„Chain reaction“ between Trump indictment and Tsai’s visit?

„Chain reaction“ between Trump indictment and Tsai’s visit?

At the moment, two events, the indictment of Trump and the visit of the Taiwanese President of the DDP to the US, can develop a certain combined momentum, with some commentators even fearing a “chain reaction” between US domestic political chaos and a new Taiwan crisis. As hostile as Republicans and Democrats are domestically, they are united against China, yes, attempts could be made to ventilate domestic political chaos through foreign policy compensation, similar to Kaiser Wilhelm II: I no longer know any parties, only Germans!

First: How does China view the charges against Trump? Will Trump benefit from the indictment or will it harm him? The Chinese Global Times is also unclear about this, citing two experts with opposite opinions, although it may also be optimistic about the latter effect. In any case, the GT cites the „weaponization of the judicial system for political purposes“ as a further indication of the dysfunctionality of US democracy, which will not overcome its polarization. No one believes in a second Capitol Hill, since the US authorities are prepared this time, and a number of Republicans have been ambivalent since Capitol Hill (although the GT forgets that most Republicans downplay the storming of the US parliament, including Desantis, Ted Cruz, and others Trump’s critics like Mike Pence are now backing him in the face of the indictment), but the hostility between Democrats and Republicans runs so deep and will continue to exist in the future and in the election campaign. Only the hostility to China connects both camps. In any case, the Chinese system is seen as superior, as if there were a constitutional state with rule of lawand an independent judiciary and not party judiciary, no political weaponization of the Chinese judiciary and elimination of political competitors, even if it was „only“ by means of anti-corruption campaigns and other pretexts, similar to those in the USA against Al Capone, after he could not be jailed because of murder charges and was put behind bars for life on tax evasion charges. Also a popular method by Xi.

„US risks sinking into disorder as Trump indicted, political system in disarray“

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202303/1288366.shtml

Donald Trump Photo:VCG

Donald Trump Photo:VCG

The DDP-affiliated Taipei Times proudly announces that Tsai has been awarded with the Hudson Institute’s Global Leadership Award, portrayed as a beacon of democracy and a frontline state of freedom. Also interesting: demonstrators against Tsai in the US: CCP-hired US-Chinese? In the Global Time they are not mentioned at all with the exception of a picture, in the Taipei Times article only in one sentence. Another open question: Will Tsai also meet Mike Pompeo?

Tsai receives Global Leadership Award

EXTRAORDINARY LEADERSHIP: The award is a tribute to the people of Taiwan, as their courage helped end martial law and brought about democracy, the president said

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2023/04/01/2003797111

Chinese nationals hold a board saying

Chinese nationals hold a board saying „Tsai Ing-wen is big traitor of China“ to protest Tsai’s transit trip on March 29, 2023 outside the hotel where she was staying in Manhattan, New York. Photo: VCG

So far only tame criticism from Global Time for the third day of Tsai’s visit to the Hudson Institute and the presentation of an award and speech. For the GT the Hudson Institute is a think tank of the non-ruling Republican opposition party led by circles around Mike Pompeo and Miles Yu. So let’s wait and see how the meeting with McCarthy is perceived, if it takes place and what Tsai will say in her promised speech at the Ronald Reagan Freedom Library. .Moreover, disorder in the USA is expected from Trump’s mobilization because of the impeachment.

Chinese FM issues warning over Tsai’s stopover in US for third consecutive day, as secessionist awarded by conservative think tank

