Lai has reiterated since his January victory that his administration will continue to strengthen the foundations laid by Tsa…reports Asian Lite News
Lai Ching-te of Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was sworn in and took office as the self-governing island’s President on Monday.
According to Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry, more than 500 foreign guests from 51 delegations attended the inauguration ceremony and related activities, including the national leaders of eight countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
Lai, 64, the son of a coal miner and a trained physician, succeeds Tsai Ing-wen, 67, to lead the democracy amid increasing threats from China, which claims the self-governing island of over 23 million people as its territory. Taiwan has had an independent government since 1949.
Tsai could not run again after completing the maximum two terms. Her eight years in office aimed at maintaining the status quo between Taiwan and China and augmenting Taiwan’s international visibility amid a complex geopolitical situation.
Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, 52, was also officially sworn in. She was Taiwan’s de facto ambassador to the US from 2020 to 2023 and formerly served as a DPP lawmaker for several terms.
The Chinese Communist Party considers the DPP to be a separatist organisation and has threatened to invade Taiwan if the party makes any formal moves towards independence. The DPP says Taiwan already functions as an independent state and needs to make any formal declaration.
Given the threats from China, Tsai’s administration adopted strategies to strengthen Taiwan’s defensive military capabilities and to cooperate with like-minded countries to form a collective deterrence in the region.
Lai has reiterated since his January victory that his administration will continue to strengthen the foundations laid by Tsai to not only safeguard the status quo but also let Taiwan to keep playing an indispensable role in the global economy and towards maintaining geopolitical stability.
The US maintains a certain amount of strategic ambiguity when it comes to Taiwan, officially recognising only the Beijing government, but it is legally bound to support Taiwan’s defence capabilities through the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act.
Taiwan Denies China’s Claim of Bribing Guatemalan Lawmakers…reports Asian Lite News
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Saturday rejected China’s allegations regarding dollar diplomacy with Guatemala and called it a ploy by China to use the occasion of the oath-taking ceremony of President-elect Lai Ching-te and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim on May 20 to try and disrupt Taipei’s foreign relations, Taiwan News reported.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry’s statement came after the Chinese foreign ministry alleged that Taiwan had maintained political support from Guatemala by paying off its lawmakers, according to Taiwan News report.
The statement released by Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, “China took advantage of the inauguration ceremony of its new president and vice president to once again resort to despicable tactics in an attempt to confuse the international community. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs severely condemned it and warned China that Taiwan, the Republic of China, is a sovereign and independent country. China has no right to comment on exchanges.”
Taiwan’s foreign ministry accused China of using money and corrupt practices to infiltrate other nations and termed the latest allegations made by Beijing a grave insult to the leaders of Guatemala, Taiwan News report.
In the statement, Taiwan’s foreign ministry said, “As we all know, China not only uses financial bribes to infiltrate other countries but also creates debt traps to cause fatal harm to the development of other countries.”
Taiwan expressed strong protest over China’s accusations and urged the global community to condemn China’s hypocrisy. In a statement, Taiwan’s foreign ministry stated, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs severely condemned it and warned China that Taiwan, the Republic of China, is a sovereign and independent country. China has no right to comment on exchanges.”
On May 12, Guatemala announced that it would send Guatemala’s Foreign Minister Carlos Ramiro Martinez to attend the inauguration of Taiwan President-elect Lai Ching-te. According to MOFA, mutual visits by Lai and by Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo would be arranged later.
Earlier in February, Guatemala’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said that the country will continue to maintain ties with Taiwan. Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the decision.
In a statement, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the Republic of China (Taiwan) welcomes the statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala on February 7 reaffirming its resolute stance on maintaining diplomatic relations with Taiwan.”
“Based on the shared values of freedom and democracy and the foundations of the long-term partnership between the two countries, MOFA looks forward to Taiwan and Guatemala continuing to deepen cooperation and exchanges at all levels to jointly benefit the peoples of both nations,” it added. (ANI)
The Taiwanese authorities have identified these measures as a threat to national security. …reports Asian Lite News
China has announced a raft of proposals that target Taiwan’s Matsu Islands, also known as Lienchiang County, for economic integration and to establish greater political influence over the island nation, reported Taiwan News.
