Source: Global Times
【Global Times Special Correspondent Chen Lifei】Green Camp failed to see the United States' support for Tsai Ing-wen's "transit" as hoped, and the "transit" briefing before leaving was temporarily stopped by the US State Department, former US Secretary of State Pompeo did not attend the so-called "award" ceremony of the Hudson Institute, and even the invitation letter of the Hudson Institute did not print Tsai Ing-wen's name, only "a very special guest" to bring ... Various "transit" encounters have sparked heated discussions on the island.
The rest of the "diplomatic relations" are crumbling
According to Taiwan's United News Network reported on April 2, Tsai Ing-wen ended her "transit" trip to New York on the morning of March 31, local time, and went to Guatemala. On the eve of Tsai Ing-wen's arrival at her destination, news spread that "Guatemala will send a high-level diplomat to China in the near future." In response to this news, at a regular press conference of the Chinese Foreign Ministry on March 31, spokesman Mao Ning said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Honduras, 182 countries in the world have established diplomatic relations with China, which fully shows that the one-China principle is the general international righteousness, the will of the people, and the trend of the times, and no force can stop it. Engaging in "Taiwan independence" separatist activities runs counter to the will and interests of the Chinese nation and goes against the trend of history. "We hope that Guatemala will recognize the general trend and make the right choice at an early date."
After Honduras "severed diplomatic relations" with Taiwan, Taiwan's remaining "diplomatic relations" relations were also shaky. Taiwan's "China Times" disclosed on the 2nd that Paraguay is about to hold a general election on April 30, although the ruling party National Republican Union ("Red Party") presidential candidate Pena "stands up for Taiwan", but the real radical liberal party candidate known as the "Blue Party" Allegre said a few days ago that if elected, he will rethink relations with Taiwan and assess whether maintaining relations with Taiwan can make up for the loss of not establishing diplomatic relations with the mainland. Taiwan's foreign-related officials frankly said that after Taiwan and Hong Kong "severed diplomatic relations," there was great pressure on foreign museums in Central and South America; at the beginning of this year, former Paraguayan President Patisse was subjected to economic sanctions by the US Treasury Department on the grounds of corruption and all assets in the United States were frozen. These assets are an important source of funds to support the "red party" candidates, and their freezing has led to the shortage of funds for the "red party", in addition, the candidates' poll data is also poor, and the gap between the original and the "blue party" candidate of nearly 20 percentage points has been narrowed to nearly 10 percentage points, which has made Taiwan's "diplomatic" personnel quite nervous. As for Guatemala, elections will be held on June 25, and in recent years, Guatemala has seen poor security, widespread corruption, and dissatisfaction with the ruling party, with more than 20 people interested in running this time.
The invitation has no name or location
Before going to Guatemala, Tsai Ing-wen's "transit" was cold everywhere. In addition to the "transit" briefing will be temporarily canceled by the US State Department, many of Tsai Ing-wen's activities in New York have also been "cold-treated" by the United States. Taiwan's Zhongshi News Network reported on the 2nd that when Tsai Ing-wen "transited" New York Airport, the length of the airport red carpet was less than 10 meters, and the former foreign affairs official of the Taiwan region said that the length of the red carpet reflects the attitude of the United States, and the United States defines Tsai Ing-wen's "transit" as a private trip, which is also the worst treatment of all Tsai Ing-wen's "transit". At Tsai Ing-wen's overseas Chinese banquet in New York, only the governor of New Jersey was present, and the governor of New York and New York dignitaries did not attend, and senior media person Yin Naijing said, "Tsai Ing-wen is somewhat treated coldly."
In addition, the important thing for Tsai Ing-wen to "transit" New York this time is to accept the so-called "award" of the Hudson Institute, a US think tank. The institute, headquartered in Washington, chose to hold an "award" ceremony in a New York hotel, and the China Times also reported that Pompeo, who was previously rumored to attend the "award" ceremony, did not attend. The Hudson Institute's invitation did not print either the location of the event or Tsai's name, but only "a very special guest."
Some foreign media reported that because the United States did not want to give Beijing an "excuse for overreacting", Tsai Ing-wen's return trip to "transit" Los Angeles was also canceled when she was scheduled to give a speech at the Reagan Library. In response, the Taiwan authorities responded that the relevant itinerary is still being arranged. Xie Hanbing, a media person, said that Tsai Ing-wen is already on the itinerary and is still arranging it, is it to recreate Chen Shui-bian's "diplomatic trek"?
According to the previous itinerary, after staying two nights in Guatemala and Belize, Tsai Ing-wen will "transit" Los Angeles, USA, and is expected to meet with House Speaker McCarthy on April 5, Western Time. Liao Daqi, a professor at the Institute of Political Science at Sun Yat-sen University in Kaohsiung, said that the cancellation of Tsai Ing-wen's briefing by the United States and Pompeo's failure to attend the "award" are a signal that the future meeting between Tsai Ing-wen and McCarthy is not necessarily face-to-face, and there may be a compromise, such as through video. Yang Yongming, Taiwan's former "deputy secretary-general of the National Security Council", believes that the Biden administration has expressed its desire to resume dialogue and communication with the mainland by controlling Tsai Ing-wen's "transit".
Taiwan people: Tsai Ing-wen's "transit" should be paid for at her own expense
Tang Shaocheng, a researcher at the Center for International Relations at Taiwan's Chengchi University, said on April 1 that the United States may be in a dilemma about the meeting between Tsai Ing-wen and McCarthy. The United States feels that Chinese mainland is becoming more and more important, so it must reduce Taiwan's role and Tsai Ing-wen's "transit" is best "safely passed." Retired lieutenant general Shuai Huamin believes that the dilemma Tsai Ing-wen is now facing "is to break the rock-solid myth of the United States and Taiwan", and the United States does not even do the friendship of landlords, and Tsai Ing-wen is running for nothing this time.
Jie Wenji said that compared with the previous six transits, Tsai Ing-wen's external speech this time was the most cautious, and the nature of the "transit" and the people she would contact were officially explained by the US spokesperson, which shows that the Biden administration does not want to let this "transit" be extraneous, and blocked the propaganda space for the Taiwan authorities to try to tone this "transit" as a "new breakthrough in US-Taiwan relations".
In addition to being snubbed on her way to the United States, Tsai's "transit" has not received support from the islanders, with a March 30 poll showing that 94 percent of the islanders believe that the cost of Tsai's "transit" to the United States should be borne by Tsai personally. Netizens left messages one after another, saying, "You should pay for yourself!" This is a private itinerary, why should ordinary Taiwanese pay? Others said bluntly, "Don't go to war, you want peace." There is no point in Tsai Ing-wen going to the United States, it can only make the cross-strait situation more tense."