#Matsu Islands Taiwan

[kim09031993]

- 5个月已过去 🇹🇼 #Gathering#Travel#Trip#Taiwan#Matsu#Islands#马祖#Sunset#Beautiful#5个月#22#12#2022#Thursday#Midnight#Throwback#南竿福澳港 (at 南竿福澳港) https://www.instagram.com/p/CmeiMlZPSAJRL-aakxqcCQYa1IC5vJzGozrftY0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#gathering #travel #trip #taiwan #matsu #islands #马祖 #sunset #beautiful #5个月 #22 #12 #2022 #thursday #midnight #throwback #南竿福澳港

[mariacallous]

In September 2022, I was working as a fixer in Taipei for a U.S. news segment about cross-strait tensions, handling local logistics for a visiting producer and cameraman. Fixers are freelance staff whose role is somewhere between journalist and tour guide—they can end up doing everything from arranging interviews to translation to booking hotels. One night, we arrived at an amateur radio meetup in a park, ready to shoot, and found an eccentric crew of local radio fans. One man hunched over a tangled web of equipment at the back of his truck, tapping away in Morse code; another fidgeted with an antenna as he walked around, trying to get a signal. The producer told me that the group was learning how to operate radios in case of war with China.

“Why do you do this?” I asked one of the guys, expecting him to launch into a monologue about the importance of civil defense.

“Because with radio, we can communicate with anyone in the world,” he replied.

“What about communicating with people in China?”

“If they pick up, sure,” he shrugged.

I realized quickly that most of them weren’t there because of cross-strait tensions. Although a few were interested in civil defense, the regulars were just radio nerds who liked to hang out. We left the park disappointed, and only a couple frames from that night made it to the final video.

In recent years, as tensions between China and Taiwan have reached historic highs, foreign journalists have flocked to Taiwan to capture life inside a geopolitical flash point. In January, more than 200 journalists from 28 countries arrived to cover the 2024 presidential election. Yet many of these short-term, visiting journalists distort the reality on the ground. They depict the island as the centerpiece of a drama that they’ve already made up their minds about, often inflating tensions and asking leading questions for heightened effect. And the fixers are brought on as the stagehands, charged with providing the backdrop for pre-written narratives.

Because Taiwan is commonly framed as the flash point of potential world war, most television producers want access to a shooting range, a bomb shelter, or a military base. Many fly to the outlying islands of Kinmen or Matsu in hopes of hopping on a boat to catch a glimpse of the Chinese shore.

“It’s like ordering from a menu—they see something that someone has covered before and want the same thing,” said Jesse, a veteran Taiwanese fixer. (Jesse’s name has been changed due to his concerns about possible impacts on his professional relationships.)

“You watch the news and see footage of war planes, and it seems like it’s tense on the ground here in Taiwan,” said Tina Liu, a Taiwanese journalist who took on her first fixing gig with an Italian outlet this year. “But it really isn’t. And even though it isn’t, people are still pursing that tense atmosphere.”

I’ve worked as a fixer for outlets in the United States, Australia, and Europe, and many of my clients are surprised when they realize the settings are not as bombastic as they hoped: The guns are airsoft guns, air raid shelters are just parking lots, and the view of Chinese shore is almost always blurry. Also, the average Taiwanese voter does not think about China on a day-to-day basis, which makes for very lackluster vox pops. Although there is plenty of intergovernmental strife in the form occasional trade bans, airspace incursions, and disinformation campaigns, daily life in Taiwan is shockingly normal.

Yet normalcy just doesn’t make for good television. So I’ve been charged with conjuring up action-packed scenes for video, and I often have to push back. Eight other Taiwan-based fixers I spoke with also said they have, on occasion, been coerced to help produce scenes that were inappropriate, not reflective of the truth, or even flat-out sensationalist.

“I’ve encountered a lot of situations where people just don’t respect the fixer’s expertise,” said Adrien Simorre, a Taipei-based stringer.

Simorre was one of a dozen local fixers and stringers who released a statement about the toxic dynamics between fixers and visiting journalists after the election in January. They cited low pay, lack of credit, and general disrespect. The fixers’ grievances are not endemic to Taiwan, but the issue of parachute journalists “imposing their own perspective and preconceived narratives” is particularly pronounced on the island.

Fixers have told me stories about foreign producers swimming in the spike-infested waters of Kinmen, an outlying island near the Chinese shore, for dramatic effect; requests to film Chinese missile launches from Taiwan (which is logistically impossible); and clients being disappointed when man-on-the-street interviews don’t elicit strong reactions on China. (None of the fixers I talked to wanted their clients to be named due to the fear of losing out on work.)

“I’ve heard of journalists pushing interviewees to answer certain questions about China-Taiwan relations,” said Alicia Chen, a Taiwanese freelance journalist, who spoke out on X (formerly Twitter) about disrespect, lack of credit, and poor communication with a visiting correspondent in January. “And if the interviewee didn’t want to comment, they would keep repeating or rephrasing the question until the interviewee said the words they wanted to hear.”

Boan Wang, a documentary filmmaker, said that in the spring of 2023, a European client of his asked to take the ferry from Kinmen to the Chinese city of Xiamen. Wang told them tickets were only available for Taiwanese citizens and their Chinese spouses. “They asked if I could talk to a captain to let them on—basically asking me to smuggle them across international borders,” he said. “How is that appropriate? Would you do that in your own country?”

One of the most frequent requests I get is whether I can secure access to a gun range where civilians are learning how to shoot for self-defense. The problem is that gun enthusiasts are a small fringe group. Guns are illegal in Taiwan, so in the event of an actual war, the average Taiwanese person would not have access to one. The scenes that end up on television are either just airsoft hobby ranges or kids running around an abandoned building with BB guns.

The most popular civil defense programs on the island are instead based in the classroom, hosted by a nonprofit called Kuma Academy. These courses largely focus on identifying disinformation, learning first aid, and practicing evacuation drills—all practical ways for the average citizen to prepare for war. But footage from these lectures is often sidelined in favor of the guns.

The pursuit of a good sound bite often trumps a balanced story. Taipei-based stringer and photographer Annabelle Chih said that many visiting producers falsely assume that Taiwanese people are divided into two camps: pro-unification and pro-independence. Yet neither of the island’s two major political parties—the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Kuomintang (KMT)—endorse a declaration of independence, nor are they advocates for unification. Even though the parties differ wildly in their views on China, they’re both strategically ambiguous. The DPP assumes that Taiwan is already independent; the KMT has a more conciliatory approach and insists on peaceful dialogue with the Chinese mainland.

“Producers will ask me if they can interview the White Wolf,” Chih said. The White Wolf, whose real name is Chang An-lo, is a convicted criminal and gang leader who is famously outspoken about his desire to unify Taiwan with China. Although he is a newsworthy figure, Chih said it is misleading to use him as a counterbalance to the DPP’s views. “I explained to them he’s not the right person to interview,” she said. “He’s the minority, and he’s quite controversial.”

Not all experiences with international media are negative. Many of my clients, for instance, have listened to my feedback and adjusted their angles accordingly. Chih said that one of her clients also eventually came around and killed the story about the White Wolf.

Still, the appetite for dramatic scenes out of Taiwan has increased as media outlets compete for the most attention-grabbing narratives. Jesse said that before then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s historic visit to Taiwan in August 2022, most of the journalists who hired him took a more nuanced approach to stories and would default to his expertise on the island. Then Pelosi’s visit created a media frenzy because of how much it irritated Beijing and sparked a growing interest in stories related to Taiwan—but only if they fit into the story of an angry Beijing and an island under threat.

This year, a lot of Jesse’s clients have been war correspondents—fresh out of Ukraine or Israel and looking for action. “Some were visibly disappointed when they realized life was normal,” he said.

By speaking up, the fixers hope for a more accurate and even-keeled portrayal of Taiwan.

“I know a lot of people come here because of our relationship with China,” Liu added. “Everyone says Taiwan is the next Hong Kong, or the next Ukraine. But our history is different from these places.”

