With his usual diplomatic tact, signature gentility and elegant diction, Conrad sweetly calls Wen Jiabao to task for his claims that Taiwan is “abusing democracy.”
As always, Conrad’s writing is instilled with a tender subtlety, a soft-spoken sense of caring, infinite patience and a scholar’s grasp of the Westerner’s need to look at China today within the context of its glorious 5,000-year history.
Oh, and it’s the funniest fucking thing I ever read.
I don’t necessarily agree with all he says (it is kind of extreme) but he sure makes his point.
1
By wayne
I agree with the basic thrust of Conrad’s argument, but I wouldn’t call it “Wen’s folly.” Both Dubya and the entire State Department are really frustrated with Taiwan right now. I wouldn’t call Chen’s proposing a ‘defensive referendum’ on the missiles off of China’s coast “abusing democracy,” but I would certainly call it flirting with disaster.
December 10, 2003 @ 8:47 pm | Comment
2
By vaara
Then again, this is the very same Dubya (and State Department) who, just two and a half years ago, pledged to defend Taiwan if it were ever attacked by the PRC. This was during the airplane incident — you know, the one where Dubya etc. insisted they would never apologize to the Chinese, and a few days later did precisely that.
Bush’s flip-flop regarding Taiwan is a topic on which much of the right-wing blogosphere has been strangely silent.
December 10, 2003 @ 10:55 pm | Comment