■"China's Army May Respond If Taiwan Fully Secedes: A legislative tactic hints again at military action by Beijing," by Joseph Kahn, New York Times, 18 December 2004, p. A7.
This is real news alright. China's legislature "indicates" that it is "preparing" a "law" that will "possibly mandate" a military action "if" Taiwan "were to declare independence."
Check out this bold reporting even in the title: may, if, fully, tactic, hints, again.
Hu Jintao is making clear that the mainland is prepared to go through with its threat to militarily threaten Taiwan if the latter goes out of its way to signal that it will never allow reunification with China. Note that that's not a threat to invade Taiwan if it does nothing to change the status quo.
So if Taiwan never pisses China off unduly, nothing happens—and now China is threatening to make that notion a "law" on its books. Wow. That is news, because it's such a vast change from the last three decades of hints, maybes, and indications.
Tell me which side America really needs to keep an eye on in this situation.
Ah, but if I don't hype this scenario as any analyst worth his salt does (a great naval phrase, if ever there was one), then how can I possibly continue working for the Department of Navy?
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