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New York Times,
2024-7-16:
many Taiwanese officials are convinced that their island will be
vulnerable unless it quickly steps up preparedness. The upcoming
presidential election in the United States adds another element of
unpredictability to the tensions.◆
National
Interest, 2024-7-13: Taiwan and its partners needed to find a steady path, avoiding
both complacency and hysteria.
President Biden should
reverse course and reiterate the stated policy of ambiguity
◆
Financial Times, 2024-7-10:
Experts
warn that Taiwan remains woefully underprepared for war.
◆
Le
Monde, 2024-7-11: Taiwan reports record-high Chinese military aircraft
activity in 24 hours
◆
Bloomberg, TIME, 2024-7-11: China sent a record number of
warplanes across a U.S.-drawn boundary in the Taiwan Strait—a move that
comes as the new president of the archipelago mulls a trip that may
include a stop in America◆
New
York Times
, 2024-7-3:
China Seizes Taiwanese Fishing Boat in Latest Uptick in
Tensions;
Bonnie Glaser: China wants
to demonstrate to Taiwan that it does not have control over air space
and sea space...and sends a signal to Lai that he is
very close to their red lines and he had better not cross them.
◆
Nikkei Asia
, 2024-7-2:
China pressures Taiwan's Lai (Ching-te) with
most jet fighters in nearly 2 years
◆
Washington Post, 2024-7-1:
China: Taiwan's
leadership, along with its supporters in the United States, is
pursuing
“separation” from China in “incremental” fashion.
◆
The Atlantic
Council, 2024-6-27:
It is more
challenging for Taiwan to win that level of support than it is for Ukraine,
given Taiwan's contested political status and China's
relentless international campaign against it. Taiwan
worries less about a sudden Chinese military
invasion than about slow strangulation... Foreign
Affairs writes that
Taiwan's major military investments are not well
aligned with the insidious nature of the gray-zone threat.
◆
CNN, 2024-6-22 :
China could take Taiwan without even needing to invade
──
Quarantine
──
will make it far harder for the United States
and other like-minded democracies to counter
◆
Daily Express, 2024-6-23 :
In a move that escalates already high tensions, China has issued a dire warning
to Taiwan independence advocates, threatening them with the death penalty.
◆ New York Times, 2024-6-17 :
...
the United States would
step in if China truly threatened to invade. But that belief is
not universal among Taiwanese politicians and voters, some of whom are
skeptical about American dedication and intent...Not all Taiwanese people welcome the tightening embrace
(strategic integration) between Taiwan and
the U.S.
◆
Financial Times, 2024-6-16 :
China's President Xi Jinping told European Commission president Ursula von der
Leyen that Washington was trying to goad Beijing into attacking Taiwan.
The White House did not comment.
◆
full text
○
◆ Wall Street Journal, 2024-6-2: The U.S. is getting China's calculations wrong. The assumptions are :China won’t invade unless provoked, and that China still needs to get its military built to attack. but China is determined to subvert and manipulate the island's politics. ◆ FoxNews, 2024-5-28: House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul said : "These war games to intimidate and protest the election from China are probably the most provocative I've ever seen in terms of the numbers of ships and planes", "we will probably lose, if China invaded Taiwan." ◆ New York Times, 2024-5-27: I just think our defense industrial base is overloaded right now, and it cannot handle this amount of conflict in the world.”, McCaul said ◆ New York Times, 2024-5-20: Many experts believe that if the Chinese government tries to force Taiwan to accept unification, it may first attempt using a ring of military forces to severely restrict air and sea access to the island.◆ Washington Post, 2024-5-20: Taiwan swears in new president, the perception is that Lai Ching-te's policy could be more provocative compared to Tsai's policy ◆ New York Times, 2024-5-20: Taiwan's president, Lai Ching-te vows to keep the island democracy safe in the face of Chinese pressure and wars raging abroad ◆ CNN, Reuters, Fox News, Independent (2024-5-17): Taiwan parliament brawl escalates into night as lawmakers shove, tackle and hit each other - Taiwan's opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), along with the People's Party, wants parliament to have greater scrutiny over the government. The clashes raise the prospect of more turmoil - and parliamentary conflict - ahead for Lai's new government after it takes office. ◆ full text
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◆
Bloomberg, Yahoo, 2024-5-15:
China said it would sanction five Taiwanese political commentators and roll out
a law to punish “separatists,” moves aimed at piling pressure on incoming
president Lai Ching-te just days before he takes office
◆
Reuters, 2024-5-15:
China's military has sailed and flown closer to Taiwan in recent weeks
than it has before
◆
Foreign Policy, 2024-5-12:
One former defense official suggested the
use of “low-yield tactical nuclear weapons” in the event of a conflict with
China. The
possibility of Russian President Vladimir Putin using such weapons sent shock
waves of horror through the world, but the idea of employing them in a
war with China became normal in some circles
◆
The Telegraph, 2024-5-11:
Just recently Beijing manoeuvred 12 ships to
within four nautical miles of Taiwan. The United Nations Convention of the Law
of the Sea (UNCLOS) has a clear list on what you can do inside someone else's
territorial waters (less than 12 nautical miles off the coast)
◆
Washington Examiner, 2024-5-10:
hard
to believe that any fight with the United States over Taiwan would not
include preemptive or retaliatory strikes against our military
facilities in Japan, Guam, Hawaii, and perhaps even the U.S. mainland...key
U.S. supply chains, including those related to national security, are
dependent on China, giving Beijing the ability to strangle America
possibly.◆
Defense News, 2024-5-7:
DC became obsessed with a potential 2027 Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
But
experts
said
Chinese law doesn't
have timelines for an attack on Taiwan;“All politicians want
options, so the last thing you want is to be tied to a deadline.”◆
ABC News, 2024-5-1:
The US is in a Cold War
with China over Taiwan.
Taiwan is really existential to U.S.
interests because of its position in the region.
◆
Wall Street Journal, 2024-4-30:
Taiwan's economy got off to a strong start this year, boosted by strong exports
as global demand for electronics picks up, benefiting the producer of high-end
chips.
◆
The Telegraph, 2024-5-1:
... Beijing's
hypersonic missiles and nuclear weapons – not to enable an attack on Taiwan at a
chosen date, but to ensure that with the balance of power changing in China's favour, it will not be needed.
Xi is betting on political disarray and disunity among the US and his
Western allies ◆
Business
Insider, 2024-4-27:
A host of warning signs point to China preparing for military action
against Taiwan. Military forces are
being deployed nearer to Taiwan than ever, effectively shortening
Taiwan's reaction time. ◆
USNI News, 2024-4-23:
Report to Congress on Taiwan Defense Issues
-
A key consideration for U.S.
policymakers is whether and if so how to support Taiwan’s ability to defend
itself in a possible cross-Strait conflict without triggering such a conflict.
