Brain Fertilizer

This doesn't look good folks:
China has accused the United States of sending a false signal to Taiwan by disclosing a CIA assessment indicating the military balance between the rivals is shifting in Beijing's favor.

Nothing soon, of course, but after the Olympics...?

Maybe I should clarify, particularly in light of the negative tone I take in this post:

I don't approve of nor trust the Mainland Chinese government. On the other hand, I think much of the tension between China and Taiwan is due to Chen Shuibian putting his own political expediency ahead of the needs of the people of Taiwan.

I criticize Taiwan for its past, but it is actually doing a pretty good job of being a democracy since 1996. I also think the best way to defuse some rising tensions with Mainland China is to give them the same benefit of the doubt we give other nations. Beating someone up about a past mistake they've taken pains to correct does no one any good.

I'm also very split on the Taiwan issue. There is a great deal of hypocrisy on both sides. Mainland China doesn't collect taxes or make any decisions regarding Taiwan's laws or welfare, so it is ridiculous to claim it is a "renegade province" or "part of China". On the other hand, Taiwan wants all the benefits of having close ties to China without acknowledging the connection. You know the rules about "No direct flights"? That's due to "free" Taiwan, rather than the "evil Communists". Taiwan is getting rich off of investing in China, and cheap labor. They still have billions of dollars of wealth that was plundered from China when they fled...if they are not part of China, shouldn't they return what they stole? If they are part of China, wouldn't they want it where it belongs? Taiwan wants the US to risk its military members to protect it as it provokes China into a military confrontation, which doesn't win any points with me, either.

Bottom line for me is, Taiwan and Mainland China have a closer connection and more in common than just about anyone but maybe the US and Canada, and in some ways, more connection (common history, values, etc). There is no reason they could not be peacefully reunited to the benefit of both, except that the current leadership of Taiwan will not consider it.

Then again, there are good strategic reasons to have an independent nation sitting 60 miles off one of the most populated portion of China's coast.

It's a little complicated to look at it as a whole, and while I think I have the experience to point out the complexity and a few aspects of the problem, I don't pretend to have the knowledge or experience to unravel this Gordian knot. I fear the results if it is cut, however.