The Taiwanese authorities have identified these measures as a threat to national security. As an outlying territory so close to China, Beijing hopes that economic links can be used to coerce the local government and population of the county to willingly accept Chinese administration.
10-point plan aims at increasing shipping and investment between Fuzhou and the Matsu Islands, which are about 20 km apart.
Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO), along with the local government, organized the 26th Cross-Straits Fair for Economy and Trade from May 16 to 19 in Fuzhou, the capital of China’s Fujian Province, Taiwan News reported.
The proposals would allow Matsu residents discounted rides on transportation and hotels in Fuzhou, free tours of Fuzhou’s major cultural attractions, housing benefits, and dedicated hotline consultation for children’s education, employment, and entrepreneurship.
There are also plans for an industrial cooperation zone that will make it easier for Taiwanese citizens in Matsu to establish businesses in Fujian. Additionally, China has pledged USD 1.38 billion each year to promote business links and offer Matsu residents the same property rights as Chinese citizens, reported Taiwan News.
Fuzhou aims to attract young Matsu residents with educational exchange opportunities and entice travelers with incentives related to tours and accommodation, like Fuzhou-Matsu city passes announced in February.
The Chinese authorities are also planning to create a cross-strait distribution centre in Fuzhou with an annual budget of USD 5.5 million to facilitate increased trade, shipping, and economic exchanges with Lienchiang County.
The proposals aimed at Matsu island are part of China’s plan to establish a Fujian Cross-Strait Integration and Development Demonstration Zone, announced last September.
China aims to use trade and finance strategies along with infrastructure projects to annex Taiwan’s outlying territories of Kinmen and Matsu initially, to be followed by Penghu and then the main island of Taiwan, according to Taiwan News.
Recently, Taiwan’s authorities have raised concerns about China’s efforts to target Lienchiang County.
Reportedly, more than 3,000 individuals have applied for the Fuzhou-Matsu City passes, which provide RMB 300 for free to people who travel to Fuzhou.
Additionally, the local Lienchiang County government is helping residents apply for prepaid cards, which some believe could directly violate Taiwan’s law governing cross-strait relations.
The Magistrate of Lienchiang County, Wang Chung-ming, has been vocal in promoting a 27.2-kilometre bridge directly linking Matsu to Fujian.
The magistrate also promotes the infrastructure project as a means to connect Matsu’s Nangan Island to Langqi Island and Fujian’s highway network. (ANI)
A soldier looks through binoculars during combat exercises and training of the navy of the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in the waters around the Taiwan Island, Aug. 5, 2022. (Photo by Lin Jian/Xinhua/IANS)
Taiwan is anticipating a Chinse disruption of President-elect Lai Ching-te’s May 20 inauguration by hacking into websites and e-billboards and sabotaging the power grid….reports Asian Lite News
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence issued a statement on Saturday revealing that a significant presence of Chinese military aircraft and vessels has been detected in the vicinity of Taiwan.
According to the ministry, as of 6 am (UTC+8) that day, a total of 15 China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft and 6 China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels were observed operating around Taiwan.
Of particular concern is the revelation that 9 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, breaching Taiwan’s Southwestern Air Defence Identification Zone (SW ADIZ) and entering its airspace. This development underscores escalating tensions between Taiwan and China, as such airspace violations are viewed as provocative actions.
In response to the detected presence, Taiwan’s Armed Forces, represented by the Republic of China Armed Forces (ROCArmedForces), have closely monitored the situation and initiated appropriate responses. The nature of these responses was not detailed in the statement.
The increased activity in the Taiwan Strait region comes amidst growing geopolitical tensions between Taiwan and China. Taiwan has long been a point of contention for Beijing, which considers the island a renegade province and has repeatedly expressed intentions to reunify it with the mainland, even if by force.
