U.S. to Begin Formal Trade Talks With Taiwan

The Biden administration said on Wednesday that it would begin formal trade negotiations with Taiwan this fall, after several weeks of rising tensions over the island democracy that China claims as its own. The announcement marks a step toward a pact that would deepen economic and technological ties between the United States and Taiwan, after initial talks were announced in June. But relations between the United States and China have markedly deteriorated since then, on the heels of visits by two delegations of U.S. lawmakers to Taiwan this month, including…

China’s Anger Over Pelosi Visit Will Further Alienate Taiwanese

Advertisement In early August, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan provoked protests from top Chinese diplomats, with sharp words around the time. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that U.S. politicians who “play with fire” on the Taiwan issue will “come to no good end.” Zhao Lijian, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, indicated that “there will be serious consequences if she insists on making the visit.” Meanwhile, another Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying, labeled the visit as “a grave political provocation to upgrade U.S. official exchanges with Taiwan.” Pelosi’s…

Chinese government attempts to boost birth rate with new policies

The Chinese government has pledged to improve pre- and post-natal services to encourage more people to have children and reiterated its intent to “discourage” abortions as it seeks to turn around a declining birth rate. The measures announced by the country’s national health commission include a pledge to make fertility treatments more accessible. For several years authorities have flagged expanding IVF access to single women but it remains available only to married couples. A court challenge by a woman was recently struck down. The commission said it would guide local…

Real Estate Crisis Is at the Heart of China’s Economic Troubles

For decades, buying property was considered a safe investment in China. Now, instead of building a foundation of wealth for the country’s middle class, real estate has become a source of discontent and anger. In more than 100 cities across China, hundreds of thousands of Chinese homeowners are banding together and refusing to repay loans on unfinished properties, one of the most widespread acts of public defiance in a country where even minor protests are quelled. The boycotts are part of the fallout from a worsening Chinese economy, slowed by…

The War in Ukraine Is Not a Watershed in China-EU Relations – Yet

Advertisement Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine sent waves across the European continent. To thwart the brutal military offensive right on the EU’s doorstep, Brussels, together with like-minded allies, have adopted seven packages of sanctions against Russia at an impressive speed. While the unprecedented solidarity across the Atlantic is laudable, the harsh truth is that a strong alliance among Western democracies is simply not enough to stall the war machine of the Kremlin. China, as the world’s second largest economy and one of the closest political allies of Russia, is perhaps…