Washington weighs risk of defending Taiwan against China

May 6, 2021 — SinoDaily.com reports: “US President Joe Biden is expected to announce his strategy toward China soon, and calls are growing for him to make a clear public commitment to defend Taiwan militarily in the event of Chinese aggression.

China considers Taiwan, which has a population of 23 million, to be a rebel province that will one day return to the mainland’s fold, by force if necessary.

The United States, which has diplomatically recognized Beijing since 1979, has maintained relations with Taipei and remains its most important military ally.

A US law requires Washington to help the island defend itself in the event of a conflict, but the United States has pursued a policy of ‘strategic ambiguity’ for decades, refraining from clearly stating what circumstances would lead it to intervene militarily on Taiwan’s behalf.

The aim is two-fold: to avoid provoking Beijing, which might see this as a pretext for adopting a more aggressive policy towards Taiwan, but also to curb any desire on the part of the Taiwanese government to formally declare independence, which would set off a powder keg…”  (China will become a basic partner with Russia for the rapidly approaching battle of Armageddon – Revelation 16:16. Russia will lead invasion number one – Ezekiel 38 & 39. China will lead invasion number two – Revelation 16:12; Revelation 9:14 – 16. Then all nations will come against Jerusalem for the final invasion at which point Jesus will return to stop the bloodshed and set up his eternal kingdom upon earth – [He gathers] all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken… Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south – Zechariah 14:2 – 4. Then Psalm 2:6 occurs as God the Father says: …I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion [Jerusalem].  See the next three reports)

China says US ‘creating risks’ with South China Sea warship sail-bys

May 21, 2021 — SpaceWar.com reports: “China on Thursday branded the United States an ‘out-and-out security risk creator’ in the South China Sea, after an American warship sailed through waters near the disputed Spratly Islands.

Tensions in maritime waters claimed by both China and many of its neighbours have ratcheted up recently, with Beijing staging live-fire drills and sending hundreds of fishing vessels to a reef claimed by the Philippines.

China’s military said the USS Curtis Wilbur, a guided missile destroyer, was warned and driven away from the contested waters near the islands, which are claimed by China.

US actions ‘increase regional security risks, which easily causes misunderstandings, misjudgements and unforeseen maritime incidents’, People’s Liberation Army Southern Theatre Command spokesman Colonel Tian Junli said in a notice posted on social media…”

US Warship Again Sails Through Sensitive Taiwan Strait

May 19, 2021 — Voice of America News reports: “A U.S. warship has again sailed through the sensitive waterway that separates Taiwan from its giant neighbor China, at a time of increased tensions between Taipei and Beijing.

The U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet said the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur conducted a ‘routine Taiwan Strait transit’ on Tuesday in accordance with international law.

‘The ship’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military will continue to fly, sail, and operate anywhere international law allows,’ it said.

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said the ship had sailed in a southerly direction through the strait and the ‘situation was as normal.’

The U.S. Navy has been conducting such operations every month or so, to the anger of China which always denounces them…”

China slams EU’s ‘confrontational approach’ after trade deal blocked

May 21, 2021 — EnergyDaily.com reports: “China on Friday slammed the European Union’s ‘confrontational approach’ after MEPs voted to block a landmark investment deal over Beijing’s tit-for-tat sanctions against EU lawmakers.

Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Beijing’s sanctions were a ‘necessary and justified response’ to previous EU measures against Chinese officials over human rights concerns in Xinjiang.

To the surprise of many, the European Union and China in late December approved a major investment pact, wrapping up seven years of painstaking negotiations thanks to a final push by Germany.

But the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly Thursday to refuse any consideration of the EU-China investment deal as long as Chinese sanctions against MEPs and scholars were in place…”