[kneedeepincynade]

The west sows war everywhere, but this time it will reap defeat, observe the weak points of the Taiwan regime and how the pla can crush it!

The post is machine translated

Translation is at the bottom

The collective is on telegram

⚠️ L'IMPORTANZA DELLA CATTURA DELLE ISOLE PERIFERICHE DEL REGIME-FANTOCCIO DI TSAI ING-WEN NELL'AMBITO DI UN'OPERAZIONE MILITARE DELL'ESERCITO POPOLARE DI LIBERAZIONE NELLO STRETTO DI TAIWAN ⚠️

🇨🇳 Nell'ambito di un'ipotetica Operazione Militare dell'Esercito Popolare di Liberazione nello Stretto di Taiwan, un tema fondamentale, che merita d'esser discusso, riguarda la cattura delle isole periferiche del regime-fantoccio ⚔️

🤔 Può essere che qualcuno non lo sappia, ma il regime-fantoccio di Taiwan non è costituito da una sola isola, ma anche da:

🏝 Arcipelago di Kinmen | Un funzionario statunitense, mesi fa, disse che le Isole Kinmen e le Isole Matsu sarebbero particolarmente difficili da difendere contro un possibile attacco dell'Esercito Cinese, a causa della loro posizione geografica - Fonte 📄

🏝 Isole Pratas | Si tratta di tre piccole isole, disabitate, perlopiù visitate da scienziati, naturalisti e biologi marini che vogliono studiare la flora e la fauna locali - Fonte 📄

🏝 Isola di Taiping | Citando Ni Yongjie, Vice-Capo dell'Istituto di Studi su Taiwan di Shanghai: "L'Esercito Popolare di Liberazione potrebbe simulare un'esercitazione militare a fuoco vivo sull'Isola di Taiping, controllata dal regime-fantoccio di Taiwan" 🤔

🏝 Isole Matsu | Vale il discorso per l'Arcipelago di Kinmen 🐰

🏝 Isole Wuqiu | Vale il discorso per l'Arcipelago di Kinmen e delle Isole Matsu 🐰

🏝 Isole Penghu | Il 15/08/2022, l'EPL inviò dei Caccia di Superiorità Aerea J-11 e un Aereo da Sorveglianza KJ-500 nell'area delle Isole Penghu 🔥

🇺🇸 Gli USA, invece, approfittando dell'espansione della Cooperazione Militare con le Filippine e il Giappone, potrebbero schierare le loro truppe presso:

🏝 Isola Itbayat [Filippine] - 160KM a Sud-Est del regime-fantoccio di Taiwan 🇹🇼

🏝 Yonaguni [Giappone] - 110KM a Nord-Est del regime-fantoccio di Taiwan 🇹🇼

🔍 Per chi volesse approfondire, può rifarsi al Master-Post Militare del Collettivo Shaoshan 🌺

🪖 Immagini prese da China Army.

🌸 Iscriviti 👉 @collettivoshaoshan

⚠️ THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CAPTURE OF THE OUTLYING ISLANDS OF THE PUPPET REGIME OF TSAI ING-WEN IN THE CONTEXT OF A MILITARY OPERATION OF THE PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY IN THE STRAITS OF TAIWAN ⚠️

🇨🇳 In the context of a hypothetical Military Operation of the People's Liberation Army in the Taiwan Strait, a fundamental issue, which deserves to be discussed, concerns the capture of the outlying islands of the puppet regime ⚔️

🤔 It may be that some don't know it, but the Taiwan puppet regime is not made up of just one island, but also of:

🏝 Kinmen Archipelago | A US official said months ago that the Kinmen Islands and Matsu Islands would be particularly difficult to defend against a possible attack by the Chinese Army, due to their geographical location - Source 📄

🏝 Pratas Islands | These are three small, uninhabited islands, mostly visited by scientists, naturalists and marine biologists who want to study the local flora and fauna - Source 📄

🏝 Taiping Island | Quoting Ni Yongjie, Deputy Head of the Taiwan Studies Institute in Shanghai: "The People's Liberation Army could simulate a live-fire military exercise on Taiping Island, controlled by Taiwan's puppet regime" 🤔

🏝 Matsu Islands | The speech is valid for the Kinmen Archipelago 🐰

🏝 Wuqiu Islands | The speech is valid for the Kinmen Archipelago and the Matsu Islands 🐰

🏝 Penghu Islands | On 15/08/2022, PLA sent J-11 Air Superiority Fighters and KJ-500 Surveillance Aircraft to Penghu Islands area 🔥

🇺🇸 The USA, on the other hand, taking advantage of the expansion of Military Cooperation with the Philippines and Japan, could deploy its troops at:

🏝 Itbayat Island [Philippines] - 160KM SE of Taiwan puppet regime 🇹🇼

🏝 Yonaguni [Japan] - 110KM NE of Taiwan puppet regime 🇹🇼

🔍 For those who want to learn more, they can refer to the Military Master-Post of the Shaoshan Collective 🌺

🪖 Images taken by China Army.

🌸 Subscribe 👉 @collettivoshaoshan

#socialism #china #italian #translated #china news #communism #collettivoshaoshan #xi jinping #marxism leninism #marxist leninist #marxist #marxismo #marxism #multipolar world #multipolarity #china air force #china army #chinese communist party #taiwan war #taiwan strait #taiwan government #taiwan #military tactics #news

[thedorkmark]

7 Chaste Woman’s Cliff in Matsu Islands, Taiwan

#cliff #coast #Tourism #walkway #ASIA

[sporadicarbitergardener]

https://www.cfr.org/timeline/us-china-relations is the website source as well.

Amazing history to learn about as well.

The United States and China have one of the world’s most important and complex bilateral relationships. Since 1949, the countries have experienced periods of both tension and cooperation over issues including trade, climate change, and Taiwan.

1949 2023

1949 October 1949 People’s Republic of China Established Crowds display posters of Chinese Communist Party leader Mao Zedong during a celebration of the party’s victory. Crowds display posters of Chinese Communist Party leader Mao Zedong during a celebration of the party’s victory. AP Photo Chinese Communist Party leader Mao Zedong establishes the People’s Republic of China in Beijing on October 1 after peasant-backed Communists defeat the Nationalist government of Chiang Kai-shek. Chiang and thousands of his troops flee to Taiwan. The United States—which backed the Nationalists against invading Japanese forces during World War II—supports Chiang’s exiled Republic of China government in Taipei, setting the stage for several decades of limited U.S. relations with mainland China.

1949 1950 June 1950 Korean War Breaks Out South Korean refugees block the road bridge across rice paddies as they flee advancing Communists South of Seoul Korean refugees block a bridge south of Seoul as they flee advancing Communists. AP Photo The Soviet-backed North Korean People’s Army invades South Korea on June 25. The United Nations and the United States rush to South Korea’s defense. China, in support of the communist North, retaliates when U.S., UN, and South Korean troops approach the Chinese border. As many as four million people die in the three-year conflict until the United Nations, China, and North Korea sign an armistice agreement in 1953 [PDF].

1950 1954 August 1954 First Taiwan Strait Crisis Nationalist Chinese soldiers unload ammunition in Quemoy. Nationalist Chinese soldiers unload ammunition on the Kinmen Islands. AP Photo President Dwight Eisenhower lifts the U.S. navy blockade of Taiwan in 1953, leading Chiang Kai-shek to deploy thousands of troops to the Quemoy and Matsu islands in the Taiwan Strait in August 1954. Mainland China’s People’s Liberation Army responds by shelling the islands. Washington signs a mutual defense treaty with Chiang’s Nationalists. In the spring of 1955, the United States threatens a nuclear attack on China. That April, China agrees to negotiate, claiming a limited victory after the Nationalists' withdrawal from Dachen Island. Crises erupt again in 1956 and 1996.