◆
New York Times, 2024-4-23:
in the Foreign Aid Package,
the House attached a provision that would allow the Pentagon to
quickly provide Taiwan with more offensive weapons and provides billions
more for the purchase of advanced U.S. weapons technology as the U.S.
and Taiwanese governments continue to build up their alliances to deter
China from invading the island.
◆
New York Times, 2024-4-18:
The House is set to vote on a
foreign aid package for Taiwan
-
allow the Pentagon to
quickly provide Taiwan with more offensive weapons and provides billions more
for the purchase of advance U.S. weapons technology as the U.S. and
Taiwanese governments continue to build up their alliances to deter
China from launching an invasion
◆
Wall Street Journal, 2024-4-15:
Appointing a national-security team that
is almost identical to that of his predecessor will help reassure the
White House that Lai isn't likely to sharply
alter Taiwan's posture toward Beijing;
Bringing a civilian into the defense
ministry can promote reforms, Taiwan's
military will likely accelerate spending on asymmetric capabilities, a
path that many in Washington have called for as Taiwan focuses on
deterring an attack by a much larger Chinese military
◆
CNN,
2024-4-10:
It's
the first time a former president of Taiwan has been hosted by China's
top leader in Beijing since Chiang Kai-shek's KMT fled to Taipei in
1949.
|
Taiwan classifies the military move against intrusion as "First strike" |
|
| ◆ EurAsian Times, 2024-3-10:Taiwan has authorized its commanders to use lethal military force on intruding Chinese warplanes that cross its aerial and maritime territorial borders. Classifying the military move as a “first strike,” ...Ministry of National Defense says “that if enemy aircraft or vessels intruded into Taiwan’s airspace or waters, then commanders are authorized to take appropriate measures to maintain national defense security when all other non-peaceful means fail.” eurasiantimes.com/china-ill-prepared-to-annex-taiwan-top-pla-general/ | ◆ United Daily (Taiwan), 2024-3-10: a group of China's fishing boats entered Taiwan's internal waters (6 nautical miles) and destroyed our fishing-net, but Taiwan was inactive about it. udn.com/news/story/11091/7821748?from=udn_ch2cate6643sub11091_pulldownmenu_v2 |
◆
The Hill,
2024-3-5: In
China's legislature,
Premier Li's report had stronger language on
Taiwan
-
Dropping the word “peace” combined with the phrase “resolutely opposing
Taiwan independence,” is what signals a stronger stance
◆
EurAsian Times,
2024-3-5:
Admiral
Samuel Paparo, leading the US Indo-Pacific Command, warned that China
could soon use military drills to cover up an invasion of Taiwan. Thus, the
writing is on the wall.
◆
New York Times,
2024-2-26: Chinese forces crossed
the median line 302 times, essentially erasing it as a functional boundary.
China also has essentially established a permanent
naval presence around the island.
◆ CNN, 2024-2-27:
Today Xi is expanding China's military at a pace the world hasn’t seen in a
century – since before World War Two. Xi's military build-up is, by comparison, larger than Nazi Germany
and Imperial Japan combined. his ambitions in nuclear,
space, and AI warfare are advancing at lightning speed...
characterized by a high degree of projective self-confidence
and a lot
less patient on the Taiwan issue.
◆
Council on Foreign relations, 2024-2-27:
Taiwanese society has grown increasingly skeptical of the United States,
which has been enhancing its political relationship with Taiwan but
without enhancing its international standing or offering it tangible
economic benefits.
the
increased number of official visits to Taiwan has been perceived as
largely symbolic
◆
Financial Times,
2024-2-23:
Previous statements
only pledged to ‘resolutely oppose’ Taiwan independence, but now
China’s Communist party toughens Taiwan
rhetoric with call to ‘fight’ independence
◆
VOA,
2024-2-23:
recent Chinese coast
guard activities actions will likely become a "new normal" near
Taiwan’s outlying islands. We can expect China to conduct similar
operations near Kinmen and Matsu Islands ◆
Yahoo News,
2024-2-24:
Trump
wouldn't say
definitively one way or the other whether he would defend Taiwan. DAVID SACKS: and
actually blame Taiwan for taking America's semiconductor industry. So I do
think the US presidential election could be a real factor here.
◆
CNN,
2024-2-23:
Xi takes a page from Putin as he vows to control Taiwan; Xi is expanding
China's military at a pace the world has not seen in a century since
before World War II.
◆
full text
◆ DW, 2024-2-16: the blockade would be a very special threat for Taiwan... neither the conventional capability, nor asymmetric capability, can be effective to deter or defend for this operation ◆ CSIS.org , 2024-2-13: any conflict in the Taiwan Strait would also quickly spread across the globe and into cyberspace and space. There would also be real risk of a nuclear exchange. If China uses force to assert control over Taiwan, it would mark the definitive end of the post-World War II international system ◆ The Lowy Institute, 2024-2-12: a Chinese invasion is probable this decade – (1) the trajectory of Taiwan's politics is away from the mainland (2) China's economic growth has plateaued (3) US export controls turn Taiwan into a Western bastion (4) the Silicon Shield is being eroded (5) The “one China” discursive framework has decayed (6) the military balance of power no longer is guaranteed in the long term◆ Reuters, 2024-2-6: the latest high-tech weapons delivered by the U.S. were often locked up in storehouses. The armed forces as burdened by "unprofessionalism, defeatism and Chinese nationalism". ◆ Business Insider, 2024-2-6: During last year's APEC summit, Chinese leader Xi Jinping reportedly told President Joe Biden that China fully intends to take over Taiwan — a move that could result in a hot war in the region ◆ National Interest, 2024-2-2: hybrid warfare operations still fit better into China's cost-benefit calculus. China's invasion of Taiwan seems unlikely in the short term. Instead, the military aspects of China's hybrid warfare operations may be more visible in the near future ◆ Reuters, 2024-1-31: Taiwan angered at 'unilateral' China change to Taiwan Strait flight path, saying it appeared to be a deliberate attempt to change the status quo for possible military means ◆ Bloomberg, TIME, 2024-1-31:China says the U.S. could abandon Taiwan if Trump wins the Presidency; In July, Trump avoided directly answering a query over whether as president he'd defend Taiwan if China attacked. ◆ Reuters, 2024-1-31: Taiwan angered at 'unilateral' China change to Taiwan Strait flight path, saying it appeared to be a deliberate attempt to change the status quo for possible military means. ◆ Semafor, 2024-1-24: according to Foreign Policy, Incoming President William Lai must also convince young people “who are more concerned with trying to pay their bills than preparing for war,” that an invasion threat is real and they are the first line of defense.◆ New York Times, 2024-1-17: A peaceful solution on Taiwan is slipping away. Chinese law explicitly states that Beijing may use force if possibilities for peaceful unification are “completely exhausted.”