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© Thomson Reuters 2023.Japan says it is following China's Taiwan drills with 'great interest'
By Satoshi Sugiyama and Ben Blanchard TOKYO/TAIPEI©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
46 Comments
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TaiwanIsNotChina
After a 70 year ceasefire, at a minimum the invasion of Taiwan is going to get a new name, probably "the invasion of Taiwan". While it may not be as clearly illegal as the invasion of Ukraine, it still will be looked on as being as reasonable as if North Korea decided it was time to resume the Korean War. Even India will not be pleased at the world's semiconductor supplier being destroyed.
voiceofokinawa
At first glance, the American Civil War may be irrelevant to the Taiwan independence issue; but they are closely related in that both are civil wars by nature.
The American Civil War was fought between slavery economy-based southern states and commerce/industry-based northern states. If slavery was abolished, southern states cannot stand economically and hence they wanted to secede from the Union and maintain their traditional economy and way of life. The northern states, on the other hand, wanted to sell their industrial products to the southern states. The North also wanted the South to abolish slavery. In a sense, it was an economy-motivated war.
The Chinese Civil War was a war between Mao Tse-Tung-led Communist Party and Chiang Kai-Shek-led Nationalist Party for an economic hegemony. Chiang's Nationalists fled to Taiwan and Mao declared the establishment of the People's Republic of China on mainland China on Oct. 1, 1949.
The Chinese and American Civil Wars are comparable on the same table, I think.
Rodney
one to three days and they can block off the entire Taiwan strait. One of the worlds most important shipping lands.
TaiwanIsNotChina
What makes you think that isn't because they have gun to their heads all of their lives in the form of the PLA/PLN?
Mr Kipling
The people of Taiwan do not want independence.
The people of Taiwan do not want full integration with China.
They have repeatedly answered in survey after survey that they want the current situation to carry on.
Who is pushing the "independence" call? Why are they doing this?
TaiwanIsNotChina
60% don't want to be called Chinese, so presumably they want to nothing to do with the mainland. Outsiders like the PRC need to adjust their thinking to maintain peace. There wasn't a 70 year pause in the American Civil War and I think it is ridiculous to call actions in 2023 a civil war.
voiceofokinawa
The last resort to resolve the Taiwan issue, it seems to me, is how the Taiwanese themselves think about the problem, rather than how outsiders like Japan or the U.S. think about it.
Stephen Chin
Japan viewing China's Taiwan Drills with great interest?
Or, fear? Or, nervousness? Or, trepidation? Or, disbelief?
Or,.........................................?
TaiwanIsNotChina
This is the second time you proposed this silly referendum. What makes you think any Taiwanese party would put subjugation to China on the ballot paired with annihilation. Won't happen as they will find a way to continue to be independent or give China one hell of a black eye.
Not much point in the USA doing it, as China will have to level the island. There will be no surrender, I'm sure. The Taiwanese can see exactly what awaits them if they surrender from Hong Kong.
deanzaZZR
Your good friend-in-arms Peter seems to be suggesting that the UN recognizes Taiwan independence. That is factually incorrect.
TaiwanIsNotChina
And we all know how relevant that is. /s
deanzaZZR
The UN grants Taiwan or the Republic of China zero recognition. Taiwan's status at the UN is zilch, nada, 零, however you want to write it.
Yrral
Taiwan , you look silly here,if you have problem with the Chinese government ,you should be man enough to confront them, I know this Chinese woman,if she wanted me to confront them,I would do it personally
TaiwanIsNotChina
Inflation is down almost halfway back to it normal level in the US. The two US banks in question have already been bought, so still waiting for that massive failure that never happened. Sounds like a lot of wishful thinking from those who want to see the US reduced.
I think you'll find we don't import that much oil from the ME, so not sure how it is suddenly our achilles heal.
Like Putin master classed Finland and Sweden into NATO? Like he master classed his way into Kiev? In any event, Surrender Donald is no alternative that will leave the US stronger.
TaiwanIsNotChina
That's great, now follow them with targeting radar.
Peter Neil
To those who think my view is wrong, this statement was just issued from the Chinese military:
“The theater’s troops are ready to fight at all times and can fight at any time to resolutely smash any form of ‘Taiwan independence’ and foreign interference attempts,” it said Monday.
Stephen Chin
Reverse the China/Taiwan situation with the U.S.A./ISLAND (which claims independance from U.S.A. but is claimed by the U.S.A. as a breakaway U,S.A. territory.) Would China sell billions of dollars in war weapons to the ISLAND to defend itself against the U.S.A.?
quercetum
China knows how to negotiate. The U S asked for China’s help and China as a poor country with a per capital gdp of less than $180 in 1972, named its price and told the U.S. to remove its military bases and its personnel from Taiwan. The US agreed. I’m sure they really regret that now. That’s leverage.
OssanAmerica
The US and allies can make the cost of invading Taiwan so high that China may choose to stand down. So yes, the US and it's allies can stop China from invading Taiwan.
If that were true, China would officially denounce the use of military force against Taiwan. To date they still haven't.
