Behind the Taiwan issue

[Randy W]

An ongoing topic - click here for Most Recent Post

You can bet that Taiwan watches events in Hong Kong VERY closely

ARGUMENT

China Really Isn’t Joking About Taiwan

Beneath Beijing’s seemingly mild criticism of Trump’s phone call are currents of raw, public nationalism the government can’t control.

from ForeignPolicy.com

Quote

In China, it’s not an avoidable issue. When I worked in English-language Chinese state media, the importance of using the “correct” vocabulary for Taiwan was hammered into staff on a regular basis. The reasoning behind some decisions about the correct form, made decades ago, was opaque; “mainland China” was verboten, for instance, but “the Chinese mainland” was fine, and it was the “Taiwan question,” not the “Taiwan issue.” It was more obvious why Taiwan couldn’t have a president, although “leader” was acceptable.

A little before I arrived at one newspaper, there had been a small witch hunt to find who was responsible for this sentence: “The paper factory is the largest in China and the second-largest in the world.” After two days of investigations, the guilty Chinese reporter was fined about a third of her monthly salary, had to write a self-criticism letter, and strict protocols were put in place to make sure such a disaster was avoided in the future. Why the problem? The largest paper factory was in Taiwan, and so the sentence — copied unthinkingly from a foreign source that didn’t suffer from such sensibilities — was dangerously splittist.

 

Edited July 5, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Allon]

The Propaganda Ministry has always been the largest and most powerful components of the Chinese government. Even when Mao was alive, he had to listen to their orders. The Cultural Revolution started as a propaganda war.

 

I think they are going to find out exactly how much power they do hold before such things as Tiananmen Square happen again. It may be a bigger disaster, depending on how well the Propaganda Ministry succeeded since TS. Sounds like they have done a good job.

 

World opinion now is a major factor they cannot ignore, or they will lose the economic momentum they have enjoyed for some time. Their people are seeing good things, albeit prices are high in China. But they don't have enough children to send to war effectively. And their military is still not up to speed. Their troops have not been blooded except in police actions.

 

Will be interesting times..........

[Randy W]

Read the article before you jump to any conclusions - this was reported in the NY Times as well, here in the Shanghaiist (this has more detail)

 

Taiwan paid Bob Dole $140,000 to make the Trump call happen

Over a six month period, the 93-year-old Dole set up meetings between Trump campaign staff and Taiwanese emissaries, briefed the campaign's policy director and helped to write the "most pro Taiwan" Republican Party platform in history. Dole was the only former Republican presidential nominee to endorse Trump and his presence at the Republican convention was played up as an example of party unity. In the end, his efforts on behalf of Taipei resulted in last Friday's protocol-shattering phone call.

 

. . .

 

Later, Vice President-elect Mike Pence termed it as a "courtesy call." However, mounting evidence shows that it was in fact the result of a coordinated effort between Taiwan lobbyists and Trump staffers, which could signal a significant shift in cross-strait policy.

 

Beijing has primarily blamed the call on Taiwanese "shenanigans" preying on Trump's absence of foreign policy experience. While Taiwan's influence in the world has been on the decline in recent years, its power in American politics only seems to be getting stronger.

 

[Randy W]

The NY Times article

 

Bob Dole Worked Behind the Scenes on Trump-Taiwan Call

[tsap seui]

My Gawd, how awful those new people are. "Hi, my name is Bob Dole...I can help you with long distance phone calls."

 

I wonder if'n if was was made on a Verizon , or AT&T carrier, or if any iPhone 7's were used in the call?

 

Thank Gawd we have the good ol' NY bad-Times lookin' out for us.

[Randy W]

My Gawd, how awful those new people are. "Hi, my name is Bob Dole...I can help you with long distance phone calls."

 

I wonder if'n if was was made on a Verizon , or AT&T carrier, or if any iPhone 7's were used in the call?

 

Thank Gawd we have the good ol' NY bad-Times lookin' out for us.

 

 

Then again, you MIGHT try readin' the article . . .

[Allon]

Also behind the Taiwan issue....China has been continually doing flights through the straits between the disputed islands and nearby countries claiming them. Recently, two days before Trump talked to the Taiwan president, a flight of bombers and escorts circled Taiwan. They did not cross into Taiwan airspace.

 

China did well by saying Trump was a new guy and, as Trump said, just "picked up the phone."

