in the U.S. and
elsewhere say is needed to upgrade Taiwan's military◆New
York Times, 2022-3-20: If Russia succeeds in overtaking Ukraine, it
increases the danger for Taiwan◆
TIME, 2022-3-18:
most analysts say that the island would not be
able to stop a full-scale invasion on its own—and Ukraine's
situation has sparked debate over whether anyone would come to Taiwan's
aid◆Politico, 2022-3-14:
Taiwan's
military may be rightly criticized for its poorly coordinated forces, and its
government has been hesitant to invest in its own defense...PLA
would be more motivated than the Russian forces...China’s
deep integration into the global economy and the leverage of Beijing's $1,068
billion in treasury bonds would make Western sanctions more painful to implement◆Economist, 2022-3-5:
Taiwanese seem too uninterested to
fight to defend their land. Taiwan's
sloth in reforming its defence capabilities and strengthening its deterrence◆Washington Post,
2022-3-4: Taiwan's
leaders try to calm fears over Ukraine invasion, but citizens worry their island
will be next◆
Yahoo Finance, 2022-3-5: China will put Taiwan on 'back
burner' after 'scary'
Russia sanctions: Bill Browder◆ Economist, 2022-2-26:
Parallels with Taiwan colour Asian views of the war in Ukraine
- Some fear a Chinese invasion has become more likely◆
New York Times, 2022-2-23:
With some seeing parallels to Ukraine, Taiwan steps up
its defenses◆ CNN, 2022-2-3: China's
leaders may be watching Ukraine with an eye on Taiwan◆
USA Today, Yahoo, 2022-2-10,
"Chinese Taipei" , the label
implies a link to China...younger people have said they feel
increasingly distant culturally from the other side.
◆
Brookings, 2022-2-7:
why is
unification so unpopular in Taiwan?It's the PRC political system;
A majority of our respondents — 56% — said
Taiwanese culture was similar to Chinese culture.
72% rated China's government as at least somewhat
unfriendly.◆ Washington
Post,
2022-1-24:
Defending Taiwan is a worthy goal. But are we ready for heavy casualties?
it would be a grave mistake for the United States to promise to defend Taiwan
without preparing its public — and its soldiers — for the tough fight they could
face ◆ New
York post,
2022-1-21: Rep. Michael
McCaul predicts Chinese invasion of Taiwan after Winter Olympics
◆New
York times, 2022-1-19: China's Growing Menace Hardens
Island's Identity...60+%
identify as solely Taiwanese◆
France24, NY Post, Daily Mail(UK), 2021-12-30:
China warns US will pay 'unbearable price'
for backing Taiwan◆NY Times,
2021-12-10:
As China has built up its military presence, the U.S. has
sought to widen its alliances in the region. A major potential flash point is
Taiwan◆
for full text,
cyber-link
Economist,
2022-3-12: Taiwan ranks top 10~11 on the
crony-capitalism index Rich folk in autocratic countries remain vulnerable to the whims
of dictators
/
Rent-seeking entrepreneurs tend to use their relationships with
the state to maximise profits.
some are
characterised by the modern equivalent of the robber barons in
late-19th-century America.
Economist, The crony-capitalism index
Billionaire wealth as % of GDP, 2021 Ranked by
crony-sector wealth
ranks
Asian
countries
8(7)
Indonesia
2(2)
Malaysia
9(12)
Thailand
3(4)
Singapore
10(11)
China
4(3)
Philippines
11(10)
Taiwan
7(9)
India
20(19)
Japan
The crony-capitalism index
Billionaire wealth as % of GDP, 2016 Rankedby crony-sector
wealth
ranks
Asian
countries
9
India
2
Malaysia
10
Taiwan
3
Philippines
11
China
4
Singapore
12
Thailand
7
Indonesia
19
Japan
Transparency International,
Germany / Global Corruption Barometer - released
2021/2022
comparisons among main Asian countries paid a bribe to ...??
country
people who think
government
corruption
is a big problem
public service
users
paid a bribe
in the previous
12 months
public
clinic,
health
centres
utilities
police
gov.
officials
local
gov.
officials
judges,
magis-
trates
corruption
level
increased
in previous
12months
Taiwan
90%
17%
9%
28%
67%
19%
20%
15%
38%
Japan
84
2
2
4
10
7
26
6
36
Malaysia
71
13
5
11
30
28
16
12
20
China
62
28
26
17
16
18
18
13
39
S Korea
55
10
6
14
8
26
42
24
17
transparency.org/en/countries/taiwan
◆Financial
Times (UK), 2021-12-5: US defence chief warns of China ‘rehearsals’ for
attack on Taiwan; Lloyd Austin cites concern over
scale and frequency of Beijing’s military sorties
◆ Reuters, 2021-12-3: Blinken says any move by China to invade Taiwan would have 'terrible
consequences◆ NY
Times, 2021-11-29: China is developing
advanced weapons, leading U.S. officials to push for the first nuclear talks◆
The Hill,
2021-11-22: as things currently stand, the U.S. can't
deter Beijing◆ NY Times,
2021-11-15:
Biden and Xi meet amid tensions in an effort to keep “communication
lines open” and avoid military action — American officials remain concerned that
the chances of avoiding conflict may be diminishing.◆ CBS, 2021-11-16: Biden's
"respectful" virtual summit with China's Xi focuses on "managing
strategic risks" like Taiwan...while
there had been no major breakthroughs ◆The Guardian,
2021-11-16: Biden-Xi virtual summit: leaders warn each other over future
of Taiwan ...the US is increasingly nervous about the
rapid development of Chinese conventional and nuclear military forces.◆WSJ,
FoxNews, 2021-10-25:
the island's military is riven with internal problems...Among
the most pressing concerns are poor preparation and low morale among the roughly
80,000 Taiwanese who are conscripted each year and the nearly 2.2 million
reservists.◆
NY Times, 2021-10-22: American presidents have spent decades
trying to sidestep the question of how forcefully the United States would come
to the aid of Taiwan if China invaded it or, more likely, tried to slowly
strangle the island in an effort to force it back under the control of the
mainland.◆
Reuters 2021-10-23 :
analysts dismissed
the president's remark (US
has a commitment to defend Taiwan)
as a gaffe. it
was "patently not true". "A confused
U.S. policy weakens deterrence"◆DW
(Germany), 2021-10-23: "In fiscal year 2020, Taiwan was the largest customer of
US arms... growing pressure from Congress to ... explicitly commit to defending
Taiwan and thus to deterring Beijing....Washington is "slowly adjusting" its
course.
