From The International Herald Tribune:
China has been a given a timely reminder that its drum-beating, if not quite saber-rattling, over Taiwan is not cost-free. The joint U.S.-Japan declaration that they had a “common strategic objective” in peaceful resolution of the Taiwan straits issue was unusual but underlined just how much both attach to maintenance of a status quo that Beijing wishes to change through a mix of economic, military and diplomatic pressures.
While Japan and the United States remain in principle committed to One China, emphasis on peaceful resolution inevitably means that unification can only come about when the people of Taiwan consider the price of de facto independence too high. That is clearly a long way off so long as either Japan or the United States is willing and able to prevent unification by force.
