Independence Is A "Poison Hallucination As Useless As Looking For Fish In A Tree," China Warns Taiwan, After Vote
On Saturday, Taiwan elected its first female President in what’s being billed as a “landmark” vote that returns the DPP to power for the first time in 8 years.
When all of the votes were in, it wasn’t even close. 59-year-old former law professor Tsai Ing-wen captured 56% of the vote while KMT’s Eric Chu managed just 31% in a humiliating defeat for the Nationalists.
DPP also won its first majority in the legislature, grabbing 68 of 113 seats. Previously, KMT held 64 seats.
The election raises immediate questions about the island’s relationship with China. "Although Ms. Tsai has vowed to maintain a broadly stable relationship with mainland China, she remains reticent on specific strategies and has remained ambiguous about the ‘1992 consensus’ which has supported the principle of “one China” although each side has been allowed to interpret it differently," Goldman wrote, ahead of the ballot. "Her position has been that this is an option for Taiwan, but not the only one."
Well for Beijing, “one China” is the “only” option as was made abundantly clear earlier this month, when sixteen-year-old pop star Chou Tzu-yu was forced to apologize for waving a Taiwanese flag on a South Korean TV program. “There is only one China,” she said, staring blankly into the camera before promising to behave going forward. “I am proud I am Chinese.”
China had no immediate response to the election outcome but on Sunday, we got a series of hilarious proclamations and warnings from Chinese media.
“If there is no peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, Taiwan's new authority will find the sufferings of the people it wishes to resolve on the economy, livelihood and its youth will be as useless as looking for fish in a tree,” Xinhua wrote, adding that “hallucinations” of independence will “poison” the island’s people.
As a reminder, China in 2005 passed a law permitting an attack to prevent secession, when the last DPP president, Chen Shui-bian, sought a referendum on statehood.
“Tsai should keep in mind that if she revisits Chen’s dangerous path to cross the red line of cross-Straits relations, she will meet a dead end,” The Global Times warned in its own “op-ed.” Here’s more from The Times:
The vote is not a gauge of cross-Straits relations. The DPP’s victory doesn’t mean the majority of Taiwanese support Taiwan independence. Tsai and her party are aware of this, so in her victory speech, she was evasive about the current issues between Taiwan and the mainland, only scrupulously stating that she will be engaged in a “consistent, predictable and sustainable cross-Straits relations. The KMT’s eight-year administration has made contributions to the current stage of cross-Straits relations, a performance that merits recognition both in Taiwan and the mainland. After this power shift, the DPP should assume the responsibility of serving the best interests of Taiwanese society, avoiding creating trouble for cross-Straits relations like it did as an opposition party. If the DPP abandons the progress made by its predecessor in the past eight years, it will jeopardize its future as a ruling party. The lesson of Chen Shui-bian should be a long-lasting lesson.
Yes, the "lesson" should be "long-lasting," lest China should have to re-teach it.
As we discussed on Saturday, the election in Taiwan comes at a "tricky" time. The island is heavily dependent on trade with China and exports are in free fall amid slumping demand from the mainland. In fact, exports to China fell a whopping 16% in December and dropped 20% Y/Y in November. Given that, Tsai can ill-afford to rock the boat if she hopes to resuscitate the economy.
Additionally, there are significant security concerns in the region stemming from Beijing's land reclamation efforts in the Spratlys and a dispute between China and Japan regarding the contested Senkaku Islands and nearby oil and gas fields. More generally, Washington's regional allies swear that Xi is out to effectively impose a kind of Sino-Monroe Doctrine against the will of the nations that would fall under its purview. Any aggressive action by Beijing with regard to an independence push by the new government in Taiwan would only exacerbate the situation.
Time will tell if Tsai has indeed learned the "lesson" of Chen or whether a black swan will land in the Taiwan Strait.
(6 votes)
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You are as free as the next person on rock they can't leave. China, USA one drinks more cows milk but is essentially the same, at some point it'll be called Chinese exceptionalism no doubt
someones upset...
Was Nuland spotted there?
Wow. The sentiment expressed in the headline is the same as that expressed by the SJW left against any individual detractor. #JeSuisMilo :-)
As far as I can tell, Obama's game plan has been: Confuse his own stupidity and arrogance with good intentions, accidentally destabilize any given world region, then stab a partner in the back, run, and blame Russia for his civilization destroying mistakes. So Taiwan will soon be Chinese. Obama won't do anything but start the problem. Something about his psyche makes playing a victim, after doing something universally stupid, seem more desireable than building or winning anything. He might actually be insane.
