US could tap top economic rival’s greatest fear with one move

Published

2 years ago

April 8, 2023

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close video US has ‘very narrow’ retaliation options against China: Michael Pillsbury

Hudson Institute Director of the Center on Chinese Strategy Michael Pillsbury says China’s ‘greatest fear’ is that the U.S. will officially announce Taiwan is independent from China.

As China vows to take "resolute and forceful" measures against Taiwan after its president’s meeting with U.S. lawmakers, one foreign policy expert signaled the Chinese Communist Party’s strong words could be knocked down like a facade with one swift move from American defenses.

"[China's] greatest fear is that we will go ahead and announce that Taiwan is not a part of China. We've come close to that over the last 50 years, Japan gave it up in the San Francisco Peace Treaty of 1951, but no one's ever been assigned Taiwan," Hudson Institute Director of the Center on Chinese Strategy Michael Pillsbury said Friday on "Varney & Co."

On Thursday, Beijing's Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed it would take action to "defend [its] sovereignty and territorial integrity," urging that the U.S. "not go further down the wrong and dangerous path."

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was joined by a bipartisan group to meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen earlier this week, reportedly discussing America’s "unwavering support" for Taiwan amid rising, hostile political and military tensions with China, the speaker had said in a press conference.

CHINA CATCHING UP WITH U.S. ON AI, MAY NATIONALIZE DEVELOPMENT, HARVARD REPORT WARNS

While talks about Taiwan-China relations are taking place at home, a separate group of bipartisan lawmakers, led by Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, is on a three-day trip to Taipei where they’re expecting to discuss delayed weapon delivery.

President Biden is playing a “dangerous game” with China, Hudson Institute Director of the Center on Chinese Strategy Michael Pillsbury said Friday on “Varney & Co.” (Getty Images)

"That's the real issue — if there is an attack and use of force, Taiwan says it will announce 'we're independent,' and provoke an even greater conflict," Pillsbury said. "So this is a dangerous game that the Biden administration is playing, by not forwarding these weapons to Taiwan, that Taiwan has paid for."

"The delegation in Taiwan right now from Congress, bipartisan delegation, they're making this point: Where are these $19 billion worth of weapons, once paid for, but never been delivered? Part of it may be the drawdown because of Ukraine," the expert continued. close video China getting ‘cheap layups’ due to ‘American weakness’ and ‘passivity’ from Biden: Steve Yates

America First Policy Institute senior fellow Steve Yates argues Congress is ‘on the right sheet of music’ with China relations, while the Biden administration is ‘pretty conflicted.’

China recognizes that no country has a declared military alliance with Taiwan and feels the U.S. is distracted by the war in Ukraine, Pillsbury argued while noting White House officials have been "quite vague" about the support American forces are willing to give.

"It looks like the Chinese believe that the Americans are too tied down, too bogged down with the Ukrainian effort, and therefore they might not come to the aid of Taiwan in the event of a limited attack," the Hudson Institute director said. "They see Taiwan more as a duck that's waiting to be attacked, not a really strong power and certainly not yet a porcupine."

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE close video Biden ‘totally misguided’ on how to deal with China: Gordon Chang

Gatestone Institute senior fellow Gordon Chang argues the U.S. should be militarily prepared to defend Taiwan against China.

The Biden administration is "playing with fire" while China has a "wide range of options" for retaliation, the policy expert warned, while urging caution when within the CCP’s territory.

"This is Chinese territorial waters, so they have the right to stop and search any ship that goes there. They claim that our aircraft carriers when they pass through need permission from China. We don't ask for permission," Pillsbury said. "So there's a very wide range of options China can choose from. On the American side, our range of options is very limited, very narrow, given our past policy."

Sports

Mets sit banged up McNeil, Nimmo vs. Nationals

Published

2 hours ago

August 21, 2025

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Mets sit banged up McNeil, Nimmo vs. Nationals

Associated Press

Aug 21, 2025, 03:26 PM ET

WASHINGTON — Jeff McNeil has a sore right shoulder, the latest nagging injury for the New York Mets as they try to recover from a late-summer swoon.

McNeil was out of the lineup for Thursday’s series finale at Washington, with Brett Baty starting at second base. One of the Mets’ most consistent hitters, McNeil went 4 for 8 with a homer, two doubles and five RBI in the previous two games against the Nationals.

