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China’s Xi Hosts Former Taiwan President In Beijing, In Rare Meeting Echoing Bygone Era Of Warmer Ties
On Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with a former Taiwanese president who advocates stronger ties with China. This was a very uncommon encounter just weeks before the democratic island swears in a new leader whom Beijing openly despises.
According to state broadcaster CCTV, Ma Ying-jeou, Taiwan’s president from 2008 to 2016, met with Xi on Wednesday afternoon while on an 11-day tour of China.
China’s Xi Hosts Former Taiwan President In Beijing, In Rare Meeting Echoing Bygone Era Of Warmer Ties
The carefully choreographed moment is rich in political symbolism: it marks the first time China’s top leader in Beijing has hosted a former Taiwanese president since Chiang Kai-shek’s Kuomintang (KMT) retreated to Taipei in 1949.
This is Xi’s first meeting with former KMT leader Ma since their historic summit in Singapore in 2015.
However, their reunion illustrates the expanding political split across the Taiwan Strait and how Xi’s increasingly hostile posture toward Taipei has driven more Taiwanese away from China.
In his opening remarks, Xi thanked Ma for opposing “Taiwan independence,” encouraging cross-strait relations, and recognizing that both sides of the strait belong to “one China.”
“Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are all Chinese. “There is no grudge that cannot be settled, no issue that cannot be debated, and no force that can separate us,” Xi told his visitor. “External interference cannot stop the historic trend of the reunion of the family and the country.”
Ma responded by stating that while the two sides of the strait grew under different regimes, the people on both sides were Chinese.
“If a war breaks out between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, it will be an unbearable burden for the Chinese nation,” he added. “I sincerely hope that both sides respect the values and way of life treasured by the people and maintain peace across the strait.”
However, as Xi increases military, economic, and diplomatic pressure on its democratic island neighbor, the appeal of a shared Chinese identity has declined significantly in Taiwan.
That tendency was highlighted in January when Taiwanese voters ignored China’s warnings and gave the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) an unprecedented third term by electing Lai Ching-te, who has long faced Beijing’s anger for defending Taiwan’s sovereignty.
Since then, Beijing has snatched another of Taipei’s dwindling diplomatic allies, increased patrols around Taiwan’s frontline islands after two Chinese fishermen perished in neighboring waters, and continues to fly fighter jets near the self-ruled island.
Ma’s encounter with Xi comes during a busy week of diplomatic action in Washington. President Joe Biden will host the first-ever leaders’ summit involving the United States, Japan, and the Philippines. Joint fears about China’s growing assertiveness under Xi, notably toward Taiwan, are a primary motivation for the summit.
A senior source in Taiwan’s administration informed CNN. Beijing rescheduled the meeting from Monday to coincide with Biden’s summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday.
According to Amanda Hsiao, senior China analyst at the International Crisis Group, China’s pressure methods are meant to drive Taiwan’s next Lai administration into a more accommodating political attitude toward China.
“Ma’s visit continues this effort by underscoring Beijing’s position that cross-strait dialogue is only possible with those in Taiwan who accept the idea that the two sides of the strait belong to ‘one China,'” she said.
Beijing has severed high-level official contacts with Taipei since President Tsai Ing-wen of the DPP took office in 2016. A wave of outrage over Ma’s contentious trade agreement with Beijing served as the impetus for this action, which took advantage of the growing number of Taiwanese voters determined to preserve the island’s unique identity.
Unlike the KMT, the DPP rejects Beijing’s prerequisite for official talks, an agreement in which both sides accept “one China,” albeit with different views.
Official communication is unlikely to restart for Lai, who has pledged to uphold Tsai’s cross-strait policies. Beijing has consistently rejected Lai’s offer of negotiations, describing him as a dangerous separatist and “troublemaker.”
However, by focusing on Ma, who has been out of office for years and has little power to shape Taiwan’s political reality, Beijing may be revealing “its inability to find or cultivate another Taiwanese political figure of comparable stature who is willing to play dove toward Beijing today,” said Wen-Ti Sung, a Taiwan-based fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub.
Ma is becoming a frequent flyer to the Chinese mainland.
