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Michal Thim
Michal Thim is a Taiwan analyst at the Prague-based think tank, Association for International Affairs (AMO), and a member of the Centre for International Maritime Security with a research focus on cross-strait relations, and East and Southeast Asian regional politics and security. Michal was director of the AMO Research Centre from July 2007 until August 2010. He studied in the Asia-Pacific Studies programme at the National Chengchi University (Taiwan) in 2010-2012 and returned to Taiwan in 2014 as a visiting researcher in the Taiwan Fellowship programme.
Michal Thim is a Taiwan analyst at the Prague-based think tank, Association for International Affairs (AMO), and a member of the Centre for International Maritime Security with a research focus on cross-strait relations, and East and Southeast Asian regional politics and security. Michal was director of the AMO Research Centre from July 2007 until August 2010. He studied in the Asia-Pacific Studies programme at the National Chengchi University (Taiwan) in 2010-2012 and returned to Taiwan in 2014 as a visiting researcher in the Taiwan Fellowship programme.
It’s not the size of the most recent arms sale to Taiwan that should bother Beijing, but the increasing frequency of the deals, and that Europe is now getting in on the act.
The US’ increasing interest in countering Beijing’s pressure on Taipei, along with the apparent failure of Taiwan’s opposition to make political gains, indicates the PRC’s approach to cross-strait relations is creating more problems than it solves.
President Xi Jinping’s softer tone on Taiwan during his meeting with a senior Taiwanese politician does not indicate a change in Beijing’s stance.
Given that military force might be China’s only option in its pursuit of Taiwan, the island’s recent drills signal its battle readiness.
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The poaching of Taiwan’s few remaining diplomatic allies may seem a symbolic victory for Beijing, but it will do little to dent the island’s relationships with its unofficial allies.
Beijing’s tough rhetoric on Taiwan is not helping its unification goal and, in fact, provides justification for the sale of American arms for Taiwan’s defence.
