The abrupt cancelation of all State Department travel this week has upended two high-profile trips a precedent-breaking visit to Taiwan by Kelly Craft, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and a final visit to Europe by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Ambassador Craft was due to arrive in Taiwan Wednesday on a three-day visit that included meetings with President Tsai Ing-wen and other senior officials.
The abrupt cancelation of all State Department travel this week has upended two high-profile trips a precedent-breaking visit to Taiwan by Kelly Craft, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and a final visit to Europe by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Ambassador Craft was due to arrive in Taiwan Wednesday on a three-day visit that included meetings with President Tsai Ing-wen and other senior officials.
23 Min Read
TAIPEI (Reuters) - Months after eliminating a popular challenge to its rule in Hong Kong, China is turning to an even higher-stakes target: self-governing Taiwan. The island has been bracing for conflict with China for decades, and in some respects, that battle has now begun.
FILE PHOTO: Hong Kong anti-government protesters attend a rally in support of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen outside the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan January 11, 2020. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu/File Photo
It’s not the final, titanic clash that Taiwan has long feared, with Chinese troops storming the beaches. Instead, the People’s Liberation Army, China’s two-million-strong military, has launched a form of “gray zone” warfare. In this irregular type of conflict, which stops short of an actual shooting war, the aim is to subdue the foe through exhaustion.
China relies on Taiwan, not the other way around
By Liou
Je-wei 劉哲瑋
On Dec. 31, the Chosun Ilbo the largest South Korean newspaper in terms of circulation published an article titled “Taiwan’s economic growth is world’s highest without relying on China,” which compared Taiwan’s economy to South Korea’s in recent years.
The report made particular mention of how Taiwan has outperformed South Korea in terms of economic growth for three consecutive years, and that Taiwan’s economic growth last year was the highest in the world, surpassing China for the first time in 29 years.
Chosun Ilbo thinks that the difference between Taiwan’s and South Korea’s economic performance in recent years comes down to the two governments’ differing attitudes toward China.
Beijing, January 2
China has rebuffed the latest offer of talks from Taiwan, saying the government was engaging in a “cheap trick” and provocation by seeking confrontation with China at every turn.
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