On Taiwan

[Durandal]

Edit: Read these in reverse order startig with the 3rd link first...that way they follow a timeline.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/east/12/10/taiwan.us.china/index.html

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/12/09/bush.china.taiwan/index.html

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/12/09/bush.china.ap/index.html

Arrrrghhh...

Why the F&^K are we dealing with China. We should be supporting Taiwan and if the Chinese bitch we tell them to find their food elsewhere.

[Spooky]

Because China has intermediate range ballistic nuclear missles pointed at Los Angelas, San Fransisco, and Seattle.

Sure we could burn their entire country to the ground with radioactive hellfire but at the cost of several major U.S. cities? Like it or not, nukes are a powerful detterent.

If Taiwan provokes China to conventional military action, the United States' tacit alliance will pull us into the mix. China couldn't stand against the 7th and 3rd fleets so they'd be inclined to level the playing ground :-*$

...or so one possible and extremely undesirable theory goes...

[Durandal]

Because China has intermediate range ballistic nuclear missles pointed at Los Angelas, San Fransisco, and Seattle.

Sure we could burn their entire country to the ground with radioactive hellfire but at the cost of several major U.S. cities? Like it or not, nukes are a powerful detterent.

If Taiwan provokes China to conventional military action, the United States' tacit alliance will pull us into the mix. China couldn't stand against the 7th and 3rd fleets so they'd be inclined to level the playing ground :-*$

...or so one possible and extremely undesirable theory goes...


Sorry, I forgot, we treated the Soviet Union with kid gloves during the entire Cold War. *snort*

No, China knows it cannot use nukes because the wrath of MANY nations would come down on it if it did, add to that the resulting instability in the region surrounded by nations that really do not China...India, Vietnam, North Korea, Russia...

Nah...China needs to learn to walk in step with the rest of the world...

China is NOT saying "Give us Favored Nation Status or we will nuke the West Coast"...so why give in?

[Va_Dinger]

Because China has intermediate range ballistic nuclear missles pointed at Los Angelas, San Fransisco, and Seattle.

Sure we could burn their entire country to the ground with radioactive hellfire but at the cost of several major U.S. cities? Like it or not, nukes are a powerful detterent.

If Taiwan provokes China to conventional military action, the United States' tacit alliance will pull us into the mix. China couldn't stand against the 7th and 3rd fleets so they'd be inclined to level the playing ground :-*$

...or so one possible and extremely undesirable theory goes...


I sorry to burst your bubble, but this is purely economic. How much money does U.S. companys make by selling in their products in China or importing Chinese goods? This is all about money and the interests of big business effecting foreign policy. China is also in no position to attack the U.S., their economy would collapse without the U.S. buying Chinese products. All China can do bully its tiny neighbor.

[aktarian]

Nah...China needs to learn to walk in step with the rest of the world...


Like the US? :lol:

[Mr Gently Benevolent]

If China shapes up to be the market for goods and services that has been predicted, I think you will see the US and others tell Taiwan to go and f*ck themselves and change their name to Formosa.

[2Sheds_Jackson]

I think the name of the game here is stability. The new Prez of Taiwan is shaking things up with talk of independence. If China wants to further delude itself that Taiwan is still part of China (which it hasn't been since 1895), that’s fine. Why rock the boat now...both the US and China want stability in the region above all else. If Taiwan persists along the path of independence, someone’s hand will be forced. Then all hell will break loose. They have to find a clever way to make Taiwan independent without making it appear to be an overt act that the Chinese could possibly interpret as aggressive. Maybe Taiwan starts by changing the name on its UN parking spot? ;)

[aktarian]

I think the name of the game here is stability. The new Prez of Taiwan is shaking things up with talk of independence. If China wants to further delude itself that Taiwan is still part of China (which it hasn't been since 1895), that’s fine. Why rock the boat now...both the US and China want stability in the region above all else. If Taiwan persists along the path of independence, someone’s hand will be forced. Then all hell will break loose. They have to find a clever way to make Taiwan independent without making it appear to be an overt act that the Chinese could possibly interpret as aggressive.

Which is situation right now and which chinese want to keep. Taiwan is de facto independant, yet few countries recognise it as such. Chinese pretend Taiwan is still part of China, Taiwanese know they are not but don't flaunt the fact. It worked for past decades.



Maybe Taiwan starts by changing the name on its UN parking spot? ;)

I don't think they are in the UN. Chinese insist on policy that you can either recognise Taiwan as independant (as some do) but then you can't have diplomatic ties with mainland China or you can have ties with mainland China but don't recognise Taiwan as independant (as most do).

[Durandal]

First, Taiwan is not a member of the U.N. so let's get tht out of the way right now.

•China is a totalitarian regime.
•China has committed MASSIVE and DELIBERATE human rights vilations.
•China does not recognise international copyright, patent, or trademark laws.
•China arbitrarily determines the value of the Q(CH)ian (their dollar).

Screw em.

I'll also add that China is not a responsible nation when it comes to their own backyard. They have not applied pressure to North Korea (a mess they have helped perpetuate since the 1950s) to adhere to Nuclear Proliferation treaties...or to work with other nations.

China, while being a potential economic powerhouse (it will never be this without a freely elected governement a semi-free market economy) cannot feed their population and relies almost soley on Canada and the United States (mainly the US) for their grain. The United States purchases more products from China that the reverse adn American companies have been wanting to sell products there for years. Only, the CHinese cannot afford them OR rip them off anyways and sell them under an illegal Chinese license...which is often times licensed to another company outside China (like Iran, Indonesia, or Pakistan).

Naw, screw them. Taiwan has been independent since at least 1949. They have helped America display the flag in the Western Pacific , Yellow Sea, and South China Sea. They have their own currency, trade delgates, national laws, military, and most importantly they have a multiparty democratic regime headed by a popularly-elected president and a unicameral legislature. We need to support what is right, not the horror that is China.

China is Orwell's 1984 with a bad case of Xenophobia.