Taipei, Taiwan
Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian called this week for peace talks with China “to reduce tension and military threats across the Taiwan Strait.” The overture was a surprise, because Chen has long been an outspoken advocate of more independence for Taiwan. China, which considers the island a renegade province, has said that any move toward formal statehood for Taiwan would trigger a war. But now that Chinese President Hu Jintao has formally consolidated power, ending a two-year transition from the rule of Jiang Zemin, improved relations with Taiwan could be in the offing. China is not expected to respond to the peace talks offer, though, until after Taiwan’s December elections.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Nepal chooses toddler as its new ‘living goddess’Under the Radar Girls between two and four are typically chosen to live inside the temple as the Kumari – until puberty strikes
-
October 5 editorial cartoonsCartoons Sunday's political cartoons include half-truth hucksters, Capitol lockdown, and more
-
Jaguar Land Rover’s cyber bailoutTalking Point Should the government do more to protect business from the ‘cyber shockwave’?
