Taiwan asserted its sovereignty Saturday after Donald Trump warned against Taiwanese self-determination following the American leader’s two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
Taiwan “is a sovereign and independent democratic nation, and is not subordinate to the People’s Republic of China,” Taiwan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
The ministry’s remarks come as a swift rebuke against Trump, who said Friday that he was “not looking to have somebody go independent” when asked about whether the U.S. would come to Taiwan’s rescue in the event of an invasion by China.
58 Comments
Th4tGuyII@fedia.io · 72 pts · 95d
In the latest episode of Trump leaving his allies out to dry, it looks like Trump is trying to trade Taiwan to China for Somethingᵀᴹ
I genuinely feel terrible for Taiwan that they're stuck in this horrid position of being constantly threatened by China for merely existing, and essentially having to bet on the global value of TSMC to keep the otherwise apathetic US around.
It shouldn't have to be that way, and its abhorrent that it is.
I'm thankful that the EU managed to (mostly) step in for Ukraine, but Taiwan is simply too far away for Europe to properly defend - so if the US doesn't stand up, I doubt anybody will.
kurmudgeon@lemmy.world · 45 pts · 95d
It's also the latest example that shows that Trump can only remember the conversation from the last person he talked to. If he visited Taiwan, immediately afterwards he would be saying the exact opposite. He's a fucking moron and has no capacity for self-thought in any way. He just blindly restates what somebody told him.
nixfreak@sopuli.xyz · 20 pts · 95d
Yep, Xi manipulated rump and now US isn’t going to protect Taiwan anymore. WTF
Th4tGuyII@fedia.io · 14 pts · 95d
If I were Taiwan, I'd make sure to have a deadman's switch on TSMC - so if China every tried to take it, the whole thing would suddenly become very worthless to them.
And I'd make sure everybody in the room could hear that, so the world knows what they'd be losing if China ever went for it.
someguy3@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 95d
China doesn't want TSMC, they want the land.
*What's going on here with the downvotes? They've wanted Taiwan decades before TSMC even existed, let alone rose to any prominence. A whole bunch of retconing going on here.
atomicbocks@sh.itjust.works · 11 pts · 95d
They want TSMC too. Intel isn’t up to taking over for them so having TSMC would mean having significant control over the global economy.
someguy3@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 95d
It would be a bonus, but they know Taiwan will rig them to explode, so they won't get them, so that's not a goal. It's not why they want Taiwan.
needanke@feddit.org · 4 pts · 95d
Or rather the Sea around the land.
melsaskca@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 94d
When the downvotes and upvotes are relatively close to being the same is when you are closest to the truth.
4am@lemmy.zip · -15 pts · 95d
If you guys think that China is this big scary place hellbent on world domination that does surveillance and treats its citizens like shit while trying to make themselves look good on a world stage
wait until you hear about this new country called The United States
Axiochus@lemmy.world · 17 pts · 95d
Aw, good ol' Soviet whataboutism. We can dislike both.
Th4tGuyII@fedia.io · 11 pts · 95d
... And both things cannot be true because why?
China is the bad guy in this instance because they're the ones threatening the sovereignty of another country.
Nobody says it can't be the US. I certainly think the US's actions are deplorable when it comes to both Gaza and Iran. You need only check my comment history.
pilferjinx@piefed.social · 3 pts · 95d
What if.. there is no such thing as good actors.
Zos_Kia@jlai.lu · -1 pts · 95d
It's not manipulation. The US in it's current strategic state simply cannot guarantee Taiwan's security. Trump is simply affirming publicly what everybody already knows.
nixfreak@sopuli.xyz · 3 pts · 94d
That isn’t true at all. The US has huge contracts with TSMC and with it blocking China from invading. It’s a chip war , Trump is standing down because of billions he getting for his friends.
Zos_Kia@jlai.lu · 3 pts · 94d
So you're saying the US hasn't depleted their missile stockpiles for their bullshit war in Iran ? Or are you saying that China isn't ramping up production of their own stockpile ?
So you're saying Chinese interest in controlling Taiwan is only a thing since they started making GPUs there ? Or are you saying China has no strategic interest in controlling one access to the South China Sea and is only looking to snatch the TSMC fabs ?
I'll reiterate cause maybe i wrote my first comment poorly : Xi hasn't manipulated Trump into ditching Taiwan. Trump has already announced some time ago that US security assurances are bullshit and that US allies will be left out to dry. But now it's even clearer because the US simply doesn't have the military dominance anymore. They could handle a few weeks of high intensity conflict with China at best before they have to fold and go back home. They got their asses handed to them in Iran imagine the fucking bloodbath if they go to war with a comparable power.
