~1998
1999:
Jan. - June,
July - Dec.
2000: Jan. - Mar. , Apr. - June , July - Sept.
April - June 2000
China Will Be Cautious on Taiwan By
Ellis Joffe
(International Herald
Tribune, June 30, 2000) China will attack the island it regards as a rebel
province only if Taiwan's leaders formally declare independence and separate
irrevocably from China. A number of compulsions drive China's leaders:
nationalism, the linkage between Taiwan and their political legitimacy, the
state of relations between conservatives and reformers in the Chinese
leadership and the stand of the military.
China Now Has a Role Model to Follow Toward
Peace--the Koreas By Joseph A. Bosco
(LA Times, June 27,
2000) Will China follow North Korea as willingly on its path to peace today
as it did on the road to war 50 years ago? In 1950, Beijing joined its
"little communist brother" in an ill-fated war to unify the Korean
peninsula under Pyongyang's "one Korea" system, just as China
claimed the right to forcibly incorporate Taiwan under its rule.
China Pop De-Fizzed By Charles Lane
(Washington Post, June
22, 2000) In a time of tension between China and Taiwan, Zhang Huimei brought
people together. The diminutive Taiwanese pop singer, who goes by the stage
name Ah-mei, sells millions of CD's on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
Strike Now to Prevent War in the Taiwan Strait
By Richard H. Solomon and Patrick M. Cronin
(LA Times, June 19,
2000) Three decades of relative calm across the Taiwan Strait now may be
coming to an end. We are rapidly approaching a decision period in which
choices made in Beijing, Taipei and Washington will shape the nature of
cross-strait relations--and the security environment in East Asia--for
decades to come.
Challenges as China's Communist Leaders Ride the
Tiger of Liberalization By Larry M. Wortzel
(Heritage Foundation,
June 13, 2000) The People's Republic of China has more than 20 nuclear
warheads capable of hitting the United States today, making this country a
major concern for many Americans. Furthermore, Chinese military officers have
made veiled threats against the United States if America were to intervene
should China use military force against Taiwan. Beijing's threats are indeed
serious.
Beidaihe's Triple Cocktail Dilemma
By Willy Wo-Lap Lam
(South China Morning
Post, June 7, 2000) Every summer, the eyes of China watchers are glued to a
choice strip of sand in the Bohai Sea called Beidaihe, where Communist Party
leaders hold a series of informal meetings on matters of state. Seldom,
however, does the agenda mean so much for the nation - and carry such long-term
significance - than this year.
New Foreign Policy Fails First Test
(Taipei Times, June 8,
2000) The new government has made a big deal about how it would revamp
Taiwan's diplomacy. "Human rights" and "NGOs" were to be
the new touchstones of Taiwan's efforts overseas, in contrast to "money
diplomacy" and "international vote-buying."
Taiwan Democracy Provides Glimmer of Hope for
Mainland Activists
(Agence France Presse,
Jun 1, 2000) The Chinese democracy movement has faced a punishing 11 years
since the Tiananmen Square massacre, but activists this year have found a glimmer
of hope in the blossoming of democracy on Taiwan. ... while democracy has
been pushed into the shadows on the mainland, it has thrived in Taiwan to the
delight of Chinese dissidents.
What China and Taiwan Should Do By Steve
Tsang
(International Herald
Tribune, May 18, 2000) China's hardened policy towards Taiwan has turned an
inherently delicate and strained situation across the Taiwan Strait into a
potentially explosive one. Yet as the former opposition leader Chen Shui-bian
prepares to become president of Taiwan on Saturday, there could be a formula
for maintaining peace if both sides are pragmatic.
Chen's Dilemma By Julian Baum
(Far Eastern Economic
Review, May 25, 2000 ) When Chen Shui-bian is inaugurated as the 10th
president of the Republic of China on May 20, his frequent and persistent
statements of goodwill toward Beijing will reach a climax. From the time he
began his presidential campaign last year, Chen has raised expectations in
Taipei and around the world that under his leadership there will be some kind
of a breakthrough in the half-century-old deadlock across the Taiwan Strait.
