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- Warfare Simulation Next Month Will Be Biggest Ever: Source (2017-07-21)
(Taipei Times, By Chung Li-hua and Jake Chung) The first political-military simulation independent of the Han Kuang military exercises by the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen is to be held next month, with the scale of the simulation to be greater than any held under the administration of former president Ma Ying-jeou, a source said. The simulation is to focus on the potential scenarios of open conflict or war on the Korean Peninsula, in the East China Sea or in the South China Sea in which China attacks Taiwan with missiles and cyberattacks, the source said. - US, India and Japan Launch Joint Naval Exercises to Keep China in Check (2017-07-11)
(Defense News, By Vivek Raghuvanshi) The Malabar 2017 exercise sees the navies of the US, India, and Japan wargaming in the Bay of Bengal. The event, which lasts from July 10-17, is said to be a check on the growing Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean. In the past, Singapore and Australia have participated in the exercises, but after China voiced diplomatic opposition, it was restricted to the US and India. This lasted until 2015, when Japan joined. The absence of Australia in the exercises reflects its ambiguity in checking the Chinese presence in the region. - Taiwanese Arrive in Cambodia to Urge that Fraud Suspects be Sent Home - Not to China (2017-07-20)
(The Phnom Penh Post/ANN) Taiwan officials have arrived in Cambodia to petition that seven Taiwanese who were arrested for a scam be repatriated to Taiwan instead of China. After speaking with Chinese authorities, the Taiwan Foreign Ministry announced the suspects are likely to be sent back to China, but officials are trying to get Cambodian authorities to follow international jurisdiction and repatriate the suspects to their home country Taiwan. - Ban on Japanese, Swedish, Dutch, Beef to be Eased (2017-07-19)
(CNA) The nation is to conditionally open its market to beef imports from Japan, Sweden and the Netherlands, ending a 14-year ban on beef from the three countries, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Monday. Taiwan relies on imports for 94 percent of its beef needs, with most foreign beef coming from the US and Australia. - Reporters’ Notebook: Chinese ‘United Front’ Tactics Aim to Divide and Conquer (2017-07-19)
(Taipei Times, Lin Liang-sheng, Su Yung-yao) Despite a freeze in cross-strait relations since the inauguration of President Tsai Ing-wen in May last year, Beijing’s “united front” tactics have continued unabated, but with the focus shifting to ordinary Taiwanese and local non-Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials. - China on its Air Drills Near Japan: Don't 'Make a Fuss About Nothing' (2017-07-17)
(Defense News, By Paige Williams) Last week, the PLAAF said that its aircraft flew through the Miyako Strait and Bashi Channel, its aircraft flying close to Japanese, Taiwanese, and Philippines airspace. Afterwards, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense stated that "the relevant side should not make a fuss about nothing or over-interpret, it will be fine once they get used to it," also saying that the exercises weren't directed at any country in particular. These exercises show a China that is further asserting its dominance in East Asia. - Tsai Vows Help for Local Economy and Nation's Investors (2017-07-18)
(CNA) At a meeting with the Asia Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce (ATCC), President Tsai Ing-wen announced she would work to increase support for Taiwanese investors operating in the global market. Tsai stated she hoped the government's help will allow these investors to expand their economic influence and develop a wide array of industries. - China Registers Athletes for Universiade (2017-07-18)
(Taipei Times, By Lee I-chia) The spokesman of the Organizing Committee for the Taipei Universiade stated that China had applied to register 180 athletes for individual sports after speculation on whether or not it would register any at all. Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je said he was sure China would attend the Universiade, but the question was how large of a delegation and what level of athletes it would send. - If Only the Army Could Be as Competent as this Ring that Rigged its Contracts for Armored Vehicle Parts (2017-07-18)
