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China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs: Both North Korea and the U.S. Need to Apply the Brakes

At a press conference held on March 8 for the Fifth Plenary Session of the 12th National People’s Congress, Wan Yi, China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, answered news reporters’ questions.

A Reuters reporter asked him if China thinks a war will break out on the Korean Peninsula and asked how it could be prevented.

Wan answered, “On the one hand, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), insists on its nuclear missile development. While ignoring international objections and violating the United Nations’ resolution, it recently fired four Ballistic missiles. On the other hand, the U.S. and South Korea held super-large scale military exercises and continually increase their military pressure over the DPRK. This is like two trains that keep accelerating, with no intention of avoiding each other. Are the two sides really ready for a head-on collision? The top priority at this moment is to flash the red lights and apply the brakes.”

Wan said China’s suggestion is that North Korea stops nuclear missile activity and the U.S. and South Korea stop large-scale military exercises, and then both sides come back to the negotiating table.

Source: Xinhua, March 8, 2017
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2017lh/2017-03/08/c_129504192.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend US-China Relations

Taiwan’s Defense Minister Rejects the Idea of Installing THAAD

The Taiwan-based news portal China Times reported on March 5, 2017, that Defense Minister Feng Shih-kuan reiterated Taiwan’s position of being against the installation of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD).

During a session at the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense committee last Thursday, legislators asked Feng whether Taiwan would host the U.S. anti-ballistic missile system THAAD. Feng replied that Taiwan “should not be involved in other nations’ wars or make pointless sacrifices in conflicts between two global powers.”

The China Times‘ report noted that some people among the Pan-Green Groups recently expressed their hope that Taiwan would take part in THAAD. However, a retired People’s Liberation Army (PLA) general on Mainland China said that the day Taiwan deploys THAAD will be the day to unify Taiwan by force. The Pan-Green Group got its name from the colors of the now ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

China Times quoted Feng as explaining the position of Taiwan’s military regarding weapons purchases. “In the past we directly bought fish, and now we hope to learn fishing — producing military airplanes and warships by ourselves.”

When questioned about his opinion on the South Korea’s decision to install THAAD, China Times reported that Feng said that the U.S., Japan, and South Korea formed the plan in order to force China to cooperate. Feng considered this an idea that “global powers” thought up and which, he believed, Taiwan should take no part.

Source: China Times, March 5, 2017
http://www.chinatimes.com/realtimenews/20170305002229-260417

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend

Liberty Times: Universities in Taiwan Must Sign “One China” Agreement to Get Exchange Students from the Mainland

Liberty Times published an article which expressed concern about the fact that universities in Taiwan are required to sign an agreement if they want to get exchange students from the mainland. In the agreement they have to promise that the university’s teaching materials will not involve politics or contain information opposing the “One China” policy. According to the article, even though the requirement violates the freedom of academic exchange, some universities in Taiwan still went ahead and signed the agreement. The article expressed the concern that, “The mainland may use the opportunity to enroll exchange students in order to exercise its control over freedom of speech and over the academic environment in Taiwan.” Shih Hsin University is one of the universities that was mentioned in the article. It has academic exchanges with over 50 universities and colleges in the mainland. However, since February 2015, three (mainland) colleges initiated the requirement for Shih Hsin University to sign the agreement. Shih Hsin didn’t disclose which those were but noted that there are 30 to 45 exchange students who come from these three universities each year. In addition the Liberty Times mentioned that St. Johns University also signed a similar agreement.

Source: Liberty Times, March 2, 2017
http://news.ltn.com.tw/news/focus/paper/1082360
http://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/1991258

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Chinese Scholar: The U.S. Position on Dealing with North Korea

Zhang Liangui, a professor at the Institute of Strategy Studies, Central Party School and an expert on Korea Peninsula issues, talked about the possible U.S. approaches to dealing with North Korea.

“Trump might talk to North Korea first to find out if it plans to give up nuclear weapons. If it says it ‘absolutely will not give them up,’ Trump will cut the talk and go down the showdown track. If it says ‘I will give them up,’ Trump might give it a timetable. For example, ask it to abolish nuclear weapons in two years and specify the goal for the first month, second month, third month, etc. … If North Korea misses a milestone, the U.S. can take the showdown path. In other words, the U.S. would want North Korea to comprehensively, verifiably, and irreversibly abolish nuclear weapons.”

Source: Weinxin, February 15, 2017
http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzAwMDE3MjUxMw==&mid=2651799171&idx=1&sn=16cca5f6a35624acc80397188f0f011d&chksm=8116960db6611f1bf5a66ff3f6593943c845d1707abb89bd0025d140894d4c6b278412c8cceb&mpshare=1&scene=1&srcid=0215yTAdgFrwHCXEHjXhYgrX#rd

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

BBC Chinese: Relationship between China and the Philippines Intensified

BBC Chinese recently reported that, at the last minute, Chinese Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng cancelled his February 23 visit to the Philippines. Gao originally planned to sign around 40 infrastructure investment project agreements during this trip. Neither side provided an explanation for the cancellation. However, Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay commented in the ASEAN (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Foreign Ministers’ Conference that China constructing artificial islands in disputed territories may change the rules of the game. He also immediately added that the Philippines was very happy with its relationship with China and that China promised there would be no more construction. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs commented that China wishes Yasay would act in line with his own President.

Source: BBC Chinese, February 23, 2017
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/world-39066089

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend