I find it very difficult to spell ‘manoeuvre’

It sure sounds like China would like more economic concessions from the US.

“Due to the support and connivance of the United States, Taiwan authorities have gone further down the road toward ‘independence’ and the United States is responsible for the current worsening situation across the Taiwan Straits.”

It’s hard to say how serious the Chinese government is. To employ the cliche, they are not above stabbing and hacking their nose off with fishing hooks to spite their face.

There are a huge number of Taiwanese expatriates working in Xiamen. I wonder what would happen to them if hostilities were to break out over the Strait. At that point I’m sure I wouldn’t give a monkeys since I’d be more interested in hightailing it out of here myself.

Neil had to get a job in Xiamen, didn’t he?

• 1 Jun 2004