China’s Xi Hosts Former Taiwan President In Beijing, In Rare Meeting Echoing Bygone Era Of Warmer Ties
The 73-year-old became Taiwan’s first former president to visit the mainland in late March last year, embarking on a 12-day journey across the Taiwan Strait. However, he was unable to gain a meeting with any member of Beijing’s Politburo Standing Committee, the country’s most powerful body.
This year’s visit, like the previous one, coincided with the Qingming Festival when people pay tribute to deceased family members and worship their ancestors; it also occurred just weeks before Lai’s inauguration as Taiwan’s president on May 20.
He said, “A meeting at this juncture enables Beijing to highlight the shared cultural roots between Taiwan and China and to exert pressure on Taiwan’s next administration.”
“Beijing is using the meeting between Xi and Ma to highlight the credibility and longevity of its carrots – that Beijing is good to its allies, whether incumbent or retired. It sends a message to political leaders around the world that embracing Beijing is a wise long-term investment.”
China’s welcoming of Ma’s visit signals Taiwan and others that peaceful unification by winning hearts and minds remains Beijing’s favored choice, at least for the time being, despite simmering cross-strait tensions, Sung noted.
Carefully edited footage of the talks, which is likely to reach millions of households in China via prime-time television news, sends a message to the Chinese public that unification with Taiwan is still feasible despite the DPP’s historic election triumph.
“For Beijing, Ma’s visit is also a useful way of assuring its domestic audience – ‘We have not lost the hearts and minds of the Taiwanese people, there remains cultural and historical connections that bind us, and the DPP does not represent mainstream Taiwanese views,'” Hsiao, the analyst, said.
Ma’s agenda, including his meeting with Xi, has been widely observed in Taiwan.
“The ruling party DPP will likely play down the significance of Ma’s China visits, preferring to describe it as the private act of tourism by a retiree,” Sung, a member of the Atlantic Council, said.
China’s Xi Hosts Former Taiwan President In Beijing, In Rare Meeting Echoing Bygone Era Of Warmer Ties
“Taiwan’s opposition KMT will be torn – it wishes to celebrate Ma’s achievements with Beijing, but is also hesitant to flaunt it in the face of the Taiwanese electorate, which remains wary about closer cross-strait ties.”
Ma remains a senior member of the KMT, which won the most seats in Taiwan’s parliamentary elections in January but failed to win the presidency for the third time.
The KMT, Taiwan’s largest opposition party, is eager to demonstrate that it is capable of handling relations with both China and the United States, but James Chen, an assistant professor of diplomacy and international relations at Tamkang University, says Ma’s meeting may do more harm than good.
“The DPP and its supporters have questioned Ma’s loyalty at home and labeled the KMT as pro-China.” “Washington, particularly Capitol Hill, may not appreciate Ma’s trip to China due to bipartisan anti-China sentiment,” he stated.
Few experts expect the conference will significantly alter the status quo in cross-strait ties.
“The value of this meeting is primarily in its symbolism – an attempt to shape the cross-strait narrative to both parties’ favor while fundamental political differences remain,” said Hsiao of the International Crisis Group.
However, regardless of the summit’s outcome, Ma believes it will cement his legacy on cross-strait policy.
“He likely wishes to be remembered as the sole Taiwanese leader who can break the ice with Beijing,” he said.
SOURCE – (CNN)
(VOR News) – Among the most major challenges the United States of America’s economy has faced as of 2024 is inflation. Regarding “sticky” prices, it would seem that worries about them will persist as of 2025.
“We expect a slow down from where we are, but to levels that are still uncomfortably high for the Fed,” said Matthew Luzzetti, chief economist at Deutsche Bank, in an interview with Yahoo Finance for the financial news website. Luzzetti was representing Yahoo Finance. Representing Yahoo Finance, the speaker, Luzzetti, was.
Although inflation has been slowing down since the start of this year, it remains constantly higher than the 2% target set by the Federal Reserve over this period.
This remains true despite the slowdown in inflation.
This is so because the monthly “core” price rise measures have exceeded expected values rather noticeably. This leads to this predicament. These estimates incorporate the different prices of food and energy as well.
In November as compared to the same month in the previous year, the core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index and the core Consumer Price Index (CPI) both climbed by 2.8% and 3.3%, respectively.
Considered as fundamental indicators of inflation, both of these indexes The United States’ Central Bank closely monitors both of these indices on a pretty constant basis.