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202303/1288367.shtml

The Joint Intelligence Operations Center of the US Indo-Pacific Command and the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense calculate that China’s reaction in the event of a Tsai-Mc Carthy meeting will be milder than during the Pelosi visit, McCarthy belongs to the opposition party and did not visit Taiwan yet and Tsai is visiting the US under the pretense of a „transit“, it is also still unclear what she will say in her speech, especially since at the same time EU-Leyen, France, Spain and Malaysia have just announced state visits to China, which they would cancel in the event of an aggressive reaction and China is currently on a kind of charm offensive and its Global Security Initiative, which Xi announced at the Boao Conference last year, now pushed, hyped and illustrated by the Iran-Saudi Arabia deal including the Syria-Iran deal and the Chinese Ukraine peace initiative and was presented this year at the same time as Tsai’s visit, and a firece reaction to the Tsai visit would undermine China´s hoped-for new image as a bringer of world peace. So one hopes that after crossing the middle line and the ADIZ after the Pelosi visit, China will not yet cross the „nautical mile“ this time as the next „new normality“, but will remain between verbal wolf warrior rhetoric and some more moderate military threats.

US Indo-Pacific forces watching for China backlash

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2023/03/31/2003797051

A moderate Chinese reaction is also expected from Taiwan’s defense ministry. So far, only 9 fighter jets have penetrated the medium line and China is currently in a charm offensive and has just presented its Global Security Initiative at the Boao Conference, which is why there will not be a reaction with large-scale military maneuvers. The demonstrators against Tsai in the US were professional demonstrators hired and paid by the CCP for 200 US $, members of China’s united front such as the Alliance for the Reunification of China and organized crime, i.e. Chinese triads.

“Chinese aircraft cross median line as Tsai is in US

‘SLIGHT’ ENCROACHMENT: Taiwan made ‘preparations in case China reacts irrationally’ to Tsai’s stopovers in the US on her way to and from Central America, an official said

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2023/04/01/2003797126

Taiwan’s latest consideration and variant after the defeat in Honduras: dual diplomatic relations. That would probably be the softening of the Chinese Hallstein Doctrine and the One China Principle in a different way. But would other states accept that and risk getting into trouble from China?

Taiwan could recognize dual relations with China

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2023/03/28/2003796857

Comparable to Germany’s Varwick/Wagenknecht/Schwarzer/Vad/Kujat/Precht peace appeals, there are now peace appeals in Taiwan for equidistance, de-escalation and avoidance of a Sino-American war at the same time as Tsai’s visit to the USA. As in Germany, these appeals are criticized as naïve and useful for China’s hegemony striving, and the accusation of Beijing’s 5th column and its united front is raised. Similar to the protesters against Tsai’s visit to the US, organized by the CCP through its united front, the Alliance for the Reunification of China, with $200 hired participants and Chinese triads.

Anti-war stance is self-defeating

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2023/04/01/2003797103


Original Sources:

US risks sinking into disorder as Trump indicted, political system in disarray

By GT staff reporters Published: Mar 31, 2023 10:33 PM Updated: Mar 31, 2023 10:42 PM

Donald Trump Photo:VCG

Donald Trump Photo:VCG


After weeks of speculation, former US president Donald Trump, who is also running for the 2024 elections, was indicted in Manhattan on Thursday, making him the first former president to face criminal prosecution in US history.

Experts said this further revealed the dysfunction of the American political system amid increasingly extreme political polarization, warning of the possibility of more violent protests from Trump’s followers.  

A grand jury in New York City voted Thursday to indict Trump. The specific charges against him are not yet known, but two people with knowledge of the matter told The New York Times that there are more than two dozen counts in the indictment.

The charges are expected to stem from a payment that was made to a porn star, Stormy Daniels, who in October 2016, during the final weeks of the presidential campaign, tried to sell her story of an affair with Trump, the New York Times reported.

Trump has been briefed on the process he will go through, and is expected to surrender next week, the New York Times said, citing people familiar with the discussions.

The indictment was seen as an unprecedented moment for the US that signals ever fiercer partisan struggles, according to analysts. 

The move also indicated that the polarized political and legal system is not bringing about order but chaos to the country, Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Friday. 

Experts also warned of a normalization of indicting former presidents in the US as politics of retaliation has become routine, with political and legal tools being further weaponized to attack political opponents.  


Systemic dysfunction


Just 20 minutes after the vote, Trump and his GOP allies responded to the indictment with an email to his supporters urging them to contribute to his 2024 presidential campaign, according to media reports.

