The Trump administration has approved over $4 billion in Taiwan arms sales in the two weeks up to and including the U.S. election day. However, the outcome of the election is not expected to change the trend of strengthening ties with Taiwan.
Even if the Trump administration, which initiated the more pro-Taiwan policy in recent months, is succeeded soon by a Biden administration, Joe Biden seems on the same page regarding Taiwan.
China — the Republic of China — had been an original signatory to the UN Charter in 1945. But the autumn of 1971 witnessed the climax of a long drama over which Chinese government deserved the UN seat.
October 10th marks the anniversary of China’s Xinhai Revolution, which toppled the Qing Dynasty and put an end to two millennia of imperial rule. But outside the mainland, commemorations of "Double Ten" are anything but straightforward.
In China, the Rabbit God — Tu'er Shen — is a relatively obscure deity. But at one point in history, it held special significance, particularly for same-sex couples who looked to it for guidance and true love. Remnants of the Rabbit God can still be found today, if one looks hard enough.
But amidst all the holiday wishes, those who didn’t join the chorus of congratulations have become targets of nationalist Chinese ire, with many suspecting that their silence was intended to avoid being associated with pro-unification views in an environment of heightening tensions between mainland China and Taiwan.
Two high-level American officials have met with Taiwanese officials this week, continuing a trend of increased Taiwan-U.S. diplomatic contacts. Meanwhile, the U.S. is planning to sell “as many as seven major weapons systems” to Taiwan soon.
Before the Cuban Missile Crisis, there was real fear during the First Taiwan Strait Crisis of 1954 that nukes might be deployed. The conflict — including an eight-month bombardment of Nationalist-controlled Jinmen Island — is largely a footnote in contemporary cross-strait relations, though it hasn't been forgotten by the residents who lived through it.
Political fortunes change fast in Taiwan. The New Power Party (NPP), the third largest political party in Taiwan — an ally of the majority Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) — is in crisis after being rocked by a corruption scandal.