Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

Sunday, 6 June 2010

Weekly Report from Taiwan Security Research (Jun. 5, 2010)
For full text, click on the title or visit the TSR web page at taiwansecurity.org

Gates Snubbed by Beijing
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates Doesn’t Get Hoped-for Invite from China (Washington Post, Jun. 3, 2010) Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates departed for Asia but had to drop a big country from his itinerary after China, still smarting over U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, gave him the cold shoulder.

(Washington Post, Jun. 4, 2010) Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates accused China's military of impeding relations with the Pentagon, taking exception to its unwillingness to invite him to Beijing during his trip to Asia this week.


(LA Times, Jun. 5, 2010) Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates defended U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, saying that the weapons transfers are meant to enhance stability in Asia by countering mainland China's military buildup.


(Bloomberg, Jun. 5, 2010) The U.S. and China blamed each other for a freeze in military ties sparked this year by American plans to sell arms to Taiwan.


(Reuters, Jun. 6, 2010) The United States appealed to China to restore military ties despite discord over U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and said it was considering options beyond the United Nations to punish North Korea over the sinking of a South Korean ship.

Gates Snub Raises Tough Questions about China Ties By Josh Rogin (Foreign Policy, Jun. 4, 2010) Beijing's refusal to accept Defense Secretary Robert Gates's offer to visit China this week has exposed divisions inside the Chinese Communist Party structure.
U.S.-China Cooperation: Strengthening the U.S. Hand By Dean Cheng (Heritage Foundation, Jun. 4, 2010) PRC rebuffed Gates’ interest in visiting for consultations. This incident suggests that military-to-military relations between the PRC and the United States remain at a low point despite efforts by the Obama Administration to “reset” Beijing-Washington relations.

Cross-Strait Issues

(CNA, May 31, 2010) A proposed trade deal between Taiwan and China could help Taiwan become part of the Asian economic integration and avoid marginalization in the region, Richard C. Bush said.


(China Post, Jun. 1, 2010) Whether the cross-strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement can be smoothly inked or not will hinge mainly on whether both sides can reach a consensus on the early-harvest list, according to informed sources.


(Reuters, Jun. 2, 2010) Taiwan protested after China said it will object to foreign countries signing free trade agreements with the island, a blow to what Taipei officials see as a key driver to its economy.


(CNA, Jun. 2, 2010) In an interview with the BBC, Ma again urged Beijing "not to stand in Taiwan's way of clinching FTAs with foreign countries." BBC Chinese Interviewed President Ma
(AFP, May 31, 2010) Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou said that “at least 200” more flights were needed each week between the island and the Chinese mainland to meet the growing demand from tourists.


(CNA, Jun. 4, 2010) Senior MAC officials confirmed that Lai made the Hong Kong visit in her official capacity as MAC chief. Lai is the first minister-level Taiwanese official to visit Hong Kong, they said.

U.S.-China Engagement

(Asia Times, Jun. 4, 2010) A joint attempt by Japan and China to calm the waters after a series of naval incidents may soon restore tranquility to the East China Sea. At the same time, an "Incidents at Sea Agreement" between the US and China is slow to materialize.

Military Balance and Arms Sales

(AFP, Jun. 2, 2010) Taiwan is slated to test a missile for the first time that could hit Beijing, a report said.


(CNA, Jun. 3, 2010) A Taiwanese ex-national security chief said that the time for talks between Taiwan and China on the building of military mutual trust is not ripe at this time.


(AFP, Jun. 5, 2010) Washington is still evaluating Taiwan's bid to acquire U.S. fighter jets, a U.S. envoy said, amid growing concern in Taipei that China now has an edge in air power.
  
Taiwan's Foreign Relations

(AP, Jun. 1, 2010) France will withdraw a military liaison unit in Taiwan after an international court ordered Paris to make a large compensation payment to Taipei over a frigate sale, a Taiwanese newspaper reported.


(CNA, Jun. 3, 2010) The time is not right for Taiwan and Iran to develop closer relations, despite a strong desire by both sides to do so, a Taiwan foreign ministry official said.


(Taipei Times, Jun. 6, 2010) A US Senate delegation arrived in Taiwan, the first group of US senators to visit Taipei since President Ma Ying-jeou took office in May 2008.

China's Rise and Domestic Issues

(China Post, Jun. 5, 2010) President Ma Ying-jeou urged on China try to heal the historical wounds inflicted by its crackdown on pro-democracy of protesters at Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Japan Policy
Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama Resigns By Blaine Harden (Washington Post, Jun. 2, 2010) Having squandered a historic electoral mandate in nine months, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama resigned Wednesday.
Ties to U.S. Played Role in Downfall of Japanese Leader By Martin Fackler and Mark Lander (New York Times, Jun. 3, 2010) When Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama of Japan abruptly stepped down, he was essentially admitting he had not won popular support for a prominent campaign pledge: ending Japan’s postwar dependence on the United States for its security.
Posted by Roberto Abraham Scaruffi at 16:33