Cornelius Dieckmann

The security of Asia and Europe is closely intertwined. Free movement of goods in the Taiwan Strait is important for prosperity in Europe and worldwide. An escalation there would also affect us. Any change to the status quo must be non-violent and consensual. @aussenminister.diplo.de

Exclusive | Xi Is Chasing Huge Concession From Trump: Opposing Taiwan Independence The Chinese leader views President Trump’s eagerness for a trade deal as an opportunity to press for his top goal.

Such wording is often much more than pure semantics. As a reminder, Xi has apparently been chasing a big concession from Trump: that the U.S. say it “opposes” Taiwan independence rather than just “does not support”, as @lingling-wei.bsky.social reported here.

www.wsj.com/world/china/...

For example, the State Department said this in April:

www.state.gov/response-to-...

I’m thinking about why this says the U.S. “does not support” unilateral change to Taiwan‘s status quo. Why not “opposes”, as the U.S. has said before?

Purposeful, yet diplomatically veiled, softening of U.S. position as a concession to Beijing? Overthinking?Thoughts?

PDF: www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/u...

In the long term, maintaining American economic and technological preeminence is the surest way to deter and prevent a large-scale military conflict. A favorable conventional military balance remains an essential component of strategic competition. There is, rightly, much focus on Taiwan, partly because of Taiwan’s dominance of semiconductor production, but mostly because Taiwan provides direct access to the Second Island Chain and splits Northeast and Southeast Asia into two distinct theaters. Given that one-third of global shipping passes annually through the South China Sea, this has major implications for the U.S. economy. Hence deterring a conflict over Taiwan, ideally by preserving military overmatch, is a priority. We will also maintain our longstanding declaratory policy on Taiwan, meaning that the United States does not support any unilateral change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.

We will build a military capable of denying aggression anywhere in the First Island Chain. But the American military cannot, and should not have to, do this alone. Our allies must step up and spend—and more importantly do—much more for collective defense. America’s diplomatic efforts should focus on pressing our First Island Chain allies and partners to allow the U.S. military greater access to their ports and other facilities, to spend more on their own defense, and most importantly to invest in capabilities aimed at deterring aggression. This will interlink maritime security issues along the First Island Chain while reinforcing U.S. and allies’ capacity to deny any attempt to seize Taiwan or achieve a balance of forces so unfavorable to us as to make defending that island impossible. A related security challenge is the potential for any competitor to control the South China Sea. This could allow a potentially hostile power to impose a toll system over one of the world’s most vital lanes of commerce or—worse—to close and reopen it at will. Either of those two outcomes would be harmful to the U.S. economy and broader U.S. interests. Strong measures must be developed along with the deterrence necessary to keep those lanes open, free of “tolls,” and not subject to arbitrary closure by one country. This will require not just further investment in our military—especially naval—capabilities, but also strong cooperation with every nation that stands to suffer, from India to Japan and beyond, if this problem is not addressed.

Given President Trump’s insistence on increased burden-sharing from Japan and South Korea, we must urge these countries to increase defense spending, with a focus on the capabilities—including new capabilities—necessary to deter adversaries and protect the First Island Chain. We will also harden and strengthen our military presence in the Western Pacific, while in our dealings with Taiwan and Australia we maintain our determined rhetoric on increased defense spending. Preventing conflict requires a vigilant posture in the Indo-Pacific, a renewed defense industrial base, greater military investment from ourselves and from allies and partners, and winning the economic and technological competition over the long term.

The Trump admin’s new National Security Security prioritises the Western Hemisphere, but does devote significant space to Asia & the Indo-Pacific.

The China portions are focused on trade imbalances. But there’s also quite a bit on military deterrence.

Here are the parts on Taiwan (emphasis added):

YouTube video by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Auswärtige Politik e.V. China Revisited: Wadephul's Trip to Beijing amid Regional Quarrel over Taipei

Ahead of 🇩🇪 FM Wadephul’s Beijing trip next week, our Morning Briefing features experts from 🇯🇵, 🇹🇼 & 🇩🇪 to unpack rising Taiwan Strait tensions, EU/German de-risking, Beijing’s posture, and what this means for Europe’s China policy.

