Chinese academic Long Yan notes that even though the US seems open to developing its economic ties with Taiwan, the latter is not a significant trading partner of the US and trade talks between them have always been used as political mileage. Long suggests that Taiwan should reconsider its currently confrontational political stance towards China, and build on close cross-strait trade relations.

In late May, Indonesia wrote to the UN to register its objection to China’s nine-dash line in the South China Sea (SCS), saying that there is no legal basis for China’s claim. China academic Long Yan notes that this is quite an unexpected move from the relatively quiet Indonesia, who is not a main player in the SCS dispute. It remains to be seen if external support from countries such as Japan and the US will boost Indonesia’s confidence in protecting its rights and interests in the SCS, despite its strong economic ties with China.