(China Post) Officers in the Armed Forces Reserve Command colluded with 18 parts manufacturers in up to 100 bids worth NT$60 million. These officers were bribed to give information on the Army's pre-selected asking price for certain parts. They then began the bid at the military's asking price and then give various quotes above the military's budget. - DPP Cities’ Officials Barred from Shanghai Forum (2017-07-17)
(Taipei Times, By Huang Chung-shan) Officials from Taichung and Taoyuan — which are governed by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) — have been rejected from attending the Cross-Strait Academic Conference on Urban Traffic in Shanghai, sources said yesterday. Officials from other cities and counties not governed by the DPP were not barred, the sources said, claiming that it was another example of China’s suppression of Taiwan. - China Has Complained about 'Negative' Taiwan Measures in US Military Budget (2017-07-17)
(China Post) Beijing has lodged a stern complaint with the U.S. government over a bill that would strengthen military ties between the United States and Taiwan. The National Defense Authorization Act for the 2018 fiscal year, which the U.S. House passed Friday, supports expanded military exchanges with Taiwan and changes long-standing policy to allow U.S. Navy ships to make port calls here. - Taiwan's US Envoy Has Used a Letter on Liu Xiaobo to the Washington Post to Call for Lee Ming-che's Release (2017-07-17)
(China Post) Taipei's envoy to Washington has used a letter about Liu Xiaobo in the Washington Post to call for the release of Taiwanese democracy activist Lee Ming-che. In the brief letter, representative Stanley Kao appears to draw a parallel between China's treatment of Liu, a democracy advocate and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who died Thursday, and Lee, who has been held by Chinese authorities since traveling to Macau in March. - Indonesian Trade Office is Seeking to Reel in Taiwanese Investment (2017-07-17)
(The Jakarta Post/ANN) The Indonesian Economic and Trade Office (KDEI) has held a business forum in Taipei to encourage Taiwanese businesspeople to increase trade and investment in Indonesia. The July 13 event, organized by KDEI Taipei in cooperation with Indonesia's Investment Coordinating Board and CTBC Bank, aimed to showcase Indonesia's progress in improving the business climate.
- China Sees the West Behind Liu Xiaobo (2017-07-18)
(The Interpreter, By Merriden Varrall) With the passing of Chinese democracy activist Liu Xiaobo, some negative Chinese attitudes about the West have surfaced, especially those seeing Liu as 'misled' by the West. Furthermore, these very Western values are seen as an ideological threat and some Chinese view the West as 'meddling in China's affairs'. This meddling is seen as blocking China's 'path of history' and its rise. - White Warships, Little Blue Men, and Looming Conflict in the East China Sea – China’s “Short, Sharp War” For The Senkakus (2017-07-20)
(CPG, By James E. Fanell and Kerry K. Gershaneck) Ignored by the war game designers is the harsh fact that it is the Peoples Republic of China (PRC)–and not Japan–that has the intent and, increasingly, the capacity to create the most serious Senkakus-related crisis: “a short, sharp war” to wrest the islands from Japan for China. As troubling as its ironic premises, the “war game” highlighted serious miscommunications and policy misunderstandings between the U.S. and Japanese officials that would have fatally undermined a united response in a real crisis. Despite an alliance spanning nearly 60 years, the American and Japanese gamers reportedly admitted they still did not understand the other country’s political concerns or security objectives. - China Disrupts WhatsApp Service in Online Clampdown (2017-07-18)
(New York Times, By Paul Mozur) Facebook’s last major consumer product in China was partly blocked as Beijing increases its grip on the internet. - South Korea Proposes Military Talks With North at Their Border (2017-07-17)
(New York Times, By Choe Sang-hun and David E. Sanger) Such talks would be the first in years, and the North’s reaction will be the first test of the new South Korean president’s pro-dialogue policy. - TPP, the Trade Deal Trump Killed, Is Back in Talks Without U.S. (2017-07-14)
(New York Times, By Motoko Rich) Japan and the 10 other remaining countries in the Trans-Pacific Partnership are trying to press ahead without the United States. - Ruling Threatens Hong Kong’s Independence From China (2017-07-14)
(New York Times, By Alan Wong) A court removing four lawmakers assures China greater influence over Hong Kong’s government at least until by-elections are held. - Chinese, US Executives Call for ‘Prompt Resolution’ of Economic Rows Amid Fears of Trade War (2017-07-19)
