Cross-party delegation from US Congress meet Taiwan's president in defiance of China

[TexasTowelie]

Source: The Independent

Five US lawmakers who arrived in Taiwan on Thursday night have now met with the island’s president Tsai Ing-wen, despite warnings from China to call off the trip.

After the meeting, the president reiterated both sides’ cooperation in veteran affairs, economic issues and trade while emphasising on the island’s close alignment with the US.

“Taiwan will continue to step up cooperation with the United States in order to uphold our shared values of freedom and democracy and to ensure peace and stability in the region,” Ms Tsai said.

Taiwan has been a point of contention as tensions rose between the US and China in recent months. Taiwan has been self-ruled since it split from China after a civil war in 1949. China, however, still considers the island a part of its territory.

Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/china/us-taiwan-china-surprise-visit-b1964606.html

[oldsoftie]

1. Good. And i'll reitterate, GET OUT OF CHINA.

We're sending them billions that they use against us

[twodogsbarking]

2. They don't have to be our enemy. Progress was made for decades

and Trump threatened and insulted them almost daily for four years and more.

I don't blame China for problems created by Americans.
Work to win over the people of China. A dream for sure.

[catsudon]

3. are you kidding?

China has been bullying taiwan even before trump.

i do blame america for being weak and bow down to a bully like China.

look at NBA (with the exception of enes kanter), john 'mao' cena... all look the other way because they love Chinese money.

it is difficult to win over the people of China since they're brainwashed like the republicans. and i stop trying to win over republicans years ago... same with a lot of die hard chinese sympathizers.

[twodogsbarking]

5. No I am not kidding.

It is difficult to win the people over. I agree. Threatening them with nuclear war
will likely not win them over. I also agree with you about the NBA.

[EX500rider]

4. If you mean they took advantage of us for years then yes

Stolen patents, trade imbalance,
territory theft from India Philippines etc

[twodogsbarking]

6. I don't recall mentioning any of that.

[oldsoftie]

8. You may not have mentioned it but its certainly true. nt

[EX500rider]

10. Yes I noticed that. nt

[twodogsbarking]

15. Many times people don't address the comment

they just use the platform to ramble on about random opinions and
try to connect them to your comment.

[oldsoftie]

7. Thats nonsense. And the Chinese people have zero say with a communist regime.

The Chinese govt has been playing the US for DECADES. Didnt start with Trump. You dont think they've been trying to expand their influence across the globe for the past 20 yrs? Building islands in open ocean & claiming it as Chinese? Controlling rare earth minerals? Pretty much ALL our antibiotics come from China? You think thats safe for us? Taking over control of Africa by pouring our money in?
The countries of the world have 3 choices to align with; China Russia & the US. Whenever more of them pick the other two, we're in serious trouble

[Violet_Crumble]

13. The Chinese people also don't get to see any media that the regime doesn't want them to see...

It's a bit hard to win over a population who mostly have no access to information that the Chinese govt has blocked. Here's an example of how China treats attempts to talk to its people about its disinformation:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-55168883

In a nutshell China was in Punish Australia mode after the Australian govt demanded an independent investigation into the origins of COVID-19. China swiftly responded by slapping tariffs on Australian wine, barley and just about everything apart from iron ore (which China desperately needs). Not happy with the lack of folding by Australia, China embarked on a disinformation campaign and then when the Australian PM posted debunking it on We-Bo, the Chinese govt blocked him and deleted the post. China's response? Australia needs to apologise to China for offending it.

[oldsoftie]

16. Yes. Just like NK. They block most of the internet. China is an enemy.

Its getting harder for them to do, but most of china wont risk punishment trying to get more info. And look at the crack down on Hong Kong. THEY had been used to freedoms.
I say we (and the EU) cut off the money supply and let them live like they did 60 yrs ag.

[Violet_Crumble]

12. China has decided to be the enemy of any country who questions or defies it...

Let's not play the Trump card on this one. I detest Trump and what he did on the world stage, but let's be real here. This was way beyond Trump. As bad as the US has behaved, China is so much worse. Trump was a wannabee authoritarian while Winnie the Pooh is the real thing. China's been busy bullying Australia with tariffs and sending warships to sit off our coast, trying to use us as an example of what happens to a middle power who dares to question China's authority. What makes me hate the Chinese government even more is that I find myself siding with Australia's conservative govt over this. The Chinese govt vanishes tennis players who have been sexually assaulted by their officials, sends Muslim minorities into concentration camps, controls what their population sees and hears, and sends wild accusations about any country that dares stand up to their bullying. Fuck 'em...

[twodogsbarking]

14. Distinguish between the government and the people. I detest their government

but not the people.
Is that so difficult to comprehend? Is that so difficult to comprehend?
Is that so difficult to comprehend? Must be.
Trump threatened more than a billion
people with nuclear attack. The US has more than twenty times the nuclear capabilities than China.
Makes one wonder what the people of China believe. Possibly that the US will attack unprovoked at any
moment. Why wouldn't they. Believe as you will though.

[oldsoftie]

17. You cant DEAL with "the people". Govt controls access. Why is THAT so dificult to comprehend?

WE can read and watch anything we want here. They can only get what they're allowed to get. Continuing to funnel money to China just keeps them more in control and a bigger threat to the rest of Asia & the rest of the world. Look at Russia & crimea & Ukraine. China want to do the same thing with Taiwan & all of the China Sea.

[twodogsbarking]

18. I see.

[pecosbob]

9. Latest podcast from a channel I watch that talks about Chinese state media and current affairs

I think it's still live currently.

[SouthBayDem]

11. China carried out 'combat readiness patrol' as U.S. lawmakers visited Taipei

TAIPEI, Nov 26 (Reuters) - China's military carried out "combat readiness" patrols in the direction of the Taiwan Strait on Friday as a U.S. Congressional delegation made a surprise visit to Taipei, offering strong support to the Chinese-claimed, democratically governed island.

The five members of the U.S. House of Representatives arrived in Taiwan on Thursday night for a previously unannounced two-day trip, the second time in a month U.S. lawmakers have visited.

As with the last visit, China's military announced the patrols in the vicinity of the narrow and sensitive Taiwan Strait that separates the island from its giant neighbour.

The People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theatre Command said that on Friday it "organised naval and air forces to continue combat readiness police patrols in direction of the Taiwan Strait".

Full story: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taiwan-is-force-good-senior-us-lawmaker-says-trip-taipei-2021-11-26/