COUNTERING CHINA
Lai Ching-te Will Be the Next President of Taiwan: The Economist, Jan. 13, 2024 — On January 13th 2024, voters elected Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party as Taiwan’s next president.
Inside Taiwan’s Strategy to Counter a Chinese Invasion | WSJ, YouTube, August 2023 — For decades, Taiwan has looked to its east coast as a safe haven to survive a Chinese invasion until allies, particularly the U.S., can arrive to assist. In the east, Taiwan’s rugged mountain terrain also helps create a natural shield in the event of an attack. But China’s PLA activity on the island’s east has thrown that strategy into question.
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Taiwan Offers an Aspirational Ideal: Editorial, Taipei Times, Jan. 16, 2024
Taiwan Voters Just Cut China’s Xi Jinping Down to Size: Gordon G. Change, Gatestone Institute, Jan. 14, 2024
China Says DPP ‘Cannot Represent’ Taiwan After Lai’s Election Win: Kenji Kawase, Nikkei Asia, Jan. 14, 2024
Taiwan Election Piles Pressure on Delicate U.S.-China Ties: Chun Han Wong and Charles Hutzler, WSJ, Jan. 15, 2024
FOR FURTHER REFERENCE:
Taiwan’s Lai Faces Tough Road Ahead After Historic Election Win; Thompson Chau, Nikkei Asia, Jan. 14, 2024 — On the surface, Lai Ching-Te’s victory in Saturday’s Taiwan elections was a powerful rebuff to China’s intimidation of its democratic neighbor.
Election Agency Outlines Rules for Voting: Wu Su-wei and Jonathan Chin, Tapei Times, Jan. 13, 2024 — About 1.02 million first-time voters are eligible to cast their ballots for president today, the Central Election Commission (CEC) said yesterday as it issued a reminder on election-day rules.
Chinese Military Invasion Unlikely, Think Tank Says: Chen Yu-fu and William Hetherington, Tapei Times, Jan. 9, 2023 — China is unlikely to attempt a military invasion of Taiwan in the short term, but would continue pursuing a “salami slicing” strategy with the aim of forcing Taiwan to talk, a research report says.
Why China Would Struggle to Invade Taiwan: David Sacks, CFR, Jan. 10, 2024 — Although China continues to state a preference for unifying with Taiwan through peaceful methods, it has never renounced using force.
Taiwan Is Too Slow Learning from Ukraine War, Ex-Top Commander Says: Stuart Lau, Politico, Jan. 13, 2024 — Taiwan has been slow to learn the lessons from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and should be accelerating a shift away from big-ticket warplane and warship projects and switching to agile weaponry like drones and mobile air-defense systems that could cause China major problems, a retired top military official told POLITICO.