 

Dole has been lobbying for Taiwan a long time. Articles in the NYT, Politico, Daily News, even Yahoo say the amounts and length of time he has been lobbying, vary from $140K, $150K, $200K, to $20K a month. He has been called the "mastermind" behind not just the call but other activities partial to Taiwan. Dole said he "might have had some influence."

 

I am ready for Trump to start calling the island Formosa and not Taiwan and talk to Portugal about their relations, as Taiwan was named Formosa by the Portuguese but it was never theirs. Maybe he will call Japan. They had it before China claimed it.

 

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/12/05/china-flew-nuclear-capable-bombers-over-taiwan-before-trump-call-with-taiwanese-president.html

https://www.buzzfeed.com/meghara/bob-doles-law-firm-was-paid-20000-a-month-to-lobby-for-taiwa?utm_term=.hvxQAbrYa#.jeELkJp8z

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2016/12/06/Former-GOP-leader-Bob-Dole-developed-Taiwan-Trump-relationship-filing-says/1311481066761/

[tsap seui]

 

My Gawd, how awful those new people are. "Hi, my name is Bob Dole...I can help you with long distance phone calls."

 

I wonder if'n if was was made on a Verizon , or AT&T carrier, or if any iPhone 7's were used in the call?

 

Thank Gawd we have the good ol' NY bad-Times lookin' out for us.

 

 

Then again, you MIGHT try readin' the article . . .

 

 

Now Randal, I DID read yore article. Honestly, I found it funny and pretty much trivial hockey puck. Wasn't trying to git yore dander up, or allon's either for that matter.

 

For the both of you, maybe Saturday Night Live is beneath yore senses of humor, but they had a fellow named Norm something or other that used to play Bob Dole on the show, My line, "Hi, My name is Bob Dole" came right out of Norm's character.

Edited December 8, 2016 by tsap seui (see edit history)

[Randy W]

 

 

My Gawd, how awful those new people are. "Hi, my name is Bob Dole...I can help you with long distance phone calls."

 

I wonder if'n if was was made on a Verizon , or AT&T carrier, or if any iPhone 7's were used in the call?

 

Thank Gawd we have the good ol' NY bad-Times lookin' out for us.

 

 

Then again, you MIGHT try readin' the article . . .

 

 

Now Randal, I DID read yore article. Honestly, I found it funny and pretty much trivial hockey puck. Wasn't trying to git yore dander up, or allon's either for that matter.

 

For the both of you, maybe Saturday Night Live is beneath yore senses of humor, but they had a fellow named Norm something or other that used to play Bob Dole on the show, My line, "Hi, I'm Bob Dole" came right out of Norm's character.

 

 

 

As always - your choice!

[tsap seui]

 

 

 

My Gawd, how awful those new people are. "Hi, my name is Bob Dole...I can help you with long distance phone calls."

 

I wonder if'n if was was made on a Verizon , or AT&T carrier, or if any iPhone 7's were used in the call?

 

Thank Gawd we have the good ol' NY bad-Times lookin' out for us.

 

 

Then again, you MIGHT try readin' the article . . .

 

 

Now Randal, I DID read yore article. Honestly, I found it funny and pretty much trivial hockey puck. Wasn't trying to git yore dander up, or allon's either for that matter.

 

For the both of you, maybe Saturday Night Live is beneath yore senses of humor, but they had a fellow named Norm something or other that used to play Bob Dole on the show, My line, "Hi, I'm Bob Dole" came right out of Norm's character.

 

 

 

As always - your choice!

 

Okay THANKS, buddy!! Hmmm..... this time I want to be the pitcher.

[warpedbored]

Please be careful not to let this thread become a Trump bashing or Trump praising thread.

[Randy W]

Okay THANKS, buddy!! Hmmm..... this time I want to be the pitcher.

 

 

 

 

You're next up - in the bullpen - after Leroy here

 

[Allon]

Please be careful not to let this thread become a Trump bashing or Trump praising thread.

 

Don't forget to add Bob Dole....

[chilton747]

Ain't that Satchal Paige? I seen that dude pitch for the Braves when he was in his 60's.

[Randy W]

Ain't that Satchal Paige? I seen that dude pitch for the Braves when he was in his 60's.

 

 

His mama called him Leroy - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satchel_Paige