In the email, Trump called the vote „political persecution and election interference at the highest level in history.“

Some observers believed that the indictment may become an opportunity for Trump to increase his visibility for the 2024 election and win more support. His legal travails are likely to further suck up media oxygen and blot out other coverage of the presidential race, the New York Times said.

Da Wei, director of the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University, disagrees with this prediction. He believed that, on the whole, the negative impact of the indictment will see Trump lose more reasonable and centrist voters. 

Only some extreme supporters of Trump will probably continue to stand close to him, Da said. He warned that these extreme supporters could carry out more violent actions and protests in the period following the indictment and leading up to the 2024 election.

As the indictment process will last for a certain period, it is also uncertain whether Trump will still be able to represent the Republicans in the 2024 election, as no one is likely to want a candidate charged with a crime to be the party’s presidential nominee, experts pointed out. 

The awkward situation the Republican party finds itself in can be seen from the reaction of Trump’s allies to the potential charges against the former president and one of the strongest Republican 2024 candidates, as they have been reportedly eager to attack Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat who launched the investigation into Trump, but aren’t necessarily keen on defending Trump.


Trump had been calling on his supporters to protest his potential arrest over the hush-money payment charge since March 18, a dangerous incitement that echoed his rhetoric ahead of the deadly January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. But analysts pointed out that it is less possible for Trump’s supporters to stage another event like the Capitol Hill riot, given that authorities are fully prepared for this kind of eventuality. 

Despite support from his more radical supporters, „Trump mania“ has cooled a little over the past few years as more people have gotten a clearer understanding of the severe consequences of the Capitol riot, analysts noted.

However, the US had apparently failed to learn from the event, in other words, they have been unable to fix the systemic dysfunction that led to the riot, experts noted, referring to the increasingly fierce partisan fight in the last few years. 

The upcoming election season will amplify the confrontation and division in American society, with chronic problems such as racism, gun violence and political violence witnessing a possible surge, they noted. 

The political polarization has also expanded to normal Americans. A New York Times/Siena College poll in October 2022 showed that 71 percent of respondents believe that American democracy is under threat and a majority of respondents in both parties identified the opposing party as a major threat to democracy. 

The indictment may somehow become an advantage for Trump himself, but this indicates that the system has become more like a child’s game with mounting stunts, and more dramatic twists will probably be played out, observers predicted.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202303/1288366.shtml

Tsai receives Global Leadership Award

EXTRAORDINARY LEADERSHIP: The award is a tribute to the people of Taiwan, as their courage helped end martial law and brought about democracy, the president said

  • By Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff reporter

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Thursday received the Hudson Institute’s Global Leadership Award for her work to deepen the nation’s ties with the US and her determination to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Hudson Institute Board of Trustees chair Sarah May Stern along with president and CEO John Walters presented the award to Tsai on Thursday night during her stopover in New York before departing to visit Guatemala and Belize, two of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies.

The award “is presented to exceptional individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership in service of the principles at the core of Hudson’s mission of promoting security, freedom and prosperity,” the institute’s Web site said.

Tsai “has led a vibrant democracy with great courage and clear-eyed determination to resist tyranny and maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Walters said.

Under her leadership, the US and Taiwan have expanded and deepened their security and economic relationship, he said, adding that “we are proud that America stands with Taiwan.”

Tsai is “a frontline defender of democracy” by the US and many countries around the world, Walters said, adding that Americans can learn an important lesson from her and the people of Taiwan.

Tsai said the award is “a tribute to the people of Taiwan,” as their courage and perseverance ended the Martial Law era and transformed Taiwan into a democratic nation that continues to pursue peace and prosperity with like-minded partners.

Taiwan always responds to escalations of tensions provoked by China with prudence and calmness, demonstrating to the world that Taiwan acts responsibly, Tsai said.

Taiwanese hope for peace, but history shows that the best way to avoid war is to be stronger than adversaries, she said.

Taiwan has grown closer to democratic countries around the world, but is still excluded from the UN and other international organizations, an injustice that must end, she said.

Safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is crucial, as cross-strait instability brings economic and security risks to the world, Tsai said, adding that the world should forge deeper security cooperation and robust economic partnerships with Taiwan.

Taiwan is not only “resilient and deeply believes in the power of democracy,” but also “determined to protect our way of life,” she said.

The US and Taiwan “have much in common when it comes to individual rights, liberty and democracy,” Washington-based Heritage Foundation founder Edwin Feulner said.

Regarding people who protested outside the ceremony venue, Feulner said that “it is unfortunate that a friend of democracy, a friend of the American people, received such a welcome and confrontation in the US.”

Asked whether Tsai would speak with former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo, who did not attend as had been speculated, Deputy Secretary-General to the President Xavier Chang (張惇涵) said that Tsai would interact and communicate with friends in the US as much as possible during her stay.

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2023/04/01/2003797111

Chinese FM issues warning over Tsai’s stopover in US for third consecutive day, as secessionist awarded by conservative think tank

By Wang Qi

Published: Mar 31, 2023 10:32 PM

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning


China on Friday expressed strong opposition to Taiwan regional leader Tsai Ing-wen’s „transit trip“ through the US, which violates the one-China principle, and urged the US to keep its word and take concrete actions to uphold the political foundation of China-US relations.

China’s solemn statement came after Tsai was awarded by a US research policy institute while traveling through New York on her way to Guatemala and Belize. Tsai boasted about the island’s „democracy“ and importance of cooperation with the US in the field of security.

On Friday, Mao Ning, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, told a press briefing, „We strongly oppose any US visit by the leader of the Taiwan authorities regardless of the rationale or pretext, and strongly oppose all forms of US contact with the Taiwan authorities, which violates the one-China principle.“

What has happened proves that this trip by Tsai is not so much a „transit,“ but an attempt to seek breakthroughs and propagate „Taiwan independence,“ Mao said. „No one and no force can hold back China’s reunification.“

This is the third day in a row that the Chinese Foreign Ministry has issued a stern warning over Tsai’s stopover in the US. Mao said the issue is not about China overreacting, but the US egregiously conniving at and supporting Taiwan secessionists.


On Thursday, Tsai received a „Global Leadership Award“ from the Hudson Institute, a conservative US think tank that was attended by extreme anti-China politicians such as former US president Donald Trump’s secretary of state Mike Pompeo and high-ranking advisor Miles Yu. 


By setting up narratives on „authoritarianism against democracy,“ Tsai criticized the mainland by citing „Russia’s invasion of Ukraine“ as an example, the Washington Post reported. 

Liu Weidong, a research fellow at the Institute of American Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday that the purpose of Tsai’s approach is clear – to further tie Taiwan secessionists to US domestic politics. 

„Tsai cast herself as the representative of democracy within the Chinese community, while discrediting the mainland system, and conducted social mobilization in the US to pressure the Americans: if you don’t support me, you don’t support democracy, and thus the self-proclaimed moral sense of the US is false,“ Liu explained. 

Chinese nationals hold a board saying

Chinese nationals hold a board saying „Tsai Ing-wen is big traitor of China“ to protest Tsai’s transit trip on March 29, 2023 outside the hotel where she was staying in Manhattan, New York. Photo: VCG



The White House said Wednesday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken still wants to visit China after postponing a trip last month, according to US media outlets.

Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, reiterated China’s position on the Taiwan question during a meeting with Stephen Orlins, president of the National Committee on US-China Relations, in Beijing. 

The US must honor its words and take concrete actions to uphold the political foundation of China-US relations, Wang said. 

Tsai has shown a preference between the two parties of the US, which will undoubtedly increase the polarization of partisan battles in the US, analysts said. In general, the DPP authorities have better ties with the Republicans and their think tanks, which have more irrational anti-China hawks, Liu said. 

With politicians like Mike Pompeo and Miles Yu, the Hudson Institute is not closely affiliated with the Biden administration, but with the Republican establishment, while Democratic think tanks and the GOP think tanks are now constantly diverging, reflecting the partisan polarization in the US, the expert remarked. 

