The people of Taiwan are in a deeply unenviable position. But international law is neutral over political systems, and Taiwan’s democracy gives it no special right to secede. Does advocating for this make Australia a revisionist state?
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Tag: Taiwan
Why the West must tread carefully in assessing China
To either over-emphasise or understate the challenge presented by China is perilous. So Is Paul Dibb right to suggest that the West is failing to see China’s weakness, much as it failed to understand the weakness of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s?
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Biden’s top foreign policy challenge: avoiding a cold war with China
The Biden administration faces a host of difficult problems, but in foreign policy its thorniest will be its relations with the People’s Republic of China. How the new administration handles issues of trade, security, and human rights will either allow both countries to hammer out a working relationship or pull the U.S. into an expensive — and unwinnable — cold war. But there are a number of moves both countries could make to avoid this.
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Taiwan: a ‘wicked’ strategic problem for Australia
For Australia, the question of Taiwan remains a ‘wicked’ strategic problem. The Taiwanese have over time established strong claims for their autonomy. The US has a huge investment in Taiwan’s security, while not denying it is part of China. And defence of Taiwan could see the island devastated, the ANZUS alliance become irrelevant, and Australia’s security lost. Why would Australia go to war over Taiwan?
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Taiwan to build new fleet of eight domestically-developed submarines in US-backed project
Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen has announced on that Taiwan will build a new fleet of submarines aimed at countering China’s military power in the region.
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US-China relations: Busy week as US maintains pressure on China and seeks to solidify regional relationships
Even in what are almost certainly its last weeks, there is no sign yet that the Trump administration will lessen its efforts to make a lasting mark on relations between China and the US and its Asia-Pacific partners and allies.
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US State Department approves sale of MQ-9 SeaGuardian drones to Taiwan
The US State Department is reported to have approved a potential sale to Taiwan of four MQ-9 SeaGuardian drones in a deal valued US $600 million, another sale of weapons to Taiwan that will be seen as provocative by China.
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US State Department approves a further $2.37 billion in potential arms sales to Taiwan
The US State Department is reported to have approved the potential sale of 100 Boeing-made Harpoon Coastal Defense Systems to Taiwan, at a cost of up to US $2.37 billion. The move comes days after the State Department approved the potential sale of three other weapons systems to Taiwan, as the Trump administration ramps up pressure on China in the runup to the November presidential election.
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China to impose sanctions on US companies over Taiwan arms sales
A spokesman for China’s foreign ministry, Zhao Lijian, is reported to have said on Monday 26 October 2020 that China will impose sanctions on Lockheed Martin, Boeing Defense, Raytheon and other US companies it says are involved in arms sales to Taiwan.
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