A Special Weekend Report For Subscribers
Well, I thought I might have a quiet weekend, but then events happened. In this case, the chatter and posturing between the U.S. and China over Taiwan has exploded.
The proximal trigger seems to be Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Asia where deliberately provocative rumors were floated about a possible stop in Taiwan.
For its part, China has released some exceptionally stern warnings in response to this “provocation.”
As you probably know China is a bit touchy about the idea of the U.S. – or any nation, really – recognizing Taiwan officially as its own country.
On the other side, the U.S. is touchy about China – or any nation, really – telling it what it can or cannot do.
While China’s statements over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s possible trip to Taiwan do not stray too far from what it has been saying for decades, insiders in Beijing and Washington worry that they are not empty threats.
“It’s a tough call for the administration,” said Michael Green of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, who helped shape Asia policy as a senior official in the George W. Bush administration.
“If they pressure Pelosi to back down, they will invite greater Chinese threats and pressure in the future and increase the odds of a crisis again down the road,” he said. However, he said, “if they support her going, they risk escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait.”
“They’ve got to find an elegant resolution,” he added.
(Source – CNBC)Speaking through the official Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC on July 27th, the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said:
AFP: A U.S.
by rector 