. Conflict between China and the United States just got a little more likely. ◆ New York Times, 2024-1-13: Beijing loathes the new president, Lai Ching-te. He aims to protect the status quo with caution and American help, but tensions are likely to rise ... Lai Ching-te is an impulsive and politically biased figure, so we cannot rule out the possibility that unpredictable and unknown developments may occur during his tenure...Mr. Xi's views on Taiwan were clear. That includes his insistence that force can be used if necessary. ◆ Washington Post, 2024-1-10: increasingly frequent warnings from China's strongman leader Xi Jinping that Beijing's rule here is “inevitable” — raising the prospect of a conflict that could draw in the United States ◆ Washington Examiner, 2024-1-8: According to the Economist, China has directly warned the U.S. of the consequences of a Lai victory, raising tensions in the region. In the event of a Lai victory, large-scale demonstrations from the Chinese military and other belligerent moves are expected. The prospect of Taiwan severing ties with a China ... possibly leading him to warm to direct military action. ◆ NBC , 2024-1-9: China has framed the (Taiwan) election as “a choice between war and peace.”; Wen-Ti Sung, a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council, described Taiwan's security situation as “urgent but not immediate.”◆ Fox News, 2024-1-6: China vows to settle for no less than complete capitulation, although they have "generously" offered Taiwan the same deal as Hong Kong, the so-called "one country, two systems" policy. ◆ Washington Post, 2024-1-5: With wars in Europe and the Middle East, U.S. power is stretched dangerously, historically thin. much of Taiwan's defense budget is locked into capabilities that are neither survivable nor potent.” Taipei is relying on the U.S. Air Force and Navy to ride to the rescue. The best path to preventing a war of “unification” is probably to postpone it, ideally indefinitely, through fictions such as the “one China” policy ◆ Reuters, 2024-1-5: A Hou presidency could help stabilize cross-Strait relations, lower the near-term threat level, and buy more time for Taiwan's defense reforms to be implemented," Templeman of Stanford University's Hoover Institution said ◆ Reuters, 2024-1-3: 'Hawkish' China military squeeze on Taiwan likely after election. If the DPP wins the presidency but loses its majority in parliament, that could also temper China's response given it would weaken the DPP's ability to pass legislation ◆ Wall Street Journal, 2023-12-29: In Taipei, Lai Ching-te paints a picture of a Taiwanese public far less preoccupied with Beijing's designs than political leaders in the Western world. The KMT accused the DPP of underplaying the deterioration of cross-strait ties and the risk of war ◆ CNN, 2023-12-29: Beijing has long used its massive coast guard as a force to project power, some analysts believe that China could soon start to deploy the coast guard to ratchet up the pressure on Taiwan ◆ New York Post, 2023-12-26: Xi Jinping says China's ‘complete reunification’ with Taiwan will ‘surely’ happen ◆ full text
◆ New York Post, 2023-12-21: China's Xi Jinping warned Joe bluntly that Beijing will take Taiwan... It represents a clear escalation on China's part, moving from its longtime claim of ownership to notification of intent to take possession. Biden often talks tough, but shies from any action he fears will “escalate” a confrontation — forever leaving the initiative in the hands of America's adversaries. ◆ NBC Universal, 2023-12-21: War of Words / Experts say China is pushing influence campaign as Taiwan preps for Presidential Election. majority of voters don't favor closer ties to China or to the US, instead, they want to preserve the status quo with Taiwan ◆ Brookings Institution, 2023-12-18: although China would respond to a Taiwan declaration of independence with a military campaign, Beijing knows that this would be quite risky, in part because the PLA is not ready to undertake such a complicated campaign; a wide-ranging campaign of coercion that includes displays of military force but a variety of non-military pressure and intimidation, a low-risk approach, targets the confidence of the people of Taiwan, and there are signs that it is gradually working.◆ Reporters Without Borders (RSF) , 2023-12-13: Taiwan is a country that suffers from one of the lowest trust rates in the media among democracies (28%) and where the media community is often criticised for disregarding journalism ethics... journalists suffer from a very polarised media environment dominated by sensationalism and the pursuit of profit at the expense of quality news reporting. ◆ The Conversation, 2023-12-11: poll finds more than 80% of Taiwanese people believe the China threat is worsening – prospects for peace and stability are also affecting the island’s international business and investment outlook.◆ The Diplomat, 2023-12-11: Continuity in U.S. support for Taiwan and hardening against China will face an inflection point if Biden is replaced by Donald Trump or some other candidate with strong “America First” leanings in the November 2024 elections ◆ full text
◆ Fortune, 2023-12-5: After Israel and Ukraine, Taiwan business leaders fear Taipei-Beijing tensions may trigger the next geopolitical conflict... ◆ Defense News, 2023-12-5:The real danger is that Chinese leaders calculate a window exists for them to achieve a fait accompli before the United States has sufficient combat power in the region...Unfortunately, the logistics problem defies simple solution for the US... ◆ Fox News, 2023-12-3: Joint Chiefs chairman says 'we all should be' worried about China possibly invading Taiwan ◆ The Hill, 2023-11-30: Americans now want the U.S. to focus its military efforts in the Middle East over East Asia, a month into the Israel-Hamas war; when it comes to the overall military capability, the United States no longer has outright superiority, but the American people clearly have not internalized that. ◆ New York Times, 2023-11-26: Taiwan, a highly online society, has repeatedly been found to be the top target in the world for disinformation from foreign governments. RAND: China's disinformation work has had “measurable effects”. Critics denounced the government's anti-disinformation campaign as a political witch hunt, Taiwan's media ecosystem, with its diverse political leanings, often produces pro-Beijing content that can be misattributed to Chinese manipulation. ◆ Bloomberg, 2023-11-24: Nottingham scholar says that there is zero chance that the unhappy trajectory in cross-strait relations gets reversed if Lai Ching-te wins. It will certainly lead to a continuation and probable escalation of pressures and threats ... will impact the nature of the US's already tense ties with China. ◆ Washington Post, 2023-11-21: Xi Jinping is sending ominous signals on Taiwan / on the most important issue in the relationship — Taiwan — Washington and Beijing are moving further apart. Xi: 'peace is all well and good, but at some point we need to move toward resolution more generally' ◆ Newsweek, 2023-11-21: an overwhelming majority (7/10) of people in Taiwan do not believe the United States is trustworthy, according to a new poll released on Monday. Most, however, were convinced by America's commitment to the island's safety. ◆ Economist, 2023-11-13: Strategists worry about a “window of vulnerability” in the Indo-Pacific this decade, as China’s forces grow stronger and America’s investments in new military equipment don’t fully bear fruit until the 2030s...As for capacity, the Pentagon long ago abandoned the requirement that its armed forces be able to fight two major regional wars simultaneously. ◆ The WEEK, 2023-11-13: Historically, Taiwan has been an "easy target for Chinese spies", It is "not very strict about punishing espionage"...China has "penetrated many parts of the Taiwanese government over the decades", said The New York Times
