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China says U.S. arms sales to Taiwan are turning island into 'powder keg'

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Powder kegs are only explosive if one is stupid enough to strike a match.

Stay on your side of the line and you’ll be fine, China.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Guess you better not touch it then, Pooh!!!

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Porcupine strategy - make the aggressor pay dearly

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Standard US playbook is to escalate tensions to the breaking point and then blame the other side when the conflict invariably arises... or even fabricate an incident i.e. Gulf of Tonkin.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

LegrandeToday 08:01 am JST

Standard US playbook is to escalate tensions to the breaking point and then blame the other side when the conflict invariably arises... or even fabricate an incident i.e. Gulf of Tonkin.

Sorry, but the meager arms being sent to Taiwan are less escalatory than China's own buildup to have the largest navy in the world.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

No, it’s the standard CCP playbook.

Slowly heighten tensions.

If not called on it, continue incrementally push the boundaries.

If called out, accuse the other side of exactly what you are doing.

Attempt over Tim to move the Overton Window of acceptable actions.

That’s the CCP way and that’s exactly what the CCP is doing now.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Some people here obviously ae not very familiar with the US meddling in China dating back to the 19th c.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Powder kegs are only explosive if one is stupid enough to strike a match. 

Stay on your side of the line and you’ll be fine, China.

The problem is, this administration has a very bad 2 year geopolitical record when it comes to dealing with any military conflict their record has been abysmal. So if any conflict between China and Taiwan would arise, I seriously doubt this administration can deal handle it efficiently.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

moonbloomToday 08:21 am JST

Some people here obviously ae not very familiar with the US meddling in China dating back to the 19th c.

Some people here are using the 19th century as an excuse for crushing a democracy in the 21st century I guess.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

bass4funkToday 08:23 am JST

Powder kegs are only explosive if one is stupid enough to strike a match. 

Stay on your side of the line and you’ll be fine, China.

The problem is, this administration has a very bad 2 year geopolitical record when it comes to dealing with any military conflict their record has been abysmal. So if any conflict between China and Taiwan would arise, I seriously doubt this administration can deal handle it efficiently.

You haven't seen this administration in a military conflict. You've only seen them carry out Trump's withdrawal plan in Afghanistan.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

China's playbook, blame the other party of doing exactly what China is doing.

China could diffuse the "powder keg" tomorrow by denouncing the use of military force to take Taiwan.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Taiwan is historically part of China. They speak the same language. Look at a history book. Eat a pineapple cake.

Hopefully this can be sorted out in the correct way.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

JJEToday 01:28 pm JST

Taiwan is historically part of China. They speak the same language. Look at a history book. Eat a pineapple cake.

Hopefully this can be sorted out in the correct way.

Language and culture isn't destiny. The Mandate of Moscow that the CCP has might just not apply to Taiwan.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I don't get it. Crimea should be returned but not Taiwan.

Looks suspiciously like a double standard.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

JJEToday 02:03 pm JST

I don't get it. Crimea should be returned but not Taiwan.

Looks suspiciously like a double standard.

You don't get that Crimean doesn't even have token independence right now because some murderous country scooped it up? You don't get that Taiwan has had 75 years of de facto independence?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

JJEToday 02:03 pm JST

I don't get it. Crimea should be returned but not Taiwan.

Looks suspiciously like a double standard.

You don't get that Russia signed a document specifically guaranteeing Ukraine's territorial integrity whereas no such agreement was made with the US and the PRC?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

You don't get that coups invalidate signed agreements with previous elected governments?

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

JJEToday 02:12 pm JST

You don't get that coups invalidate signed agreements with previous elected governments?

You don't get that Putin didn't shift recognition to the one guy in an apartment in Moscow? And coupes don't automatically mean all previous agreements are void, particularly ones backed by the UN charter. How about the US consider all of the agreements with the USSR null and void? Well, you guys are tearing those up anyways.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Not sure what the bizarre apartment reference is.

Coups void agreements with elected governments. That's how these things work.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

@JJE

Not sure what the bizarre apartment reference is.

At some point one realizes that certain people here are not interested in making coherent arguments/are just interested in advancing a particular agenda regardless of the facts. .. sometimes it even gives the impression they are paid to do so lol

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

RealToday 02:38 pm JST

@JJE

Not sure what the bizarre apartment reference is.

At some point one realizes that certain people here are not interested in making coherent arguments/are just interested in advancing a particular agenda regardless of the facts. .. sometimes it even gives the impression they are paid to do so lol

Including those lurking just to make snide remarks.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

JJEToday 02:25 pm JST

Not sure what the bizarre apartment reference is.

Coups void agreements with elected governments. That's how these things work.

Nonsense. They might cause them to be reassessed but the assumption is the new government will honor old agreements unless they state otherwise. Russia doesn't void all of its agreements with Myanmar and Thailand with their many coupes. Also you fail to explain why Putin did an absolutely abysmal job of not recognizing the post-Maidan government. Even today he doesn't claim there is any other legitimate government of Ukraine.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Name one signed agreement that the RF has with either Myanmar or Thailand relating to geopolitics.

The post-maidan coup government is not legitimate and never will be in Moscow's eyes. The south east shares the same to train of thought.

Changes in forms of government inevitably lead to changes in policy. Wake up and smell the coffee. This is normal everywhere.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

JJEToday 04:36 pm JST

Name one signed agreement that the RF has with either Myanmar or Thailand relating to geopolitics.

I don't have to. There must be some bilateral agreements Russia hasn't torn up lately.

The post-maidan coup government is not legitimate and never will be in Moscow's eyes. The south east shares the same to train of thought.

And as I said, Putin did a p**s poor job of de-recognizing it. No one else is using the Ukrainian embassy in Moscow afaik.

Changes in forms of government inevitably lead to changes in policy. Wake up and smell the coffee. This is normal everywhere.

Not a complete reversal of previous policy. Wake up and smell the coffee yourself.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Russia has plenty of bilateral agreements that it hasn't torn up recently.

Every case is judged on its relative merits. It's not a one-size-fits-all policy.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

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