Source: Christian Science Monitor
by staff
“Taiwan’s elected officials were not given a seat at this week’s summit in Beijing between the American and Chinese leaders. Yet the Taiwanese people – or, rather, their resolve to run a free country by respecting individual sovereignty – were very much there. So much so that China’s overall stated goal for the summit was to gain the United States’ help in breaking Taiwan’s democratic spirit. The specific requests by Chinese leader Xi Jinping are that U.S. President Donald Trump oppose any attempt by Taiwan to officially declare independence and that he end U.S. military sales to the second-freest nation in Asia. Whether Mr. Trump acts on those requests is almost secondary to the fact that Mr. Xi indirectly admits he is failing to break Taiwan’s civic identity of individual freedom and inherent rights.” (05/13/26)
https://www.csmonitor.com/Editorials/the-monitors-view/2026/0513/Taiwan-s-lesson-for-US-China-summit