China Steps Up Attack Talk Before Taiwan Inauguration

Bloomberg ^ | May 19 2004

[yonif]

May 19 (Bloomberg) -- China stepped up threats of attack against Taiwan a day before President Chen Shui-bian's inauguration, saying it would be willing to forfeit strong U.S. ties, economic growth and the success of the 2008 Beijing Olympics to quash independence moves by force.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Another war of rhetorics along JT-line (Japan-Taiwan line), the America's main defense line in Pacific.

[heleny]

The U.S. State Department yesterday said China's hostile language toward Taiwan is ``unhelpful'' and encouraged a peaceful resolution to cross-Strait relations.

That language seems pretty mild when compared to several months ago when the US warned Taiwan (which was going to hold its first referendum, although it wasn't about independence or sovereignty) not to change the status quo or to provoke China.

[The Bandit]

Oh how scary! This is for mass public consuption. China has nothing to gain by using military force on Taiwan other then making lots of enemies and ruining their economy. Best they can do is lob lots of missiles at the island. They would never be able to put boots on the island and control it. And most likely they will suffer significant military damage from US cruise missles.

So much for the dogs barking.....

[ragnarocker]

Taiwan is reshuffling the cabinet and put a pro-independence guy Koh Se-kai in Tokyo. He met with Shintaro Ishihara who is going to the inaguration tomorrow. Both Chen Shui Bian and VP Annette Lu are pro-independence, and Koh joined a VP Lu human rights commission.

US/Japan are stepping up to bat for Taiwan after the SARS thing. PRC is trying to say that they supported Taiwan by sending relief to them. Ha! Japan is starting to show some backbone, and Taiwan is getting its ducks lined up.

I predict what Chen says tomorrow won't matter much either way.

[EQAndyBuzz]

From a war perspective, China attacking Taiwan is a great move. American cannot do anything about it due to resource allocation. With North Korea Chinas biggest ally, a move south or at least a threat of a move south would force America to decide what is more important, Taiwan or South Korea.

Throw in a useless UN, liberal media bias and internal political grandstanding and you have the recipe for a change in the presidency.

Of course you can nuke North Korea and threaten that the next one will be placed on Beijing if they do not pull back.

But that makes sense.