1954 1959 March 1959 Tibetan Uprising Thousands protest the Chinese occupation of Tibet in front of the Dalai Lama’s palace. Thousands protest the Chinese occupation of Tibet in front of the Dalai Lama’s palace. AFP/Getty Images Nine years after the People’s Republic of China asserts control over Tibet, a widespread uprising occurs in Lhasa. Thousands die in the ensuing crackdown by PRC forces, and the Dalai Lama flees to India. The United States joins the United Nations in condemning Beijing for human rights abuses in Tibet, while the Central Intelligence Agency helps arm the Tibetan resistance beginning in the late 1950s.

1959 1964 October 1964 China’s First Atomic Test Atomic cloud in the Gobi desert of Xinjiang province. Smoke billows from China’s nuclear test in the Gobi Desert. AP Photo China joins the nuclear club in October 1964 when it conducts its first test of an atomic bomb. The test comes amid U.S.-Sino tensions over the escalating conflict in Vietnam. By the time of the test, China has amassed troops along its border with Vietnam.

1964 1969 March 1969 Sino-Soviet Border Conflict Chinese soldiers deploy near the Soviet border. Chinese soldiers deploy near the Soviet border. Sovfoto/UIG/Getty Images Differences over security, ideology, and development models strain Sino-Soviet relations. China’s radical industrialization policies, known as the Great Leap Forward, lead the Soviet Union to withdraw advisors in 1960. Disagreements culminate in border skirmishes in March 1969. Moscow replaces Washington as China’s biggest threat, and the Sino-Soviet split contributes to Beijing’s eventual rapprochement with the United States.

1969 1971 April 1971 Ping-Pong Diplomacy Flanked by uniformed Chinese border officials, Glen Cowan, a member of the 15-strong United States table tennis team, turns and waves to newsmen at Lowu, China Glenn Cowan, a member of the U.S. ping-pong team, waves to reporters after entering mainland China. AP Photo In the first public sign of warming relations between Washington and Beijing, China’s ping-pong team invites members of the U.S. team to China on April 6, 1971. Journalists accompanying the U.S. players are among the first Americans allowed to enter China since 1949. In July of 1971, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger makes a secret trip to China. Shortly thereafter, the United Nations recognizes the People’s Republic of China, endowing it with the permanent Security Council seat that had been held by Chiang Kai-shek’s Republic of China on Taiwan since 1945.

1971 1972 February 1972 Nixon Visits China Portrait of Richard Nixon with the Great Wall in the background. U.S. President Richard Nixon visits the Great Wall of China. AP Photo President Richard Nixon spends eight days in China in February 1972, during which he meets Chairman Mao and signs the Shanghai Communiqué with Premier Zhou Enlai. The communiqué sets the stage for improved U.S.-Sino relations by allowing China and the United States to discuss difficult issues, particularly Taiwan. However, normalization of relations between the two countries makes slow progress for much of the decade.

1972 1979 Formal Ties and One-China Policy Chinese Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping at a Texas rodeo in 1979 wearing a cowboy hat. Chinese Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping enjoys a Texas rodeo. AP Photo U.S. President Jimmy Carter grants China full diplomatic recognition, while acknowledging mainland China’s One-China principle and severing normal ties with Taiwan. Chinese Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping, who leads China through major economic reforms, visits the United States shortly thereafter. However, in April, Congress approves the Taiwan Relations Act, allowing continued commercial and cultural relations between the United States and Taiwan. The act requires Washington to provide Taipei with defensive arms, but does not officially violate the United States’ One-China policy.

1979 1982 July 1982 China in the Reagan Era President Ronald Reagan and Chinese President Li Xiannian review the military honor guard in Beijing U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Chinese President Li Xiannian review a military honor guard in Beijing. David Kennerly/AP Photo The Ronald Reagan administration issues the “Six Assurances” to Taiwan, including pledges that it will honor the Taiwan Relations Act, it would not mediate between Taiwan and China, and it had no set date to terminate arms sales to Taiwan. The Reagan administration then signs in August 1982 a third joint communiqué with the People’s Republic of China to normalize relations. It reaffirms the U.S. commitment to its One-China policy. Though President Reagan voices support for stronger ties with Taiwan during his presidential campaign, his administration works to improve Beijing-Washington relations at the height of U.S. concerns over Soviet expansionism. Reagan visits China in April 1984 and in June, the U.S. government permits Beijing to make purchases of U.S. military equipment.

1982 1989 June 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre A lone protester confronts military tanks in Tiananmen Square. A lone protester confronts military tanks in Tiananmen Square. Jeff Widener/AP Photo In the spring of 1989, thousands of students hold demonstrations in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, demanding democratic reforms and an end to corruption. On June 3, the government sends in military troops to clear the square, leaving hundreds of protesters dead. In response, the U.S. government suspends military sales to Beijing and freezes relations.

1989 1993 September 1993 Prominent Dissidents Deported Chinese dissident Wei Jingsheng signs a release document in 1993. Chinese dissident Wei Jingsheng signs a release document in 1993. Xinhua/AP Photo In September 1993, China releases Wei Jingsheng, a political prisoner since 1979. That year, President Bill Clinton launches a policy of “constructive engagement” with China. However, after Beijing loses its bid to host the 2000 Olympic Games, the Chinese government imprisons Wei again. Four years later, Clinton secures the release of Wei and Tiananmen Square protester Wang Dan. Beijing deports both dissidents to the United States.

1993 1996 March 1996 Taiwan’s First Free Presidential Vote Lee Teng-hui at a celebration rally. Lee Teng-hui celebrates his electoral victory in Taiwan. Vincent Yu/AP Photo The Nationalist Party’s Lee Teng-hui wins Taiwan’s first free presidential elections by a large margin in March 1996, despite Chinese missile tests meant to sway Taiwanese voters against voting for the pro-independence candidate. The elections come a year after China recalls its ambassador after President Clinton authorizes a visit by Lee, reversing a fifteen-year-old U.S. policy against granting visas to Taiwan’s leaders. In 1996, Washington and Beijing agree to exchange officials again.

1996 1999 May 1999 Belgrade Embassy Bombing The Chinese embassy in Belgrade after being hit by NATO missiles. The Chinese embassy in Belgrade is damaged after being hit by North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) missiles. Reuters The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) accidentally bombs the Chinese embassy in Belgrade during its campaign against Serbian forces occupying Kosovo in May 1999, shaking U.S.-Sino relations. The United States and NATO offer apologies for the series of U.S. intelligence mistakes that led to the deadly bombing, but thousands of Chinese demonstrators protest throughout the country, attacking official U.S. property.

1999 2000 October 2000 Normalized Trade Relations A deep-water port in Shanghai. Shipping containers are seen at a deepwater port in Shanghai. Greg Baker/AP Photo President Clinton signs the U.S.-China Relations Act of 2000 in October, granting Beijing permanent normal trade relations with the United States and paving the way for China to join the World Trade Organization in 2001. Between 1980 and 2004, U.S.-China trade rises from $5 billion to $231 billion. In 2006, China surpasses Mexico as the United States’ second-biggest trade partner, after Canada.

2000 2001 April 2001 U.S.-Sino Spy Plane Standoff In April 2001, a U.S. reconnaissance plane collides with a Chinese fighter and makes an emergency landing on Chinese territory. Authorities on China’s Hainan Island detain the twenty-four-member U.S. crew. After twelve days and a tense standoff, authorities release the crew, and President George W. Bush expresses regret over the death of a Chinese pilot and the landing of the U.S. plane.

2001 2005 September 2005 ‘Responsible Stakeholder’ U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick and Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing meet in Beijing. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick and Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing meet in Beijing. Reuters In a September 2005 speech, Deputy Secretary of State Robert B. Zoellick initiates a strategic dialogue with China. Recognizing Beijing as an emerging power, he calls on China to serve as a “responsible stakeholder” and use its influence to draw nations such as Sudan, North Korea, and Iran into the international system. That same year, North Korea walks away from Six-Party Talks aimed at curbing Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions. After North Korea conducts its first nuclear test in October 2006, China serves as a mediator to bring Pyongyang back to the negotiating table.

