Opinion | Taiwan must exercise restraint, not engage in political theatre
Taipei’s current trajectory – refusing dialogue, consolidating power, courting Western applause – risks everything
Only fools fail to see how very brittle our world is. Technological upheaval, climate instability and geopolitical entropy have rendered the international order fragile. Institutional trust is eroding. In such a time, the wisest act may be restraint.
From Beijing’s perspective, the choreography looks coordinated. Taiwan courts applause, Japan signals readiness and both actions unfold within hours of each other. It feels like encirclement. The symbolism matters. The timing of the two moves counts and the message has been received.
Whether one sees the Taiwanese vice-president’s appearance in Brussels as historic, it was certainly meant to be incendiary to Beijing.