Source: Christian Science Monitor
by staff
“The voters of Taiwan were not at the table today when U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met. Their summit was designed to lessen tensions between the two largest military powers in East Asia – especially over the flashpoint of Taiwan. Yet the voices of people from the self-ruled nation were clearly present with a message of peaceful stability against Mr. Xi’s threat of taking the island by force. Just before the summit, a poll of Taiwanese people showed 83.7% agree that the future of the country should be decided by its citizens. An even higher percentage prefer the status quo in relations with China, or the de facto independence enjoyed by the island’s 23 million people. ‘In the midst of tremendous internal and external pressures, Taiwan’s democracy has grown and thrived … and we have emerged with even greater resilience,’ Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said last month.” (11/15/23)