Behind the Taiwan issue

[Randy W]

from the SCMP

 

 

The lead in on Facebook was "PLA sends ‘reunification or death’ message to Taiwan"

 

As China tests military muscle, PLA warns Taiwan efforts to resist reunification with force are dead end

• PLA uses sea and air training exercises to rattle sabre at Taipei
• Taiwan says more Chinese warships are skirting its air defence zone

 

Taiwan’s defence ministry said it saw PLA H-6 heavy bombers, Y-8 transport aircraft and Sukhoi-30 fighter jets leaving Guangdong’s Huiyang airbase on Tuesday morning for a patrol over the Bashi Channel – the waterway that separates Taiwan from the Philippines – on their way to the western Pacific Ocean.

Meanwhile, Taiwanese military also detected two more PLA warships sailing outside Taiwan’s air defence identification zone, which were believed to be taking part in what Beijing described as “routine” distant sea exercises.

The PLA halted its encirclement patrols in June for several months as Taiwan prepared for elections. Military and political analysts said the move indicated Beijing did not want to further upset the Taiwanese people.

 

 

[Randy W]

from the SCMP

Taiwan won’t give ground on sovereignty, Tsai Ing-wen says in new year address

• Island’s leader digs in as Chinese President Xi Jinping readies for speech on landmark cross-strait anniversary

Tsai said Beijing must appreciate that the “Republic of China” – Taiwan’s official title – had existed for a long time, and it must respect the choice of Taiwan’s 23 million people to live in freedom and a democratic system. She also said Beijing must resolve cross-strait differences through peaceful discussions and hold government-to-government talks with Taipei through their authorised agencies.

“Only with these ‘four musts’ can we determine whether cross-strait relations will head in a normal direction,” she said.

She said that if the two sides could not come together on issues like food safety or African swine fever prevention, “how could they possibly be one family?”

Beijing has refused to work with Taipei to stop the spread of the swine fever, which has killed millions of pigs on the mainland and threatened to wreak havoc to Taiwan. As a result, the island has banned all pork and pork-related products from the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau.

 

[Randy W]

China has pretty well laid claim to the "one China" part of the 1992 consensus, but he did clarify the phrase "with force, if necessary" - from the SCMP

 

I think Taiwan will be watching what happens to Hong Kong and Macau up through 2047 before making any changes.

 

Chinese President Xi Jinping urges Taiwan to follow Hong Kong model for unification

• Xi calls on Taipei to start work on adopting ‘one country, two systems’ to bring island back into the China fold
• Message comes a day after Taiwanese leader says self-ruled Taiwan will not cede ground on sovereignty

 

He said China would not abandon the use of force for unification, but stressed that the military would only target external elements and those seeking independence for Taiwan.

“Chinese people will not fight Chinese people,” he said.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, however, rejected Xi’s claim that the “one country, two systems” model was the way to resolve cross-strait conflicts.

“I must reiterate here that Taiwan will never accept ‘one country, two systems’, and the majority opinion in Taiwan is also against it,” she told a news conference just hours after Xi’s speech.

And on matters of unification, she said, only talks held at the government level carried any weight.

. . .

Xi said the differences in political systems between the two sides should not be obstacles to unification, and could be resolved through one country, two systems – an approach adopted for Hong Kong and Macau to ensure the two cities’ political and economic systems remained intact after handover.

 

[Randy W]

 

China Xinhua News

17 hrs ·

Quote

习近平：台湾问题是中国的内政，不容任何外来干涉 xhne.ws/R9SlR

Xi Jinping: the Taiwan issue is China's internal affairs, no foreign interference xhne.ws/R9SlR

on Facebook - www.facebook.com/XH.NewsAgency/photos/a.446942328709816/2271042926299738/

Edited January 11, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

from the SCMP

China’s reunification of Taiwan: are Taipei and Beijing locked in a zero-sum game?

• Speeches by Xi Jinping and Tsai Ing-wen show they are poles apart on key issues
• Taipei rejects ‘one country, two systems’ model, which Beijing sees as linchpin for reunification

 

 

 

 

“As president of the Republic of China [Taiwan’s official title], … I must solemnly point out that we have never accepted the ‘1992 consensus’ out of the concern that the so-called consensus defined by Beijing authorities only means ‘one China’ and ‘one country, two systems,’” she said.

“What [Xi] said today has verified our concerns, and I must reiterate here that Taiwan will never accept ‘one country, two systems’, and the majority opinion in Taiwan is also against it,” she told a news conference held just hours after Xi’s speech.

 

. . .

Despite pressure from Beijing, Tsai said her administration had not done anything to provoke the mainland and would not do so in the future. In contrast, Beijing had wooed Taiwan’s diplomatic allies, held war games to intimidate the island, and even refused to cooperate with Taipei in stamping out the deadly African swine fever, which has killed millions of pigs on the mainland and threatened to wreak havoc in Taiwan, she said.

 

[Allon]

With the arrest of Meng Wenzhou and China's retaliation by arresting 13 other Canadian citizens in China, expect another escalation in Taiwan. Mao shelled Quemoy and Matsu and even tried attacking. But was held off by US threats of nuclear retaliation and eventual protection of the island.

 

Add that China just landed another lunar probe and you have the beginnings of a nice ego trip, much the same as Japan's taking Port Arthur in 1905, and occupying Manchuria for almost 30 years. But before pride cometh a fall, the old Greeks said.

 

We shall see what happens. Let's keep our friends in China safe though, please.

[amberjack1234]

Yeah. they are kinda thumping their chest right now. I read that they even said that not even the Americans can do that. Not that we haven't but couldn't. I am very proud of China but disrespect them for stealing so much high tech secrets in order to get it done. It takes away from their validity a great deal.

