Say Hello to My Little Friend: the Taiwan Navy's Latest

"Carrier killer"?

3 Notes on Asia

One:  "Big Yellow Duck Creator Brings Giant White Rabbit to Taiwan"

Two: Starting a Letter with "Dear Kung Fu Panda ..." 

Three: Mooncake industry eclipsed by Chinese corruption crackdown 

Taiwanese Defense and the UN Charter

Is it technically illegal?  Whatever. Does anyone really think the major players in Asia are going to care about use of force rules in the UN Charter if/when things get dicey?  Give me a break.

Drone Surveillance of China's Coast: Made In Taiwan?

The apparent goal is to keep tabs on the 2000+ coastal missiles that China currently has aimed at Taiwan.

I am also bemused by this related note: "the U.S. has expressed concern to Taiwan over how its drones are being deployed."

O RLY?  Last I heard Taiwan hadn't used any of its drones to kill people and prompt a barnstorming filibuster by Rand Paul.

Taiwan Nerd News: Law Students vs. Chiang Kai-Shek's Statue at Fu Jen Catholic University

Here's the story.

Thoughts on Tiananmen and Taiwan

Food for thought.

Indian PM Narendra Modi Reaches Out to Taiwan

New Delhi and Taipei ... while both also watch Beijing.  Here's an interview with Taiwan's ambassador to India.

Forgetting Tiananmen Square

It's been 25 years, and three new books consider how it has been suppressed.  If you're in a hurry, you can jot down the titles of the books and take a look later:

• The People’s Republic of Amnesia: Tiananmen Revisited, by Louisa Lim, OUP USA
• Tiananmen Exiles: Voices of the Struggle for Democracy in China, by Rowena Xiaoqing He, Palgrave Macmillan
• Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth and Faith in the New China, by Evan Osnos, Bodley Head

Well, here we're not forgetting!  Please take a look at:

• NatGeo's story of two photographers (twin brothers!) who were there
• (still imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize winner) Liu Xiaobo's poem from his collection June 4 Elegies
• Another poem inspired by those events
• How a gangster became a savior: the story of the Triad who helped smuggle 100+ dissidents to safety after the massacre
• Footage of Tiananmen survivors telling their stories at the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee; one is Chai Ling, founder of All Girls Allowed, an organization combatting gendercide in China.
• The world's first Tiananmen museum that has opened in Hong Kong
• Demonstrations in Hong Kong and Taiwan

25 years ago I was only a child watching the news on TV, and from that year I remember two overwhelming feelings that were so intense that they probably shaped my adult take on foreign relations more than I realize: 1989 was defined by the joy of the fall of the Berlin Wall with all its jubilant crowds ... and the absolute, stomach-churning horror of Tiananmen Square.  God, what kind of monstrous, despicable, (what the hell, let's use the word and call a spade a spade) evil government sends its tanks and troops to mow down unarmed students?  And you wonder why I practically have an allergic reaction to people saying that Taiwan should be part of China. 

UPDATE: The Onion nails it again.

"Does China Need or Want Taiwan?"

Dignified Rant has an interesting new post on the topic.  Needing and wanting can entail all sorts of definitions and motivations ... though the bottom line is, as I think we've all been saying for a long time, Taiwan needs to make the price of invasion too high for China to pay. 

You know, Taiwan may be losing the public relations war (if this incident is any indication of how otherwise perfectly intelligent and reasonable people will naively believe the stupidest propaganda about Taiwan).  You know what?  Fight the PR war better, Taiwan, but at the same, arm up in case the moment ever comes when we go past words to sticks and stones.

Sochi Opening Ceremonies: As Bizarre As You'd Imagine. Plus Geopolitical Nerd Fight

You just KNEW it was going to be a weird night when the Trololo song ended up in the proceedings and this happened:

As for the rest of the evening, I should preface this by saying that in my corner of Nerdworld, watching the thing with a bunch of fellow nerds turned into an argument about geopolitics. Whoever keeps trying to say that the Games are non-political is a fool.  You know, I wasn't going to bother blogging about the nerd fight, but why not ... You saw the ceremonies yourself and know the extent of its content. But you weren't in my living room. So if you want to hear what happened, it's all after the fold.

Quirky Asia Files; Table Tennis In Taiwan

From the recent 2014 Ben Tai Invitational in Kaohsiung comes this humorous exhibition match between Chuang Chih-Yuan and Jean-Michel Saive.  Wait until they start playing with two balls:

Shakespeare in Taiwan

Celebrate the 450th birthday of the Bard!

Quote of the Day (Non-Syrian Edition): Chinese Dream

The always-readable View From Taiwan blog notes this thought by a Sina Weibo user:

“Taiwan is a place where the people call the shots.  National leaders there must make decisions that reflect the values of individuals in society, rather than simply corrupting and oppressing vulnerable groups.  In Taiwan they’ve protected Chinese culture, human rights and freedom of speech. ... Why in the world would the Taiwanese people ever want to return to the motherland?  The Chinese Dream is actually in Taiwan.”

How About More Security Cooperation For Taiwan & Japan?

Something to think about. Note this observation too:

"Together or independently, both governments have an obligation to pursue domestic and international options to fill legitimate defense needs, if the U.S. is unwilling to provide."

Quirky Asia Files: Getting From Point A To Point B

It all just makes me want to stay home, ha!

Taiwan: Driving In The Rain

This happened yesterday in the Old Country in Keelung. Wait for it ...

Disgustingly Cute: Taipei Zoo's Baby Panda Meets Mom

The baby had been initially looked after by zookeepers.

The Dignity and Gravitas of the Taiwanese Legislature

Yup.

Formosan Clouded Leopard Officially Declared Extinct

A 4-year-long search by zoologists has turned up no traces.  What a terrible loss of a beautiful animal.  You can take a look at a still-living cousin here.

That Was Fast: Beijing Bullies New Pope Francis Over Taiwan

According to this, Beijing said that the Vatican must sever ties with Taiwan before its relations with China could improve.  *Sigh*