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Blinken warns 'increasingly aggressive' China over Taiwan

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We (the West) have to have the ability to walk the walk here. That involves spending on defense.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Let's recognize and re-open full diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The "other" China is starting to piss...well, everybody off.

10 ( +13 / -3 )

to give Taiwan the ability to defend itself... with other words, the US will not militarily intervene. It will provide arms but not fight for Taiwan.

not a clever speech by Mr Blinken.

China, will notstop at Hongkong, Macau and Taiwan. Xi wants to rule the world. He must be stopped.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Let's recognize and re-open full diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The "other" China is starting to piss...well, everybody off.

And also open up a military base there. If the US has one, I doubt that China will be able to do anything about it. It'll also send them a message that their belligerency has had the opposite effect of what they wanted.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

The US should have a discussion on this. Comments by Sec of States are just comments. The first thing is to change the law that is the Taiwan Relations Act:

...United States recognized the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, acknowledging the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is a part of China.

It goes on to say:

The United States does not support Taiwan Independence.

All this was agreed by the US so we could end the Vietnamese War.

The US can say yes we signed that but that was then but this is now. Things change just like the one country two systems in Hong Kong.

This thread like many threads will inevitably become a back and forth over Biden vs Trump and so let me get this in.

Trump was no cold warrior. According to former National Security Adviser John Bolton’s memoir, the president liked to point to the tip of one of his Sharpies and say, “This is Taiwan,” then point to the Resolute desk in the Oval Office and say, “This is China.” “Taiwan is like two feet from China,” Trump told one Republican senator. “We are 8,000 miles away. If they invade, there isn’t a thing we can do about it.” Trump and truth don’t usually go together but he was speaking the truth.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

So, how many bases does China have around the world? How many Chinese troops are stationed in other countries? How many wars has China started in the last 50 years? China is standing up for its rights as a nation.

-8 ( +5 / -13 )

I personally would like to see the US Congress pass a law formally renouncing the One China policy and word it such that the law specifically cites the belligerence of Xi Jinping, the subjugation of Hong Kong and Tibet, the genocide of the Uyghurs and increasing threats against Taiwan as the reason for Congress changing US policy towards China. Then make it explicit that the US would go to war against China if Chine ever resorted to using force to change the status quo between Taiwan and the PRC.

I think just about every member of Congress supports Taiwan but some big US corporations and the Chamber of Commerce would probably be strongly opposed. GM, Caterpillar and Boeing could all lose their biggest markets should China choose to retaliate. Starbucks, Wally World, Costco and Tesla would also take it in the shorts.

Whether or not the US could re-establish military bases on Taiwan depends a great deal on how brave the government of Taiwan is feeling. Taiwan has considerable economic exposure in PRC, giving PRC leverage they would undoubtedly use. I think the only way it could be made to work for Taiwan is if the major developed nations in the Pacific Basin, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and ideally also Mexico and Chile all agreed to renounce their One China policies and agreed to put forces in Taiwan along with the US. I left Japan and South Korea out because Japan was Taiwan's former colonial master and South Korea has its own disputes involving China. In addition there would have to be some sort of economic sweetener, maybe promising Taiwan opportunities to pick up the business lost when China reacts to the developed nations turning against her. Apple and Foxxcon might move manufacturing to Taiwan, or maybe even Okinawa ( ! ) after China kicks them out. Some firms might want to move production to Chile or Mexico (Mexico has an industrial sector making cars and major appliances).

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Strangely, Biden himself says nothing.

Just had Blinken try to talk tough.

Blinken was already discarded by the Chinese in Alaska talks so his words mean nothing- just the yapping of a little puppy.

-8 ( +3 / -11 )

Blinken isn’t the Secretary of Defense.

nice way to disenfranchise the first African American Secretary of Defense in favor of a white man.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

Right-wingers, playing the identity politics card once again. Sad. If only they had real arguments. Alas, reality has a left-wing bias.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

P Smith, I’ll believe Biden is tough on the CCP after he sinks a couple ships or shoots down a couple of fighter jets. Until then, he’s CCP Joe.

Our right-wing extremists will only believe Biden is not in China's pocket if he starts a war with them.

I guess that's their admission that Trump was in China's pocket.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

P.Smith..... Tibet and Taiwan are regarded by China as China! Not everyone agrees with them. Northern Ireland? Hawaii? Kuril Islands? Palestine? Kashmir?