“15 PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 9 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s SW ADIZ. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and responded accordingly,” said Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence on Saturday.
The presence of PLA military assets near Taiwan continues to be a sensitive issue, heightening concerns over potential escalations in the region. The Taiwanese government has consistently called for international support and attention to ensure stability and peace in the Taiwan Strait.
Since September 2020, China has intensified its use of “grey zone tactics” by operating more military aircraft and naval ships near Taiwan.
According to CSIS, grey zone tactics are defined as “an effort or series of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance that attempts to achieve one’s security objectives without resorting to direct and sizable use of force.”
Seoul :Nearly 560K foreign hacking attempts against S.Korean govt detected over past 6 yrs.(Yonhap/IANS)
Hacking concerns
The sole ruling party of China, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could attempt to disrupt President-elect Lai Ching-te’s May 20 inauguration by hacking into websites and electronic billboards and sabotaging the southern power grid, Taiwan News reported.
An official told ‘Liberty Times,’ a local Taiwanese newspaper on May 9 that Chinese hackers could target government websites and public screens on May 20, potentially inserting sarcastic congratulatory messages or pro-CCP propaganda to embarrass Lai.
China has intensified pressure on the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) after the January elections, as per Taiwan News.
An official revealed that China has been seeking information about the content of Lai’s inauguration speech through academics based in Hong Kong and Macau.
According to Taiwan News, the official further assessed that China is unlikely to conduct significant military exercises before May 20 but may attempt to disrupt the inauguration.
He also stated China could try and disrupt power in Tainan, where the presidential banquet will be held. The official warned relevant units should be prepared to respond accordingly.
He emphasized that if China is not satisfied with the content of Lai’s inaugural speech, further actions could be taken. Tariff reductions for specific items under the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) could be suspended.
On the diplomatic front, in the first year of the new president’s tenure, as is customary, there may be overseas visits, and the CCP may once again entice allies to sever ties with Taiwan to undermine Lai.
Meanwhile, recently Taiwan detained businessmen, and retired officers suspected of spying for China
Chinese security officials allegedly asked the businessman, surnamed Wen, to invite retired military officers over to China for meetings, the report said quoting Central News Agency (CNA).
A former officer named Chu agreed first and then recruited Chiang to join him, Kaohsiung prosecutors said.
During a visit to China, the three reportedly agreed to expand their organisation and persuade more serving and retired officers to join and provide information to Beijing. After completing their investigation, prosecutors raided Wen’s home on May 9 and detained all three suspects, Taiwan News reported.
While the three accused have denied the allegations, the investigators said they were highly likely to have broken the National Security Act. (ANI)
The announcement also comes days before US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits China, hoping to press Beijing to curb wartime support for Russia…reports Asian Lite News
Taiwan will work with the United States to “safeguard peace and freedom” in the region, the island’s premier said on Monday, after Washington approved billions in military aid for Taipei in the face of an increasingly assertive China.
The US House of Representatives on Saturday passed four bills in a $95 billion package, approving military aid to Ukraine and bolstering Israel’s defenses.
Some $8 billion under one bill would be used to counter China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to bring the democratic island under its control.
Taiwan’s defense ministry said Sunday that about $1.9 billion is earmarked for replenishing its military equipment and training and another $2 billion will used for “foreign military financing” for countries in the region including Taiwan.
The announcement also comes days before US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits China, hoping to press Beijing to curb wartime support for Russia.
“A peaceful and stable Taiwan Strait is a most important key to peace and prosperity in the world,” Taiwanese Premier Chen Chien-jen said Monday.
“Taiwan will continue to work with like-minded countries including the United States and all countries in the free democratic camp… to safeguard peace and freedom in the Indo-Pacific region and make the Taiwan Strait area more stable,” he added.
The 180-kilometer waterway separates Taiwan from China and is among the world’s busiest shipping routes.
It is also a hotspot of tensions between Beijing and Taipei, as relations have plummeted since 2016 after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen came into power.
She has refused to acknowledge Beijing’s claim over the island, saying instead that Taiwan is “already independent,” and during her two terms has bolstered defense spending for the island’s armed forces.