(South China Morning Post, By Zhenhua Lu) Top executives of Chinese and American companies have urged their governments to promptly resolve trade disputes through “effective negotiation” amid concerns that the two nations are heading towards a trade war. Twenty business leaders made the appeal during the first US-China Business Leaders Summit held at the US Commerce Department in Washington on Tuesday. - China is Being ‘Unusually Aggressive’ in Border Row (2017-07-19)
(AFP) A top Indian diplomat said China is being unusually aggressive in a month-old border dispute with India that shows no sign of easing, media reports said yesterday. Beijing has given virtually daily warnings to its neighbour over the deadlock on a remote Himalayan plateau, where Indian and Chinese troops have been in a tense face-off. - US May Impose Tariffs on Chinese Steel and Aluminium Imports Amid ‘Limited’ Progress in Trade Talks (2017-07-18)
(South China Morning Post, By Zhenhua Lu) The US could impose quotas and tariffs to further block Chinese steel and aluminium imports into the American market, in a sign of the Trump administration’s dissatisfaction and impatience with limited progress in the sides’ ongoing trade talks, observers and specialists said. US President Donald Trump labelled China’s steel and aluminium imports as “dumping” last Thursday during a flight from Washington to Paris. Trump said: “They’re dumping steel and destroying our steel industry, they’ve been doing it for decades, and I’m stopping it. It’ll stop…There are two ways - quotas and tariffs. Maybe I’ll do both.” - People Power — Not Politicians — Put Taiwan on Path to Democracy, Island’s President Says (2017-07-15)
(South China Morning Post, By Lawrence Chung) Taiwan’s president marked the 30th anniversary of the lifting of martial law on Saturday by crediting the public rather than late leader Chiang Ching-kuo for putting the island on the path to democracy. The comments prompted the opposition Kuomintang to hit back, saying Chiang’s role in the process was undeniable. - US Drafting Fresh Sanctions Against Chinese Firms With Ties to North Korea, Sources Say (2017-07-14)
(Reuters) Frustrated that China has not done more to rein in North Korea, the Trump administration could impose new sanctions on small Chinese banks and other firms doing business with Pyongyang within weeks, two senior US officials said. The measures would initially hit Chinese entities considered “low-hanging fruit,” including smaller financial institutions and “shell” companies linked to North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes, said one of the officials, while declining to name the targets. It would leave larger Chinese banks untouched for now, the official said. - The South China Sea Seven Years On (2017-07-19)
(East Asia Forum, By Michael McDevitt) This month seven years ago at the Hanoi ASEAN Regional Forum, then secretary of state Hillary Clinton made a very public, and — for the Chinese — surprising, intervention into the South China Sea (SCS) disputes. This move implicated Washington in a way that was probably unforeseen in Washington and in the region at the time. - The China Factor in Global Governance (2017-07-17)
(East Asia Forum, Katherine Morton) The transition towards a more pluralistic form of global governance that is inclusive of emerging powers remains fraught with tensions. Whether the existing global framework of rules and institutions can adapt to this new paradigm will depend upon whether liberal states can work in tandem with China in tackling the core challenges facing global governance. - Carrie Lam: A Tilt Bridge Between Hong Kongers and Beijing? (2017-07-14)
(East Asia Forum, By Steven Yet) To heal the political rift, it takes two to tango. Although the confrontational approach of localists may draw loud applause, their contributions to safeguarding the ‘two systems’ are questionable. Similarly, the short-term effects of repressing the city’s restive youth may also come at the cost of a long-term decay of government legitimacy. - Xi Tells His Troops: 'Call Me Chairman' (2017-07-10)
(Nikkei Asian Review, By Katsuji Nakazawa) During his visit to Hong Kong during the 20th anniversary of the former British colony's return to Chinese rule, troops from the PLA Hong Kong Garrison addressed Xi Jinping as "zhuxi" (chairman), a departure from the more common "shouzhang" (leader or commander). Such a move may show that Xi seeks to establish his primacy as CCP party head and evoke an stronger image, one reminiscent of Mao.