2005 2007 March 2007 China Increases Military Spending Recruits of the People's Liberation Army, the world’s largest standing military. People’s Liberation Army (PLA) recruits chant. AP Photo In March 2007, China announces an 18 percent budget increase in defense spending for 2007, totaling more than $45 billion. Increases in military expenditures average 15 percent a year from 1990 to 2005. During a 2007 tour of Asia, U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney says China’s military buildup is “not consistent” with the country’s stated goal of a “peaceful rise.” China says it is increasing spending to provide better training and higher salaries for its soldiers, to “protect national security and territorial integrity.”

2007 2008 September 2008 China Becomes Largest U.S. Foreign Creditor In September 2008, China surpasses Japan to become the largest holder of U.S. debt—or treasuries—at around $600 billion. The growing interdependence between the U.S. and Chinese economies becomes evident as a financial crisis threatens the global economy, fueling concerns over U.S.-China economic imbalances.

2008 2010 August 2010 China Becomes World’s Second-Largest Economy A construction worker walks among high-rise apartment blocks in China’s Hubei Province. A construction worker walks among high-rise apartment blocks in China’s Hubei Province. Reuters China surpasses Japan as the world’s second-largest economy after it is valued at $1.33 trillion for the second quarter of 2010, slightly above Japan’s $1.28 trillion for that year. China is on track to overtake the United States as the world’s number one economy by 2027, according to Goldman Sachs chief economist Jim O’Neill. At the start of 2011, China reports a total GDP of $5.88 trillion for 2010, compared to Japan’s $5.47 trillion.

2010 2011 November 2011 U.S. ‘Pivots’ Toward Asia In an essay for Foreign Policy, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton outlines a U.S. “pivot” to Asia. Clinton’s call for “increased investment—diplomatic, economic, strategic, and otherwise—in the Asia-Pacific region” is seen as a move to counter China’s growing clout. That month, at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, U.S. President Barack Obama announces the United States and eight other nations have reached an agreement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership—a multinational free trade agreement. Obama later announces plans to deploy 2,500 marines in Australia, prompting criticism from Beijing.

2011 2012 February 2012 Rising Trade Tensions President Obama announces new efforts to enforce U.S. trade rights in China. Jason Reed/Reuters U.S. President Barack Obama announces new efforts to enforce U.S. trade rights in China. Jason Reed/Reuters The U.S. trade deficit with China rises from $273.1 billion in 2010 to an all-time high of $295.5 billion in 2011. The increase accounts for three-quarters of the growth in the U.S. trade deficit for 2011. In March, the United States, the EU, and Japan file a “request for consultations” with China at the World Trade Organization over its restrictions on exporting rare earth metals. The United States and its allies contend China's quota violates international trade norms, forcing multinational firms that use the metals to relocate to China. China calls the move “rash and unfair,” while vowing to defend its rights in trade disputes.

2012 2012 April 2012 Dissident Flees to U.S. Embassy Chen, helped by his wife, arrives in New York. Activist Chen Guangcheng is helped by his wife as he arrives in New York. Keith Bedford/Reuters Blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng escapes house arrest in Shandong province on April 22 and flees to the U.S. embassy in Beijing. U.S. diplomats negotiate an agreement with Chinese officials allowing Chen to stay in China and study law in a city close to the capital. However, after Chen moves to Beijing, he changes his mind and asks to take shelter in the United States. The development threatens to undermine U.S.-China diplomatic ties, but both sides avert a crisis by allowing Chen to visit the United States as a student, rather than as an asylum seeker.

2012 2012 November 2012 China’s New Leadership Delegates vote at the closing session of the 18th National Party Congress of China's Communist Party on November 14, 2012. Xi Jinping (front, third from left) and other delegates vote during the 18th National Party Congress in Beijing. Carlos Barria/Reuters The 18th National Party Congress concludes with the most significant leadership turnover in decades as about 70 percent of the members of the country’s major leadership bodies—the Politburo Standing Committee, the Central Military Commission, and the State Council—are replaced. Li Keqiang assumes the role of premier, while Xi Jinping replaces Hu Jintao as president, Communist Party general secretary, and chairman of the Central Military Commission. Xi delivers a series of speeches on the “rejuvenation” of China.

2012 2013 June 7 – 8, 2013 Sunnylands Summit U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping walk the grounds at Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage, California, June 2013 Xi and Obama walk the grounds at Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage, California. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters President Obama hosts President Xi for a “shirt-sleeves summit” at the Sunnylands Estate in California in a bid to build a personal rapport with his counterpart and ease tense U.S.-China relations. The leaders pledge to cooperate more effectively on pressing bilateral, regional, and global issues, including climate change and North Korea. Obama and Xi also vow to establish a “new model” of relations, a nod to Xi’s concept of establishing a “new type of great power relations” for the United States and China.

2013 2014 May 19, 2014 U.S. Indicts Chinese Nationals A U.S. court indicts five Chinese hackers, allegedly with ties to China’s People’s Liberation Army, on charges of stealing trade technology from U.S. companies. In response, Beijing suspends its cooperation in the U.S.-China cybersecurity working group. In June 2015, U.S. authorities signal that there is evidence that Chinese hackers are behind the major online breach of the Office of Personnel Management and the theft of data from twenty-two million current and formal federal employees.

2014 2014 November 12, 2014 Joint Climate Announcement U.S. President Barack Obama shakes hands with China's President Xi Jinping during APEC forum in Beijing, November 2014. Obama and Xi shake hands during an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Beijing. Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters On the sidelines of the 2014 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, President Obama and President Xi issue a joint statement on climate change, pledging to reduce carbon emissions. Obama sets a more ambitious target for U.S. emissions cutbacks, and Xi makes China’s first promise to curb carbon emissions’ growth by 2030. These commitments by the world’s top polluters stirred hopes among some experts that they would boost momentum for global negotiations ahead of the 2015 UN-led Climate Change Conference in Paris.

2014 2015 May 30, 2015 U.S. Warns China Over South China Sea China develops land on Subi Reef in the Northern Spratly islands, June 2015. China develops land on Subi Reef in the Northern Spratly islands, June 2015. CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative/DigitalGlobe At the fourteenth annual Shangri-La Dialogue on Asian security, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter calls on China to halt its controversial land reclamation efforts in the South China Sea, saying that the United States opposes “any further militarization” of the disputed territory. Ahead of the conference, U.S. officials say that images from U.S. naval surveillance provide evidence that China is placing military equipment on a chain of artificial islands, despite Beijing's claims that construction is mainly for civilian purposes.

2015 2017 February 9, 2017 Trump Affirms One-China Policy After Raising Doubts U.S. President Donald Trump says he will honor the One-China policy in a call with President Xi. After winning the presidential election, Trump breaks with established practice by speaking on the telephone with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and questioning the U.S. commitment to its One-China policy. Washington’s policy for four decades has recognized that there is but one China. Under this policy, the United States has maintained formal ties with the People’s Republic of China but also maintains unofficial ties with Taiwan, including the provision of defense aid. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, visiting Beijing in March, describes the U.S.-China relationship as one “built on nonconfrontation, no conflict, mutual respect, and always searching for win-win solutions.”

2017 2017 April 6 – 7, 2017 Trump Hosts Xi at Mar-a-Lago Trump and Xi meet in Florida. U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet in Florida. Carlos Barria/Reuters President Trump welcomes China’s Xi for a two-day summit at the Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, where bilateral trade and North Korea top the agenda. Afterward, Trump touts “tremendous progress” in the U.S.-China relationship and Xi cites a deepened understanding and greater trust building. In mid-May, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross unveils a ten-part agreement between Beijing and Washington to expand trade of products and services such as beef, poultry, and electronic payments. Ross describes the bilateral relationship as “hitting a new high,” though the countries do not address more contentious trade issues including aluminum, car parts, and steel.

2017 2018 March 22, 2018 Trump Tariffs Target China A worker inside an electronics factory in Qingdao. A person works in an electronics factory in Qingdao. William Hong/Reuters The Trump administration announces sweeping tariffs on Chinese imports, worth at least $50 billion, in response to what the White House alleges is Chinese theft of U.S. technology and intellectual property. Coming on the heels of tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, the measures target goods including clothing, shoes, and electronics and restrict some Chinese investment in the United States. China imposes retaliatory measures in early April on a range of U.S. products, stoking concerns of a trade war between the world’s largest economies. The move marks a hardening of President Trump’s approach to China after high-profile summits with President Xi in April and November 2017.