| western media | Taiwan's presidential election |
| Economist, 2023-11-15 | Taiwan's opposition parties unite... could lead to a significant relaxation of the island-state's defiant posture towards China |
| Washington Post, 2023-11-15 | Taiwan's two main opposition parties, both of which have vowed to restart talks with China, announced a joint presidential ticket for January’s election in a deal that could bring a major political upset in the self-ruled island democracy. |
| Foreign Policy, 2023-11-15 | in any case, support for the DPP has been fading ahead of January’s presidential elections. But voters in Taiwan tend to be lukewarm toward candidates seen as too pro-China, and the DPP still leads in several polls. |
| Bloomberg, 2023-11-15 | a single opposition bid raises the likelihood of a government in Taipei more willing to accept China’s conditions for direct talks between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. |
| TIME, 2023-11-15 | A successful opposition alliance — no matter who is running as president — means it’s likely cross-strait tensions will improve |
| Financial Times, 2023-11-15 | Taiwan’s opposition parties join forces for crucial presidential poll Deal sharply increases odds that ruling Democratic Progressive party will lose election; Beijing has denounced Lai as a separatist and framed the presidential race as a choice between war and peace — rhetoric sometimes echoed by the opposition. |
| Reuters, 2023-11-15 | Some opinion polls have shown that if Hou and Ko teamed up, in whatever combination, they would beat Lai 。Tamkang University scholar: The U.S. and China both want stabilised Taiwan Strait relations. Lai may not be the ideal person for this |
◆ Washington Post, 2023-11-13: the United States’ Indo-Pacific Command now considers it harder to distinguish between Chinese military coercion and the full-scale mobilization that would presage an invasion...However, China probably remains years away from being capable of using civilian ships to support a successful cross-strait invasion ◆ Newsweek, 2023-11-9: Taiwan's long wait for nearly $20 Billion in American weapons, asymmetric weaponry accounts for $4.22 billion, or 22 percent of the backlog. ◆ BBC, 2023-11-9: If Taiwan is not controlling sensitive and secret information very well… You should expect any competent foreign intelligence service to get access to it. ◆ BBC, 2023-11-6: In Washington there is a strong sense that Taiwan is running out of time to reform and rebuild its military. In a conflict with China, Taiwan's navy and air force would be wiped out in the first 96 hours of battle. Under intense pressure from Washington, Taipei is switching to a "fortress Taiwan" strategy - repelling an invasion on the beaches and, if necessary, in the towns and cities ◆ New York Times, 2023-10-29: Taiwan must accelerate its shift toward investing in defense capabilities - make a greater effort to stockpile not only munitions, but also food, water and energy. It needs to adopt a whole-of-society approach to its defense that emphasizes national resistance, resilience and the willingness to fight. ◆ Newsweek, 2023-10-26: Taiwan Voters Must Choose Between 'War and Peace,' China Says ◆ Economist, 2023-10-26: 46% of voters are worried about a possible war between Taiwan and China in the next five years. ◆ New York Times, 2023-10-22: Foxconn, Apple's Manufacturer in China, Is Said to Be Under Tax Audit ◆ New York Times, 2023-10-21: Why we should fear China more than Middle Eastern war ? Only China is an arguable peer of the United States, only China's technological and industrial might can hope to match our own, and only China has the capacity to project power globally as well as regionally. ◆ SKY News (Australia), 2023-10-21: Taiwan has been accused of permitting modern modern-day slavery with its migrant workers...migrant workers are often mistreated in an unfair system which needs to be overhauled.
|
Reuters, 2023-10-24 : Who is running to be Taiwan's next president? |
|
| LAI CHING-TE | Lai and Tsai Ing-Wen say only Taiwan's people can decide their future. |
| HOU YU-IH | strongly denies being pro-Beijing, and will restart talks with Beijing. |
| KO WEN-JE | China should propose a new framework for engagement with Taiwan and explain what Beijing has to offer |
◆ SCMP, 2023-10-21: Taiwanese defence minister admitted it would be "impossible" for the island's military to block a saturation attack. The inadequate training given to Taiwanese reservists after discharge has been known for some time, drawing criticism from the US, ...Taiwan could also learn from Israel about maintaining a lasting public enthusiasm to fend off the enemy ◆ New York Times, 2023-10-16: if Xi concludes that the United States has broken, once and for all, from its previous position on Taiwan and is bent on thwarting unification, he may feel that he must act militarily. If the combination of deterrence and reassurance fails and China attacks Taiwan, it will set a precedent in which Chinese leaders kill and destroy to achieve their goals. ◆ Newsweek, 2023-10-16: The U.S. has known since no later than 2012——that Chinese surface-to-surface (STS) missiles can destroy U.S. aircraft carriers, or any other military asset that isn't submerged; Taiwan has storage capacity for 11 days of natural gas consumption. A Chinese blockade would force Taiwan's surrender in short order ◆ Newsweek, 2023-10-12: Since war broke out in the Mideast, some with hawkish views in the U.S. have suggested that Taiwan needs to take its self-defense seriously. ◆ full text
|
US defends Taiwan ? |
|
|
◆ The Hill, 2023-9-26 |
During a Tokyo interview alongside Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Biden repeated his statement on defending Taiwan: “That’s the commitment we made.” But, when asked whether “the policy of strategic ambiguity towards Taiwan [is] dead,” he replied “No.” |
| ◆ National Review, 2023-9-19 | It's noteworthy that Biden declined to say a single word about Taiwan in his U.N. speech came a day after the Chinese Communist Party's armed forces sent 103 jets into Taiwan’s air-defense identification zone — which is a new record that surpasses even the Chinese tantrum that followed then–House speaker Pelosi's visit to Taiwan. |
|
◆
Report to Congress on Taiwan
Defense Military Issues |
|
| Advantages | including geography and climate. |
| Challenges |
(1)
the PLA now is able, or will soon be able, to execute a
