‘Taiwan will not be used as a bargaining chip by the United States’: Hsu Hsin-liang
Taiwan News
Date: 2016/12/30
By: Sophia Yang, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
The head of a local think tank said in a radio interview Friday morning that a meeting between President
Tsai Ing-wen and Chinese President Xi Jinping is not unattainable given that an amiable cross-strait relationship can create a win-win situation for both sides.
A brief phone conversation between U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Tsai on December 2 and Trump’s following outspoken social media comments against China have led to increasing tensions between the two countries. Beijing reacted with dissatisfaction and flexed its military muscles during the Christmas weekend by sending its naval vessels and aircraft carrier to the contested waters in the East China Sea and the South China Sea, respectively, raising alarm in neighboring countries, including Taiwan and Japan.
Two days later, Beijing grumbled about Japan’s decision to rename its de-facto Taiwan embassy, a move welcomed by Taiwanese politicians. [FULL STORY]