Taiwan’s fight against coronavirus began in late 2019…

TAIPEI — While most Taiwanese were focused on the presidential election at the start of the year, many doctors and epidemiologists were picking up on an unusual surge of pneumonia cases in the Chinese city of Wuhan — the epicenter of the novel coronavirus.

“Right at the start of 2020, all front-line doctors at medical centers received an official alert, following a warning by the Centers of Disease Control asking us to be attentive if we encountered patients with symptoms of cough, fever, sore throat and runny nose,” Lin, a pulmonologist at a national medical center in Taipei, told the Nikkei Asian Review. “We had to ask those patients their travel history, occupation and contact history.”

Full Story: https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/Taiwan-s-battle-against-coronavirus-began-in-late-2019

Taiwan is battling against not only the coronavirus, but #China and the World Health Organization

Taiwan is battling against not only the corona virus, but China and the World Health Organization. After an interview with WHO leader Bruce Aylward on Hong Kong media, the world has become transfixed with how the Chinese Communist Party has gotten the United Nations to ignore Taiwan, even during the midst of the deadly coron avirus pandemic that came from an outbreak in Wuhan, China.

Pope Signals Closeness to China and Distance from Taiwan and Hong Kong…

A worshipers waves the flag of China as Pope Francis leaves following the weekly general audience on June 12, 2019 at St. Peter's square in the Vatican. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP) (Photo credit should read FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images)

ROME — Pope Francis sent subtle but clear signals of closeness to Beijing while distancing himself from Taiwan and Hong Kong during his flight to Japan from Thailand Saturday.

In a series of telegrams to officials of the three territories, the pope disclosed the current diplomatic position of the Vatican regarding key Asian conflicts.

Especially revealing was the wording of the pontiff’s telegrams to China and Taiwan and the different manner in which he described each nation.

“I send cordial greetings to your Excellency as I fly over China on my way to Japan. I assure you of my prayers for the nation and its people, invoking upon all of you abundant blessings of peace and joy,” the pope wrote to Xi Jinping, president of the People’s Republic of China and general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party.

Full Story: https://www.breitbart.com/asia/2019/11/23/pope-signals-closeness-china-distance-taiwan-hong-kong/

Taiwan fears China’s authoritarian threat in the Pacific

A composite of Taiwan foreign minister Joseph Wu and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Taiwan has accused China of practicing “authoritarian expansionism” in the Pacific, pointing to reports of plans for Chinese military presence in two Pacific countries that have recently switched diplomatic allegiance from Taipei to Beijing.

Key points:

Taiwan’s foreign minister says he doesn’t want the Pacific to turn into another South China Sea
Solomon Islands’ Prime Minister is in China for a week-long official visit
The United States sees Taiwan as its long-time friend and a reliable partner

Last month, Solomon Islands broke ties with Taiwan after its Government voted to switch its allegiances and Kiribati followed suit just days later.

To shore up support for Taiwan, representatives of the United States, Taiwan and Pacific Island nations held their first Pacific Islands Dialogue in Taipei on Monday, which observers believe was aimed at helping Taiwan retain its remaining allies in the Pacific.

Full Story: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-08/taiwan-says-china-poses-authoritarian-threat-in-the-pacific/11581682

China threatens US with sanctions over $2.8 billion arms deal with Taiwan…

Chinese Foreign Minister

China will sanction United States companies that sell arms to Taiwan, after Washington approved possible sales of $US2.2 billion ($2.8 billion) in tanks, missiles and related equipment, its foreign ministry says.

Key points:

The United States is the main arms supplier to self-ruled Taiwan
China’s top diplomat Wang Yi said no foreign force could stop the reunification of China
The US Department of State said there was no change to their “one China” policy

In a four-sentence statement, the ministry said that US arms sales to Taiwan harmed China’s sovereignty and national security, but did not provide any details about the sanctions.

China’s top diplomat Wang Yi warned the United States that it should “not play with fire” on the question of Taiwan and expressed anger about the planned sale.

During a visit to Hungary, Mr Wang said that no foreign force could stop the reunification of China and no foreign force should try to intervene.

“We urge the US to fully recognise the gravity of the Taiwan question … [and] not to play with fire on the question of Taiwan,” Mr Wang said.

Full story with video: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-12/china-threatens-to-sanction-us-over-arms-deal-with-taiwan/11305730

China’s Latest Excuse to Bully Taiwanese Businesses – Protecting the Environment

Taiwanese businesses that operate and invest in China face many risks: getting scammed, bullied, and beaten by local mafia, and getting ensnared in local political infighting—all this without any form of legal redress.

The latest hurdle comes in the form of restrictive environmental protection regulations that have suffocated businesses, forcing them to close down.

Since China enacted laws to open up trade and business with Taiwan in the 1990s, many companies from the island across the strait have capitalized on the opportunity of China’s sizeable market.

However, for some, the investments haven’t paid off.

Late last year, a leaked online document revealed that Kunshan City in Jiangsu Province—a hub for Taiwan businesses—had requested 270 factories to stop production from Dec. 25 to Jan. 10 because the local freshwater quality was not up to standard. About a half of the affected companies were Taiwanese, according to the BBC.

Read much more here: http://www.ntd.tv/2018/01/16/protecting-the-environment-is-chinas-latest-excuse-to-bully-taiwanese-businesses/