When Luzzetti said, “Inflation is going to be driven primarily by the services side of the economy,” he was referring to basic services like healthcare, insurance, and even airfares as examples of the kinds of services expected to be the main causes of inflation. “Although it’ll come down over the next year, it’s likely that shelter inflation will remain somewhat high.”
The central bank now projects that core inflation will rise to 2.5% in the next year, instead of its earlier estimate of 2.2%. This rises above its earlier projection.
Derived from the most current economic projections released by the Federal Reserve in its Summary of Economic Projections (SEP), this projection was generated earlier this year. After that, the central bank projects that throughout the next years the core inflation rate will drop to 2.2% in 2026 and then to 2.0% in 2027.
This is the central inflation rate projection.
For the most part, the approximations Wall Street is now producing for the broader public match this thesis. According to Bloomberg’s poll, most analysts expect that the core PCE would slow down to 2.5% in 2025. Most of the analysts have foresaw this.
With most analysts projecting a higher reading of 2.4% in comparison to the Fed’s predictions, they predict a considerably slower rate of deceleration in 2026. This outcome much exceeds what the Fed projects. This is a notable discrepancy when compared to the expected real amount.
“The risks are definitely tilted in the direction of higher inflation,” said Oxford Economics senior US economist Nancy Vanden Houten in an interview with Yahoo Finance.
“The risk seem to be pointing in that direction.” “The risks are definitely biassed toward greater inflation.” “A lot of the risk comes from the possibility of certain policies be implemented under the Trump administration on tariffs and on immigration.”
Many analysts believe that the policies President-elect Donald Trump has proposed—that which include high tariffs on imported goods, tax cuts for businesses, and immigration restrictions—have the potential to cause inflation.
These particular actions make it possible that the Federal Reserve’s future direction of action on interest rates will get much more convoluted. This is one possibility.
Chair of the Federal Reserve Jerome Powell said during the news conference following the final interest rate decision of the year that the central bank plans to undertake “significant policy changes.” Made during the press conference, this comment is Still, he underlined that the extent of the policy changes would not be understood until more observation following the announcement.
SOURCE: YN
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(VOR News) – President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Friday to delay the TikTok ban until his administration can find a “political resolution” to the matter.
Conflicting filings filed to the court by TikHub and Vice President Joe Biden’s office led to this request. While the government underlined that the legislation is required to reduce a threat to national security, the corporation claimed that the court should annul a law that would forbid the platform by January 19.
Regarding the fundamental questions under discussion in this debate, the United States President does not express any opinion.
Written by D. John Sauer, Trump’s amicus brief, chosen for solicitor general, politely asks the Court to seek a stay on the divestment deadline of January 19, 2025, while analyzing the merits of the case, without favoring any party. Trump has Sauer nominated as his solicitor general.
The court argument illustrates Trump’s TikTok national concerns before his presidency.
The incoming Republican president has begun conversations with foreign countries regarding his plans to impose tariffs.
Additionally, he has lately intervened in a funding project for the federal government, lobbying for the rejection of a proposal that was supported by both parties and prompting Republicans to reconsider their participation in the negotiations.
In the past, during his first administration, Trump wanted to outlaw the widely used program owing to concerns about its impact on national security.
However, he has since changed his position on the matter. During his campaign for the presidency in 2024, he became a member of the application, and his team made use of it to attract younger voters, particularly males, by sharing information that was frequently hostile and intended to generate virality.
At the beginning of this year, he expressed his belief that he continued to identify concerns to national security associated with TikTok, despite the fact that he was opposed to the prohibition of the app. At the beginning of this month, President Trump met with Shou Chew, the CEO of TikTok, at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
The submissions that were made on Friday come before oral arguments that are scheduled to take place on January 10.
The arguments will be on the legitimacy of the law that requires TikTok to divest from its parent company that is based in China or risk a ban, as well as whether or not the rule unlawfully violates the First Amendment by restricting free speech.
In April, President Joe Biden signed the Act into law after it had been approved by Congress with widespread support from members of both the legislative and executive branches. Following that, TikTok and ByteDance took the initiative to launch a legal dispute.
The act was unanimously upheld by a panel of three federal judges on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit earlier this month, which prompted TikTok to file an appeal with the Supreme Court over the subject.
During his message, President Trump highlighted his determination to address existing problems through political channels after he takes office.