2018 2018 July 6, 2018 U.S.-China Trade War Escalates The Trump administration imposes fresh tariffs totaling $34 billion worth of Chinese goods. More than eight hundred Chinese products in the industrial and transport sectors, as well as goods such as televisions and medical devices, will face a 25 percent import tax. China retaliates with its own tariffs on more than five hundred U.S. products. The reprisal, also valued around $34 billion, targets commodities such as beef, dairy, seafood, and soybeans. President Trump and members of his administration believe that China is “ripping off” the United States, taking advantage of free trade rules to the detriment of U.S. firms operating in China. Beijing criticizes the Trump administration’s moves as “trade bullying” and cautions that tariffs could trigger global market unrest.

2018 2018 October 4, 2018 Pence Speech Signals Hard-Line Approach U.S. Vice President Mike Pence delivers a speech marking the clearest articulation yet of the Trump administration’s policy toward China and a significant hardening of the United States’ position. Pence says the United States will prioritize competition over cooperation by using tariffs to combat “economic aggression.” He also condemns what he calls growing Chinese military aggression, especially in the South China Sea, criticizes increased censorship and religious persecution by the Chinese government, and accuses China of stealing American intellectual property and interfering in U.S. elections. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounces Pence’s speech as “groundless accusations” and warns that such actions could harm U.S.-China ties.

2018 2018 December 1, 2018 Canada Arrests Huawei Executive A man holds a sign outside of the B.C. Supreme Court bail hearing of Meng Wanzhou. A man holds a sign outside a Canadian court during Meng Wanzhou’s bail hearing. David Ryder/Reuters Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese telecom and electronics company Huawei, is arrested in Canada at the United States’ request. The U.S. Justice Department alleges Huawei and Meng violated trade sanctions against Iran and committed fraud and requests her extradition. In apparent retaliation, China detains two Canadian citizens, who officials accuse of undermining China’s national security. Calling Meng’s arrest a “serious political incident,” Chinese officials demand her immediate release. In September 2021, Meng reaches a deal with U.S. prosecutors and is allowed to return to China. The Chinese government also releases the two Canadians.

2018 2019 March 6, 2019 Huawei Sues the United States Huawei's rotating chairman Guo Ping speaks during a press conference in Shenzhen. Huawei’s rotating chairman Guo Ping speaks at a press conference. Wang Zhao/AFP/Getty Images Amid legal proceedings against Meng, Huawei sues the United States in a separate lawsuit for banning U.S. federal agencies from using the telecom giant’s equipment. In a battle with Beijing for technological supremacy, the Trump administration launches an aggressive campaign warning other countries not to use Huawei equipment to build 5G networks, claiming the Chinese government could use the company to spy.

2019 2019 May 10, 2019 Trade War Intensifies Traders and financial professionals work ahead of the closing bell on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Markets fell in the United States as the trade war escalated in May. Drew Angerer/Getty Images After trade talks break down, the Trump administration raises tariffs from 10 to 25 percent on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. China retaliates by announcing plans to increase tariffs on $60 billion worth of American goods. President Trump says he believes the high costs imposed by tariffs will force China to make a deal favorable to the United States, while China’s Foreign Ministry says the United States has “extravagant expectations.” Days later, the Trump administration bans U.S. companies from using foreign-made telecommunications equipment that could threaten national security, a move believed to target Huawei. The U.S. Commerce Department also adds Huawei to its foreign entity blacklist.

2019 2019 August 5, 2019 U.S. Labels China a Currency Manipulator After China’s central bank lets the yuan weaken significantly, the Trump administration designates China a currency manipulator. The designation, applied to China for the first time since 1994, is mainly symbolic, but it comes less than a week after Trump announced higher tariffs on $300 billion worth of goods. That means everything the United States imports from China now faces taxes. Beijing warns that the designation will “trigger financial market turmoil.”

2019 2019 November 27, 2019 Trump Signs Bill Supporting Hong Kong Protesters People dressed in black sit by a U.S. flag in Hong Kong. Protesters hold a U.S. flag during a gathering in Hong Kong on November 28, 2019. Marko Djurica/Reuters President Trump signs the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act after it passes in the U.S. Congress with overwhelming majorities. The legislation authorizes the United States to sanction individuals responsible for human rights abuses in Hong Kong. It also requires U.S. officials to evaluate every year whether Hong Kong enjoys a “high degree of autonomy” from Beijing. Many of the pro-democracy protesters, who have been demonstrating since June, celebrate the bill’s passage. Chinese officials condemn the move, impose sanctions on several U.S.-based organizations, and suspend U.S. warship visits to Hong Kong.

2019 2020 January 15, 2020 ‘Phase One’ Trade Deal Signed Vice Premier Liu He shakes President Donald Trump's hand Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and U.S. President Donald Trump shake hands after signing the “phase one” deal. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters President Trump and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He sign the agreement [PDF], a breakthrough in the nearly two-year trade war between the world’s two largest economies. The deal relaxes some U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports and commits China to buying an additional $200 billion worth of American goods, including agricultural products and cars, over two years. China also pledges to enforce intellectual property protections. But the agreement maintains most tariffs and does not mention the Chinese government’s extensive subsidies, a longtime concern of the United States, though Trump says these could be tackled in a future deal. Days before the signing, the United States dropped its designation of China as a currency manipulator.

2020 2020 January 31, 2020 Tensions Soar Amid COVID-19 Pandemic A security guard wears a mask in front of a blocked animal market in Wuhan, China. A police officer guards an animal market in Wuhan, China, where a new coronavirus was reported in January. Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images The Trump administration bars all non-U.S. citizens who recently visited mainland China from entering the United States amid an outbreak of a new coronavirus that was first reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan. By March, the World Health Organization (WHO) designates the outbreak a pandemic, after it spreads to more than one hundred countries. Leading officials in both China and the United States blame the other side for the pandemic. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson claims without evidence that the U.S. military brought the virus to China, while President Trump makes repeated references to the “Chinese virus,” which he says spread because of failures by the Chinese government. In April, top officials in both countries change their tones by highlighting areas for cooperation amid the crisis. Still, Trump faults the WHO for being biased toward China and halts U.S. funding to the organization.

2020 2020 March 18, 2020 China Expels American Journalists Four people wear face masks and pose for a photo in the Beijing airport. Wall Street Journal reporters pose for a photo before departing from Beijing Capital International Airport. Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images The Chinese government expels at least thirteen journalists from three U.S. newspapers—the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post—whose press credentials are set to expire in 2020. Beijing also demands that those outlets, as well as TIME and Voice of America, share information with the government about their operations in China. The Chinese Foreign Ministry says the moves are in response to the U.S. government’s decision earlier in the year to limit the number of Chinese journalists from five state-run media outlets in the United States to 100, down from 160, and designate those outlets as foreign missions. In November 2021, Washington and Beijing agree to ease restrictions on journalists working in each other’s countries.

2020 2020 July 14, 2020 Trump Ends Hong Kong’s Special Status Riot police detain a man after clearing a protest against the new national security law in Hong Kong. Riot police detain a man after clearing a protest against the new national security law in Hong Kong. Dale De La Ray/AFP/Getty Images Two weeks after Beijing passes a new national security law for Hong Kong, President Trump signs an executive order ending the city’s preferential trade status with the United States. He also signs legislation to sanction officials and businesses that undermine Hong Kong’s freedoms and autonomy. Chinese officials threaten to impose retaliatory sanctions on U.S. individuals and entities. They denounce what they call U.S. interference in China’s internal affairs, including Washington’s announcement a day earlier declaring most of Beijing’s claims in the South China Sea illegal.