Her office on Sunday thanked the US Congress for approving the bills, which “shows that the United States’ security commitment to Taiwan has a clear bipartisan consensus,” said Presidential spokeswoman Olivia Lin.
Washington’s top diplomat Blinken’s trip marks a lowering of US-China friction that soared under former president Donald Trump.
High on his agenda will be what US officials say is a major push by China that has helped Russia, in the throes of the Ukraine invasion, carry out its biggest militarization since Soviet times.
But Beijing has regularly expressed anger at international support for Taipei and criticized the US of meddling in its affairs.
Incoming President of Taiwan William Lai is known to be favouring a policy of close engagement between India and Taiwan, so that the warming of ties that has been witnessed during the past few years is likely to continue, writes Prof. Madhav Das Nalapat
Incoming President William Lai is known to be favouring a policy of close engagement between India and Taiwan.
Since the 1990s, India has had an interest in better relations with Taiwan, a tech powerhouse of around 26 million that is situated in the eastern waters of the Indo-Pacific. However, absorbed as the island nation was in next-door China, first Japan and later South Korea moved miles ahead of Taiwan, in particular where the economic relationship was concerned.
This was a lost opportunity, for the two economies are complementary in a way that the economies of Japan, the US and South Korea are not. The three are more competitive than complementary where Taiwanese manufacturing is concerned, unlike India. However, the fault for the lag in relations does not exist only on the Taiwanese side.
On the Indian side, elements in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in particular were unaware of the potential of “IT”, an India-Taiwan partnership. Schooled in the Nehruvian tradition of genuflecting to Beijing, for long the MEA was allergic even to the use of the word “Taiwan” in India, fearing that China would be annoyed.
The fact is that the CCP has sought to contain and hurt India and its interests especially since economic reforms were introduced in India in 1992 by Prime Minister Narasimha Rao. Even a cursory perusal of the official records from that period would reveal the systematic way in which the PRC sought to damage the Indian interest. Arms sales to Pakistan multiplied several fold, including several advanced weapons such as fighter aircraft, missiles and nuclear technology.
Flouting every canon of international law, the CCP converted Pakistan into a nuclear power, simply to keep India weakened and distracted. Despite such a record, several officials (not just in the MEA but elsewhere in the government) were too afraid of incurring the PRC’s ire by even a small gesture opening the doors to greater cooperation with Taiwan.
As for their fear of having the word “Taiwan” on boards in India, they ignored the fact that in China itself, boards and signs containing the word “Taiwan” are everywhere. The good news is that matters have finally been taken in hand by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, both of whom have broken precedent by openly mentioning Taiwan rather than ignoring the existence of the island nation as was the case during the period in office of their predecessors.
Again in a first, India has joined with the US, Japan and other countries in publicly calling for peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, as this is essential to the tranquillity and security of the Indo-Pacific. India has opposed the effort of the PRC to pretend as though the ASEAN Sea were part of the PRC rather than being the international waterway it is, just as the Taiwan Straits are.
Given that Taiwan is separate from the PRC, it may be time that Taipei made it clear through new maps that Arunachal Pradesh and other parts of Indian territory are no longer claimed by the Republic of China in the way they are by the People’s Republic of China. Such a step would immensely enhance goodwill in India for Taiwan, as would measures such as both countries introducing Visa on Arrival for tourists from the other.
Buddhism is among the key practised religions in Taiwan, and the Buddhist associations of the country are very powerful there. Just as Buddhism has become a significant link bringing together Japan and India, the great faith introduced by the Buddha can do the same between India and Taiwan.
So can movies from Taiwan be shot in India and vice versa. Another measure would be to set up Taiwan enclaves in different parts of India, where Taiwanese companies could locate offices and do software work in the way companies from other countries do. During 2024, there has been significant forward movement in relations, and technology giants such as TSMC are looking at sourcing back office and design and fabrication work through using the brainpower of young Indians.
