Taipei Times
Date: Jan 14, 2017
By: Staff writer, with CNA

As China seeks to limit Taiwan’s international space, the US should help Taipei keep its diplomatic allies and not leave it at the mercy of Beijing, Washington-based think tank Heritage Foundation’s Asian Studies Center director Walter Lohman said.

When asked by reporters about China’s recent efforts to limit Taiwan’s international freedom of movement after President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) took office in May last year, Lohman said, “the problem for Beijing is that it has already played so many cards in reaction to her election.”

Examples include cutting contacts with Taiwan and preventing its access to international organizations, such as the International Civil Aviation Organization, he said.

He also said that it would be difficult for Taiwan to attend the World Health Assembly later this year, with or without telephone call between Tsai and US president-elect Donald Trump last month and the two US stopovers during Tsai’s current state visit to four diplomatic allies in Central America.    [FULL  STORY]