2020 2020 July 22, 2020 U.S., China Close Consulates in Diplomatic Escalation A worker removes a plaque from the U.S. consulate in Chengdu. A worker removes a plaque from the U.S. consulate in Chengdu. Thomas Peter/Reuters The United States orders China to close its consulate in Houston, Texas, alleging that it was a hub of espionage and intellectual property theft. China condemns the order and retaliates by closing the U.S. consulate in Chengdu. In the same week, Washington indicts two Chinese hackers for allegedly stealing coronavirus vaccine research and sanctions eleven Chinese companies for their reported role in human rights abuses in Xinjiang. Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi blames the United States for tensions.

2020 2020 July 23, 2020 Pompeo Says Engagement With China Has Failed Secretary of State Pompeo speaks at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in California. Secretary of State Pompeo speaks at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in California. Ashley Landis/Pool/Reuters U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivers a speech, titled “Communist China and the Free World’s Future,” signaling a profound shift in U.S. policy. He declares that the era of engagement with the Chinese Communist Party is over, condemning its unfair trade practices, intellectual property theft, human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, and aggressive moves in the East and South China Seas. He calls on Chinese citizens and democracies worldwide to press Beijing to change its behavior and respect the rules-based international order.

2020 2020 November 2020 – December 2020 Trump Ramps Up Pressure as Transition Looms President Trump attempts to cement his legacy of being tough on China during his final weeks in office. Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe calls China “the greatest threat to America today,” while the Commerce Department adds dozens of Chinese companies, including the country’s biggest chipmaker, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), to its trade blacklist. The State Department tightens visa rules for the around ninety million members of the Chinese Communist Party. It also sanctions more Chinese officials, including fourteen members of China’s legislative body, over abuses in Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and elsewhere. Additionally, the White House bans U.S. investments in Chinese companies it says have ties to the People’s Liberation Army. Chinese officials vow retaliation against these and other actions the Trump administration takes.

2020 2021 January 21, 2021 U.S. Designates China’s Abuses of Uyghurs as Genocide A boy holds a sign that reads "Stop China's Uyghur Genocide." Protesters join a rally in Washington, DC, to encourage countries to label China’s treatment of Uyghurs as genocide. Leah Millis/Reuters On Trump’s last day in office, Pompeo declares that China is committing crimes against humanity and genocide against Uyghurs, a Muslim ethnic group primarily from China’s Xinjiang region. The United States is the first country to apply those terms to abuses the Chinese government has committed over the past few years. The Chinese government denies genocide is taking place. The Joe Biden administration affirms Pompeo’s declaration; by the end of the year, it bans all imports from Xinjiang.

2021 2021 March 19, 2021 Biden Maintains Trump Tariffs, Other Tough Measures The first in-person meeting between top Biden administration officials and Chinese officials, in Anchorage, Alaska, reflects deep disagreements between the two sides and ends without a joint statement. In the months after the meeting, the Biden administration continues some Trump administration policies, although it places more emphasis on coordinating its actions with allies. It maintains tariffs on Chinese imports, sanctions Chinese officials over policies in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, blacklists dozens of Chinese companies, and expands a Trump-era ban on American investment in Chinese firms with ties to the military. In his first speech to Congress, in April, President Biden stresses the importance of boosting investment in U.S. infrastructure and technology to compete with China.

2021 2021 June 14, 2021 At U.S. Urging, NATO Declares China a ‘Security Challenge’ Chinese soldiers fire a weapon. Chinese soldiers participate in a military exercise in May 2021. CNS Photo/Reuters NATO, which has focused on deterring Russian aggression and terrorism in recent years, releases a communiqué expanding the alliance’s focus to include threats from China, such as its nuclear weapons development and military modernization. “China’s stated ambitions and assertive behavior present systemic challenges to the rules-based international order and to areas relevant to alliance security,” the statement says. It is the first time that a NATO communiqué references threats from China. The declaration comes as the Biden administration pushes its allies to collectively respond to China.

2021 2021 November 10, 2021 Collaboration on Climate Change Amid Tensions U.S. climate envoy John Kerry speaks with his Chinese counterpart, Xie Zhenhua. U.S. climate envoy John Kerry speaks with his Chinese counterpart, Xie Zhenhua, at the twenty-sixth UN Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow. Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images The United States and China, the world’s top emitters of greenhouse gases, sign a joint statement during the UN climate summit in Glasgow. They agree to boost cooperation on combating climate change over the next decade and work together on increasing the use of renewable energy, developing regulatory frameworks, and deploying technologies such as carbon capture. U.S. and Chinese officials applaud the agreement, with Chinese climate envoy Xie Zhenhua saying, “There is more agreement between the United States and China than divergence.”

2021 2021 November 15, 2021 Biden, Xi Discuss ‘Guardrails’ to Avoid Conflict Biden and Xi speak virtually in November 2021. U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping speak virtually. Jonathan Ernst/Reuters The leaders’ first formal meeting since Biden took office is held virtually and lasts more than three hours. Similar to the meeting in Alaska, the leaders voice issues of long-standing disagreement, with Biden raising concerns about Beijing’s human rights abuses and Xi saying that U.S. support for Taiwan is like “playing with fire.” There are no major breakthroughs nor a concluding joint statement, though Biden says they establish “guardrails” to avoid conflict, and experts say it is a positive step that the meeting even takes place.

2021 2022 February 4, 2022 U.S. Imposes Diplomatic Boycott on Beijing Olympics U.S. athletes walk during the Olympics opening cermony. U.S. athletes walk during the Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing. Harrison Hill/USA Today/Reuters The United States imposes a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, citing the Chinese government’s human rights abuses in Xinjiang and elsewhere. A handful of other countries, including Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, also refuse to send officials to the games. Chinese officials say the United States is trying to “politicize sports, create divisions and provoke confrontation.” No athletes publicly protest during the Olympics, though several skip the opening ceremony and speak out against China’s abuses after the games.

2022 2022 March 18, 2022 Biden Presses Xi on Russia’s War in Ukraine Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Xi in Beijing. Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in February 2022. Aleksey Druzhinin/Sputnik/Kremlin/Reuters Days after U.S. officials say Russia asked China for military assistance, Biden holds a video call with Xi and threatens “consequences” if China provides material support. The call comes weeks after Russia invades Ukraine; during that time, China refuses to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin for the war and the resulting humanitarian crisis. Chinese diplomats and state media outlets also repeat a Russian conspiracy theory that the United States is financing biological weapons labs in Ukraine. During the call, Biden lays out sanctions and other efforts that are coordinated with allies to punish Russia. Xi criticizes the sanctions, saying they “would only make people suffer.” Both leaders express support for peace talks.

2022 2022 May 26, 2022 Biden’s China Strategy a Call to Revive U.S. Competitiveness In a long-awaited speech, Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasizes the importance of bolstering U.S. competitiveness toward China. He calls China the “most serious long-term challenge to the international order” and contrasts the country’s authoritarianism with U.S. commitments to advancing democracy and human rights, but he also says Washington is determined to avoid conflict. The three pillars of the Biden administration’s strategy are investing in domestic industry, technology, and infrastructure; aligning with allies and partners to oppose China’s increasing aggression; and competing with China globally. The Chinese Foreign Ministry denounces Blinken’s speech as “disinformation,” countering that China is a “guardian of the international order.”

2022 2022 August 2, 2022 Tensions Flare Over Pelosi’s Visit to Taiwan Nancy Pelosi and Tsai Ing-wen stand next to each other and wave to the camera. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi meets Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in Taipei, Taiwan. Getty Images After months of Chinese officials warning the United States against boosting ties with Taiwan, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visits Taipei in a trip she says is to demonstrate U.S. support for the island. The trip leads Beijing to suspend U.S.-China climate talks, cut off some high-level military communication channels, and sanction Pelosi. The Chinese military conducts live-fire drills that effectively encircle the island and are much bigger than exercises conducted during the last Taiwan Strait Crisis in 1996. It also launches ballistic missiles over the island, some of which land in Japan’s exclusive economic zone, and Chinese aircraft cross the median line between mainland China and Taiwan. The Group of Seven (G7) objects to China’s “aggressive military activity,” saying it risks destabilizing the region. The Chinese Foreign Ministry blames the United States for the tensions, while Taiwanese President Tsai says China’s response has undermined the status quo.