The Hudson Institute and Tsai are using each other, with Tsai hoping to increase her international visibility and propagate „Taiwan independence“ through the think tank activity, while the think tank hopes to enhance its own status and influence among conservative camps through Tsai’s visit.

According to media reports, the right-leaning think tank with a long-standing hawkish anti-China posture has received funds from Taiwan authorities‘ representative office in the US. 

The accumulated resources of conservative think-tanks may come in handy in the future if a Republican president takes the White House, though Biden now favors Democratic think-tanks, Liu said. 

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202303/1288367.shtml

Fri, Mar 31, 2023 page1

US Indo-Pacific forces watching for China backlash

By Wu Su-wei and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer and CNA

The Joint Intelligence Operations Center of the US Indo-Pacific Command is operating under “a heightened state of vigilance” as the US braces for possible diplomatic and military backlash from China over President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) expected meeting with US House of Representatives speaker Kevin MacCarthy next week, the Washington Post reported yesterday.

The last time the center took such action was during then-US House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei in August last year, command spokesman Kyle Raines was quoted as saying.

Intelligence personnel have heightened their watch for hostile actions and are preparing for an increase in information requests from commanders in the region, he said.

Beijing’s response could vary from harsh language, sanctions on MacCarthy and US officials, or a show of force that “matched or exceeded the dramatic display when missiles were fired over Taiwan” following Pelosi’s visit, the Post said.

Tsai’s anticipated meeting with McCarthy is likely seen by Beijing as less provocative than Pelosi’s visit, and would “refrain from extreme aggression,” a senior US intelligence official was cited as saying on the condition of anonymity.

However, the uncertainty over China’s intentions indicate that the cross-strait situation is tense, the report said.

Tsai arrived in New York City on Wednesday afternoon for a two-night stay on her way to visit Central American diplomatic allies Guatemala and Belize, and on Wednesday next week is to arrive in Los Angeles where she is expected to meet with McCarthy during a two-night stay before returning to Taipei.

Tsai meeting the US House speaker outside of Taiwan has lessened the potential for an aggressive response by China, as opposed to what was seen after Pelosi’s visit to Taipei, National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) said yesterday.

Tsai Ming-yen was responding to Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Charles Chen’s (陳以信) questions at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee.

China is likely to behave more diplomatically in light of upcoming state visits to Beijing by officials from Malaysia, Singapore, Spain and France, along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, he said.

The heads of these states said they would cancel their trips if China engages in reckless military activity, he added.

Beijing traditionally resorts to hostility whenever Taiwan makes significant diplomatic gains, Tsai Ming-yen said in response to a question from KMT Legislator Johnny Chiang (江啟臣).

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army could heighten “war preparedness patrols” by military aircraft or conduct large-scale war games, Tsai Ming-yen said.

Although Taiwan cannot discount the possibility that China might move large concentrations of ships and aircraft around the nation upon Tsai Ing-wen’s return, there is no evidence of that kind of activity happening now, he added.

Meanwhile, intelligence showed that China is paying protesters US$200 to gather at Tsai Ing-wen’s hotel and other locations, Tsai Ming-yen told lawmakers.

Beijing mobilized a wide variety of groups, including Chinese immigrants, members of the Alliance for China’s Peaceful Reunification and organized crime groups, in a bid to disrupt her transit through the US, he said.

The US has closely coordinated with Taiwan to ensure Tsai Ing-wen’s safety, he said, adding that the New York and Los Angeles police departments are sharing information with the bureau

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2023/03/31/2003797051

Sat, Apr 01, 2023 page3

Chinese aircraft cross median line as Tsai is in US

‘SLIGHT’ ENCROACHMENT: Taiwan made ‘preparations in case China reacts irrationally’ to Tsai’s stopovers in the US on her way to and from Central America, an official said

By Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee / Reuters, TAIPEI

Nine Chinese aircraft yesterday crossed the Taiwan Strait’s median line as they carried out combat readiness patrols, the Ministry of National Defense said.