Washington's Role in Cross-Strait Relations
(China Post, May 17,
2000) Recent press reports have said that both Beijing and Taipei have asked
the United States to intervene in their long-running political confrontation.
Washington, however, moved quickly to state its position: It does not want to
assume such a role.
The Taiwan Dilemma: Time for a Change in the U.S.
Approach? By Robert L. Suettinger
(Brookings Institution, May 2000) The point is that the United States cannot
fix the deeply-rooted antagonisms, differences of political viewpoint and
variant interpretations of history that lie at the core of Taiwan-PRC
tensions.
US-China Relations: Final Deadline
By Nayan Chanda and Susan V. Lawrence
(Far Eastern Economic
Review, May 18, 2000) A time bomb is ticking in U.S.-China relations. It
isn't Taiwan. And it isn't the forthcoming congressional vote on granting
permanent normal trading relations to China. If it explodes, it could badly
damage trade relations and poison political ties.
China is Stuck in Its Own Trap By Bruce
Dickson
(Taipei Times, May 11,
2000) With its increasingly inflexible approach to cross-strait relations,
China has painted itself into a corner. The repeated use of military threats,
increased missile deployments, insistence on its definition of the "one
China" principle and talk of imposing a deadline for reunification are
designed to threaten and intimidate Taiwan, and to warn other countries of
China's resolve on the Taiwan issue.
Permanent Normal Trade Relations for China
By Nicholas Lardy
(Brookings Institute,
May 2000) In what has been described as its most important vote this year,
the U.S. Congress will soon decide whether to provide permanent normal trade
relations to China. A vote is required because, after 14 years of
negotiations, China is poised to enter the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Containment Under Fire By Willy
Wo-Lap Lam
(South China Morning
Post, April 26, 2000) The Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) anti-containment
policy is simple. Firstly, improve relations with its neighbours. Secondly,
form strategic alliances with America's erstwhile foes, such as Russia.
Thirdly, expand its own global influence by reclaiming the leadership of the
Third World.
Convergence on One China Policy? The Democracy
Factor By Michael J. Fonte
(Formosan Association
for Public Affairs, April 2000) If you listened carefully to statements made
by U.S. policy makers over the past two weeks, you would have heard one
message about the U.S. "one-China policy" - democracy in Taiwan has
dramatically changed the issue.
Korean Summit Will Impact Cross-Strait Ties
(The China Post
(Taipei), April 13, 2000) The news that North and South Korea are about to
hold an historic summit has attracted attention from around the world in
general and from people in eastern Asia in particular. Above all, it has
aroused deep concern among the people on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
Turbulence Ahead in the Beijing-Taipei-Washington
Triangle By Douglas H. Paal
(International Herald
Tribune, April 12, 2000) The election of Chen Shui-bian as Taiwan's new
president has created hopes in Washington for reduced tensions across the
Taiwan Strait. But this view is not shared by China's leadership.
Stand by Taiwan
(Editorial, Washington
Post, April 10, 2000) NO peaceful solution to the conflict over Taiwan is
possible unless China is deterred from attempting to take the democratic
island by force. One critical element in deterring China is the United
States' implicit commitment to defend Taiwan from aggression.
Pacific
Forum, CSIS
Taiwan Tops the Bilateral Agenda By Bonnie
Glaser
(Comparative Connection,
Pacific Forum, CSIS, April 2000) The year 2000 opened with a flurry of
contacts between American and Chinese officials. The bilateral military
relationship, suspended since the U.S. accidental bombing of the Chinese
embassy in Belgrade, resumed and an agenda for dialogue and exchanges between
the two militaries was agreed upon and set in motion.
