A Confused Ma

As Ma Ying-jeou was wrapping up his tour of Taiwan's allies in the Pacific, he commented that checkbook diplomacy is no longer being used, and that countries such as Australia should start up relations with Taiwan (read trade agreement) just as a trade agreement is on deck for Taiwan and China. Furthermore, he uses China as an example of how countries should have closer contact with Taiwan and have better relations, just as China has done.

What? To most of the world outside of the Taiwan Straits, in general China is viewed as a threat to Taiwan. We all know about the media propaganda that the minute Ma Ying-jeou stepped into office, relations between the Taiwan straits have improved. You know what actually has improved? China's military advantage against Taiwan. The latest U.S. military report on the regional area in Pacific Asia is:

The build-up of Chinese armed forces is continuing "unabated" and Beijing's goals appears to be power projection beyond Asia and to challenge America's freedom of action in the region, a top US admiral has said.

So how exactly are ballistic missiles aimed at Taiwan good for Taiwanese? If this is the type of "better relations" that Ma thinks of, perhaps he shouldn't be president in 2012.