Already, Foxconn and other companies have read the tea leaves, and know that the geopolitical fault lines between the PRC and the democracies, particularly the US, are only going to get larger in the future. As a consequence, there is no longer a future in greater levels of high-tech production by Taiwanese companies in the PRC, a situation in which India offers the most cost-effective humanpower-abundant alternative
Given his transformative foreign policy, carried out by EAM Jaishankar, a quantum rise in Taiwanese investment into India has become politically feasible in a manner that was not the situation in the past, when fear of the PRC reaction prevented even the word “Taiwan” from being uttered by policymakers in the Lutyens Zone.
On the Indian side, what would be desirable would be to ensure that segments within the bureaucratic machinery and outside are not incentivized by CCP networks to hold up or in other ways to slow down progress on the implementation of Taiwanese production units in India. Sabotage through misuse of sections of officialdom had been a common feature of the landscape facing investors in India, but during the past few years, the scale of such activities has significantly diminished.
A few years ago, when PRC elements in a high-tech-enterprise in a southern state made sure that a few labour leaders were incentivised to run riot, the purpose was to ruin the image of India as a secure destination for investment. The Sunday Guardian as well as NewsX discovered and exposed the CCP’s hand in such mischief, and the same needs to be done whenever such networks operate in furtherance of the longstanding effort by the PRC to damage the future of India as an economic powerhouse.
As China Airlines, the official carrier in Taiwan, has both an aircraft as well as a pilot shortage, Air India or Indigo should begin nonstop services from Delhi to Taipei and back at least a few times each week. Traffic between India and Taiwan can only grow. Given its prowess and its demographic profile, Taiwan will need a significant number of workers in various fields of industry, and they will need to be sourced from friendly countries.
As a consequence of the New Southbound Policy initiated by President Tsai, interest and investment in India have risen to unprecedented levels in Taiwan. Incoming President of Taiwan William Lai is known to be favouring a policy of close engagement between India and Taiwan, so that the warming of ties that has been witnessed during the past few years is likely to continue. Both countries would speed their progress along the path of transformation through continuing to strengthen such a partnership in the manner that is being witnessed now.
Why has China decided to extend its military exercises around Taiwan?.(photo:IN)
Taiwanese armed forces have monitored the situation and deployed naval vessels and coastal systems in response to China’s activities…reports Asian Lite News
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) said it tracked four Chinese naval ships around Taiwan between 6 am on Sunday to 6 am on Monday.
In an official tweet on X, Taiwan Defence Ministry said that “4 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and employed appropriate forces to respond.”
According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence, Taiwanese armed forces have monitored the situation and deployed naval vessels and coastal systems in response to China’s activities.
No People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line or entered the country’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ) during that time.
Earlier, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence tracked six Chinese naval vessels operating around the country from 6 am (local time) on April 6 to 6 am (local time) on April 7
In a statement, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence stated, “6 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed Navy vessels and coastal missile systems in response to the detected activities.”
“Illustration of flight path is not provided due to no PLA aircraft crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait or entering Taiwan’s southwestern ADIZ during this timeframe,” it added.
On April 6, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) observed the seven Chinese naval vessels and one aircraft around Taiwan between 6 am (local time) on Friday and 6 am (local time) on Saturday.
According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND), Chinese aircraft entered Taiwan’s Eastern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ). In response, Taiwan deployed aircraft, naval ships and air defence missile systems to monitor China’s activity.
In a post on X, Taiwan’s MND stated, “1 PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s eastern ADIZ. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and employed appropriate forces to respond.”
So far this month, Taiwan has tracked Chinese military aircraft 40 times and naval vessels 45 times.
Since September 2020, China has increased its use of gray zone tactics by incrementally increasing the number of military aircraft and naval ships operating around Taiwan.