The chip thing is a fig leaf. China has made it so that they don't really depend on this tech, they train their own models on TPUs and older non-embargoed GPUs. The US is obsessed with TSMC but the Chinese not so much because they know they'll never get it. The moment they cross the border the fabs will be blown up.
AliasAKA@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 95d
I think we’re in the “how long for Taiwan to develop a nuke” waiting room right now.
Smoogs@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 94d
Keep in mind taiwan is staunchly conservative.
Taiwan has been backing trump and I’m even suspecting taking part in the voting influence as they really believed he was the only president capable of looking after them and confronting China. They threw all their bets at him out of fear of China.
If you talked to anyone from taiwan in the past several years they couldn’t lick his ass enough. Even if you were to tell them bold faced he’s a racist pedo and they wouldn’t shut up about the US protecting their country and who cares if he raped little girls and send brown people to die so long as they are protected by him.
Take it from someone who’s been talking to conservative relatives in taiwan. It’s been like screaming into the wind. And they even threatened me in 2023 that every country is going conservative and I should just watch out. And they did this with much smirking. They are having their own leapard ate my face moment.
I feel bad for them in the same way I feel bad for MAGAs for voting for him while ignoring all the blatant racism.
DandomRude@piefed.social · 3 pts · 95d
phenomdeez@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 94d
Don't discount SK, Japan, ANZ
MehBlah@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 94d
Only the best Somethingᵀᴹ
someguy3@lemmy.world · 58 pts · 95d
Well the predictions were right, Xi played Trump like a fiddle.
WanderWisley@lemmy.world · 13 pts · 95d
Xi cooked Donny like orange chicken. And Donny will throw Taiwan under the take out truck.
yesman@lemmy.world · 19 pts · 95d
You can't just bully weaker Island nations near your coast just because their's a history of political bad blood.
Pat_Riot@lemmy.today · 39 pts · 95d
Cuba would enter the chat, but they have no electricity to log in with, because of the recent escalation of the US bullying them.
butwhyishischinabook@anarchist.nexus · 3 pts · 94d
Cool so we agree that PRC and USA are both atrociously vile countries that shouldn't be emulated? Right? Right??
Pat_Riot@lemmy.today · 1 pts · 94d
Every country still trying to do colonialism and oppression in 2026 is vile and atrocious. That's not even a real question.
What is it with Lemmy and the fucking purity tests? Folks all looking for some kind of a gotcha moment.
butwhyishischinabook@anarchist.nexus · 2 pts · 94d
Oh sorry, this place is just so flooded with tankies that most of the time I see a post like that it's because they're about to start singing the PRC's praises. It's actually insane.
atomicbocks@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 95d
According to the article that has been posted a million times on Lemmy over the last week, they are the fastest growing solar market right now.
bold_atlas@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 94d
Yeah. But don't worry because Biden banned importation of Chinese solar panels in his last month in office. I guess there were some more important things he should have done on his way out but at least we can sleep sound knowing that Chinese solar panels won't harm us.
someguy3@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 95d
I don't like the situation but that's not what it is. It's a civil war that never ended.
porcoesphino@mander.xyz · -1 pts · 95d
Is Korea a civil war that ended? How about the confederates in the US? The Maori in New Zealand? What's would you say about Yugoslavia?
I think a lot of people see a difference between groups prancing about saying words, and the pragmatic situation.
I'm not saying anything about the ideal outcome for any of those situations I've listed. Just that they've been stable for long enough they fit a definition of "ended", even if over time that situation does change a little and that internal civil wars have a habit of forming new nations even while some groups hold onto the past
someguy3@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 95d
The question is who gets to decide when the war is over. The answer: the belligerants. For decades they both said we are the real China, and we are at war. Taiwan (which is officially the Republic of China, which should illustrate the issue) has never said they are their own country.
