Changing World

The world is changing bigly and fast. World politics and economics are like a complicated chess game with the four major players of USA, China, Russia and the European Union (EU), but mainly it is the US trying by all means to slow down the rise of China and to maintain its hegemonic position in the world. In that sense, the US is not only against China and Russia, but also the EU and the whole world. 

The Ukraine War is not only a war between Ukraine and Russia. It is rather a US' proxy war against Russia. Ukraine is a weak link being played more than being a strong player itself. Affected by the Ukraine war, Europe so far appears to be a loser and cannot afford to "obey" Uncle Sam to completely cut economic ties with China.  

While the US brought many years of wars and destruction to the Middle East, China has just brokered a peace deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran. It appears that the Middle East is leaving the US for China. No more wars and destruction. It wants peace and development. 

Africa pretty much has been won by China. Except Canada, Central and South America, and Mexico, all seem to look to China and the East.  

Asia is booming economically and doesn't want war. It wants peace and stability. Yet, the US has been playing the Taiwan card, to stir up conflicts between China and Taiwan. After Ukraine, another provocation to push the People's Republic of China (PRC) into taking military action, the un-given-up last option, to unify Taiwan, the Republic of China (ROC)? It is also a profiteering opportunity for the US to sell arms and weapons to the pro-independence Taiwanese Government. 

The weaponization of the US Dollar by Uncle Sam has scared off many countries. De-dollarization is picking up in speed. A long line-up of countries want to join the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). 

The declining US can no longer be the hegemon of our becoming multi-polar world. It is just too late to make America great again.

Edi Lee for Peace   ***   Fast Edi Thoughts and Comments     

Pelosi's Visit to Taiwan

Nancy Pelosi's sneaky visit to Taiwan was a stupid, self-glorifying and irresponsible chess move that benefits no one and endangers everyone. She openly called Taiwan a country, which is historically, factually and legally untrue. Taiwan is a part of China. 

The Chinese Government was super smart and a great chess player. It did not take the bait and shoot down Pelosi's plane as wished by many angry Chinese, possibly even a few Republican Americans.  Instead, the Chinese Government let Pelosi go to Taiwan and leave safely and then took countermeasures, including a three days' military exercise that effectively created a blockade and encirclement of Taiwan. 

Pelosi and her immediate family have been sanctioned by the Chinese Government. Hundreds of Taiwanese products for export to China have been banned from entering. Also the Chinese Government has suspended or stopped cooperating with the United States in eight different areas. US / China relations would not improve any time soon. 

Pelosi's sneaky trip to Taiwan grossly violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of  China. She not only stepped on the red line; she crossed it. She has opened a door for China to expedite the unification with Taiwan. Seeking Taiwan independence by the separatists is not only the wrong choice; it is a stupid choice. It is a self-defeating game and a road to death.  

Fast Edi Thoughts and Comments   ***  Edi Lee for Peace    

The Trump Tsai Phone Conversation

In the news, Tsai Ing-wen, the pro-independence president of Taiwan had a phone conversation with Donald Trump, the president elect of the United States of America. Needless to say, it has stirred up much controversy and debate in the world. My opinion is that president Tsai is playing a dangerous game. The chance that she'll win and make Taiwan separate from China and become truly independent is 1%. The chance that she'll lose is 99%. Nobody can change the One China reality, not Taiwan, not the U.S., not the U.N. where China has the veto power in the Security Council Permanent Membership. In any case, I'm all for peace. No violence, No killing, No war !

Taiwan Election

Taiwan (The Republic of China) has elected its first woman president, Tsai Ing-wen, who is pro-independence or pro self-sovereignty of Taiwan.

My opinion is this:
There are 3 choices for Taiwan:
(1) remain status quo,
(2) unite with China (The Peoples Republic of China) but stay highly autonomous, or
(3) become truly and fully independent.

(3) is the most unlikely outcome, as the PRC just won't allow it. The political and Chinese reality of Taiwan is just too huge for Taiwan to overcome.

(2) is workable but not easy to achieve.

(1) remain status quo, or don't rock the boat approach, is the realistic choice for now, but for how long? Forever? Only time can tell.

Chinese Handshake

Breaking news indeed ! Chinese President Xi Jinping and Taiwan's leader Ma Ying-jeou met in Singapore on Saturday November 7, 2015. They shook hands for one minute and twenty seconds. That was a very long handshake. Would you do it with a friend and see how it feels, to shake hands for that long ? Though Xi and Ma's handshake was only a symbolic handshake for peace, it was a very important handshake. As I said in the past, and now again, that shaking hands is always better than shooting bullets and dropping bombs. 

This meeting of Xi and Ma, the top leaders from both sides of the strait, was the first since 1949. During the historic meeting, the two sides exchanged views on promoting the peaceful development of cross-strait relations. Zhang Zhijun, the head of China's Taiwan affairs, said the meeting was a milestone event achieved through the constant efforts from people across the strait.

My thoughts and comments:

China (People's Republic of China) and Taiwan (Republic of China) are made of the same Chinese people with the same language, culture, ethnicity, race, heritage, history and commonality. They are separate only because of a civil war in the 1940s and the political difference in their forms of government. They are sort of like being separated, but not legally divorced. There is no divorce, but there is no reconciliation either. So Taiwan currently is not an independent country (although it operates just like one), but it is not part of Chinese sovereignty either (although China continues to claim the sovereignty and treat Taiwan as a renegade province). 

Not that I think China and Taiwan will be unified soon, but I can say with confidence that those Taiwanese who think they are not Chinese, and want Taiwan to become fully independent are out of their mind. Taiwanese are Chinese, but Chinese are not necessarily Taiwanese. This simple fact would not be easy for the independence-seeking Taiwanese to refute. Besides, China is many times stronger than Taiwan economically, politically and militarily. Taiwan would be really stupid and self-defeating to fight with China. 

Who wants to bet on my belief that Taiwan cannot and will not become a fully independent country? Let's face it: there is only one China. Nobody can change the One-China Policy, not even the UN. The only 2 options left is either for Taiwan to remain status quo, or become a highly autonomous region of China, based on the 1 country 2 systems model, sort of like Hong Kong and Macao. It would be very interesting to keep watching what will happen in the next 30 years or so.

China and Taiwan

Peace is always better than war. Current relationship between China (the Peoples Republic of China) and Taiwan (Republic of China) is good. 
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Taiwanese people are largely the same as Chinese people in terms of history, culture, ancestry, ethnicity, language, and in so many things. It was politics and a civil war that caused the separation of China and Taiwan. 
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Time and economics are on the side of China for reunification, not Taiwan for independence. My hope is that whether Taiwan will become truly independent (unlikely) or re-unified with China (hopefully), it must be achieved peacefully. War sucks. I respectfully ask the Chinese and Taiwanese Governments to find peaceful solutions to all issues and problems between China and Taiwan, and not to use military action against each other. Thank you.