Taiwan

April 29, 2012

What an Interesting Coincidence: China Arms N. Korea, We Arm Taiwan!

Shortly after the disclosure that China sold missile transporters to North Korea, in violation of UNSCR 1695, 1718, and 1874, the White House decides to reconsider a decision about weapons sales to Taiwan: Taiwan said it welcomed the pledge by the United States to reconsider a proposed sale of new fighter jets to the island, a defence deal likely to upset Beijing. Taiwan has been pushing for the purchase of 66 new US-made F-16 fighter jets, but the deal has...

China & Korea/Missiles/Proliferation/Taiwan

January 30, 2012

North Korea shipped chemical reagents to Syria, possibly via China

This is a little old now, but I haven’t seen anyone else talking about it, so I will. The U.N. has launched an investigation into an attempted shipment of chemical weapons reagents and protective suits to Syria, a close ally of Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah, and whose government gave safe passage to recruits on their way to Iraq to join Al Qaeda forces there. In November 2009, Greek authorities seized a container from a Liberia-registered freighter as it headed toward...

Axis of Evil/China/Proliferation/Taiwan/WMD

January 9, 2011

Heritage Scholar Calls for Asian Missile Defense Alliance

Bruce Klingner at the Heritage Foundation is proposing an idea whose time has come: a comprehensive, multi-national missile defense system for Asia. Klingner’s argument begins with an explanation of what should be obvious — that diplomacy has failed to disarm North Korea, as China’s own missile arsenal is growing rapidly. The land- and sea-based system Klingner proposes would protect Asian democracies from both North Korea and China, and enhance U.S. national security, as well. Here’s the abstract: The United States...

An Alliance?/Anju Links/China/Japan/Taiwan/U.S. Military

February 1, 2010

China Let North Korea Go Nuclear, and We Should Let Taiwan Go Nuclear

I contrast China’s bitching about arms sales to Taiwan with China’s own woeful non-enforcement of UNSCR 1718 and 1874 here, at The New Ledger. Welcome, Chi-bots!

China/China & Korea/Proliferation/Taiwan

July 2, 2009

This Means World War III for Sure

Contrary to previous reports suggesting that he was out of the running, Bill Stanton has been named head of the American Institute on Taiwan, making him the de-facto U.S. Ambassador to Taiwan. The post does not require confirmation by the Senate. Recall that Stanton (no relation) had called Laura Ling and Euna Lee “stupid” and a distraction from “bigger issues” while leading a delegation of young congressional staffers through the U.S. Embassy in Seoul in March. Later, North Korea claimed...

China/Ling/Lee Incident/Taiwan

June 10, 2009

William Stanton Out of Running for AIT Job?

That’s what the Taipei Times is reporting, although it sounds unsourced and unverified. You remember William Stanton, right? The suave, polished fellow with the obvious diplomatic skills? If you remember nothing else, remember that he’s no relation of mine.

Diplomacy/Ling/Lee Incident/Taiwan

June 26, 2006

Kim Jong Il Becomes a Liability for China

Wasn’t it just yesterday when the United States had finally begun to reduce the U.S. military footprint on Okinawa, after years of local residents’ demands? That was then. Tokyo and Washington will deploy advanced Patriot interceptor missiles in Japan for the first time, officials said Monday amid concerns North Korea may be preparing to test-fire a long-range ballistic missile. The U.S. and Japan reached an accord on the interceptors this month after reports of the possible test-firing became public, and...

Activism/China/Geopolitics/Japan/NK Military/Taiwan/U.S. Military/WMD

Category: Taiwan