Cadence of Conflict: Asia, June 1, 2020

China says every effort will be made for peaceful reunification with Taiwan as long as there remains hope; force is the last resort. But, Taiwan wants peaceful freedom from tyranny; force is the last resort. There is no hope for China to find any reunification with Taiwan of any kind. China has removed any desire for peaceful reunification with it’s pressured propaganda campaigns around the world and in Taiwan, not to mention terrible handling of Hong Kong. Taiwan has prevented any hope of forceful reunification by arming to the teeth in response to China’s backfired PR campaigns.

Taking Taiwan would hurt and cost both lives and resources. And, Russia knows this. With steep cliffs on the east coast, complex deltas plains on the west coast, and a capital city inside a mountain bowl at the north, any beach landing would make Normandy Beach look like a walk in the park. With mountains peaking even higher than Fuji, China faces a jungle battle like halted America in Vietnam, except this battle would only be uphill.

If China prioritized such a venture, using either or both of its two copied aircraft carriers with its copied fighter jets and its copied missiles and copied drones, China’s neighbors would see an opportunity even if the US didn’t respond with any of its forty-four home-made carriers.

India, with one billion people, is no forced-friend of China, especially in recent months. A Taiwan distraction would be the perfect chance to free Tibet. Two thousand years of anti-friendship relations between Vietnam and China would require enormous numbers of soldiers to keep the Vietnamese from taking Nanjing as a pathway to the island of Hainan. Vietnam has a motive anyway, keep China at a safer distance for its history of aggression. With China occupied at the west and east while squandering enormous forces at Taiwan, Japan—a larger economy than India—has its own grudge and would love the chance for target practice near Beijing. None of the other countries small enough to be bought off and bullied would bring much help nor will to China’s aid.

Then, there’s the US after China would be in enough trouble. Russia doesn’t want more trouble, for all Moscow’s effort to seduce Europe by appearing pacifist. If China ever did manage to reach a Pyrrhic victory over Taiwan, China would have no defenses left, Tibet might be gone, then Japan and Vietnam would have taken their own bits out of the map. China would be clean pickings between the US and China’s frenemy Russia.

Russia is no friend of China. Who do you think gave China the idea of this wasted pursuit? All of that assumes things go well with the one billion Chinese who hate their government more than ever before in history.

So, why did Taiwan request a lower-grade missile—because it comes with a vehicle Taiwan already has? It’s not because Taiwan actually needs it. No. Talking about arming again to the teeth already armed to puts a kind of social pressure on Beijing, a sense of urgency. Taiwan sees what China is up against. Taiwan knows that Confucian culture can’t pass up the opportunity to self-destruct in order to save face. Taiwan’s policy is clear: Bring it.

Great Pacific

Taiwan president pledges humanitarian relief for Hong Kongers // Yahoo News

Nikki Haley says ‘Chinese takeover of HK’ would ‘endanger Taiwan’ // Taiwan News

Trade & Tech

South Korea is the pivot in the Huawei wars // Asia Times

Huawei’s Nightmare Week Is About To Get Much Worse // Forbes

Taiwan

Them sound like fightin words
Chinese general says Beijing will ‘resolutely smash’ any separatist moves by Taiwan // SCMP

Taiwan Wants Land-Based Harpoon Anti-Ship Missiles To Counter Growing Chinese Naval Power // The Drive

War drums…
Defense minister says Taiwan prepared for China attack // Taiwan News

Boost Ties with Taiwan: China can’t dictate terms for everyone in Asia // Times of India

Hong Kongers in Taiwan worried over possible law suspension // Focus Taiwan

Hong Kong

What could losing US ‘special status’ mean for Hong Kong? // indiatoday.in

Broken treaty:
China’s public security ministry vows to ‘fully guide’ Hong Kong’s embattled police force in safeguarding stability and restoring order // SCMP

Hong Kong national security law: US gets little backing with hard line on China, as other countries steer clear of threats // SCMP

2,878 : 1 in CCP approve!
Chinese parliament approves controversial Hong Kong security law // Guardian

Chinese version, CCP vote on HK security law…
2878票贊成、1票反對、6票棄權:中國人大通過「港版國安法」!// 風傳媒 // Storm Media

Hong Kong is no longer autonomous from China, US determines, as Mike Pompeo makes certification that may mean sanctions // SCMP

Hong Kong police arrest hundreds and fire pepper pellets amid fresh unrest // BBC News

Hong Kong protests: police arrest 180 peopleoint as Legislative Council begins debate on national anthem law // SCMP

China threatens US with counter measures if punished for Hong Kong law // SCMP

Hong Kong mobilizing again to counter CCP encroachment // Taiwan News