The incursions came days after Beijing threatened retaliation if President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) meets US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Tsai arrived in the US on Wednesday, stopping over on her way to Central America.

She is expected to meet McCarthy in Los Angeles on her way back to Taipei, and China on Wednesday threatened unspecified retaliation if that meeting were to go ahead.

The ministry said the nine Chinese aircraft crossed the median line, which used to serve as an unofficial buffer between the two sides, in the north, center and south.

The military monitored the situation using ships and aircraft, adhering to the principle of “not escalating conflicts or causing disputes,” the ministry said.

“The communist military’s deployment of forces deliberately created tension in the Taiwan Strait, not only undermining peace and stability, but [it] also has a negative impact on regional security and economic development,” it said in a statement.

The ministry condemned what it called “such irrational actions.”

There was no immediate response from China.

Tsai, on her first US stopover since 2019, told an event held by the Hudson Institute think tank in New York on Thursday that the blame for rising tensions lay with China, excerpts of her comments reported by her office showed.

“China deliberately raises tensions, but Taiwan always responds cautiously and calmly, so that the world can see that Taiwan is the responsible party in cross-strait relations,” she said.

A senior Tsai administration official familiar with security planning said the Chinese aircraft only “slightly” encroached across the median line, and that no unusual movements by Chinese ships had been registered.

China staged war games around Taiwan proper in August last year following a visit to Taipei by then-US House speaker Nancy Pelosi, and has continued its military activities near Taiwan since, although on a reduced scale.

The official said that China was unlikely to repeat such large exercises, as it is engaging in a “charm offensive” toward foreign political and business leaders, and an escalation of military tension would send “conflicting messages” to the world.

“Having said that, we have made all preparations in case China reacts irrationally,” the source said. “The more the international community pays attention to Taiwan, the more upset they get.”

Speaking to reporters in Taipei earlier yesterday, Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) said Taiwan is a democratic country that has the right to go out into the world.

“I hope that China will not find pretext to provoke,” he said, when asked about Beijing’s retaliation threat. “China’s authoritarian expansion will in fact cause unnecessary trouble, so we here again make this call, hoping that China can reduce its provocative actions.”

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2023/04/01/2003797126

Tue, Mar 28, 2023 page2

Taiwan could recognize dual relations with China

By Lu Yi-hsuan / Staff reporter

Taiwan does not exclude the possibility of having formal diplomatic relations with countries that also have formal ties with China, regardless of Beijing’s stance, Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said on Sunday.

There was speculation in 2012 that Honduras was attempting to have simultaneous diplomatic relations with Taiwan and China, an idea that then-minister of foreign affairs David Lin (林永樂) rejected.

Honduras severed formal ties with Taiwan on Sunday morning after establishing diplomatic relations with Beijing.

President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration has taken a more practical approach to relations with like-minded countries since assuming government in 2016. Previous administrations took the position that the two sides could not “stand together” regarding their formal ties with other countries.

Taiwan is resisting China’s attempts to isolate the nation by becoming an important economic, cultural and technological partner of Latin American countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico, in the fields of economics, culture antechnology, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Yui (俞大?) told the Spanish-language online news outlet Infobae.

Taiwan would not ask other countries to sever diplomatic ties with China, but rather welcomes the idea of forming relations with both countries, Yui said.

Countries should consider whether Beijing’s Taiwan exclusion demand is reasonable, he added.

“We will not rule out any possibility,” Wu said when asked on Sunday whether the ministry encourages dual recognition.

If any country wants to bolster relations with Taiwan, whether in politics, diplomacy, culture or trade, Taipei would not consider their relations with Beijing as a factor, he said.

China’s suppression of Taiwan’s global participation “is not just toward a political party or certain people, but a problem for our country,” Wu said.

