Even America's Asian puppets hate, fear Japan

[AndyDufresne]

You guys take an online gaming forum too seriously. This isn't a congressional forum.

-TG

Everything we post can be found, cited, reposted elsewhere.. but probably will never come back to us.

--Andy

[macbone]

Right, I included that on purpose, M.

You left off the final line:

Given that this summit hadn’t been held in three years, though, even getting Abe, Li, and Park in the same room together was an accomplishment.

The summation? Progress has been made.

This was an interesting article in the Standard today:

LET'S TALK PEACE, MISTER

Reuters and Kenneth Lau

Thursday, November 05, 2015

President Xi Jinping will hold talks with the leader of Taiwan, President Ma Ying- jeou, on Saturday - the first meeting between the rival leaders since the civil war ended in 1949.

The two will shake hands and will address each other as "mister" to avoid the risk of a protocol problem over the use of "president." Then they will have dinner together after the meeting in Singapore.

They do not expect to sign any agreement, but plan to discuss peace in the historic meeting.

The meeting coincides with rising anti-China sentiment in Taiwan ahead of presidential and parliamentary polls in January, which the China-friendly Kuomintang is likely to lose to the opposition Democratic Progressive Party, which traditionally favors independence from China.

Small groups of protesters gathered outside Taiwan's parliament yesterday. Police stopped pro-independence activists from throwing smoke bombs in front of the presidential palace in Taipei.

The two-part meeting includes one session open to media and another behind closed doors, Zhang Zhijun, who is also head of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, told Xinhua News Agency.

Xi and Ma will exchange views during the closed-door meeting. Then press conferences will be held by both sides. Later, the two leaders are expected to attend a dinner, Zhang said.

Ma's office said the purpose of his trip is to "maintain the status quo." Ma, who steps down next year due to term limits, said no agreements would be signed or joint statements agreed to.

Andrew Hsia Li-yan, head of the Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan's ministry in charge of China policy, said the meeting underscored both sides' dedication to peace.

But DPP presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen asked why the announcement had come out of the blue. "I believe people across the country, like me, felt very surprised," she said.

"To let the people know in such a hasty and chaotic manner is damaging to Taiwan's democracy."

DPP spokesman Cheng Yun-peng said the timing of the meeting is suspect. "How can people not think of this as a political operation intended to affect the election?" he said.

Hsia said the push for the meeting, initiated by the head of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, was neither rushed nor opaque and that there would be no secret deals reached.

Zhang said in Nanjing the meeting will improve mutual trust and allow for an exchange of opinions on handling the cross-strait ties.

Ma has made improving economic links with China a key policy since he took office in 2008. He has signed landmark business and tourism deals, though there has been no progress in resolving their political differences.

Political analyst Ivan Choy Chi- keung said: "It was expected that Hong Kong would take a more proactive role in the cross-strait relationship, but several leaders of Hong Kong tried to play safe on this sensitive issue, and now Singapore has trounced Hong Kong."

[mrswdk]

Right, I included that on purpose, M.

You left off the final line:

Given that this summit hadn’t been held in three years, though, even getting Abe, Li, and Park in the same room together was an accomplishment.

The summation? Progress has been made.

Not much that I'd be getting excited about while there's also sports on TV.

This was an interesting article in the Standard today:

LET'S TALK PEACE, MISTER

Reuters and Kenneth Lau

Thursday, November 05, 2015

President Xi Jinping will hold talks with the leader of Taiwan, President Ma Ying- jeou, on Saturday - the first meeting between the rival leaders since the civil war ended in 1949.

The two will shake hands and will address each other as "mister" to avoid the risk of a protocol problem over the use of "president." Then they will have dinner together after the meeting in Singapore.

They do not expect to sign any agreement, but plan to discuss peace in the historic meeting.

The meeting coincides with rising anti-China sentiment in Taiwan ahead of presidential and parliamentary polls in January, which the China-friendly Kuomintang is likely to lose to the opposition Democratic Progressive Party, which traditionally favors independence from China.

Small groups of protesters gathered outside Taiwan's parliament yesterday. Police stopped pro-independence activists from throwing smoke bombs in front of the presidential palace in Taipei.

The two-part meeting includes one session open to media and another behind closed doors, Zhang Zhijun, who is also head of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, told Xinhua News Agency.

Xi and Ma will exchange views during the closed-door meeting. Then press conferences will be held by both sides. Later, the two leaders are expected to attend a dinner, Zhang said.

Ma's office said the purpose of his trip is to "maintain the status quo." Ma, who steps down next year due to term limits, said no agreements would be signed or joint statements agreed to.

Andrew Hsia Li-yan, head of the Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan's ministry in charge of China policy, said the meeting underscored both sides' dedication to peace.

But DPP presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen asked why the announcement had come out of the blue. "I believe people across the country, like me, felt very surprised," she said.

"To let the people know in such a hasty and chaotic manner is damaging to Taiwan's democracy."

DPP spokesman Cheng Yun-peng said the timing of the meeting is suspect. "How can people not think of this as a political operation intended to affect the election?" he said.

Hsia said the push for the meeting, initiated by the head of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, was neither rushed nor opaque and that there would be no secret deals reached.

Zhang said in Nanjing the meeting will improve mutual trust and allow for an exchange of opinions on handling the cross-strait ties.

Ma has made improving economic links with China a key policy since he took office in 2008. He has signed landmark business and tourism deals, though there has been no progress in resolving their political differences.

Political analyst Ivan Choy Chi- keung said: "It was expected that Hong Kong would take a more proactive role in the cross-strait relationship, but several leaders of Hong Kong tried to play safe on this sensitive issue, and now Singapore has trounced Hong Kong."

I don't understand the point the article is trying to make. Xi and Ma are meeting and this is... A sign of progress? Inconsequential? A blatant attempt at coercion? All I see is a statement that they're going to meet for a chat.

[Bernie Sanders]