range of military campaigns against Taiwan. (2) Civil-military relations are strained... The archipelago's energy, food, water, internet, and other critical infrastructure systems are vulnerable to external disruption. Taiwan's civil defense preparedness is insufficient, and Taiwan's military struggles to recruit, retain, and train personnel. At a societal level, it is not clear what costs — in terms of economic security, safety and security, and lives — Taiwan's people would be willing or able to bear. |
◆ The Daily Caller, 2023-9-24: China is on the fast track to wage war against Taiwan — and the US, experts say. China has been preparing for the possibility of fighting the U.S. over Taiwan going back to around 1996 or 1997 after realizing Washington intended to preserve the status quo of Taiwan's semi-autonomy, experts explained. ◆ 19FortyFive, 2023-9-20: China's military is preparing to invade Taiwan (And quite soon); China's military has developed advanced methods for depriving the Americans of their vaunted advantage in space, threatening the US in the cyber domain, and possibly disrupting the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum to sabotage American forces ◆ Chicago Tribune, AP, VOA News, 2023-9-2: Taiwan's government is racing to counter China, but many on the island say they don't feel the threat. That may be partly due to the nuanced views many Taiwanese hold of China. Many say they are attracted to their much larger neighbor’s dynamic economy, and its shared language and culture. Others are simply numb to hearing about the threat in their backyard. ◆ Wall Street Journal, 2023-8-29: Ramaswamy says The US currently doesn't even recognize Taiwan as a nation. Democrates and Republicans both unquestioningly endorse the "One China" policy and embrace "strategic ambiguity" toward the island. No other presidential candidate is willing to commit to militarily defending Taiwan ◆ Washington Examiner, 2023-8-22: China boasts record-high military recruitment, if military aid (Taiwan war) is needed, America's sagging recruitment numbers could be a problem. ◆ full text
Daily Mail, 2023-8-18: China rehearses invasion of Taiwan with troops storming 'sea defences' in chilling wargames - while Beijing and Russia stage joint naval exercises in the Pacific. the CCP has more than 600 million citizens of military age, fit-for-service citizens from which it could theoretically source new troops endlessly. ◆ Bloomberg, 2023-8-16: China's PLA Daily published an editorial Wednesday saying Taiwan independence would mean the breakout of a war and that its pursuit would be a “road to ruin.”; The comments are the clearest signal yet ◆ The Hill, 2023-8-15: China and Russia are waging another Cold War; President Biden frequently expresses his fear about World War III ◆ New York Times, news brief 2023-8-14: A Taiwanese presidential contender (Lai Ching-te) walks a fine line... it's likely that he'll be more muted...Expect restraint...And his visit, however low-key, is also likely to prompt an escalation of Chinese military flights and naval maneuvers near Taiwan, bringing into focus the risks of real conflict over its future. ◆ The Hill, 2023-8-8: More ominously, the failure of the world's toughest-ever sanctions regime to bring Russia to heel could embolden China's expansionist designs against Taiwan, especially since similar sanctions against Beijing would have even less impact. Yet the U.S. is still not giving sufficient priority to deterring a Chinese attack on Taiwan. ◆ Washington Examiner, 2023-8-7: the predictable outcome now seems all but certain: whether during Taiwan vice-president Lai's visit or in the weeks following, the two nations' recent detente will fade amid their intractable political differences ◆ The WEEK UK, 2023-8-1: Taiwan's leaders generally believe Chinese efforts to incorporate the island into its political system will be attempted through economic coercion rather than military action ◆ full text
| resolve contrasts | |
| Chinese military | Taiwan's military |
| ♦The Guardian, 2023-8-7: the more dramatic parts of China's documentary on Taiwan invasion are pledges by PLA soldiers from various divisions to give up their lives in a potential attack on Taiwan. ── “If the conditions were too difficult to safely remove the naval mines in actual combat, we would use our own bodies to clear a safe pathway for our [landing] forces,” said a frogman; “fighter jet would be the last missile rushing towards the enemy" said a pilot. .theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/07/chinese-soldiers-pledge-to-sacrifice-their-lives-in-documentary-on-taiwan-invasion Associated Press | ♦Wall Street Journal, 2023-7-5: The professionalism and motivation of Taiwan's military are a particular concern, ... “A lot of young people who signed up for the four-year volunteer force decided to pay a penalty and dropped out early because they say they had come for the money—not to fight and not to die". wsj.com/articles/taiwan-china-ukraine-russia-hong-kong-military-war-517b87d?siteid=yhoof2&yptr=yahoo Yaroslav Trofimov Joyu Wang |
|
◆
Fox News, 2023-7-28
|
|
♦
a critical question – is Taiwan
committed to its own defense? There are multiple indications that the answer is
no. ♦ perhaps most alarmingly, some Taiwanese youth, it turns out, are reluctant to die for their country.Research in 2018: Large numbers of young Taiwanese were "apathetic toward the military and averse to service." ♦ Biden must show leadership now, before it’s too late, and force Taiwan to participate much more in its own defense... foxnews.com/opinion/coming-china-war-over-taiwan-needs-american-leadership-before-too-late Rebekah Koffler |
◆ Washington Post, 2023-7-29: U.S. to provide up to $345 million in military aid to Taiwan; a defense analyst in Taiwan was skeptical of the aid package and pointed to “serious delays in recent years in the delivery of numerous U.S. arms sales” to Taiwan. ◆ Bloomberg, 2023-7-29: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines have said they don't see an effort by China to seize Taiwan by force as imminent ◆ Washington Examiner, 2023-7-24: China and Russia train together to sink US submarines. the U.S. retains a key, though diminishing, advantage in undersea warfare. U.S. submarines remain a thorn in China's side. ◆ Financial Times, 2023-7-23: Washington is reducing some long-term deployments in the Indo-Pacific,...the US's decision to help Ukraine only with weapons and the wavering of some European countries about support for Kyiv do not bode well for Taiwan ◆ Daily Express, 2023-7-23: Japan says: If people all over the world have the will to support Taiwan, it would be very possible that we will provide some kind of support to Taiwan...the government would need to first secure the support of the population before intervening. ◆ Lowy Institute, 2023-7-17: the US will help Australia acquire nuclear-powered attack submarines. This will enable Australia to conduct operations such as anti-submarine warfare against China's subsurface fleet. Similarly, Japan will acquire counterstrike capabilities, which will include purchasing 400 Tomahawk cruise missiles from the United States. These would allow Japan to target China's missile launchers and command-and-control sites that would be key to an invasion of Taiwan. But there is uncertainty over not just the kind of support allies would provide, but over whether they would provide any at all. ◆ Wall Street Journal, 2023-7-15: Japanese leaders publicly shun discussion of a role in any Taiwan war, in part because public opinion is generally against getting ensnared in a conflict. ◆ full text