Furthermore, he said that he is opposed to a ban on TikTok at this time.
Legal representatives for TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, argued in their submission to the Supreme Court on Friday that the federal appeals court made a mistake in its conclusion. The conclusion was based on “purported ‘risks’ that China might exert control” over TikTok’s platform in the United States by influencing its international affiliates.
The administration of Vice President Joe Biden has successfully argued in court that TikTok poses a threat to the nation’s security due to the fact that it is affiliated with China.
It has been asserted by the authorities that Chinese authorities have the ability to compel ByteDance to reveal information regarding TikTok users in the United States, or to use the network to either distribute or restrict content.
Nevertheless, the government “acknowledges that it possesses no evidence indicating China has ever made such attempts,” as stated in the court document that TikTok submitted. This statement highlights the fact that the United States’ fears are predicated on prospective dangers in the future.
In its briefing on Friday, the administration of Vice President Joe Biden claimed that TikTok, which is dependent on its proprietary engine that was designed and maintained in China, presents inherent dangers owing to its business structure. TikTok is connected with ByteDance.
SOURCE: NPR
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(VOR News) – The Swedish burial associations aim to ensure Sweden will never be obligated to undertake the burial of thousands of victims in the case of a conflict.
Consequently, they are striving to obtain adequate property for this objective. The national administration of the Church of Sweden has issued specific suggestions, and the search is being conducted in alignment with those guidelines.
The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) and the Swedish Armed Forces together developed a framework for crisis preparedness, which underpins these recommendations.
Russia and Sweden are joining NATO, increasing tensions.
Under the regulations of the Church of Sweden, supported by statutory clauses in Sweden’s Burial Act, burial associations are obligated to guarantee the availability of adequate land within a parish to accommodate the burial needs of approximately five percent of the population, should such a necessity arise.
This obligation arises if the Church of Sweden is mandated to inter a specific proportion of its populace.
The Goteborg Burial Association, located in Sweden’s second-largest city, is currently striving to secure a minimum of 10 acres (40,470 square meters) of land to facilitate urgent casket funerals for approximately 30,000 deceased individuals in the event of a conflict.
This is undertaken to guarantee adequate care for the deceased. Furthermore, to establish cemeteries designated for frequent utilization, Goteborg necessitates an additional 15 acres (60,700 square meters) of property. This is a necessary criterion.
Katarina Evenseth, senior advisor at the Goteborg Burial Association, stated, “The recommendations indicate a necessity for additional land for burial grounds, a phenomenon and challenge prevalent in large cities where land resources are inherently limited and often inadequate to satisfy burial ground requirements, even during periods of tranquility.”
“The recommendations indicate a necessity for additional land designated for burial grounds.” “The recommendations indicate a necessity for additional land designated for burial grounds.”
A vast area appropriate for the establishment of a large-scale cemetery has been selected by the burial association in collaboration with the local municipality.
The municipality is the sole land use authority in Goteborg, Sweden.
Consequently, due to the protracted approval and construction procedure, it is probable that completion may take over ten years, thereby presenting additional challenges in uncertain times.
The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) emphasizes the need of preparedness for emergencies and highlights the efforts in which the Church of Sweden is involved.
Jan-Olof Olsson, a specialist in Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) at MSB, articulated the following observation: “As early as 2015, the Government tasked multiple authorities to recommence civil defense planning.” A multitude of groups have commenced preparations, with the Church of Sweden leading these efforts.
Olsson remarked, “Regrettably, we are increasingly reminded that war may occur, necessitating our preparedness.” A reminder indicates that the probability of war occurring more frequently has escalated.
Sweden has upheld a policy of neutrality since the early 19th century, which persisted until World War II.
In the wake of Russia’s extensive invasion of Ukraine in 2022, there was a notable shift in public perception, prompting Sweden and Finland to submit applications for membership in the transatlantic alliance.
This was a direct result of the significant change in popular sentiment. In response to the perceived threat from their unexpectedly assertive Russian neighbor over the Baltic Sea, this move was implemented to avert further damage.
In November, Sweden and Finland submitted updated editions of their civic preparedness manuals. These guides provided guidelines for survival during a battle. The requirements are comparable to those observed in Denmark and Norway, however Russia is not explicitly mentioned.
SOURCE: AP
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