Watch it here: 👇
youtu.be/cHeFOQv9byo

The Dutch did not leave many loanwords in Taiwan, but those they did leave are super interesting. You'd think that the word for cabbage, gaolicai 高麗菜, means 'Korean vegetable'? Nah. Say it in Hokkien: Ko-lê(-tshài), from Dutch 'kool' (Ger. Kohl, engl. cole) XD 😁

Erhellendes Stück des SPIEGEL-Kollegen Cornelius Dieckmann, der auch bei Bluesky ist unter

@codieckmann.bsky.social

#Folgeempfehlung www.spiegel.de/ausland/us-r...

(S+) Shutdown in den USA endet: Demokraten streiten über Strategie gegen Trump Abtrünnige Demokraten beenden den längsten Regierungsstillstand der US-Geschichte. Gerade noch im Aufwind, entzweit sich die Partei nun darüber, wie sie Trump bekämpfen soll: mit Totalopposition oder ...

Wenn die Demokraten eines beherrschen, dann den Selbsthass.

Zum Shutdown-Ende @spiegel.de

www.spiegel.de/ausland/shut...

Taiwan Appeals to Europe in Bid to Secure Friends Beyond Trump As anxiety over Donald Trump’s commitment to protecting Taiwan from Chinese military aggression lingers in Taipei, the island’s officials are fanning out across Europe to shore up friendships.

Interesting from Bloomberg on Hsaio's euro-trip

"Taiwanese officials secured permission from the Belgium and German governments for Hsiao’s trip, as well as the bloc’s diplomatic arm"

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

(S+) Taiwan und China: Inselrepublik feiert diplomatischen Erfolg in Europa Gerade einmal zwölf Staaten weltweit unterhalten diplomatische offizielle Beziehungen zu Taiwan, umso bedeutsamer, dass Politikerinnen des Landes gerade in Europa diplomatische Erfolge feiern. Doch di...

Flug CI61 quert auf dem Weg von Taipeh nach Frankfurt gewöhnlich Chinas Luftraum. Vergangenen Sonntag lieber nicht. An Bord: Taiwans Ex-Präsidentin Tsai.

Über Taiwans diplomatische Europa-Erfolgswoche (Tsai-Rede in Berlin, VP Hsiao im EU-Parlament) @spiegel.de

www.spiegel.de/ausland/taiw...

Taiwan’s former president Tsai Ing-wen speaks in Berlin:

“Making ourselves resilient in the face of authoritarian challenges is the key to our survival. In Taiwan, we know what resilience looks like. We understand all too well the danger posed by those who exploit democracy’s imperfections.”

Japan’s Takaichi Defends Taiwan Remarks After Chinese Criticism Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Monday defended her description of a conflict over Taiwan as potentially amounting to an existential risk for Japan after a Chinese diplomat accused her of me...

It appears that China’s consul-general in Osaka threatened Japan’s prime minister Takaichi in a now-deleted tweet: “If you go sticking that filthy neck where it doesn’t belong, it’s gonna get sliced right off. You ready for that?”

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Full text of Vice President Hsiao's speech at 2025 IPAC summit - Focus Taiwan Taiwan's Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) visited the European Parliament in Brussels on Friday, where she addressed the summit of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC).

“We believe truth is not dictated by algorithms or autocrats, and that international rules are not a menu – they are the foundation for peaceful coexistence.”

Taiwan VP Hsiao Bi-khim at the IPAC summit in the European Parliament in Brussels

focustaiwan.tw/politics/202...

According to Flightaware.com, so far this month, CI61 overflew the PRC’s Guangxi Autonomous Region every day with the exception of the 6th (and the flight Tsai was on).

www.instagram.com/p/DQzMGKlEk0...

Taiwan’s ex-president Tsai Ing-wen has landed in Germany. She’s to speak at a Berlin conference Monday.

Tsai flew commercial on China Airlines, Taipei to Frankfurt, notably avoiding PRC airspace. Usually CI61 overflies Guangxi. A passenger on the flight told me crew cited the weather when asked.

