Cross-Strait relations – Page 2

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, March 30, 2015

China continues to takeover the Pacific with ships and reclaimed reefs. Taiwan’s DPP continues to knock down statues of KMT-Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek, which further indicates that Taiwan’s popularity favors national sovereignty. The same sympathy continues to slant in Hong Kong. China inaugurates its controversial flight M503, seven kilometers from Taiwan’s airspace, the Taiwanese aren’t happy about it, and the KMT-Nationalists and Communist Chinese aren’t happy that they aren’t happy. A lot of people in the Pacific aren’t happy. Read More

In Prelude

Prelude to Conflict: Asia, February 9

SymphonyFebruary 9, 20151 Comment

Three trends spanned the Pacific this week: journalism, entrepreneurs, and 2016 elections. News of ISIS spreads across Asia Pacific, including videos of a man being burned alive. China barks at century-old Taiwanese government leaders about standing up to the young Communist regime. Taiwanese local leaders respond that Beijing should learn to move past the past and just get along. A former US official, Richard Bush, unofficially speculates (without actually speculating) on China’s yet-to-be-seen reaction to Taiwan’s 2016 likely election swing away from the floundering, grossly unpopular, de facto pro-China, incumbent KMT-Nationalist party. The recently acquired economic powerhouse, Hong Kong, receives more lectures from Communist Beijing, which only alienate the upcoming generation; though there is little to suggest that Hong Kong’s successful entrepreneurs have been invited to lecture new Chinese businesses on how to catch up to the former British colony. Beijing’s solution to the Umbrella Movement is to change high school curriculum to remind students how much they need China. · · · →

In Prelude

Prelude to Conflict: Asia, January 26

SymphonyJanuary 26, 20151 Comment

US Congress questions HK: Beijing vets HK politicians; is HK not China? “Experts” say Washington appeases Beijing, but the big issue: Don’t pee in the international pool, consider HK’s Hague membership. Washington and Beijing have only found excuses to raise Pacific tensions, including China’s nine-dash line and Kerry’s extradition request of espionage witness, Snowden. Appeasing Beijing would mean Congress not raising the HK question at all.

It was wise to release HK Umbrella Movement leaders without pressing charges (yet). Even wiser would be if Beijing made one change years ago: Rather than vetting HK politicians before elections, vet HK policy after—free elections, but anti-Beijing policy would automatically impeach a HK CEO. That would have given Beijing the power they want (and arguably deserve since China provides HK’s military) and given HK residents what they want without asking.

Beijing can no longer hope Taiwan would accept so-called “Beijing democracy” after rejecting the HK Umbrella Movement. · · · →

In Prelude

Prelude to Conflict: Asia, January 12

SymphonyJanuary 12, 2015Leave a comment

Power shuffling and truth-spinning throughout Asia—heads roll and chests puff-out as waning establishments grab for anything to stay afloat. China bails the floundering Communist oil world then doubles its amphibious infantry without a way to transport them. North Korea issues friendly threats to the US. Hong Kong Umbrella Movement leaders are brought to open court where they can bash Beijing even more. Hong Kong legislators open umbrellas inside (for bad luck?) The US disagrees with itself about giving Taiwan permission to fly a flag, China objects to everything. A non-corrupt and popular Taiwanese mayor is attacked by the “other” political party after refusing to associate with their officials currently being investigated for corruption.

The first Taiwanese president from the opposition party was just released from prison by the “other” party that just lost elections. Taiwan’s record unpopular president from the “other” party supports flying the same Taiwanese flag in the US that he would not fly when China visited Taiwan early in his tenure. · · · →

In Cadence

Cadence of Conflict: Asia-America, December 15

SymphonyDecember 15, 2014January 9, 2019Leave a comment

Hong Kong’s Umbrella movement has completely shifted out of the public eye. Beijing and Hong Kong authorities will likely view this as a victory, while the West and the East Asian region know that steam does not vanish merely because it escapes the pot.

America’s Republican party seems that they haven’t learned from Taiwan’s failing KMT-Nationalists. The recent bait-and-switch involving two tea party Republicans plucked the ceiling off of corporate campaign donation limits. This means that the GOP knows they need the tea party vote, but hope to use corporate dollars to overcome the people. The problem is that the KMT’s corptocracy failed on November 29 at Taiwan’s local elections. Now, the highest leader the KMT can find to lead their stock-holding political party is the mayor of New Taipei—comparable to if Republican’s had to turn to a Chicago suburb’s mayor for an RNC leader during the W. years, rather than the President being the leader as is normally the case. · · · →

In Prelude

Prelude to Conflict: Asia, November 10

SymphonyNovember 10, 2014Leave a comment

After political defeat in the US, Obama looks to China. Taiwan’s Ma gets snubbed by China in the shadow of APEC. HK’s Umbrella Movement inches toward the discovery that they weren’t shaping Beijing policy as much as they have already helped shape the world’s policy toward Beijing—a lesson Beijing still hasn’t caught up to.

In a week with few developments, a few links say it all. That’s election season in the US and Asia as the summit approaches.

China’s neighbours embrace asymmetric warfare

Say It Loud: Language and Identity in Taiwan and Hong Kong

TAIWAN INSIDER Vol. 1 No. 7

…a good read to see what happened over the last week.

To China, Shift in Obama’s Political Fortunes Eclipses U.S. Economic Gains