MSOpinion Dangerous times ' The geo-political brew is not only heady; it can be explosive '
Taipei was damp and cold last week. It still is this week, when thousands of Filipinos will visit, the Holy Week respite being quite long and hot.
When I took over as Philippine resident representative in Taipei in 2016, there were yet 22 states recognizing Taiwan as an independent state instead of the PRC.In less than seven years, nine flags were taken down from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ketagalan Boulevard in central Taipei. Will the Pacific islands of Tuvalu, Nauru and the Marshall Islands fall into the web of the PRC, just like Kiribati and the Solomon’s have?
If this tete-a-tete materializes, Beijing is likely to go into yet another round of tantrums in the Taiwan Strait, as it did when former Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei last year. Albeit clad in “non-permanent” status, the US can now pre-position arms and munitions in all nine sites, the most strategic of which are in Palawan, Zambales, Isabela and Cagayan facing the West Philippine Sea or the Bashi Channel that separates Batanes from Taiwan.
Thus, he said, those EDCA sites serve no purpose for us; they only serve the interest of the US in its desire to prevent China’s swift ascent as a world power. It can increase its cyber-attacks; it could ban more and more exports, hoping to cripple the Taiwanese economy. Will the West absorb the losses?
Meanwhile, coinciding with Tsai’s sojourn to the West, her predecessor, KMT’s Ma, in what detractors from even his own party describe as a private trip borne out of vainglory, met with Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office Director Song Tao in Wuhan, where he reaffirmed the importance of the “1992 Consensus,” where both sides of the Taiwan Strait recognize there is only “One China” with each having its own interpretation of what China means.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Taiwan says 10 Chinese aircraft crossed Taiwan Strait median lineTen Chinese aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, normally an unofficial barrier between the two sides, Taiwan’s defense ministry said, as Beijing continues its military activities near the island. | Reuters
Read more »
At least 21 killed and dozens others are hospitalized as tornadoes and dangerous storms tear through the US South and MidwestAt least 21 people died after devastating storms and violent tornadoes scraped the US South and Midwest Friday into early Saturday and millions more people were threatened by more severe weather Saturday afternoon.
Read more »
Revisiting Tinago Ruins, Samar Island’s oldest pilgrimage siteCould Tinago possibly make a comeback in modern times?
Read more »
THRILLMAKER: Newport Performing Arts Theater stages 'AHEB 2023'The repeat serving of something good is always waited on with great excitement and anticipation. After being staged more than a hundred times to mostly jam-packed audiences before the pandemic, and streamed on limited engagement online, “Ang Huling El Bimbo,” is making a big comeback to the Newport Performing Arts Theater sometime this month. This early, the award-winning production’s onstage return is already creating a stir among theater fans as the new version is said to be an “enriched and fortified” version of the original in terms of musical arrangements, choreography and even acting, with the cast now composed of both veterans and newbies to the musical.
Read more »
Revisiting Tinago Ruins, Samar Island’s oldest pilgrimage siteCould Tinago possibly make a comeback in modern times?
Read more »