◆ National Interest, 2023-7-16: extension of the compulsory conscription program received backlash from younger Taiwanese. U.S. deterrence strategy without sufficient Taiwanese military capability and determination of Taiwanese people would lose its solid foundation ... it is likely that Beijing will act early against Taiwan ◆ National Review, 2023-7-15: the Chinese military is advantaged if a Taiwan invasion is viewed as a local, limited conflict... Janet Yellen: If reelected, president Biden may prefer not to fight for Taiwan. ◆ CNN, 2023-7-14: it may become too late for Washington to come to Taipei's rescue if large amounts of PLA planes and ships are already on station around the island. ◆ Reuters, 2023-7-14: US needs to speed up delivery of weapons like air defence systems and those that could target ships from land to Taiwan in the coming years. ◆Wall Street Journal, 2023-7-5: Taiwan is far from ready, many U.S. officials and analysts say. Taiwan's military budget is still only 2.4% of the GDP—compared with about 5% in Israel. The professionalism and motivation of Taiwan's military are a particular concern. ◆ Atlantic Council, 2023-7-7: Taiwan, is one of the world's most energy-insecure economies, relying on maritime imports for about 97 percent of its energy. Beijing appears increasingly capable of launching a quarantine, blockade,... ◆ BBC, Independent, 2023-6-20: the drugging of preschool children in Taiwan have sparked widespread alarm on the island. Some teachers at the kindergarten gave children phenobarbital to “make them more compliant”. A rally demanded transparency from the government. ◆ The Diplomat, 2023-6-17: Taiwan has abandoned asymmetric defense reform in all but name, War on the Rocks: Instead, Taiwan is now planning to deter an invasion by threatening to retaliate with missile strikes against the Chinese homeland and by pitting Taiwanese units in direct combat against the vastly superior People's Liberation Army ◆ SCMP, 2023-6-17: Washington believes Beijing is leaning towards the stick rather than the carrot because of its increasingly tough stance, analysts warn ◆ National Interest, 2023-6-15: If China launches an invasion without first destroying America's military assets in the region, its ships will be left vulnerable to attack. However, if it launches a preemptive strike on U.S. forces, especially on American soil in Guam, it will experience the full wrath of a vengeful United States ◆ Washington Post, 2023-6-14: Biden and Xi recognize that war between the two nations would be suicidal for both. They understand that the most dangerous flash point is Taiwan. While the nations’ differences over Taiwan are irreconcilable, irreconcilable does not mean unmanageable ◆ Bloomberg, 2023-6-15: US Presses Taiwan Opposition Candidate Over China Policies; Washington will want to be assured that KMT's Hou has “a clear stance on China and international policy..."
Washington Examiner, 2023-6-1: the PLA has a strong prospect of defeating the U.S. over Taiwan even if the U.S. commits its full forces. Elbridge Colby : "If Taiwan is so blithe about its own defense, why should Americans stick their necks out? ◆ Economist, 2023-5-31: The next Taiwan president will take office with the island at the centre of a bubbling superpower showdown ◆ Washington Post, 2023-5-31: Taiwanese voters' choice is between a ruling party determined to maintain Taiwan's political independence, and an opposition that sees closer ties with China as the only viable path. ◆ Bloomberg, 2023-5-31: China could decide to launch a series of actions short of war — seizing one of Taiwan's small outlying islands, say, or interfering with Taiwanese shipping ... without provoking a US military response. ◆ The Christian Science Monitor, 2023-5-30: Taiwan's rep. in US: Taiwan is preparing to defend itself, and not just rely on other democracies to save the day. The challenges that the US is experiencing in the defense supply chain have certainly had an impact on Taiwan. ◆ Washington Post, 2023-5-29: Choosing Taiwan over Ukraine is frighteningly misguided. Yes, China is a greater military threat than present-day Russia. A turn toward Taiwan will most likely cause us to fail in both places. ◆ full text
|
Taiwan could soon be under US nuclear protection? |
|
| ◆ Sky News (Australia), 2023-5-28 | Analysts warn the ‘nuclear umbrella’ agreement could be globally catastrophic as it would mean the US could use nuclear weapons if Taiwan was attacked. skynews.com.au/world-news/united-states/taiwan-could-soon-be-under-us-nuclear-protection/video/732789a9ca7ee4de4c33a614a6a24c35 |
| ◆ SCMP (Hong Kong), 2023-5-28 | John Mearscheimer (U. Chicago):It would send a clear message to Beijing that "if they are to attack Taiwan, it will escalate to the nuclear level"。Chang Yen-ting: "Taiwan's priority should be to get more advanced and effective weapons instead of seeking to be incorporated into the nuclear umbrella," a security analyst at the National Policy Foundation, says until today, the US has not entirely committed to using nuclear weapons to help defend South Korea in the event of a nuclear attack from North Korea." msn.com/en-xl/news/other/us-nuclear-umbrella-for-taiwan-solid-cross-strait-shield-or-wishful-thinking/ar-AA1bMtGS |
| ◆ EurAsian Times, 2023-5-26 | There has also not been any statement or reaction from either the Department of State, Department of Defense, or the White House on the statement from Joseph Wu. This implies the US has no plans to defend Taiwan using nuclear weapons. eurasiantimes.com/taiwan-eyes-us-nuclear-umbrella-to-deter-chinese-invasion/ Parth Satam |
| ◆ Benzinga, 2023-5-29 | Xi Jinping 'Unlikely' To Go Nuclear On Taiwan Amid Taipei's Bid For US Umbrella: Defense Experts, given the radiation spillover problem and the proximity of Taiwan to the Chinese mainland," |
◆
Fortune, 2023-5-21:
Warren
Buffett told Japan's Nikkei that
the threat of war was a “consideration” in dumping the bulk of the stake
in TSMC. Musk told the Financial
Times that a conflict over Taiwan is inevitable.
His comments did not go over well in Taiwan
◆
The Guardian, 2023-5-22:
over 90% of
the world's semiconductors are made in the place
many US officials think could be the site of the next global conflict: Taiwan. ◆
Space News, 2023-5-22:
Just the threat of an
attack on GPS could be enough to deter America from defending
Taiwan, according to some analysts. Loss of GPS would result in a profound
degradation of America's military strike
capabilities and severe economic and societal disruption to the U.S.
homeland.
◆
New York Times, 2023-5-17:
As China
looms over Taiwan's Presidential
race, the opposition
picks a
moderate Hou Yu-ih,
trying to appeal to voters wary of Beijing
◆
Financial Times, 2023-5-15:
even if
the US had a broader plan to thwart Chinese economic growth, any such
efforts would probably be unsuccessful.