Cross-Strait Cross-Fire By Gerrit
Gong
(Comparative Connection, Pacific Forum, CSIS, April 2000) Chen
Shui-bian's victory on March 18, 2000 to become Taiwan's president-elect with
39.3 percent of the vote dramatically changes Taiwan's domestic political
topology and thereby the assumptions and framework for China-Taiwan
cross-Strait relations.
Taipei
Times
Taiwan's Democratization Dilemma By Arthur
Waldron
(Taipei Times, May 2,
2000) From a medium- to long-term perspective, Taiwan's democratization
greatly contributes to the resolution of issues between Taipei and Beijing,
but in the short run it has completely upset the calculations, not only of
China but also of the US.
Taiwan the Anchor to US-China Relations By Lin
Chong-Pin
(Taipei Times, April
27, 2000) Scholars, analysts and government officials are all debating the
relationship that revolves around the axis of Taiwan, China and the US. The
interdependence of China and Taiwan is a fact that is not only important to
any consideration of the issue, it is really the cornerstone.
Beijing Should Abandon Deadlines By Lee Ying-yuan
(Taipei Times, April
21, 2000) In contrast to Mao's pragmatism, today's Beijing leadership appears
overly anxious. The leadership has repeatedly set a timetable which has only
served to limit real positive interaction between the two sides of the
Strait. Expand and explore a consensus in order to strengthen the foundation
for trust.
Charting a Course for Relations with the Middle
Kingdom By Ted Galen Carpenter and James A. Dorn
(Taipei Times, April
18, 2000) The only true indicator of China's foreign relations policy is
found domestically, in the tug-of-war between the emergence of liberalism and
the survival of nationalism. Whichever wins will determine China's future
relations with both its Asian neighbors and the West.
Lessons for China from Taiwan's Democratization
By Bruce Dickson
(Taipei Times, April
17, 2000) As the KMT lost the presidency, so China's Communist Party lost its
hope of surviving an eventual mainland democratization. Economic success, it
would seem, is not enough to win elections. Ironically, Chen's victory may
reduce the support for political reform in China within the CCP and delay
meaningful democratization.
`One China' Holds Too Few Solutions
By Lo Chih-Cheng
(Taipei Times, April
11, 2000) In response to President-elect Chen's urging for the resumption of
talks between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, China has thus far taken a
"wait and see" policy. Beijing has stated clearly that the door for
cross-strait talks will remain closed unless Taiwan returns to the so-called
"one China" principle.
LA
Times
There Is Common Ground on Taiwan By Marvin
Ott
(LA Times, May 8, 2000)
There has been much recent reporting and commentary--fully justified--about
the growing dangers in the Taiwan Strait. But in all the talk of arms sales and
possible military confrontation, almost no attention has been given to a
possible diplomatic solution.
Beijing's 'Salesman' Makes a Pitch to Taiwan
By Tom Plate
(LA Times, May 3, 2000)
Tea leaves can be hard to read, especially when they come from a mainland
Chinese garden. Since the March election of the former Taipei mayor Chen
Shui-bian as president of Taiwan, worried China-watchers have been looking
for the faintest signal from Beijing, even a twitch, that China really isn't
prepared to go on the warpath over Taiwan's status.
China Has a Chilling Moment By Tom
Plate
(LA Times, April 26,
2000) These days, China is flexing its inflexibility on Taiwan; the
authorities are starting to squeeze out any whiff of dissent. True, Beijing
hasn't ordered any out-and-out Maoist purge, but something akin to a subtle
mass dampening of critics and cynics seems to be underway.
China Has Its Own Version of
Business-Versus-Beltway Conflict By Tom Plate
(LA Times, April 19, 2000) Yet China is conflicted, almost like two nations.
The smart one concentrates on China's capacity for greatness. The other
concentrates on blaming outsiders, especially Western ones, for its problems,
which leads to China's historical penchant for shooting itself in the foot.
And it may be starting to put powder in its musket now. That's the gruesome
and worrisome bottom line.
|