◆
NY Times, 2021-10-9 :
"starting a fire" : US and China enter dangerous territory over Taiwan... with
potential to ignite military conflagration and reshape the regional order◆
Guardian, 2021-10-10 :Joe Biden’s wavering over what
to do about China’s ambitions are fuelling its president’s dangerous
swaggering◆
BBC, 2021-10-6 :China-Taiwan
military tensions 'worst in 40 years'◆
WSJ, 2021-10-7 :U.S.
Troops Have Been Deployed in Taiwan for at Least a Year◆
Financial Times (UK), 2021-10-7 :US special forces secretly training Taiwan’s
military; rotations had been occurring for at least a
decade... the disclosure
could further raise tensions. ◆
Hollywood Reporter, 2021-11-1: While
China becomes increasingly reclusive and unwelcoming of Western content,
Taiwan has thrown the door open to international co-productions with new
incentive schemes
◆
Guardian, 2021-10-5 :The
prevailing mood among Washington insiders is to fight if China attempts to
conquer Taiwan. hard reality that fighting China
over Taiwan risks an almost-certain military defeat – and gambles we won’t
stumble into a nuclear war.◆
Reuters, 2021-10-5 :experts say the island could likely only
hold out for a few days in the event of a Chinese attack unless the United
States quickly came to its aid◆
CNN, 2021-10-5 :latest PLA flights represent the
largest concentration of Chinese military aircraft ever
operating that far from their home bases◆
Politico, 2021-10-5 :while a Chinese invasion of Taiwan is not imminent...We
should think of China’s approach to Taiwan not as a bifurcated decision between
war and peace but instead a continuous pressure campaign that can take various
lethal and non-lethal forms◆New York Times, 2021-10-3 : Beijing sent a record number of planes
near the island, ...a display of strength that
underscored Chinese demands for unification◆Forbes, 2021-10-4 :Easton:“Deterrence
could be failing already"“That indicates something big is going
on.”. Beijing might initiate an aerial battle in a
deliberate way.◆The Hill, 2021-10-4 :Taiwan
preparing for possible war with China◆CNN, 2021-10-4 :professor
in Switzerland: "As long as Taiwan doesn't take
irreversible steps toward independence/greater autonomous presence on the
international scene," combat is unlikely◆
for full text,
cyber-link
◆Financial
Times (UK), 2021-9-16 :Taiwan
is failing to reorient its military towards an asymmetric strategy, US
defence experts are growing exasperated over the Taiwan military’s
reluctance to decisively act on their instructions.
◆New York Times, 2021-8-4: Xi declared China would “strive to achieve the Chinese dream of great
rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It would undo the hundred years of
national humiliation China had been subjected to by foreign powers. “Hong
Kong today, Taiwan tomorrow” had turned from a chant to a harbinger ◆
for full text,
cyber-link
★New
York Times,
2022-8-18:
Taiwanese
cuisine — layered, distinct, multiethnic ...has been shaped by many
cultural forces, including the island's Indigenous tribes,
long-established groups of Fujianese and Hakka people; Japanese ;
Chinese immigrants in 1949+...
nytimes.com/2022/08/16/dining/taiwanese-cuisine.html
Pew Research Center , 2021-11-18
Where People find Meaning in Life
country
Family
Material well-being
occupation
Australia
56%
22%
29%
NZ
55
19
29
Greece
54
13
25
US
49
18
17
UK
46
12
20
Sweden
45
22
37
Canada
42
22
26
Singapore
29
22
25
Japan
26
16
15
S. Korea
16
19
6
Taiwan
15%
19%
9%
Julius
Baer Group's Global Wealth and Lifestyle
Report 2022 (2022-6-15)
The rankings are done after analyzing the cost of residential property,
cars, airfare, business school and other luxuries.
nBloomberg:
These are the world's most expensive cities to live in if you're rich
nFinancial
Review: If you like luxury, these are the world’s most expensive cities
1
Shanghai, China
with four items ranked at the very top and the highest weighted-average
price increase (30%).
2
London
3
Taipei, Taiwan
moved up the ranking, mostly due to the prices of shoes, bicycles, and
wine.
4
Hong Kong
5
Singapore
6
Monaco
7
Zurich, Swiss
8
Tokyo, Japan
is the city which slid the furthest (previously 2nd),
driven by 13 items ranking lower than in the previous year and an
average depreciation of -8.8% on the Japanese yen.
9
Sydney, Australia
10
Paris, France
11.
New York
12.
Sao Paolo
13.
Milan
14.
Dubai
15.
Bangkok