China Throwing Diplomatic Elbows to Isolate Taiwan ; Beijing Has Recently Thwarted Taiwan's Free Trade Negotiations and Attendance at International Conferences

Robert Marquand writer of The Christian Science Monitor, The Christian Science Monitor

For nearly three years, until last month, China has adopted a non- bellicose approach toward Taiwan, whose independence stirrings greatly upset Beijing, and brought censure last week from President Bush. China's so-called "soft strategy" has earned it points for a reasonable moderation that promotes stability and avoids an inflammatory war of words over Taiwan's status.

Yet parallel to Beijing's soft strategy has been a tough strategy of harassment designed to block Taiwan from any normal activity. This "hard strategy," little noted, has further isolated Taiwan in the international arena. It includes an extraordinary range of actions, both major and minor - from impeding …

Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information: Article title: China Throwing Diplomatic Elbows to Isolate Taiwan ; Beijing Has Recently Thwarted Taiwan's Free Trade Negotiations and Attendance at International Conferences. Contributors: Robert Marquand writer of The Christian Science Monitor - Author. Newspaper title: The Christian Science Monitor. Publication date: December 19, 2003. Page number: 7. © 2009 The Christian Science Publishing Society. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All Rights Reserved.

This material is protected by copyright and, with the exception of fair use, may not be further copied, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means.