Diplomacy works among like minded nations, where there is a degree of trust. It doesn't work with militant autocracies. Until China declares no use of military force against Taiwan and stops their constant military drills clearly designed to bully Taiwan, they will have no credibility. Without which there can be no "talking" of any real significance.
kaimycahl
@Mark I agree "LET US KEEP TALKING". BUT CHINA is speaking a different language that the international community doesn't understand which is GIBBERISH! If you attack China in any way they always twist the narrative to make the issue not theirs but your problem, you can't deal with idiots!!! Yes the international community could keep talking but the talk is falling on deaf ears to China!!
kibousha
Recent survey said 70000 Chinese soldiers will die if they try to invade Taiwan. I have only one question to CCP supporters, you're willing to kill off these young men, so that you can claim an island you've never ruled for centuries for what ? "National pride" ?
Peter Neil
Taiwan never agreed to Nixon’s one China policy. Nixon was willing to do anything to prop up his legacy with a photo op toasting Mao.
Taiwan existence is based on getting away from the slaughter and horror of the dictatorship of Mao, who liberated tens of millions of educated Chinese by murdering them. Smart, educated people are a threat to dictators.
China will give Taiwan an ultimatum of submit or perish.
Will the west be willing to go to full out war with China over Taiwan? Xi is betting no, since no one went to full out war with Russia over Ukraine, did they?
No one stood up to China when it ignored the agreement of Hong Kong independence, did they?
Kiss Taiwan good bye.
itsonlyrocknroll
It is time for the Japanese Government/People to accept, fully recognize the threats the Governments of China, Russia, North Korea, slow poisonous intrusion/reflection on past historic grievances represent.
It is time for J Government to defend its people
Mark
The U.S and it's allies can't STOP China if and when it decides to invade Taiwan according to many experts on the matter, and China will NOT risk using force to resolve this matter, so in the end diplomacy is the only way forward, and I believe we agree on that after watching the Putin's war in Ukraine .
No one wants to see or live in a conflict zone, so LET US KEEP TALKING.
itsonlyrocknroll
Japan says it is following China's Taiwan drills with 'great interest'.
Look, the Japanese Government must focus on their defense foreign policies towards the Governments of Russia, China and North Korea
A full defensive off shore nuclear deterrent must be implemented.
Peter14
The UNSC also does not recognize the CCP as its rulers. It is recognized as functionally independent from mainland China.
Fredrik
It's more like Scotland. Like Taiwan, it is not recognized by UNSC as a sovereign nation.
Peter14
YrralToday 07:12 pm JST
As long as you live in the US your subject to its laws, so it CAN tell you what to do, like it or not.
Taiwan is not ruled by the CCP so it cant be told by China what to do, and the UK can likewise do what ever it wants to do even if that upsets the US. Like leaving the EU upset the US, they did it anyway.
China holding drills around Taiwan is a hostile act meant to act like it surrounds Taiwan. The opposite actions that a friend would take. China is constantly killing its chances of a reconciliation with Taiwan. They offer nothing but hostility and fear, like a guy wanting a date with someone and when they dont get it they carry on in threatening behavior thinking it might change the mind of the person saying no to a date. Using fear to get love is never going to work.
Clay
Parallels between Ukraine and Taiwan truly frightening, only no emotional exiled oligarchs hiding in shadows controlling their puppet, this one's CLEAR as day.
What's NOT being covered by media's Iran's clear intent to conduct a proxy war against Israel, that's very much Putin Xi playbook and it's coming SOON.
It all ties in with Middle East 'reproachment' Mr. Xi has recently pulled off along with Turkey being 'energized' to unite Arab world - media silence is DEAFENING.
Big remaining mystery? Just how's NK going to be utilized by their overlords?
PRAY Kishida-san & other like-minded rational leaders together can find way to avert above, any off-ramp OK!
Moonraker
The petulant bully shows his true colours again.
Peter14
Larry, Taiwan is a self governing Island that is independent of mainland China ruled by the CCP. It is part of China in the same way that the UK is part of Europe.
cclz
Translation of title: Japan is doing it’s master’s bidding.
Yrral
Peter14, Taiwan is not sovereign nation,it a province of China
Peter14
China again turning to military bullying because people got together and shook hands.
Why does China always turn to its military when it is unhappy with other nations? Not the actions of a world leader in any sense.
China must understand it can not tell other nations what to do or not do, no matter how large its military gets. Sovereign nations will meet with anyone they choose to regardless of China's wishes.
WA4TKG
No doubt people where I am, “ In an Undisclosed Location “ are watching them too
Mr Kipling
They have constantly stated in every poll conducted that they DO NOT favor independence or full integration with the mainland. The vast majority quite like the status quo. It is outside forces banging the anti China and independence drums.
Rodney
Taiwan should have a referendum weather it wants to turned into a mound of rubble. USA already declared it will destroy all Taiwan’s semiconductor manufacturing rather than let China get their hands on it.
kurisupisu
It’s time for the JS Izumo to call into port in Taiwan…
Clay
More crazy risk, everything's connecting globally in a BAD way.
More global chaos simply feeds on itself, middle east, far east and at the center of it is uncontrolled Russian weapons proliferation empowering the likes of China, Iran, NK and THEIR proxies.
Who can truly de-escalate this madness?
Kishida should take a crack, he's no war monger at least.