Closed-door forum in New York told that Beijing unhappy at Tsai’s efforts to court America
But mainland China’s ‘bullying’ of Taiwan will only reinforce US view of Beijing as a competitor, another participant says
South China Morning Post
Date: 2 May, 2019
By: Lawrence Chung
Beijing has “lost all hope” for Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, according to a report of closed-door talks organised by the National Committee on American Foreign Policy. Photo: Reuters
Beijing regards Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen as a “worse” leader than predecessor Chen Shui-bian in her attempts to bring Washington to Taipei’s side, according to a report by an independent American activist group.
“Beijing had lost all hope for Tsai, and some on the mainland were suggesting she was worse than Chen Shui-bian,” the report published by the National Committee on American Foreign Policy said.
Tsai, from the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), was elected president in 2016, replacing Ma Ying-jeou of the mainland-friendly Kuomintang, who was in office after Chen’s two terms from 2000. Chen was also from the DPP.
The report by Brookings Institution researcher Ryan Hass was based on two days of closed-door discussions in New York earlier this month between some 30 academics and former officials from Beijing, Washington and Taipei. [FULL STORY]