Berlin friends: Highly recommend Joseph’s groundbreaking research on Xi sr.!👇

The view from Taipei

“Taiwan never came up, it was not discussed actually”: Trump on Xi meeting.

This was one year ago:

China droht: Wie Taiwan um den Beistand von Trump kämpft

Dazu auch unsere neue Folge des @derspiegel-Podcasts Shortcut 👇

Audio: open.spotify.com/episode/6ozj...

Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nYx...

(S+) USA-China-Gipfel: Wenn Donald Trump und Xi Jinping reden, wird Taiwan nervös Donald Trump und sein Erzrivale Xi Jinping wollen einen Handelsdeal schließen. Warum das von Peking bedrohte Taiwan einen Pakt zwischen den Weltmächten fürchtet.

Donald Trump und Xi Jinping wollen morgen einen Handelsdeal schließen. Für die Taiwaner bedeutet das angespannte Stunden – und Erinnerungen an ein altes Trauma.

Analyse auf @spiegel.de (thanks @williamyang120.bsky.social)

www.spiegel.de/ausland/usa-...

Taiwan Is Not for Sale America can make a good deal with China without abandoning the island.

Very much worth reading. This piece also draws attention to a fundamental problem: Progress in the Taiwan Strait is incremental progress – inch by near-invisible inch. But Trump doesn’t do, or understand, incremental.

www.foreignaffairs.com/taiwan/taiwa...

(S+) Sojakrieg am Mississippi: Chinas Rache an Trumps Bauern Iowas Sojabauern wählten Trump. Doch seine Zölle kosten sie ihren Hauptkunden China. Ausgerechnet hier, wo einst ein junger Agrarbeamter namens Xi Jinping aufkreuzte – der bis heute eine Brieffreundsc...

Iowas Sojabauern wählten Trump. Doch seine Zölle kosten sie ihren Hauptkunden China. Ausgerechnet hier, wo einst ein junger Agrarbeamter namens Xi Jinping aufkreuzte, der bis heute eine Brieffreundschaft mit einer Seniorin pflegt.

Reportage aus Muscatine @spiegel.de

www.spiegel.de/ausland/chin...

(S+) Sojakrieg am Mississippi: Chinas Rache an Trumps Bauern Iowas Sojabauern wählten Trump. Doch seine Zölle kosten sie ihren Hauptkunden China. Ausgerechnet hier, wo einst ein junger Agrarbeamter namens Xi Jinping aufkreuzte – der bis heute eine Brieffreundsc...

Die Sojabauern im 🇺🇸 Bundesstaat Iowa wählten #Trump. Doch seine #Zölle kosten sie ihren Hauptkunden #China 🇨🇳. Ausgerechnet hier, wo einst Xi Jinping als junger Agrarbeamter aufkreuzte – der bis heute eine Brieffreundschaft mit einer Seniorin pflegt. Spannende Reportage von @codieckmann.bsky.social.

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Trump ohne Torerfolg: DFB-Elf überzeugt mit klarem Sieg gegen Luxemburg

(Wie sich 2025 anfühlt)

Behind Taiwan’s ‘unification’ party, Chinese espionage — and a criminal gang The murky activities of the Chinese Unification Promotion Party show how Beijing is using organized crime to extend its reach in Taiwan.

Behind Taiwan’s ‘unification’ party, Chinese espionage—and a criminal gang – The Washington Post: ‘Taipei’s concern that the CUPP is a fifth column is bolstered, according to officials and crime analysts, by the group’s access to weapons.’

(S+) Donald Trumps Rache an James Comey: Die Anklage gegen den Ex-FBI-Chef ist ein Tabubruch Bei seinem Feldzug gegen politische Gegner macht Donald Trump einen krassen Schritt: Eine von ihm handverlesene Staatsanwältin hat Ex-FBI-Chef James Comey angeklagt, obwohl ihr eigenes Team offenbar Z...

Trumps Rachejustiz kennt keine Tabus. Die Anklage gegen Ex-FBI-Chef James Comey ist ein unverhohlener Vergeltungsakt. Er markiert die Vollendung der politischen Abrichtung des US-Justizministeriums. @spiegel.de

www.spiegel.de/ausland/dona...