Beijing giving Trump room to push boundaries but draws line at support for Taiwanese independence,

[FarCenter]

US president-elect Donald Trump’s phone conversation with Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen may not signal a major shift in the US’ longstanding one-China policy, but Beijing is “cautiously watching” Trump’s next moves while pondering its own, say experts on US-China relations.

Bonnie Glaser, a senior adviser for Asia at the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies, said she did not believe that Trump intended to indicate he would change the foreign policy approach to the Taiwan Strait.

“I expect China will engage intensely with Trump’s transition team about Taiwan, both to determine Trump’s intentions in making the call and to warn of the consequences should he follow up with similar actions,” Glaser said.


...

Shi said China would respond with measures if Trump crossed what Beijing saw as a red line.

“China wants to establish good relations with Trump. That’s why it agreed to the latest UN resolution [on further sanctions] against North Korea recently,” he said.

Shen Dingli, a professor of international relations at Fudan University, said Beijing could use the North Korean issue as leverage in its relationship with the new administration at the White House.

“Don’t expect Beijing to work with you on North Korea, on Iran or on Islamic State. Can Tsai Ing-wen help you with that?” Shen said.

Jia Qingguo, dean of the School of International Studies at Peking University, said Beijing would deliver a more robust response if Trump escalated the Taiwan issue after taking office next month. The recent development would take a toll on Taiwan’s international standing.

http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2051938/beijing-giving-trump-room-push-boundaries-draws-line

[roamer65]

1. China, thanks for cutting us some slack. We have a "slight" internal problem right now.

We hope to be back with you shortly.

[msongs]

2. if the USA was really for democracy it would want taiwan to chose independence if it wanted it nt

[FarCenter]

3. It is not clear what Taiwan would choose

Taiwan has been controlled for much of the last 65 years by the Nationalist Chinese who arrived following the Civil War in '49. They were the ones who originated the "one China" policy and maintained that they were the government in exile of all of China.

There are roughly three groups on Taiwan - the Taiwanese aborigines who were there before the 16th century, the Chinese immigrants who came before the Japanese conquest of Formosa, and the recent Nationalist group.