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

Mr Kipling,

what about the rights of the Hongkong people, trampled on by mainland China ? Or the rights of the Taiwanese on independence?

Tibet ? The uyghars ?

or the Myanmar peoples rights terrorised by an army supported by China ?

2 ( +6 / -4 )

P.Smith..... Tibet and Taiwan are regarded by China as China!

Do you think the wishes of the people of Tibet and Taiwan have any relevance here?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

So, how many bases does China have around the world? How many Chinese troops are stationed in other countries? How many wars has China started in the last 50 years? China is standing up for its rights as a nation.

China has eleven bases outside of Chinese territory used for military purposes. This includes the seven it has built from submerged reefs in the South China sea.

In the past 50 years China has started at least three conflicts and joined another already in progress.

China has turned into a country that infringes on other nations territorial rights and uses trade to bully other nations. (The US also bullies with trade).

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Tibet and Taiwan are regarded by China as China! Not everyone agrees with them.

Indeed neither Tibet nor Taiwan consider themselves a part of Communist run China. Oh and most of the world dont see them as part of Communist China either.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Robert Maes..

what about the rights of the Hongkong people, trampled on by mainland China ? Or the rights of the Taiwanese on independence?

Tibet ? The uyghars ?

or the Myanmar peoples rights terrorised by an army supported by China ?

The people of Hong Kong have more rights now than they did under British rule. It is Chinese territory, their rules. Were you crying for Hong Kong freedom from the British?

Tibet and recently the Uyghars so-called "liberation" struggles are just the usual US triggers to aid its economic war against China.

The US is, has always been and will continue to be the biggest threat to peace in the region. Not China.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Peter14..

China has eleven bases outside of Chinese territory used for military purposes. This includes the seven it has built from submerged reefs in the South China sea.

China has 4 overseas bases. Others are on land that China regards as its own. South CHINA sea... There's a hint in the name.. :)

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

 Others are on land that China regards as its own. South CHINA sea... There's a hint in the name.. :)

Does that mean the state of California owns the Gulf of California? Does that mean all of the Gulf of Mexico belongs to Mexico? They have the same name. Right? Hint, centuries old international law does not support those claims. China's sovereign territory, like that of any other nation bordering the ocean, ends 12 nautical miles from her shoreline. Period, full stop. Any nation has the sovereign right to freely navigate waters outside the 12 nm limit without interference. A nations EEZ may extend up to 200 nautical miles out from the nation's shore line. An EEZ grants the nation the right to control the exploitation of minerals and fisheries within the boundaries of their EEZ but does not preclude freedom of navigation. EEZs are not territorial waters under international law. The Nine Dash Line infringes on the EEZs of every other nation bordering the South China Sea with China claiming international waters as her sovereign territorial sea. China's claims are illegal under centuries old international maritime law, the name of the body of water notwithstanding.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Tibet and recently the Uyghars so-called "liberation" struggles are just the usual US triggers to aid its economic war against China.

Nonsense. Tibet was an independent country until Mao conquered it in 1950. Similarly the Uyghurs have been fighting off and on for their independence since the late 18th Century when the Qing conquered the formerly independent Uyghur Kingdom. The Uyghurs gained their independence briefly after the Qing were defeated by Sun Yat-sen's forces and again during WWII until the Soviets ran them over and turned the region over to Mao. China has no right to either region. They should be independent nations.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

China has 4 overseas bases. Others are on land that China regards as its own. South CHINA sea... There's a hint in the name.. :)

China has eleven bases outside its lawful Internationally recognized territory. What China wants to steal is not relevant. :)

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The people of Hong Kong have more rights now than they did under British rule. It is Chinese territory, their rules. Were you crying for Hong Kong freedom from the British?

No they do not, not even close to being a true statement. Complete propaganda that nobody believes.

Tibet and recently the Uyghars so-called "liberation" struggles are just the usual US triggers to aid its economic war against China.

No, the people want freedom and China out of their lands. China will say anything to divert attention from these issues including pointing fingers at other nations.

The US is, has always been and will continue to be the biggest threat to peace in the region. Not China.

The US is a champion for freedom while China is a champion for removing freedoms of speach, thought and religion. The US defends people, like China in WWII while China wants to expand it's territories at the expense of others and is building the worlds biggest military in order to do what it wants. What it wants is world domination. It is obvious to the entire world that China is the major threat not just in that region but to the world.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

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