“It doesn’t bother him to swing the bat. It’s just more the throwing,” manager Carlos Mendoza said.

The shoulder problem began late last week, Mendoza said, which is why McNeil started at designated hitter on Saturday and Sunday.

Brandon Nimmo was also out of the lineup Thursday with the stiff neck that forced him to leave Wednesday night’s game in the second inning. Tyrone Taylor started in left field.

“We didn’t see much improvement overnight,” Mendoza said of Nimmo.

McNeil has experience in left, but the shoulder problem means he’s not an option there for now.

New York’s series at Washington began Tuesday with the news that catcher Francisco Alvarez has a sprained ligament in his right thumb that will require surgery. Alvarez is hoping he can play through the pain after a stint on the injured list.

Backup catcher Luis Torrens had a rough night Wednesday that included getting hit in his receiving hand by a bat on a catcher’s interference play, but Mendoza said Thursday that Torrens was “fine.”

The Mets had a three-game winning streak before Wednesday night’s loss, but the team with the biggest payroll in the majors is just 5-15 since July 28. New York entered Thursday trailing Philadelphia by 6 1/2 games in the NL East and was one game ahead of Cincinnati for the final wild-card spot.

Science

Rice University Scientists Confirm Flatband Discovery in Kagome Superconductor

Published

2 hours ago

August 21, 2025

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flatband states in CsCr₃Sb₅, a kagome superconductor. This experimental validation connects lattice geometry with emergent superconductivity, opening new pathways for engineered quantum materials, superconductors, and advanced electronics.

World

Israel maintains pressure on Gaza City as ‘first stages of attack begin’

Published

2 hours ago

August 21, 2025

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Israel maintains pressure on Gaza City as 'first stages of attack begin'

Gaza City residents say Israel carried out intense overnight bombardments as it prepares a controversial offensive to take control of the area.

Sixty-thousand reservists are being called up after Benjamin Netanyahu‘s security cabinet approved the plan earlier this month.

UN chief Antonio Guterres has warned of more “death and destruction” if Israel tries to seize the city, while France’s Emmanuel Macron said it would be a “disaster” that would lead to “permanent war”.

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Hundreds of thousands of people could end up being forcibly displaced – a potential war crime, according to the UN’s human rights office.

Gaza’s health ministry said at least 70 people had been killed in Israeli attacks in the past 24 hours, including eight people in a house in the Sabra suburb of Gaza City.

Israel currently controls about 75% of the Gaza Strip, but Prime Minister Netanyahu has said Israel must take Gaza City to “finish the job” and defeat Hamas.

Mr Netanyahu and his ministers are due to meet on Thursday to discuss the plans, according to Israeli media.

Military spokesperson Effie Defrin said earlier that “preliminary operations and the first stages of the attack” had begun – with troops operating on the outskirts of Gaza City.

Israel has said it will order evacuation notices before troops move in but satellite images show thousands of people have already left.

Residents said shelling has intensified in the Sabra and Tuffah neighbourhoods and that those fleeing have gone to coastal shelters or to central and southern parts of the Strip.

The decision to stay or leave is an agonising choice for many.

“We are facing a bitter-bitter situation, to die at home or leave and die somewhere else, as long as this war continues, survival is uncertain,” said father of seven Rabah Abu Elias.

“In the news, they speak about a possible truce, on the ground, we only hear explosions and see deaths. To leave Gaza City or not isn’t an easy decision to make,”

Most of the Israeli reservists being summoned are not expected to be in a frontline combat role and the call-up is set to take a while.

The window could give mediators more time to convince Israel to accept a temporary ceasefire.

Hamas has already agreed to the proposal – envisaging 10 living hostages and 18 bodies being released in return for a 60-day truce and the freedom of about 200 Palestinian prisoners.

Israel hasn’t officially responded, but insists it wants all 50 remaining hostages released at once. Only 20 of them are still believed to be alive.

The war started nearly two years ago when a Hamas terror attack killed about 1,200 people and kidnapped around 250.

More than 62,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

The figure doesn’t break down how many were Hamas members, but it says women and children make up more than half.

Two more people also died of starvation and malnutrition in the past 24 hours, the ministry said on Thursday, taking the total to 271, including 112 children.

COGAT, the body controlling aid into Gaza, said 250 aid trucks entered on Wednesday, with 154 pallets air-dropped.