Cadence of Conflict: Asia, November 16, 2015

The week buzzed about China’s currency while the US spotlight made an unusual stop on Taiwan.

Marco Rubio mentioned Taiwan, something significant for an experienced Senator and presidential candidate on the campaign trail. Quartz gave a shout over Taiwanese presidential hopeful, Tsai, in her response to the negative Facebook comments from China (where Facebook happens to be banned). The US State Department even commented about Taiwan as a “beacon of truly representative government”, signifying as proof that Asia is not entirely inept on the matter of Human Rights.

China, by contrasting reports and comment, is the economic dirt devil, so goes the spotlight this week anyhow. China’s money is about to dominate the IMF. Northern China must choose between either cold winters or toxic air. And China continues to meddle with its own currency.

And, by the way, the Pentagon doesn’t seem to get much support from the current White House concerning China. If we didn’t know better, we might think that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could stir the same response that the public had over the bombs in Paris this week, especially with strikingly similar affection in media coverage concerning both. WWII had a focus on both Europe and the Pacific. Why shouldn’t WWIII also? Fewer headlines indicate the already swelling conflict in the Pacific like this week’s.

The Pentagon’s Lonely War Against Russia and China (Bloomberg View)

China

China welcomes IMF backing to make yuan world reserve currency (Yahoo-Reuters)

Northern China’s dilemma—if you want heat in the winter, it comes with toxic air pollution (QZ)

China’s Deflation Pressures Signal More Monetary, Fiscal Easing (Bloomberg)

Taiwan

US expert praises Taiwan’s democracy (Taipei Times)

Marco Rubio is the only presidential candidate talking about one of the most important geopolitical issues (QZ)

…Taiwan, implications of “leader”-to-“leader”

Taiwan’s pro-independence candidate is welcoming Chinese citizens to Facebook (QZ)