International | Semantic strikes

China’s stunning new campaign to turn the world against Taiwan 

Seventy countries have recently backed “all Chinese efforts” to take the island

Photograph: Getty Images

FOR THOSE anxious about Chinese aggression  towards the self-ruled island of Taiwan, there was a welcome signal at the end of Donald Trump’s third week back in the White House. After talks with Ishiba Shigeru, the Japanese prime minister, on February 7th the two leaders said America and Japan “opposed any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion” in relation to Taiwan, which China claims as its own.

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