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It's pretty clear to me that China intends for it to be, and look like, an escalation, even if ambiguously so. They're posturing on the new admin, knowing that
by beerandt 6y ago
It's pretty clear to me that China intends for it to be, and look like, an escalation, even if ambiguously so.
They're posturing on the new admin, knowing that the Whitehouse really doesn't want to escalate. A China flex without a comparable US (escalated) response would be huge for China's superpower aspirations right now.
If it backfires, then China can fall back to the position that they intended it to be reciprocal in order to save face.
- dirtyid 6y agoA couple factors: Wait until "doomsday clown" Pompeo out of the office, to mitigate damage. Biden invited Taiwan's "ambassador" to inauguration, a first. I don't know which event proceeds what, but this might call for separate response. There's no space for face-saving on Taiwan redline. Off to a rough start.