![\"These](\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/resizer\/2ziOO7esmb0VwCbLuLYYLQBO5NU=\/arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost\/public\/GJFNCVVZGU3ALFGR3TIWWHS5OA.jpg\")
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China sends warplanes to harass Taiwan \u2013 again. The Chinese government is not only hassling Taiwan by refusing to recognize Taiwanese autonomy, but is also poking and pinching its other neighbors, e.g., the island nation of Palau and then there’s also that border dispute China has with India.<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.military.com\/daily-news\/2021\/01\/24\/us-reaffirms-taiwan-support-after-china-sends-warplanes.html<\/a><\/p>\n From the article:\u00a0 Taiwan\u2019s Defense Ministry said China on Saturday sent eight bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons and four fighter jets into airspace just southwest of the island, part of a long-standing pattern of Chinese incursions aimed at pressuring the government of President Tsai Ing-wen into caving to Beijing\u2019s demand that she recognize Taiwan as a part of Chinese territory.<\/p>\n The latest Chinese overflight came on the heels of President Joe Biden\u2019s inauguration, emphasizing the island’s enduring position in the panoply of divisive issues between the sides that also include human rights, trade disputes and, most recently, questions about China’s initial response to the coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n Biden’s administration has shown little sign of reducing pressure on China over such issues, although it is seen as favoring a return to more civil dialogue. In another sign of support for Taiwan, the island’s de-facto ambassador to Washington, Hsiao Bi-khim, was an invited guest at Biden’s inauguration.<\/p>\n And in a final swipe at China, the Trump administration\u2019s outgoing U.N. ambassador tweeted that it\u2019s time for the world to oppose China\u2019s efforts to exclude and isolate Taiwan, drawing sharp criticism from Beijing. – article<\/p>\n With Beijing putting pressure on Taiwan, and the USA supporting the Taiwanese government, was the US government premature in giving up our bases in the Philippines? I kmow: that’s southeast Asia, but the Philippines do have an oceanic reserve area in the South China Sea and China has been building artificial islands for air bases not too far away from that preserve, as shown on the Wapo map above. Some of those artificial islands are starting to sink, too. It’s almost as though China is ponying up for some sort of conflict, which drags up that eternal question: Can’t we all just get along?<\/p>\n Here\u2019s some relevant information from last September (2020), regarding that very question.<\/p>\n