POLITICS: China Warns Taiwan of New Crisis

President Chen Shui-bian announced an ending of the National Unification Council. The NUC was a governmental body set up in 1990 to foster unification talks with the Chinese mainland. Beijing's response was one of condemnation and indicated this is a malicious provocation that will lead to disaster.

(Click the pic for the original Reuters photo)

Looks like the "One China" idea is about to go up in smoke, which leaves the question if Chen is a suicidal populist or is this a signal that the US is about to rebalance its policies in favor of Taiwan?

Will Chinese President Hu Jintao cancel his visit to the U.S. in April,
because of secret meetings the U.S. had with Taiwan?
Is China listening to President Bush? - St. Louis Post-Dispatch
US officials hint at meeting with Chen - gov.tw

Makes me wonder if the U.S. gave the green light for Shui-bian to dump the NUC,
because the U.S. wants some leverage in the upcoming trade talks.
China sees US trade talks vital - Shanghai Daily
China attaches great importance to trade talks with US this week - People's Daily


Or perhaps it is to pressure on China so they will coerce
Iran into dropping their uranium enrichment plans?
Russia and China join to push Iran nuclear deal - Boston Globe
Reports: China, Iran Near Huge Oil Deal - The Columbian



So what does Taiwan get out of this?
Simmons calls on US Navy to back Taiwan submarine sales - Newsday
Navy shifts submarines to Pacific from Atlantic - WAVY-TV


Related News Links:
Secessionist move doomed to failure - China Daily
President Chen's Concluding Remarks at National Security Conference - gov.tw

Related background information:
Taiwan Relations Act - Wiki
National Unification Council - Wiki

[edit on 28-2-2006 by Regenmacher]

Ok, so we've got Iraq causing some serious grief right now, Iran's nuclear negotiations with Russia is falling through the cracks, Hamas, a terrorist organization has been elected to control the PA, and now the Republic of China is going to start a comotion?

What else can possibly go wrong? A Disco comeback?

The Muslim world may spontaneously combust. The former Soviet republics may revert to communism. Red China may annex Taiwan. But the return of DISCO would surely be our undoing.

LOL for the disco thing!

Sure if Chine annex Taiwan... it will not be cool for the world... After all, we don't care, it's just words on a map... It's political and not human. Annex us if you want but let us live.

Things that could be worst : Tsunami, major earthquakes, nuclear war, martial law, economic krash??

Well, it could be very worst than this: Imagine that US give nukes to Taiwan to defend herself from China!!



[edit on 28-2-2006 by Vitchilo]

I fear it could be a LOT worse. Besides, a lot is to be said about national pride, in my way of thinking, and a lot is to be said about sticking with your friends. If a broo-ha-ha starts over this, the U.S. better stick with the ROC to the end, no matter what.

Besides, I'd rather have a Red nuclear ICBM up my rear than have to live through the worst musical era since the advent of the electrical instrument.
There are things MUCH worse than death. Trust me, two marriages and disco later...

The Taiwan - China situation is tricky to say the least.
Why would the people of Taiwan want to give up the freedoms they have now ?
Taiwan is the only flashpoint that could trigger a US - China war. The US and Taiwain must ignore any naive political solutions the last thing we need is another Munich.

Thank God I was born in the Hair Band Era. My condolences.

I can't really see how this is going to effect events to come. On the one hand, The US would have to dramatically change its policies to break alliance with Tiawan. On the other, China would be committing economic suicide to knowingly start a hot war with the US. So what's the rational conclusion? Nothing happens. But most of the world isn't very rational, is it?

Kudos regenmacher.

This is not good. Neither is disco. (Good one TC.)

But I'm wondering - Is it really our business? This Taiwan thing is an old, old Asian issue. Not another excuse for the USA to stockpile more nukes.

It does not seem to me that we have anything productive or useful to contribute to correct the situation.

Originally posted by soficrow


But I'm wondering - Is it really our business? This Taiwan thing is an old, old Asian issue. Not another excuse for the USA to stockpile more nukes.

We wouldn't need any nukes.

We have enough punks that could be deployed to the south pacific to defend Taiwan from any kind of chi-com/commie disco threat. Punks beat disco like rock beats scissors!

Seriously. Don't get a bustle in your hedgerow over this one. As the original post hinted, this is part of a larger tit-for-tat game between US and Chi-com. We threaten to play our Taiwan card, unless they pony up at the trade table. Watch them play their Kim Jung Il card about a month after the trade talks, if it goes against them. Then we'll cozy up to Russia some more, and it goes in circles.

Just part of the morning commute.

.

Originally posted by dr_strangecraft

As the original post hinted, this is part of a larger tit-for-tat game between US and Chi-com. We threaten to play our Taiwan card, unless they pony up at the trade table. Watch them play their Kim Jung Il card about a month after the trade talks, if it goes against them. Then we'll cozy up to Russia some more, and it goes in circles.

Just part of the morning commute.

.

I agree.