Taiwan
China’s Taiwan policy in the “new era”
After a spree of military exercises to protest US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei, China has released a white paper to “reiterate” its stance on Taiwan in the “new…
What the Philippines has at stake in Taiwan
As tensions between China and the United States grow, most Southeast Asian countries will anxiously seek to remain neutral, however difficult this may be. Yet the Philippines…
When serious, careful US management of China–Taiwan policies … isn’t
It’s a weird crisis, if it can be called that. Foreign reactions, and even those in Taiwan, to China’s unprecedented military drills in recent days have been a collective yawn. It…
Will Pelosi’s trip trigger the next Taiwan crisis?
Speculation continues to mount that Nancy Pelosi will visit Taiwan during her trip to Asia this week. The schedule of the US Speaker of the House of Representatives, who arrived…
Australians worry about China and muscle-flexing over Taiwan
“China’s development is an opportunity instead of a threat to Australia,” claimed China’s Ambassador to Australia at a recent address in Sydney. “There is every reason for China…
Contingency plans: South Korea and cross-Strait security
The importance of “peace and stability” across the Taiwan Strait featured in joint statements issued after US President Joe Biden’s meetings in May with South Korean President…
China’s new reality
When it comes to the realm of soft power and cultural diplomacy, China’s efforts are often seen as either lacklustre or counterintuitive. Dwarfed by the cultural juggernauts of…
Myths that stir trouble in the South China Sea
US officials regularly present China as an aggressive and expansionist military power while Chinese state sources criticise the United States in similar terms. The verbal sparring…
Paul Keating may be the “Grand Appeaser”, but is he wrong?
Former prime minister Paul Keating’s characteristically frank comments on Australia’s Taiwan policy have attracted many criticisms. One of the most predictable is that he is…
The legal case for defending Taiwan
In a recent discussion in The Interpreter of whether it would be legal to come to the defence of Taiwan, Ben Saul concludes that “a betting person might be tempted to back the…