The government is working to expand Taiwan’s “breathing room” internationally, such as with a group of Czech lawmakers visiting Taiwan this week, he added.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) yesterday said Wu’s remark would result in more diplomatic losses, as accepting dual recognition “creates ambiguity.”

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2023/03/28/2003796857

Sat, Apr 01, 2023 page8

Anti-war stance is self-defeating

By Chang Kuo-tsai 張國財

A statement by an “anti-war” working group signed by dozens of academics recently urged Taiwan to work toward averting a US-China war by maintaining positive and “equidistant” ties with both countries, saying it would help it avoid becoming an underling of US hegemony.

However, the target of the appeal for peace was not China, a country known for its “wolf warrior” diplomacy that frequently sends warplanes into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, but an overwhelmed Taiwan that has been busy keeping Beijing’s aggressions at bay. It is disconcerting that these academics could come up with such preposterous notions.

The appeal for peace is redundant. That there is a Nobel Peace Prize, but no “Nobel No War Prize” shows that despite wars being waged around the world, war is an atrocity that should be avoided at all costs. Although world peace has not been fully achieved, it should be a common goal pursued by all.

Who would dare openly admit that they want war instead of peace? Even Russian President Vladimir Putin, who harbors ambition to conquer the sovereign nations that previously belonged to the Soviet Union, therefore launching an all-out invasion of Ukraine, still had to invent the phrase “special military operation” to beautify his actions. No dictator would admit that they intend to launch wars, or have a desire for war instead of peace.

According to Putin’s mindset, there have been no “wars” in the past, neither in the present nor in the future. The word “war” is not in his dictionary.

Similarly, China, a country that has been threatening Taiwan and stepping up military pressure against it, is a “peace-loving nation,” Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) said, adding that aggression or hegemony is not in the “blood of the Chinese nation.”

As invaders would not admit to waging wars and bullies claim that all they want is peace, it is obvious that it is easy to call for peace with empty words.

After all, the saying goes that “there ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.”

How could there be peace without a price? Unless utopia is realized on Earth, seeking peace without weapons is impossible.

Even Sweden, a neutral and nonaligned country, doubled its military spending from 1 percent to 2 percent of GDP after Russia started the Ukraine war.

By giving up one’s military prowess to sue for peace, albeit “free of charge,” comes with a heavy price.

As for averting a US-China war, Taiwan has absolutely no say in it. After all, a small nation such as Taiwan can hardly play a role in the dispute between two major world powers.

If the academics are serious about “equidistant” ties with China and the US, they should not only call for efforts to “avoid becoming an underling of the US hegemony,” but also for efforts to “avoid becoming a slave or pawn of the Chinese hegemony.”

US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s plan to visit Taiwan, which might have changed into a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) in the US, is a congenial gesture of the US toward Taiwan.

Such gestures are always condemned by China, which even pressured Taiwan not to form diplomatic ties with the Czech Republic or Lithuania.

It is preposterous to think that Taiwan could be on friendly terms with a country that has been relentless in its efforts to isolate it, without being on the receiving end of an abusive relationship.

People who say they are “peace-loving” and advocate unconditional surrender in the event of invasion have malicious intent. Such self-seekers often claim they would “die a Taiwanese.”

There are also public figures such as former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and his wife, who claimed that their US green cards had “expired and were invalidated automatically,” while their daughters and aunts are also fellow adherents of “toothbrushism,” meaning they live in Taiwan, but could flee at a moment’s notice, thanks to their US citizenship or residence in the country.

These people have servility written in their DNA, and are so allergic to the idea of democracy that they long for a Chinese communist government. Or perhaps they have Chinese nationalism so ingrained in them that they would rather see China take over Taiwan and cause bloodshed instead of letting Taiwanese decide their future.

Countries that are subject to bullying or an invasion, such as Taiwan or Ukraine, have the obligation to counter those actions and try to ensure their survival. They cannot afford the delusion to give up their struggle, oppose war or relinquish the right to survive.

Chang Kuo-tsai is a retired associate professor of National Hsinchu University of Education.

Translated by Rita Wang

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2023/04/01/2003797103

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