Xi should
understand that global political power flows from economic power. China does
not need to win a shooting war to expand its international power and
influence. ◆ Washington Post, 2023-5-12:
Taiwan's low defense spending
is often explained by Taiwanese voters’ expectations of U.S.
protection. Others
might calculate that the stakes of China’s threats are not as high as the
United States says, and that their lives might be able to continue mostly as
normal even if Beijing did alter the cross-strait status quo
◆
Washington Post, 2023-5-10: A war involving Taiwan would depend more on the U.S. Navy and Air Force, as well as hybrid warfare tools that are used in information and cyber operations.◆ Foreign Policy in Focus, 2023-5-10: Unlike Russia, China seems unwilling to sacrifice the country's economic well-being on the pyre of nationalism ◆ 19FortyFive, 2023-5-10: By stacking their heaviest punches upfront, Beijing thinks that they can render the Americans so dazed and confused — inflicting so much damage at the outset of a fight — that Washington will stand down and abandon Taiwan ◆ Washington Times, 2023-5-9: Taipei unnerved by investor fears, apocalyptic rhetoric, Taiwanese officials are trying to tone down alarmist comments made by U.S. investment gurus and policymakers about the risks of a clash with China, "the fearmongering talk coming out of Washington isn't helping" ◆Business Insider, 2023-5-3: In first-of-its-kind drill, US Army special operators train to defend Taiwan against Chinese attack, while the "ultimate backstop" remains America's nuclear capabilities, according to the Pentagon's National Defense Strategy ◆ Daily Express, UK, 2023-5-3: WW3 fears as Taiwan issues a threatening statement about how it intends to handle imminent China invasion ◆ le Monde, 2023-4-30: China's military exercises in the Taiwan Strait are a reminder of how fragile the island's status quo is ◆ Brookings, 2023-4-17: the Taiwan voters are deeply pragmatic. a significant majority of the Taiwan voters are in the middle ◆ The Register, 2023-4-22: Taiwan asks US if it could chill out on the anti-China rhetoric "We're trying to run a chip business here" ◆ CNN, 2023-4-20: complaints at high levels of both the Taiwanese and US governments about the lack of preparation and poor morale in the Taiwanese military ◆ New York Times, 2023-4-18: Fear of China is pitting Taiwan's people against each other ◆ Brookings, 2023-4-17: the Taiwan voters are deeply pragmatic. a significant majority of the Taiwan voters are in the middle ◆ Washington Post, 2023-4-15: Unlike Ukraine, there is no situation under which Taiwan can defend itself without direct military intervention from the United States ◆ full text
◆ Brookings, 2023-4-15: Anxiety about China's growing military capabilities to threaten Taiwan... has fed American impulses to alter longstanding policy, and to increasingly view challenges confronting Taiwan through a military lens ◆ New York Times, 2023-4-14: China's Communist Party is now convinced that America wants to bring it down, which some U.S. politicians are actually no longer shy about suggesting. ◆ The Guardian, 2023-4-14: German foreign minister warns of ‘horror scenario’ in Taiwan strait... the French president, Emmanuel Macron: The worst of things would be to think that we Europeans must be followers on this subject and adapt ourselves to an American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction.”◆ TIME, 2023-4-12: Xi understands that the risks of Pyrrhic victory – or even of defeat – are real. At a time when China is emerging from the world's most draconian lockdown and its worst economic slowdown in decades ◆ New York Post, 2023-4-8: House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Rep. Michael McCaul has said the US may send troops to Taiwan should China invade the self-governed island. ◆ BBC, 2023-4-8: Taipei residents seemed unperturbed by China's military rehearsing encirclement of Taiwan ◆ FoxNews, 2023-4-6: Taiwan residents are in apparent agreement in believing the U.S. will not come to their aid ◆ New York Times, 2023-4-6: Despite the combative words, any retaliation by Beijing may be tempered by the difficult calculations facing China's leader, including over Taiwan's coming presidential race - could hurt the presidential hopes of the Nationalists, which favors stronger ties with China ◆ New York Times, 2023-4-5: Walking a Tightrope: Taiwan's president, Tsai Ing-wen, who recently visited the United States, has edged closer to America while trying not to anger China ◆ Economist, 2023-3-29: a Taiwanese policy adviser frames voters' choice as one between “peace or war” ...The DPP has criticised KMT's "embracing appeasement”, but it, too, worries about conflict ◆ Taiwan is losing its friends. Economist (2023-3-28): With China's wallet growing ever larger, Taiwan may instead need to hope that historical ties help to sustain the loyalty of its few remaining diplomatic partners ◆ AFP (2023-3-28): Latin America has been crucial to the diplomatic struggle between Beijing and Taipei since they separated in 1949....the decision by Honduras was a blow to Washington ◆ full text
◆ Modern War Institute at West Point, 2023-3-23: to deter a specific fait accompli move by China against Taiwan—namely, the seizure of one of Taiwan's outlying islands. ... the best option is something they describe as “the poison frog strategy.”◆ Foreign Affairs, 2023-3-21: J. Chen Weiss: Alarm Over a Chinese Invasion Could Become a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy. The hard but crucial task for U.S. policymakers is to thread the needle between deterrence and provocation...stray too far toward the latter, inadvertently provoking the very conflict U.S. policymakers seek to deter ◆ Reuters, 2023-3-13: In "anticipation of a total blockade of the Taiwan Strait"... Taiwan says defence spending to focus on readying for 'total blockade' by China ◆ U.S. Naval War College - China Maritime Studies Institute (Mar., 2023): The US may be able to defeat an attempted invasion landing but will lose when China imposes a blockade on the island...Unless US forces were able to dismantle the PLA-integrated air defense system, the PLA could sustain the air blockade for months if not years without exhausting its inventory of air-to-air or surface-to-air weapons. (Asia Times) ◆ Foreign Policy Research Institute, 2023-3-9: Xi Jinping views “reunifying” Taiwan with China as an existential task for the ruling Communist Party. For the United States, preserving the status quo in the Taiwan Strait is critical for American security and economic interests ◆ Economist, 2023-3-6: Taiwan's fate will, ultimately, be decided by the battle-readiness of its people ◆ full text
|
Honduras ditching Taiwan raises larger geopolitical concerns |
|
| AP, Washington Post, The Hill, 2023-3-15 thehill.com/homenews/ap/ap-international/honduras-ditching-taiwan-raises-larger-geopolitical-concerns/ | ... a blow to the Biden administration, which has rather fruitlessly tried to convince countries in the region to stick with Taiwan. Taiwan, a U.S. ally,...also exemplifies the American government is “losing it’s grasp on” Latin America |
