Oh My God.....

Hmmm...That does muddy the waters a bit, doesn't it?

Just see if they get any juicy contracts to help rebuild Midland, Texas, after Georgie is out of office . . .

I think it's about time that Taiwan finally tells the world what everyone knows, but is afraid to say outloud for fear of upsetting the ChiComs.

Taiwan is a free and independent country and should be proud to proclaim it from the highest mountaintop.

Taiwan is not a part of China!
Taiwan is an independent country and we must let the world to know!

Bush is obviously a commie lover and more concerned with the money from a billion potential customers than standing up for what's right. What a worthless piece of scum that putrid little f**k is.

The Chinese are among the most calculating human beings on the planet Earth.

Neither side is going to paint themselves into a corner -- and both sides know how to word things in a way that makes it look as though something is being said -- when it really ain't.

This game has a very, very long way to go -- and my guess at the moment is that Taiwan will one day beg to be re-admitted to the mainland, because mainland China will more than likely one day be billed as "one of the world's only two super powers" -- if not "the world's only super power."

China is on the move big-time!

How very charming, Frank.

Yep, that figures. I'm a very charming guy!

With reference to that bit of specious prejudice, i would refer you to your comment to me in the thread i started on tribalism.

Wake up!

Right, Frank . . . of course, your idea of "waking up" means that i would agree with whatever you write, huh?

I've a Chinese-American friend, and she's not calculating at all. Smart, but hardly Machiavellian. Perhaps she's the exception that proves the rule?

We tend to focus on the Middle East and neglect the issue of China. The fact is - with about 1/6th of the worlds population and an exploding economy - China is the next superpower, and frankly, the biggest and only real threat to the current American economic and military domination of the world.

The Chinese know the tables are turning in thier favor, and they are not quesy about flexing thier muscles. Remember, a few years ago, when America asked them to de-value thier currency or face the consequences. They basically told us "No, do whatever you want, we don't need you anyway." And, they are right - China doesn't need America.

With regards to the 'calculating' nature of the Chinese: I wouldn't say they are neccessarily calculating, but there is no disputing that the Chinese have an esteemed history that puts Western and Islamic civilizations to shame. This is often forgotten because, unlike the West and Islam, Chinese civilization was never ecumenical in its appraoch to world affairs.