Gray zone tactics are defined as “an effort or series of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance that attempts to achieve one’s security objectives without resort to direct and sizable use of force.” (ANI)
Xi Jinping arrives for the opening meeting of the fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2021. (Xinhua/Ju Peng/IANS)
Amidst tensions, Chinese citizens advocate peaceful means for China-Taiwan unification, preferring status quo if peaceful resolution isn’t feasible….reports Asian Lite News
The ‘unification’ of Taiwan with mainland China is not the main priority for many Chinese people, and around one-third consider launching a full-scale war on the self-ruled island “unacceptable,” Al Jazeera reported.
But, even though the people’s focus remains underpinned on the economy and other crucial fronts, the Taiwan issue will remain the ‘cornerstone’ of the Chinese Communist Party’s narrative.
The communists won the Chinese Civil War in 1949, and the nationalists of the Kuomintang (KMT) fled Beijing for the island of Taiwan. It was on Kinmen, the main island of the archipelago of the same name, less than 10 km (6.2 miles) from the coast of China, that the nationalists repulsed repeated communist invasion attempts, but not before the fighting had wreaked havoc on both Xiamen and Kinmen, Al Jazeera reported.
Kinmen and its outlying islets – some of which lie even closer to the Chinese coast – have been a part of Taiwan’s territory ever since.
Chinese citizens were once able to get tourist visas to visit the islands, but that ended with the pandemic.
“It is difficult to imagine that this used to be a warzone,” 23-year-old Shao Hongtian said. “Kinmen, China and Taiwan are all part of the same nation, so it should be possible to visit, and I hope I can visit one day.”
Like Shao, Chinese President Xi Jinping and the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) too claim that Taiwan and its territory are part of China.
Xi said in his New Year’s address that China’s unification with democratic Taiwan was an “historical inevitability,” and China has not ruled out the use of force to achieve unification. Last year Xi called on China’s armed forces to strengthen their combat readiness.
In recent years, the Chinese military has increased its pressure on Taiwan with almost daily airborne and maritime incursions close to Taiwan’s air and sea space. This further intensified after the visit of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taipei.
At times, the Chinese manoeuvres have been accompanied by sabre-rattling rhetoric and large-scale military drills.
Lately, tensions have also been rising near Kinmen.
Last month, two Chinese fishermen were killed when their speedboat capsized as they attempted to flee the Taiwanese coastguard when they were discovered fishing “within prohibited waters” about one nautical mile (1.8km) from the Kinmen archipelago, Al Jazeera reported.
Since then, the Chinese coastguard has stepped up its activities around Kinmen.
Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Chinese government’s Taiwan Affairs Office, called the February incident “vicious” and stressed the waters were “traditional” fishing grounds for fishermen in China and Taiwan. There were no off-limits waters around Kinmen, she added.
A second capsize was reported on Thursday, and on this occasion, China asked for help from the Taiwan coastguard.
But, despite the recent tensions, Chinese citizen Shao says hostilities are not the way to bring China and Taiwan together.
“I want unification to happen peacefully,” he said. He said that if that is not possible, it would be better to keep things as they are.
He knows that many of his friends feel the same way. According to Shao, if they go to Kinmen and Taiwan, it should be as visitors, not as fighters.
“The Taiwanese haven’t done anything bad to us, so why should we go there to fight them?” he said, convinced that any war between China and Taiwan would result in significant casualties on both sides. “Unification with Taiwan is not worth a war.”
According to Al Jazeera, a study published by the University of California San Diego’s 21st Century China Center last year suggests that Shao and his friends are not alone in opposing a war over Taiwan.
China breathes fire as the world converges on the South China Sea(Photo:indianarrative)
The study explored Chinese public support for different policy steps regarding unification with Taiwan and it was found that one-third of Chinese respondents termed launching a full-scale war to achieve unification as “unacceptable.”
Only one per cent rejected all other options but war, challenging the Chinese government’s assertion that the Chinese people were willing to “go to any length and pay any price” to achieve unification, Al Jazeera reported.
Mia Wei, a 26-year-old marketing specialist from Shanghai is not surprised by such results.
“Ordinary Chinese people are not pushing the government to get unification,” she said. “It is the government that pushes people to believe that there must be unification.”