2022 2022 October 7, 2022 U.S. Restrictions Shock China’s Chip Industry An employee works on a production line for semiconductor wafers at a factory in Huai’an, China. An employee works on a production line for semiconductor wafers at a factory in Huai’an, China. VCG/Getty Images The U.S. Commerce Department places sweeping restrictions [PDF] on exports of U.S.-made advanced computing chips and related equipment to China. Commerce officials say China is using these items to “produce advanced military systems” and “commit human rights abuses.” U.S. companies and individuals who want to support China’s chip development now require approval from the U.S. government to do so. The restrictions also apply to foreign companies that use any U.S.-made tools and software. Experts expect the move to hobble China’s domestic chip industry, which has received a surge of government funding in recent years but still lacks the ability to manufacture the most advanced chips. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson says the United States “will only hurt and isolate itself” with the restrictions.

2022 2022 November 14, 2022 Biden, Xi Seek to Repair the Relationship Xi and Biden smile while shaking hands. Biden and Xi meet on the sidelines of the Group of Twenty (G20) summit in Bali, Indonesia. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters In Indonesia, Biden and Xi meet in person for the first time during Biden’s presidency. Both leaders express a desire to ease bilateral tensions and agree to reopen communication channels, including climate talks that were suspended months earlier. Biden says the United States will “compete vigorously” with China, but that he’s “not looking for conflict.” Xi says the countries need to “explore the right way to get along,” according to a Chinese foreign ministry readout. Over the three-hour meeting, the leaders also discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine. According to the U.S. readout, the leaders expressed opposition to the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine, while the Chinese readout does not mention nuclear weapons. Biden raises concerns about rights abuses in Xinjiang and Chinese aggression against Taiwan, emphasizing that U.S. policy toward the island has not changed.

2022 2023 February 4, 2023 U.S. Shoots Down Suspected Chinese Spy Balloon A U.S. fighter jet flies by the suspected spy balloon as it floats off the coast of South Carolina. A U.S. fighter jet flies by the suspected spy balloon as it floats off the coast of South Carolina, on February 4, 2023. Randall Hill/Reuters President Biden orders the U.S. Air Force to shoot down a Chinese-operated balloon off the southeastern U.S. coast after security officials say it was spying on sensitive military sites. China calls the balloon a civilian weather-monitoring craft that accidentally veered into U.S. air space. China’s foreign ministry condemns the downing as “a serious violation of international practice” and vows retaliation. The incident causes the Biden administration to cancel a trip by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Beijing, raising fresh concerns over a worsening of U.S.-China relations already strained by U.S. support for Taiwan and trade frictions.

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[travelaroundtheworld82]

7 Chaste Woman’s Cliff in Matsu Islands, Taiwan

#cliff #coast #Tourism #walkway #ASIA

[vantrolley]

7 Chaste Woman�s Cliff in Matsu Islands, Taiwan

#cliff #coast #Tourism #walkway #ASIA

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 8.10 (after 1930)

1937 – Spanish Civil War: The Regional Defence Council of Aragon is dissolved by the Second Spanish Republic. 1944 – World War II: The Battle of Guam comes to an effective end. 1944 – World War II: The Battle of Narva ends with a defensive German victory. 1948 – Candid Camera makes its television debut after being on radio for a year as Candid Microphone. 1949 – An amendment to the National Security Act of 1947 enhances the authority of the United States Secretary of Defense over the Army, Navy and Air Force, and replaces the National Military Establishment with the Department of Defense. 1953 – First Indochina War: The French Union withdraws its forces from Operation Camargue against the Viet Minh in central Vietnam. 1954 – At Massena, New York, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Saint Lawrence Seaway is held. 1961 – Vietnam War: The U.S. Army begins Operation Ranch Hand, spraying an estimated 20 million US gallons (76,000 m3) of defoliants and herbicides over rural areas of South Vietnam in an attempt to deprive the Viet Cong of food and vegetation cover. 1966 – The Heron Road Bridge collapses while being built, killing nine workers in the deadliest construction accident in both Ottawa and Ontario. 1969 – A day after murdering Sharon Tate and four others, members of Charles Manson's cult kill Leno and Rosemary LaBianca. 1971 – The Society for American Baseball Research is founded in Cooperstown, New York. 1977 – In Yonkers, New York, 24-year-old postal employee David Berkowitz ("Son of Sam") is arrested for a series of killings in the New York City area over the period of one year. 1978 – Three members of the Ulrich family are killed in an accident. This leads to the Ford Pinto litigation. 1981 – Murder of Adam Walsh: The head of John Walsh's son is found. This inspires the creation of the television series America's Most Wanted and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. 1988 – Japanese American internment: U.S. President Ronald Reagan signs the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, providing $20,000 payments to Japanese Americans who were either interned in or relocated by the United States during World War II. 1990 – The Magellan space probe reaches Venus. 1993 – Two earthquakes affect New Zealand. A 7.0 Mw  shock (intensity VI (Strong)) in the South Island was followed nine hours later by a 6.4 Mw  event (intensity VII (Very strong)) in the North Island. 1995 – Oklahoma City bombing: Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols are indicted for the bombing. Michael Fortier pleads guilty in a plea-bargain for his testimony. 1997 – Sixteen people are killed when Formosa Airlines Flight 7601 crashes near Beigan Airport in the Matsu Islands of Taiwan. 1998 – HRH Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah is proclaimed the crown prince of Brunei with a Royal Proclamation. 1999 – Los Angeles Jewish Community Center shooting. 2001 – The 2001 Angola train attack occurred, causing 252 deaths. 2001 – Space Shuttle program: The Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on STS-105 to the International Space Station, carrying the astronauts of Expedition 3 to replace the crew of Expedition 2. 2003 – The Okinawa Urban Monorail is opened in Naha, Okinawa. 2009 – Twenty people are killed in Handlová, Trenčín Region, in the deadliest mining disaster in Slovakia's history. 2012 – The Marikana massacre begins near Rustenburg, South Africa, resulting in the deaths of 47 people. 2014 – Forty people are killed when Sepahan Airlines Flight 5915 crashes at Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport. 2018 – An anti-government rally turns into a riot when members of the Romanian Gendarmerie attack the 100,000 people protesting in front of the Victoria Palace, leading to 452 recorded injuries. The authorities alleged that the crowd was infiltrated by hooligans who began attacking law enforcement agents. 2020 – Derecho in Iowa becomes the most costly thunderstorm disaster in U.S. history.

#Events

[thehalophoenix]

7 Chaste Woman’s Cliff in Matsu Islands, Taiwan

#cliff #coast #Tourism #walkway #ASIA

[wearesaintagnes]

7 Chaste Woman�s Cliff in Matsu Islands, Taiwan

#cliff #coast #Tourism #walkway #ASIA

[mariacallous]

As the United States was watching the skies in the aftermath of the spy balloon incident, China may have been acting at sea. In early February, maritime vessels disabled the two undersea cables connecting Taiwan’s Matsu Islands, a tiny archipelago just 10 nautical miles off China’s coast, to the internet. Now residents of the islands face highly reduced internet connectivity until the cables are repaired. The activity looks like targeted harassment by Beijing—or an exercise in preparation for cutting off the whole of Taiwan.

On Feb. 2, a Chinese fishing vessel sailing close to the Matsu Islands severed one of the two cables, which connect the islands with Taiwan proper. Then, six days later, a Chinese freighter cut the second cable. Speaking shortly after the second cable was cut, Wong Po-tsung, the vice chair of Taiwan’s National Communications Commission, told reporters that there was no indication the incidents were intentional. It’s not uncommon for undersea cables to be damaged—but losing two in a row is either really unfortunate or quite possibly not a coincidence. Either way, Matsu Islands residents are now left with only rudimentary internet access: The islands’ commercial telecommunications provider, Chunghwa Telecom (CHT), has set up free, round-the-clock Wi-Fi in its stores on the islands and launched a backup microwave system for phone calls and state communications.

