China Says Situation in Taiwan Straits 'Grim'

Yahoo News; Reuters ^ | 12 26 2004

[the_gospel_of_thomas]

China: blah blah blah blah "same crap different day" blah blah blah blah

United States ... Well, we'd better have a good response, and help protect the people that need our help. )

[Flavius]

hmm must be that Tsunami reached them too

[John Frum]

its all fluff, don't believe it; the chinese themselves have too much INVESTED in Taiwan to lose by war or other armed conflict.

[smonk]

I didn't think they would send the tanks against those students in Tienanmen square, but they did.

I lived in both countries, and western logic -- in fact, just about any logic at all -- simply doesn't apply to the age old rift between the PRC and Taiwan.

[Khurkris]

Hmmm...I went out to the beach just yesterday (my Sunday). Things looked ok to me as I gazed westward. Talked to a few fishermen coming in with their catch. They said the straits were not bad, small waves. Just goes to show that "no news is bad news."

...../wisecracks....heh heh heh.

[KoRn]

I expect them to invade Taiwan while we are occupied in Iraq. I don't know what we could do to stop it, unless we saw it coming and set up a substantial air and naval presence in the area.

[Dont_Tread_On_Me_888]

Well, we'd better have a good response, and help protect the people that need our help.

You mean that you did not know that George Bush has sold out the people of Taiwan?

Read up on the many Colin Powell and George Bush statements that reaffirm the "One China" policy.

[Dont_Tread_On_Me_888]

The United States will not protect Taiwan. George Bush has made it clear that he agrees to the "One China" policy.

The United States will sit back and watch the freedom fighters of Taiwan be destroyed anytime China decides to pull the trigger.

All the talk from our administration about wanting to see freedom flourish around the world, and standing by those nations seeking freedom, is all a bunch of bull since George Bush and Colin Powell gave the wink and nod to China over the "One China" policy.

[Brilliant]

The Chinese sound more like the North Koreans every day.

[the_gospel_of_thomas]

I agree - I don't know what Bush is thinking ( if it IS as it appears ) and POWELL's recent "go to hell" speech to Taiwan was BIZARE. I hope that our ... what is it ( 7th Fleet ) stays close by, and will keep Chen safe when he arrives by helicopter when "Tienanmen China" decides to apeshieat on the free and peaceful people of Taiwan.

[DB]

And there lies the root of the problem.

[NorCalRepub]

Don't we have the US Navy out there in bigger force than usual now......China and her ilk like N. Korea are all talk....all they do is threaten but never act. It gets tiresome listening to their posturing sometimes

[lt.america]

I would bet a milkshake that if China invades Taiwan that the world outcry will not be as loud as when we went into Iraq.

[Magnum44]

The United States will not protect Taiwan. George Bush has made it clear that he agrees to the "One China" policy.

You should read the National Security Strategy put out by this president and his admin before posting your hysteria.

[killjoy]

We will CRUSH them!

[Ichneumon]

I lived in both countries, and western logic -- in fact, just about any logic at all -- simply doesn't apply to the age old rift between the PRC and Taiwan.

A good friend of mine was born and raised in Shanghai, and even though she's an American citizen now, and quite sensible on most issues, she gets irrationally emotional about the "renegade Taiwan" too. And if her attitude on the matter is typical, China *would* go to war to prevent Taiwan's independence, *and* against us if we "meddle" in China's "internal affairs". From what I gather, regardless of the obvious differences, China feels about Taiwan like the North did about the South during the Civil War -- they may not like them very much, and have different cultures, but they'll fight to the death to keep them from separating.

[oceanview]

OK, why haven't we given Taiwan nuclear weapons then?

[Ichneumon]

I don't know what Bush is thinking ( if it IS as it appears ) and POWELL's recent "go to hell" speech to Taiwan was BIZARE.

If there is "strategery" behind Powell's comment (and there's no guarantee that there was, but...), my guess is that it's to slow down Taiwan's rush towards independence for now.

If Taiwan tries for too much too fast, China *will* act, and then everyone loses, no matter who wins. Instead, the wisest approach is to probably gain a little bit here, a little bit there, slowly over at least a generation, perhaps two. If done gradually enough, China will never have a moment when they feel pushed "too far" all at once, and China's leadership (and population) will have time to get used to each step for a while before the next one comes. That will also allow time for turnover in China's current hard-line leadership.

To use the old metaphor, boil the frog slowly, and it won't even notice -- do it too fast, and it'll jump out of the pot.

[EagleUSA]

I lived in both countries, and western logic -- in fact, just about any logic at all -- simply doesn't apply to the age old rift between the PRC and Taiwan.
======
The PRC is typical of ANY COMMUNIST REGIME. They do not like renegades, any form of breaking away from the center of control -- they are paranoid about it, because it demonstrates the myriad of advantages of individual freedom and democracy. The behavior of the Chi-Coms is not unusual. All this excerement about culture is just that -- it is about COMMUNIST CONTROL AND POWER over all of their people. No "bad" examples are permitted.

[LenS]

Since Powell was unceremoniously dumped, I'd say that his speech was meaningless. The Chinese will look at the President's actions, not any meaningless words meant ot be nice to Powell.

Besides, I find it interesting that you're condemning the President for something that he hasn't done (betrayed Taiwan) over an event that hasn't happened (a PRC invasion of Taiwan) while ignoring what he has done in Afghanistan and Iraq.