At the same time, support for a unification war turned out to be close to the same level found in similar studies from earlier years, indicating that despite the growing tension in the Taiwan Strait and renewed talk about taking control of Taiwan, there has not been a corresponding increase in support for more forceful measures.
Wei believes that Chinese like herself are more concerned with developments inside their country, amid issues like property crisis and economic concerns.
“First there was Covid, then the economy got bad and then the housing market got even worse,” she said. “I think Chinese people have their minds on more important things than unification with Taiwan.”
However, regardless of what Chinese people might think, Eric Chan, a senior fellow at the Global Taiwan Institute in Washington, DC believed that unifying Taiwan with the mainland will remain a ‘cornerstone’ of the CCP’s narrative.
“Unification is not a topic that is up for any sort of debate with the general public,” he said.
Although the Chinese leadership often claims that China is a democratic country where the party is guided by the will of the Chinese people, there are no regular national elections or free media, and online discourse is restricted and regularly censored. Speaking out against the CCP can also result in criminal convictions.
Since Xi became president in 2012, crackdowns on civil liberties have intensified, and Xi has centralised power around himself to a degree unprecedented since the rule of Mao Zedong – the man who led the communists to victory against the nationalists and became communist China’s first leader, Al Jazeera reported.
During Mao’s rule, reforms and purges of Chinese society led to the deaths of millions of Chinese people, while over 4,00,000 Chinese soldiers died as a result of his decision to enter the 1950-1953 Korean War on North Korea’s side.
But according to Chan, the days when a Chinese leader could expend tens of thousands of lives in such a manner are over. Recent government actions that exacted a heavy toll on citizens led to public pushback, and Xi did not appear immune.
During the Covid pandemic, Xi ardently defended the country’s zero-COVID policy even though its mass testing and strict lockdowns had dire socioeconomic consequences. The government eventually abandoned the policy as the economy sank, and people took to the streets across China’s major cities demanding an end to the lockdowns, even calling for Xi to step down, Al Jazeera reported.
As for war, the circumstances are also different. A battle for Taiwan would be existential for the communist party and Xi, according to Chan.
According to Chan, the public outrage over a long unification war that might even end in a Chinese defeat could ‘endanger’ the party’s rule. So, he expects the CCP instead continuing to engage in low-cost grey zone operations against Taiwan while developing a Chinese military that would be able to score a swift victory.
For citizens like Shao, however, any attempt to settle the issue through conflict would be a disaster.
“I don’t think it will end well for anyone – not for those that have to fight it and not for the government that starts it,” he said. (ANI)
The Ministry stated that Taiwan has continuously backed Palau’s tourism development efforts, aiming to enhance the Pacific nation’s economic resilience and sustainability….reports Asian Lite News
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Thursday affirmed that the country will continue to push for peace, prosperity and stability with Palau in the Indo-Pacific region, even though China has encouraged the Pacific ally to cut ties with Taipei, Central News Agency Taiwan reported.
The Ministry said in a statement that Taiwan has long supported Palau in tourism development in a bid to strengthen the Pacific nation’s “economic resilience and sustainability.”
The Taiwan Foreign Ministry said that Taipei has been keen to help Ngerulmud improve its tourism industry in the post-Covid era, maintaining stable direct flight links between the two countries while working with like-minded countries to support the Pacific island nation’s development.
“In the future, MOFA will continue to team up with Palau to facilitate peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region,” the statement read.
This came after Cleo Paskal, a researcher at the US-based think tank ‘Foundation for Defense of Democracies’, posted a letter from Palau President Surangel Whipps Junior to a US senator on her X handle, Focus Taiwan reported.
“The PRC has already offered to ‘fill every hotel room’ in our tourism-based private sector — ‘and more if more are built’ — and USD 20 million a year for two acres for a ‘call centre,'” the letter stated.
Whipps urged the US Congress to support the Compacts of Free Association (COFA), a financial aid agreement with Palau, that also includes Micronesia and the Marshall Islands.
A renewal of the 20-year COFA was signed late last year, but USD 7 billion to fund it is still struggling to find a path forward in the US Congress, Central News Agency Taiwan reported citing international media.