| L.A. Times, 2023-3-15 | The switch would leave Taiwan recognized by only 13 countries as China spends billions to win recognition of its “one China” policy. msn.com/en-us/news/world/honduras-to-seek-official-ties-with-china-spurning-its-long-relationship-with-taiwan/ar-AA18EeCH |
| Bloomberg, 2023-3-15 | Tsai Ing-wen has worked to raise the self-governing island’s profile on the world stage during her tenure. Tsai says Taiwan deserves broader recognition and greater support given its status as a democracy. msn.com/en-us/news/world/taiwan-may-lose-official-ally-as-honduras-mulls-china-switch/ar-AA18Du8h |
◆ Foreign Policy in focus, 2023-3-2: if Beijing did decide to invade Taiwan after 2026, TSMC’s intellectual capital, in the form of its top computer scientists, would undoubtedly be on outbound flights for Phoenix, leaving little more than a few concrete shells and some sabotaged equipment behind...significant chip factory projects being put in place ... Add it all up and the U.S. is already about halfway to the “minimum of three years and a $350 billion investment… to replace the Taiwanese [chip] foundries ◆ USNI, 2023-3-2: Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl testified before the House Armed Services Committee that he does not think China will attempt to invade Taiwan before 2027. ◆ Reuters, 2023-2-28: The threat of China invading Taiwan has moved to the centre of global money managers' risk radars and is factoring in their investment decisions,"China wouldn't have to invade Taiwan or actually get hot to just cause a stir in that part of the market" ◆ Washington Post, 2023-2-28: The Russian invasion has allowed the United States to conduct a dry run of exactly the sort of policies that deterring or defeating a Chinese attack on Taiwan would require: active defense industrial production lines, an efficient logistics network ...a coalition of allies ... ◆ CNN, 2023-2-9: More US firms in Taiwan say they're seeing 'significant disruption' due to rising tension with China - elevated concern from global headquarters, increased shipping, insurance or financial costs, as well as staff anxiety ◆ Bloomberg, 2023-2-5: the US position on the island remains equivocal. The intention is to avoid provoking Beijing, yet the consequence is to weaken deterrence. ◆ Washington Post, 2023-2-3: (China's) state-run People's Daily said the United States must drop its “obsession” with containing China. ◆ Washington Post, 2023-2-2: Japan must do more, and faster, to avert war over Taiwan...Crudely, Japan seems to be prepared to push back against only Chinese assets that are clearly poised to attack its sovereign territory. ◆ New York Times, 2023-2-1: The United States is increasing its military presence in the Philippines , the Philippines is among the most geographically close to Taiwan...is crucial to countering China in the event it attacks Taiwan ◆ US Naval Institute, 2023-2-1: The US and Taiwan should plan a defense strategy centered on defeating China in an urban war; it is possible that using the geography of the island and its urban citadels is the best hope of success in the face of PLA overmatch ◆ Forbes, 2023-2-2: The United States Could Defend Taiwan—At The Cost Of A Lot Of Submarines ◆ Forbes, 2023-1-31: China's lack of capacity for amphibious assault as evidence that it will not be ready for war so quickly. China's use of civilian ferries in military exercises makes it difficult to predict when, and if, China will invade Taiwan. ◆ Fortune, 2023-1-29: WSJ: Seth Cropsey warned of a possible war with China over Taiwan. "If Lai Ching-te, (a fierce supporter of Taiwan's independence) does win (in 2024), Beijing could move quickly to invade".◆ Wall Street Journal, 2023-1-26: Will the U.S. Really Defend Taiwan? Washington is strategically unprepared for a crisis and Biden's policies are hampering deterrence ◆ WSJ, 2023-1-23: Taiwan is much more important (than Ukraine) to our security and prosperity. Any tanks we can spare should go to Taipei ◆Bloomberg, 2023-1-21: A more effective structure would de-emphasize vulnerable combat aircraft and surface ships and emphasize instead land-based anti-air and anti-ship capabilities. This is what some commentators have called the "porcupine strategy" ◆ New York Times, 2023-1-21: Glaser warns that symbolic victories may not be worth the cost of provoking China ... "But the bottom line is, this is a fight over symbolism" said Dan Blumenthal ◆ USA Today, 2023-1-20: Taiwan's envoy to the US says her island has learned lessons from Ukraine's war that will help it deter, defend against an attack by China. Among the lessons: preparing for the kind of all-of-society fight Ukrainians are waging against Russia ◆ AFP, 2023-1-21: Blinken sees lower US tensions with China but risks on Taiwan ◆ CNN, 2023-1-20: In Taiwan, ex-conscripts feel unprepared for potential China conflict ◆ WSJ, 2023-1-19: The Heritage Foundation's latest 'Index of U.S. Military Strength' warns of declining power in the U.S. Navy and Air Force. Taiwan is ramping up its spending on defense but its conscription and readiness are underwhelming. ◆ Economist, 2023-1-19: TSMC is playing a subtle game of diplomacy in which its business interests come first ◆ Star & Strips 2023-1-19: Taiwan defense experts expect few US boots on the ground if war breaks out with China ◆ The WEEK (UK), 2023-1-19: China's "compounding troubles" — the demographic challenges, the pandemic and a troubled property market — could prompt President Xi Jingping to take rash action. ◆ New York Post, 2023-1-14: the U.S. needs to speed up its military shipments to Taiwan, specifically long-range bombers with long-range anti-ship missiles. ◆The SUN, 2023-1-14: Taking Taiwan could even require Beijing to muster a force of two million troops, ...US should help arm Taiwan with missiles to DESTROY Shanghai to stop Chinese invasion, says ex-general ◆ TIME, 2023-1-7: the threat of a costly armed engagement may encourage Beijing to pursue non-military scenarios to try to coerce Taiwan under its control. ◆Washington Post, 2023-1-9: Taiwan needs to be prepared to withstand a lengthy siege but has not stockpiled nearly enough energy, food, medicine or ammunition. It has only about 10 days of natural gas supplies in reserve... Unfortunately, a lot of Taiwanese still don’t seem to grasp how perilous their situation is. ◆ CNN, 2023-1-9: CSIS War game suggests Chinese invasion of Taiwan would fail at a huge cost to US, Chinese and Taiwanese militaries ◆ The WEEK (UK), 2023-1-10: Bloomberg:“calls growing” among American politicians for a commitment to get involved if Beijing invades the island. ◆ full text
|
World's Best Hospitals 2023 |
||
|
Asia's rank |
country |
total number of top 250 hospitals |
| 1 | Japan | 18 |
| 2 | S. Korea | 18 |
| 3 | Australia | 7 |
| 4 | Singapore | 5 |
| 5 | Israel | 3 |
| 6 | India | 3 |
| 7 | Thailand | 1 |
| 8 | UAE | 1 |
| 9 | Taiwan | 1 |
| Asia's China, etc are not included in survey list - 28 countries | ||
|
Taiwan's NTU Hospital ranks No. 249 in
Newsweek's top 250 list Why is Taiwan behind ? (1) Taiwan got highest CovID death rate in Asia and entire world several times. / "Medicine should be prescribed but not prescribed, medicine should be taken but not taken" bad record of "failure to administer CovID remedy/medicine in time". | ||