The Democrats typically have a hawkish stance against China because of economics (labor unions) and also Taiwanese sympathizers contributed to Clinton's campaign. Now that Clinton has his foundation, if Taiwan pays up, they can get the US to continue the hawkish tone. I realize the US has an obligation to protect Taiwan; however, the rhetoric and actions before hand, I am sure, will be as a result of how much money the Clintons' receive. If Saudi and Ukranian Oligarch contributions to the Clinton Foundation mean anything to influencing US politics, the money from Taiwan will also mean the same. The Taiwanese President (Chen) during Bill Clinton's reign was as corrupt as they come. Who knows what kind of deal Clinton and Chen worked out.
I don't have a solution for this problem. I think the status quo is best for China, Taiwan, the US and the Far East in general. Independence would mean a lot dead people.
It would be funny if an American President lands in Taipei and does an Ich ein Taiwanese speech (actually, it would not be funny. it would be tragic.).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_United_States_campaign_finance_contro...
Despite China's bluster, they have repeatedly said, leave it alone and lets revisit it in 10-20 years.
Sounds reasonable. They are both benefiting economically from each other now why ruin it? As far as SK and China, there's huge South Korean neighborhood in Beijing where everyone is happily doing a brisk business on both sides. Let it be.
I do not think many in the PRC gubmint want to rock the boat considering how many billions they are being paid directly and indirectly much of it being siffoning out to USA, Canada, Australia, and all over actually even Indonesia, Malaysia, etc. I do not see they have a strong incentive for war. For them, peace is actually more profitable [as opposed to some other nations].
I see a huge economic downturn happening now and continuing in the future. the easiest way for heads of state to deflect a shitty economy is to blame an external force and prepare for war. i wouldn't rule out Tsai blaming china for its economic woes and strike up the hawkish fervor. who cares if people die? that never stopped heads of state. taiwan already fucked up by building taiwan 101 to typify the skyscraper index. they can make mistake #2 by being hawkish like President Chen.
China is not bullshitting with Taiwan, keep playing. Best to keep relatios as normal and hunker down as it melts away.
Tree fishing is a big sport where I come from...
Hooked many a tree bass in my day. They put up a helluva fight.
Had many a dry and wet fly get hung up. Good thing I can tie new ones on the spot.... Tired of those damn trees breaking my line though a chainsaw comes in handy.
if you elecet woman it means you are fearless taiwan is one of the most determined countries on earth to kead the future (right after germany)
Yup.
It's worked out great for Brazil.
Fearless.
Don't forget about Argentina.
Fortunately, US doesn't go the same path....... Wait!!! Did I miss something?
Some may have not grab your s/ :)
I'd rather be on Taiwan rather than the China mainland if I had to make a choice. It's always better to be independent & free, ask Hong Kong. I can say that because WHERE I LIVE I can go anywhere I want, say anything I want, believe anything I want and have as many guns as I want in my own country and not be bothered. You can say I'm not free but I am living it. How YOU do'in. USA motherfuckers.
I'm trying to guess where you live. Hmmm...Thailand? I'm out of guesses... Canada?
Mom's basement.
"Xi is out to effectively impose a kind of Sino-Monroe Doctrine against the will of the nations that would fall under its purview"
The effective purvue of the Monroe Doctrine is planet earth. Soon it will expand to low earth orbit and the moon.
Sounds like Lincoln.
The solution is elemental. China should hold democratically open elections for Premier and all of the Plenary after instituting a new Constitution, and then thereafter Taiwan may join.
FREE TIBET !!!!
Lonjg live the Dalai Llama!!
Free Tibet from China! There fixed it for you
This story can't be right. China is the peace loving good guy. Read it right here on ZH.
That didn't take long. I'm disappointed this wasn't handled in a way that would have sought greater voluntary cooperation between both Countries (corporations) for the mutual benefit of all their residents. Unfortunately the MSM in the East seems to be just as complicit in inciting division as their MSM counterparts in the West.
1 Chink
2 Chink
Red Chink
New Chink
uh huh, so China should be ok with british rule then...ludicrous, pure naked aggression
Don't they know that saying this will only encourage Taiwan to do it?
In the USSA
I am an independent slave and the police are the plantation guards.
Go China ! Time to show those retards who "voted" for a pro LGBT woman "president" who is the true ruler !!!
Wo ai ni, China !
LOL!....Yeah,...hitch your wagon to China, so you to, can drive over the fiscal cliff.....
It would be like mooring your ship to the Titanic, as it sinks.....
It's pointless to provoke China at this stage. Most of the young people in TW WILL NOT fight for their freedom or independence if China invades TW. http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2011/nov/30/taiwanese-youth-los...
If the Greens make a bid for independence - and they may - I suspect it will bring TW's existence as we've known it to an end. As others have already posted, China is unlikely to tolerate any such moves.
Once TW falls the working class and MC populations will be trapped under communist rule, while the wealthy Taiwanese all quickly flee for the perceived safety of their SoCal luxury homes, green cards in hand.
Full disclosure: used to live in Taipei and Puli, and trained with ROCAF personnel while assigned to 56th FW, LAFB. True professionals.