And you should do some reading into what makes a country a country. Ciao.
porcoesphino@mander.xyz · -1 pts · 95d
Ahahaha. Fuck off. I've had plenty of friends from Taiwan where I've pointed out they were the Republic of China in their passport and I lived in China too so I'm far from ignorant on this. I'm just pointing out that you clearly have some biases. As do I to be fair but I didn't give my personal position here, just pointed out that you're pushing people in a slightly manipulative way in yours
benjirenji@slrpnk.net · 5 pts · 95d
China would ask "why not?" and "who's gonna stop us?"
mrdown@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 2 pts · 95d
I you sre backed by strong nations than you are not weak
Taldan@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 95d
Considering 2027 is a likely time for China to attack, it's rather problematic that Trump is in charge. I rather like Taiwan being an independent nation
4am@lemmy.zip · 20 pts · 95d
China’s been a year away from attacking Taiwan for as long as:
someguy3@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 95d
Trump being in office heightens that chance. When's the next time they will get an administration that won't intervene?
gnutrino@programming.dev · 3 pts · 95d
The 2027 date comes from a report to congress in 2021 so it's not like it's always been a year away. It was also an estimate for the timescale for China to build up the military capacity to be able to annex Taiwan, AFAIK there's never been an official analysis that they actually would pull the trigger on an invasion on that timescale or any other.
The issue is that if the analysis is correct and if they think whoever comes after Trump would be more likely to defend Taiwan than Trump is then there's an incentive to go while Trump is still president which pretty much would mean striking as soon as they had the capability, I.e. in 2027.
zbyte64@awful.systems · 3 pts · 95d
They already have the capability, Iran is proof of that. The 2027 number is simply to justify the next military budget, which at this point has little influence on the future of Taiwan.
gnutrino@programming.dev · 0 pts · 95d
In what way is Iran proof of China's ability to conduct an amphibious invasion?
zbyte64@awful.systems · 2 pts · 95d
I see how i could have been more explicit. Iran is evidence that the USA can't defend Taiwan in a drawn out war if China decided to invade
Vandalismo@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 95d
Just 72 more hours bro
Pacattack57@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 95d
Magatards running our government better get their heads out of their ass and get this moron out of office. China retaking Taiwan would put us at their mercy for the next 100 years or more.
MyVeryRealName@lemmy.world · -7 pts · 94d
That's a good thing
Tiral@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 94d
Then go live there. If you already do, you're illegally accessing Lemmy, which pretty much solidifies your shitty opinion.
MyVeryRealName@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 92d
You don't need to live in a country to support it.
bold_atlas@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 94d
Eww no American immigrants would turn China into a shit hole. We have to stay here and stew in our mess.
zbyte64@awful.systems · 12 pts · 95d
If China wanted to invade they could do it already and there would be fuck all the states could do about it. Iran is the writing on the wall.
LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net · 11 pts · 95d
Kind of... the issue is conflicts like this are very costly and damaging to the economy.
Thankfully so far China has behaved a bit more rationally than belligerent states like the USA and Russia who are willing to do considerable damage to their own and world economies in an attempt to strengthen their military position. Which makes little sense in a mostly peaceful era. Economic and diplomatic power are more important in the long term, and they're trading that away.
So I predict they will not do it even though you're right that they theoretically could because the smart move is to keep growing your power base. China could be in a class of its own someday if they are smart enough, and then they'll be able to force Taiwanese submission without even invading.
Smoogs@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 94d
And just yesterday they were all living up trumps ass for recognizing them as a sovereign nation back since 2016 actually believing the was going to treat them “better than any Democrat “. Talking to anyone actually in Taiwan would be maga level to talk to about trump regarding him being a pedophile.
Now trump showed them his real colors.
Yeah. Maybe don’t back a pedo when it’s been told to you. He ain’t got your back.
kandoh@reddthat.com · 5 pts · 94d
I think if we've learned anything from the iran fuckup it's that China could easily overcome the US in the region but not the Taiwanese
bold_atlas@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 94d
Yeah Taiwan would do better on it's own. Having the incompetent US military and it's enshitified tech bro equipment around is a major liability.
Lushed_Lungfish@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 94d
Canadian here: What they said.
EyIchFragDochNur@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 95d
I bet by now the dude cries himself to sleep every night hoping it will all be over soon.
BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.cafe · 1 pts · 95d
Look at the map. Taiwan is a miniscule island, extremely close to the Chinese coastline. If they wanted to take it by force, we wouldn't stand a chance in getting it back. Our supply lines stretch for thousands of miles. Theirs are...right over there.
libre_warrior@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 94d
Trump flopping his dick again?
NatakuNox@lemmy.world · -2 pts · 95d
You want to know how dumb Republicans are? Look up 1956 Suaz crisis. The US is making the exact same mistakes. And guess which middle east country convinced the conservative UK and France governments it was a good idea?