[Randy W]

from the SCMP

 

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen open to cross-strait talks, but has some demands for Beijing first

• Leader explains her rejection of Xi Jinping’s proposal to start talks on unification based on ‘one country, two systems’

 

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen said on Saturday she was open to talks with the mainland if Beijing was willing to promote democracy and renounce the use of force against the self-ruled island.

 

. . .

 

“As the democratically elected president, I have to defend our democracy, freedom, and way of life,” she told foreign journalists in Taipei to explain her rejection of Xi’s proposal, made in a speech on Wednesday to mark 40 years since the end of military confrontation across the Taiwan Strait.

Chinese president begins year of anniversaries with address on Taiwan

Tsai said Xi’s statement highlighted two fundamental dangers posed by Beijing to freedom and democracy in Taiwan.

“First, by emphasising ‘one China’ and ‘one country, two systems,’ particularly in the context of the so-called 1992 consensus, China has made clear their political intentions towards Taiwan and their steps for unification.

“This is a major disregard for the fact that the Republic of China, Taiwan does exist, and is in full operation like all other democratic countries,” she said.

“Second, China’s plan to engage in political consultation with the political parties instead of the democratically elected government of Taiwan, is a continuation of its deliberate campaign to undermine and subvert our democratic process and create division in our society.”

. . .

Tsai added that she had also sought international support to defend the self-ruled island’s democracy and way of life, as well as Taiwan’s refusal to accept the one country, two systems approach offered by Xi for unification talks, given Beijing’s snubbing of democracy and human rights.

She asked Beijing to take note of the democratic mindset of Taiwanese people to avert misunderstanding and misjudgment over its dealing with Taiwan.

 

[Randy W]

from the SCMP

 

PLA bombers, jet fighters star in Beijing’s ‘Happy Lunar New Year’ video message to Taiwan

• Propaganda film leaves little to the imagination as images of military aircraft are set against shots of Taiwanese landmarks
• Soundtrack calls for ‘Brothers and sisters’ to ‘return [and] reunite’

https://youtu.be/6zyFpYRyOY0

The link could not be embedded because there is no video at that URL.

 

Quote

The film, titled My Fighting Eagles Fly Around Formosa – an old name for Taiwan, was published on social media by the PLA Air Force Airborne Corps on Sunday with a note saying it was to celebrate the new year, which fell on Tuesday.

 

The 3½-minute propaganda film released on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like platform, leaves little to the imagination as it superimposes the official badge of the air force against a shot of Taiwan’s iconic skyscraper Taipei 101, once the world’s tallest building.

 

. . .

 

Despite the footage of H-6 bombers and J-20 stealth fighters, the film’s official message speaks of reunification and brotherhood. Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway province to be reunited with the mainland, by force if necessary.

 

. . .

 

The defence ministry in Taipei responded to the PLA film by releasing a 90-second video of its own, titled Freedom Is Not Free, on Monday on Facebook.

 

It includes images of the island flexing its own military muscle, with missile launches and drills involving its ground, air and naval forces, while an accompanying message says Taiwan’s military is always ready for combat, even during the Lunar New Year holiday.

The lyrics of the song that accompanies the images call for “Brothers and sisters” from Taiwan to “return [and] reunite”.

 

 

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

[Randy W]

from the Shanghaiist

 

Air NZ flight to Shanghai was forced to turn back because of Taiwan reference in paperwork

 

What happens when an airline violates Beijing's "one China" principle

This was its (the airline's) first flight to the Chinese mainland. The plane was in the air for 4.5 hours before turning around. Passengers were told that the aircraft “did not have regulatory approval to land in the Chinese mainland.”

Air NZ’s problems would appear to be purely about official paperwork as its website includes no references to Taiwan’s sovereignty. Additionally, when looking through flight options on the site, only city names are listed without any mention of country.

 

 

[Randy W]

from the SCMP

 

Taiwan reveals two US Navy ships’ strait operation and says island can defend its territory

• The vessels sailed through the strait on Monday with Taipei’s knowledge, statement says as US reiterates commitment to free and open Indo-Pacific
• Beijing expected to react strongly to latest apparent show of support to the island

 

 

 

The ministry said in a statement that the two vessels had sailed through the strait on Monday and left on Tuesday morning.

Taiwan’s military was fully aware of the passage of the US vessels, and is capable of defending its maritime territory and airspace security, the statement said.

The operation is expected to trigger a strong reaction from Beijing, because it is likely to be viewed as a show of support to the self-ruled island from US President Donald Trump’s administration.

 

 

[Allon]

It amazes me that China is sticking to its "historical" ownership of Taiwan when in fact it ruled from 1683 to 1895 when the Japanese actually took over the island. Prior, the Dutch were the predominant rulers of Taiwan. And Taiwan had been an island of dissidents anyway in the many migrations that occurred as a result of economic and political conditions in China. Why would China now expect the Taiwanese to think any different?

 

It's clear with all the other moves to occupy the South China sea, China wants hegemony in Asia. It is a vain (in both meanings of the term) act of hubris.

[amberjack1234]

I feel exactly the same way Allon. I get a hint from the wife that she does not share my feeling on the issue though but she does not confront me on it at least.

[Randy W]

. . . and yet they've (Taiwan) always seemed content with the "one China" policy, even though China has now co-opted the role of the "one China".

Edited February 27, 2019 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Allon]

Taiwan may pay lip service at times just to avoid a fist fight, but they still maintain they have sovereignty over China. That's what they mean by "one China."

 

But there is a political battle within Taiwan itself. One Chinese general says the war will occur in 2020 when China takes Taiwan with "one stroke."

 

Interesting little vignette about the KMT: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/29/world/asia/taiwan-china-kmt-kuomintang.html