[TigerLikesRooster]

Well, if Taiwan pushes ahead with her full sovreignty, a serious clash with China is inevitable. It will greately affect the regional economy, which will have a world-wide implication. It will also figure into the current nuclear standoff with N. Korea. What effect does it have on N. Korea and other regional players?

Especially on the American attempt to enlist Chinese help in resolving N. Korean crisis, which has been the on-again and off-again thing until now. China does not want two concurrent crises on her border, Taiwan independence and N. Korean nukes, in my opinion. China either has to settle one of them or totally ignore one and concentrate on the other. Another important question is, "What would N. Korea do in this situation?"

[Avenger]

One gets the feeling that China is really playing the North Korea nuke thing to its benefit. I don't really see them wanting to achieve a full solution to the problem as this will take away one of their bargining chips. The U.S. on the other hand found that Taiwan was very close to developing a nuke some years ago and forced them to dismantle their program. In retrospect perhaps that was a mistake?

[vanmorrison]

I wonder what the Japanese think about this. I would guess that the Japanese would like to see an independent Taiwan as a counterweight to the rising influence of the mainland Chinese. And the standoff with North Korea is beginning to push the Japanese to consider going nuclear. I look for the Japanese to alter their constitution to start rearming, to the chagrin of all of the Asian countries that were laid low during the Pacific War. But, this time around, the Japanese will be on our side.

What could be better?