Following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, visits by other US politicians have come fast and furious, with the latest a delegation led by Democrat Stephanie Murphy. But while these visits show US support for Taiwan, they also sometimes come with an agenda. How will Taiwan navigate such a situation amid pressure from Beijing?
Taiwan
Politics
Years ago, Singapore’s late founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew said that cross-strait reunification was a matter of time and that its fate was sealed a long time ago. Taiwanese commentator Chen Kuohsiang finds such an assessment insightful, concluding that Taiwan would do well to avoid leaning too much towards the US and becoming too reliant on it for security.
Politics
A prosperous, strong and friendly China is not only good for the Chinese people but also for the current turbulent world order, and this warrants a reevaluation from the mainland Chinese side. Political commentator Bai Gao believes that while the mainland’s policies towards Taiwan have been aggressive, a softer policy stance would be more beneficial as Taiwan’s future is still crucially dependent on the will of the Taiwanese people.
Politics
With news circulating about possible official outgoing visits by Chinese leaders, people are hopeful this heralds the easing of anti-epidemic restriction and normalisation of cross-border exchanges. In any case, it will be interesting to see which sets of leaders the Chinese approach first. Zaobao correspondent Yang Danxu tells us more.
Politics
The Russia-Ukraine war has turned into a stage for the US and Russian militaries to flex their muscles, and so too in the case of the Taiwan Strait for the People’s Liberation Army and the US military. Against this backdrop, says political commentator Jin Jian Guo, the arms race in East Asia is quickening its pace, with Japan seeking to revise its constitution, Taiwan aiming to raise military spending next year, and North Korea holding firm to its nuclear programme. How will these developments affect geopolitics and security in the region?
Society
Because of China’s soft power, some Yunnanese Chinese in Northern Thailand — known as KMT Chinese and who are descendants of KMT supporters who left Yunnan and eventually settled in Northern Thailand — have gradually shifted from being pro-Taipei to being pro-Beijing. Out of the 110 private tutoring Yunnanese schools in Northern Thailand for instance, more than 40 have begun to accept Beijing’s support and modelled their school structure in accordance with PRC’s guidance. How many more converts can China's soft power yield?
Politics
In a changed world post-pandemic and against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, Asia will face pressure from competing minilateral coalitions amid the breakdown of multilateralism and the weakening global and regional institutions. This time, it may not be so easy not to take sides, says Professor C. Raja Mohan. This is the second in a series of four articles contemplating a changing world order.
Politics
Shutting out the din of international debates on US-China competition, Professor Zha Daojiong puts perspective on changing global dynamics, asserting that China is circumspect about its place in the world and the prospect of decoupling is further than people think. Besides, other players, albeit smaller ones, hold sway over the changing global order too. This is the first in a series of four articles contemplating a changing world order.
Politics
Beijing is keen that Delhi should express support for PRC’s territorial sovereignty over Taiwan. For India, though, the unresolved Sino-Indian boundary dispute and their ongoing military standoff force a reality check in this relationship. In the absence of a Chinese reciprocal one-India policy, Delhi is messaging that while it will not bandwagon with pro-Taiwan forces, a new template of Sino-Indian ties is required.