Xi's plan for Taiwan + Election in Australia • China.Table

Interview: Alexander Goerlach sees Taiwan at risk
Australia election – focus on China
Cooperation with German universities benefits China’s military
German government: better protect human rights lawyers
German Parliament: strengthen Taiwan’s role in WHO
Yellen wants to abolish tariffs
China proposes BRICS expansion
Airline industry suffers bitter Covid losses
Profile: Haining (Helen) Feng – musical multi-talent

Dear reader,

Xi Jinping currently has his hands full: The Covid pandemic has flared up again, growth has slowed, and foreign investors are threatening to leave. So no more time for conflict with Taiwan? A false assumption, Alexander Goerlach warns in an interview with Michael Radunski. Xi has the clear goal of annexing the island republic in his lifetime. Given his not-so-youthful age of 69, analysts are already discussing possible invasion dates. Russia’s costly invasion of Ukraine will not deter Xi, according to Goerlach. You could shrug that off as mere alarmism, since none of us can predict the future. But Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has also surprised many observers.

Australia also plays an important role in the global power struggle for influence in the Indo-Pacific. “Down Under” recently experienced firsthand what it means when Beijing becomes active in its own “backyard”. The Chinese treaty with the Solomon Islands left Australia in shock. With it, China directly pushes into Canberra’s sphere of influence. On Sunday, Australians will elect a new prime minister, and China plays a big role in the election campaign, Christiane Kuehl reports.

The German government can soon expect diplomatic headwinds from the Far East. Yesterday, the Federal Parliament voted in favor of greater Taiwanese participation in the World Health Organization. This is a thorn in Beijing’s side, because it smells of a diplomatic upgrade for Taiwan.

Your
Nico Beckert

Interview

‘China wants to make the Western Pacific its sea’

Alexander Goerlach – China expert and book author

While the world watches the Ukraine war in shock, Alexander Goerlach warns of a much more dangerous conflict: He believes that China will attack Taiwan in a few years. But that is only the beginning. The plan is to change the world order. He accuses German politicians of being lazy.

By
Michael Radunski

China’s President Xi Jinping can see right now in the Ukraine war how a large and militarily superior country may be defeated by a supposedly inferior nation. Many believe this has made war by China against Taiwan less probable. In your current book, “Alarmstufe Rot” (Red Alter) you argue the contrary: China will soon seize Taiwan. What leads you to this conclusion?

Because there are many parallels between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin. What is perhaps most important is that they both believe that they have been chosen by history to return their country to its former glory. And this creates a certain sense of urgency.

But China is becoming more powerful compared to Taiwan anyway. You could say: time is on China’s side.

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