Whipps further said that as long as the US Congress fails to renew the COFA aid package, it will “play into the hands of the CCP and the leaders here (some of whom have done ‘business’ with the PRC) who want to accept its seemingly attractive economic offers — at the cost of shifting alliances, beginning with sacrificing Taiwan.”
In response, the ministry said Whipps has repeatedly supported Taiwan’s international organizations on many international occasions, including the UN General Assembly and the 28th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) held last year.
The Taiwan ministry also described Whipps as an “adamant ally” of Taiwan, as per CNA Taiwan.
In addition, it said Whipps had a phone conversation with Taiwan’s President-elect Lai Ching-te soon after the presidential election on January 13 and congratulated Taiwan for advancing ‘democratic values’, indicating the bilateral ties between the two countries are stable and continue to grow.
Notably, Taiwan has long criticised China accusing it of “poaching” its diplomatic allies
Nauru severed ties with Taiwan two days after the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate was elected president.
It was the 10th diplomatic ally Taipei lost to Beijing since President Tsai Ing-wen took office in May 2016 due to deteriorating cross-Taiwan Strait relations, Focus Taiwan reported. (ANI)
Members of two parties at the council in Sweden’s second-largest city submitted a motion to expand its foreign relations….reports Asian Lite News
The Chinese embassy in Sweden warned the Gothenburg City Council as it considered concluding sister city agreements with Taiwan to reduce its reliance on China, Taiwan News reported.
Members of two parties at the council in Sweden’s second-largest city submitted a motion to expand its foreign relations.
However, the move caught the attention of the Chinese embassy in Stockholm, according to the report.
The mission sent an e-mail to the Gothenburg City Council, warning it should adhere to the One China principle, Beijing’s claim that Taiwan is part of China, the Goteborg Posten reported. The politicians should handle the “Taiwan issue” correctly, as it was at the very core of China’s interests, the embassy said.
While Gothenburg and Shanghai were sister cities, there were rising suspicions about national security threats from China’s investments. Several Swedish cities have ended sister relations with Chinese cities, but Gothenburg has economic factors to consider.
China’s Geely owns Gothenburg-based carmaker Volvo Car Corporation, leaving more than 10,000 jobs at risk if relations between the two countries deteriorate. As a result, opinions at the city council were divided about whether to deal with the issue or leave it up to the central government, Taiwan News reported.
Taiwan’s envoy to Sweden, Klement Gu, called on the mayor of Gothenburg to visit Taiwan and witness the country’s economy, culture, and education. Bilateral relations should not be subject to interference by China, he said.
Five Chinese balloons detected crossing Taiwan Strait
Eight Chinese balloons were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait on Friday, the most in a single day to date, with two of them later flying over Taiwan, Central News Agency Taiwan reported quoting the Ministry of National Defence (MND) on Saturday.
According to the report, five of the eight balloons crossed the median line at points ranging from 68 nautical miles northwest of Keelung to 92 nautical miles west of the port city, while two crossed the line 55-65 nautical miles from Taichung and crossed the line closer to southern Taiwan.
They flew at altitudes ranging from 15,000 feet to 38,000 feet, according to the MND.
The fourth balloon, which made its way across the median line at 8 am, flew over central Taiwan before disappearing above the island at 9.52 am, according to an MND chart of the balloons’ paths.
Central News Agency Taiwan reported that the sixth balloon, which crossed the median line at 10:41 a.m., flew over the northern part of Taiwan before disappearing at 12:32 p.m. above waters to the east of Taiwan, the MND said.
Taiwan’s military did not make any comment on the type of balloons involved nor did it speculate on why Beijing sent eight balloons across the median line in a single day.
Another two military aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles also crossed Taiwan’s median line between 6 a.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Saturday, the MND said.
The median line in the Taiwan Strait served for many years as a tacit border between the two sides, but China’s military has more freely sent aircraft, drones, and balloons across it over the past 18 months, since former United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August 2022. (ANI)
