China-Taiwan tensions

[~ True Legend ~]

UPDATE: US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy visits Taiwan to discuss defences against China - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-65160872

Ms Tsai hailed their "strong and unique partnership", and Mr McCarthy said that arms sales to Taiwan must continue.

Beijing, in turn, has vowed a "resolute response" and sent warships into the waters around the self-governed island.

Chinese missiles flew over the island as Beijing made blood-curdling threats. In capitals around the region governments began talking seriously about the timetable for a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.

President Tsai may not want another contentious visit by a US leader to Taiwan just yet - but she also needs to show China that it will not succeed in shutting down contact between a democratically-elected government in Taipei and its most powerful ally in Washington.

President Tsai's predecessor Mr meanwhile toured mainland China following an invite to try to strengthen relations.

Meanwhile the Communist Party of China has mounted its own charm offensive, by inviting President Tsai's predecessor, Ma Ying-jeou, to tour the mainland.

Mr Ma went on an unprecedented five-city tour, ostensibly to pay homage to his ancestors. He has indeed visited their graves in central China. But the trip is also political. In fact, it's the first time a former president of Taiwan has ever been invited to the People's Republic of China since its founding in 1949.

"Beijing is trying to soften the tone towards Taiwan... winning more hearts and minds, and also avoiding a surge of Taiwanese nationalism during the [2024] presidential campaign," Mr Sung says.

Mr Ma's visit, he adds, provided the necessary "political cover" to do that.

When he landed in Nanjing last week, Mr Ma made a strikingly political speech: "The people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are Chinese. And both are descendants of the Yan and Yellow Emperors."

"Beijing is being nice to Ma Ying-jeou because he represents capitulation," Prof Stanton says. "He says 'we are all Chinese'. That's something he and the Chinese agree on, but it's not something the Taiwanese agree on."

The risk in Mr Ma's strategy is that more than 60% of Taiwan's residents, according to surveys, describe themselves as Taiwanese, and not Chinese.

Feel free to share your thoughts on the USA's involvement in the China-Taiwan war and any updates.
I believe war may be imminent given that the West are currently distracted by the Russia-Ukraine war.

 

[~ True Legend ~]

China has simulated precision strikes against key targets on Taiwan and its surrounding waters during a second day of military drills.

China simulates hitting 'key targets' on Taiwan

The US says it is "monitoring Beijing's actions" as China's military drills round Taiwan continue.

www.bbc.co.uk

On Saturday defence officials in Taipei accused Beijing of using President Tsai's US visit as an "excuse to conduct military exercises, which has seriously undermined peace, stability and security in the region".

I feel like Xi is a copy-cat of Putin using "military drills" as an excuse to instigate war.
How imminent do you estimate war to be?

 

[Web Diva]

I too, believe war drums are becoming louder as all of the distraction between Ukrain and Russia dominate the news, while China is preparing an attack.

 

[~ True Legend ~]

I too, believe war drums are becoming louder as all of the distraction between Ukrain and Russia dominate the news, while China is preparing an attack.

Ditto, dude.
Let's form a bet that China and Russia low-key collaborate and form a joint army, or at the very least, exchange tactics and weapons.

 

[~ True Legend ~]

China's military drills in Taiwan are now complete.

China-Taiwan: Aircraft carrier 'seals off' island on third day of drills

Beijing's military simulates further attacks after President Tsai met US House Speaker McCarthy.

www.bbc.co.uk

Beijing began the exercises on Saturday after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen met the US House Speaker in California.

After the drills ended, Taiwan's defence ministry said it would not stop strengthening its combat preparedness.

A senior US official told Reuters that the administration was closely watching China's actions in the Taiwan Strait and said Beijing's military exercises undermined peace and stability in the region.

Good for Taiwan. Don't let your guard down. This sounds like a false-flag operation, just like Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Full of excuses and fake promises.

Mr Macron later urged Europe not to get dragged into a confrontation between Washington and Beijing over Taiwan, in remarks that have attracted some criticism.

On his flight out of China, he told reporters that Europe risked getting "caught up in crises that are not ours" and this would make it harder to build "strategic autonomy".

What are your views on this? To what extent do you think France and Europe for that matter should intervene?

The US has no official ties with Taiwan, but does have a law which requires it to provide the island with the means to defend itself

What's your opinion on this approach? Seems a lil hypocritical to me, but supposedly to "keep the peace" between the USA and China.

 

[~ True Legend ~]

The chinese forces are now getting ready for combat - I knew it!!!

Get ready ‘for real combat’ President Xi tells Chinese forces

Presidents comments come after Chinese navy went ahead with “actual combat training” around Taiwan

uk.news.yahoo.com

“You must strengthen real-combat military training,” Xi said, according to the official news service of Xinhua, adding that China must be “innovative in its concepts and methods of combat”.

Xi also said there was a need to improve the ability to respond to complex situations in a timely and appropriate manner, state media added.

The remarks come as the Chinese navy went ahead with “actual combat training” around Taiwan on Tuesday, state media reported a day after Beijing announced the end of drills amid heightened tensions between the country and the island.

China blamed the show of military force as a result of a meeting between President Tsai of Taiwa, and Kevin McCarthy, speaker of the US House of Representatives.

 

[Web Diva]

Ditto, dude.
Let's form a bet that China and Russia low-key collaborate and form a joint army, or at the very least, exchange tactics and weapons.

Yeah, I think that's a done deal already, with Xi going to Russia recently. I'm sure their collaboration was very mutual with extensive planning and agreements.

 

[~ True Legend ~]

Yeah, I think that's a done deal already, with Xi going to Russia recently. I'm sure their collaboration was very mutual with extensive planning and agreements.

Very true. It's clear from China not condoning Russia's invasion of Ukraine in conferences.
It's crazy that Russia will be the president of the UN Security Council, isn't it?

 

[Web Diva]

Very true. It's clear from China not condoning Russia's invasion of Ukraine in conferences.
It's crazy that Russia will be the president of the UN Security Council, isn't it?

Yeah, I read that and thought that was pretty weird too.

 

[Nomad]

I favor Taiwan in this case. Even though Taiwan separated from China, it has remained an independent country for the last 70 years.

 

[~ True Legend ~]

I favor Taiwan in this case. Even though Taiwan separated from China, it has remained an independent country for the last 70 years.

Agreed, and most of Taiwan wants to remain a sovereign nation. I'm all for democracy. Respect democracy!

 

[Heatman]

I favor Taiwan in this case. Even though Taiwan separated from China, it has remained an independent country for the last 70 years.

China is always looking for trouble if I'm being honest with how they have behaved for a while now. This tension they have with Taiwan isn't necessary for them but they feel it's their right to do so. I'm also all in support for Taiwan .

 

[~ True Legend ~]

China is always looking for trouble if I'm being honest with how they have behaved for a while now. This tension they have with Taiwan isn't necessary for them but they feel it's their right to do so. I'm also all in support for Taiwan .

Correct, Taiwan are in the right.
China will no doubt launch an attack on Taiwan soon as everyone is distracted with the Russia-Ukraine war.