The Matsu Islands’ 12,700 or so residents will have to live without the cables for many more weeks; a repair vessel will arrive on April 20 at the earliest, and the repairs will require further time. The residents have experience living with damaged undersea cables. CHT reports that the cables were damaged five times in 2021 and four times last year, though nowhere near as badly as this time. During such periods of impaired internet connectivity, “it would take more than 10 minutes to send a text message, and sending a picture would take even longer,” Lii Wen, the Matsu Islands head of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), told the Taipei Times, adding that “the booking system in hostels and logistics services cannot function normally either, let alone viewing content and films on social media.”

With both cables down, even moderately slowed-down internet immobilizes daily life. Beijing is watching to see how island residents get on with this impediment to their existence—and to see how they manage to communicate with Taiwan proper. It’s also keeping close military watch of what it considers a renegade region. Taiwan’s offshore islands have always been its Achilles’s heel; in 1958, China shelled the Matsu Islands and the neighboring island of Kinmen. Last summer, the People’s Liberation Army Navy conducted large exercises near the island, purportedly in response to then-U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, though their large and well-executed nature suggested they had been planned long in advance.

Indeed, it’s striking how often Chinese vessels have damaged the undersea cables connecting islands in recent years. It’s especially striking because it’s no mystery where the world’s 380 undersea cables are located. On the contrary, there are maps detailing their location to ensure that fishing vessels don’t accidentally harm them while dragging their nets. By and large, this works: The International Cable Protection Committee reports that each year there are between 100 and 200 cases of damage to the cables and only 50-100 of those incidents involve fishing vessels; the rest are the result of construction and other activity. The incidents involving damage to the cables connecting the Matsu Islands are, in other words, disproportionately frequent.

What’s more, to date they have primarily involved the Chinese excavators that park themselves off the islands and dig up sand (which I wrote about for Foreign Policy last year). Given that undersea cables have a diameter of 17-21 millimeters (roughly the size of a garden hose), it would require an unbelievable amount of bad luck to accidentally damage them as often as Chinese vessels do—let alone to take out two in a row.

Chinese excavators parking themselves in Taiwanese waters and taking Taiwanese sand are classic gray-zone aggression: It’s not a military attack, but it’s also not nothing. Indeed, every time they appear, Taiwanese coast guard vessels have to travel to the site and instruct the vessels to leave (though they can’t be sure the uninvited visitors will do so in an expeditious manner). Every time, the diggers harm the maritime wildlife and the seabed. And because they often harm the undersea cables in the process, they harm the Matsu Islands’ ability to function and to communicate with Taiwan proper and the wider world.

Given that the undersea cables’ locations are known, this frequent and now jacked-up harm to the Matsu Islands doesn’t look like accidental damage—it looks like harassment of Taiwan. After the most recent incident, the DPP accused China of deliberately damaging the cables given how often they’re broken. The incidents could even be an exercise in preparation for a communications cutoff of Taiwan proper. Fifteen undersea cables connect the main island with global telecommunications.

CHT plans to, at least partly, ensure the Matsu Islands’ connectivity by laying another cable, and this time it will be buried underneath the seabed. The cable will, however, only be in place in 2025. In the meantime, CHT has to pay for the backup internet system, and it’s also waiving island residents’ internet fees. When the repair ship arrives, fixing the two cables will cost CHT between $660,000 and $1.3 million.

Causing such costs is also part of gray-zone aggression. If a company suffers losses as a result of geopolitical aggression, its insurer may not cover it: Russia’s devastating NotPetya cyberattack resulted in massive lawsuits between multinationals and their insurers. While CHT’s conversations with its underwriter are naturally confidential, the two will have to agree on whether the severing of the cables was accidental damage or an act of harm initiated by another government to weaken Taiwan. Either way, CHT or its insurer has to pay for repeated damage that goes far beyond what’s typical for undersea cables. What happens if CHT backs out of providing connectivity to the Matsu Islands on the grounds that constant cable repairs are making it too difficult and expensive? As I’ve outlined in other pieces and this report, geopolitical confrontation risks making parts of global business uninsurable.

And there’s another problem facing CHT, Taiwan, and indeed every country: the shortage of cable ships. The reason CHT has to wait until the end of April, or later, for repairs to begin is that there are only 60 cable vessels around. (Take a look at them here.) It’s a good thing that these scruffy-looking ships exist; indeed, without them the internet would not operate. But not only are the cable ships few in number—they’re also getting on in years. As Dan Swinhoe reports for DCD Magazine, no new cable ships were delivered between 2004 and 2010, and only five ships were delivered between 2011 and 2020. “Only eight of those 60 ships are younger than 18, with most between 20 and 30 years old. 19 are over 30 years old, and one is over 50,” Swinhoe notes. Like the world’s undersea cables, the cable ships are privately owned—and the market, as of yet, seems to have no interest in improving things. This might be a chance for governments—especially the world’s predominant naval powers, such as the United States—to step in. Alternatively, cable operators, which include not just telecommunications firms but tech giants like Google, too, might want to buy their own cable ships.

In the future, more submarine cables will be placed underneath the seabed to make them less exposed to damage—but that, too, depends on the 60 cable ships being available. If Chinese fishing and cargo vessels want to accidentally damage or sever the 15 undersea cables connecting Taiwan to the rest of the world, the near future thus offers enticing prospects. Indeed, given the world’s dependence on the cables and the few ships that can service them, the near future offers tempting prospects for any country ready to create a few more “accidents” at sea.

Cable sabotage could become our era’s blockade—and unlike past generations’ blockades, it can be conducted on the sly. No wonder other telecom operators are studying CHT’s backup operations, because they, too, could be forced to deploy such measures, in Taiwan and beyond. And let’s hope many countries study Taiwan’s response. Responding to a devastating but invisible blockade could become one of the thorniest diplomatic challenges facing Western governments.

[crystoex]

Chinese warship starts live-fire drills near Taiwan By Reuters

4/4 © Reuters. Soldiers stand on the deck of a Chinese warship as it sails during a military drill near Fuzhou, Fujian Province, near the Taiwan-controlled Matsu Islands that are close to the Chinese coast, China, April 8, 2023. REUTERS/Thomas Peter 2/4 By Thomas Peter and Josh Arslan FUZHOU, China (Reuters) – A Chinese warship in seas facing the Taiwan Strait began live-fire drills on…

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[sutrala]

(ZEROHEDGE) – According to Taiwanese authorities, on Feb. 2, a Chinese fishing boat damaged an undersea communications cable that connects Taiwan's main island to Matsu Islands. About one week later, a Chinese cargo ship severed another cable. Located approximately 30 miles...

[rpnewspaperblog]

Chinese ships cut internet of Taiwan's outlying islands

NANGAN, Taiwan (AP) — In the past month, bed and breakfast owner Chen Yu-lin had to tell his guests he couldn’t provide them with the internet. Others living on Matsu, one of Taiwan’s outlying islands closer to neighboring China, had to struggle with paying electricity bills, making a doctor’s appointment or receiving a package. For connecting to the outside world, Matsu’s 14,000 residents rely…

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[newswireml]

Chinese ships cut internet of Taiwan's outlying islands#Chinese #ships #cut #internet #Taiwans #outlying #islands

NANGAN, Taiwan (AP) — In the past month, bed and breakfast owner Chen Yu-lin had to tell his guests he couldn’t provide them with the internet. Others living on Matsu, one of Taiwan’s outlying islands closer to neighboring China, had to struggle with paying electricity bills, making a doctor’s appointment or receiving a package. For connecting to the outside world, Matsu’s 14,000 residents rely…

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[newsgola]

Taiwan reports that a Chinese weather balloon was found on an outlying island : NPR

A view from the 220-meter (670 feet) summit of Mt. Bi looks down on the airport’s single runway jutting out into into the sea on Beigan in the Matsu island group, off northern Taiwan, Aug. 22, 2012. Wally Santana/AP hide caption toggle caption Wally Santana/AP A view from the 220-meter (670 feet) summit of Mt. Bi looks down on the airport’s single runway jutting out into into the sea on…

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