Welcome back to China Uncensored.
I’m Chris Chappell.
Let’s talk about the Other China:
Taiwan.
A beautiful, tropical island...
now armed to the teeth with US missiles!
Just in time for the Fourth of July,
President Trump announced a plan
to sell more than a billion dollars worth
of weapons to Taiwan.
Which resulted in a great fireworks display
right in front of the Chinese Embassy.
The weapons package includes
1.4 billion dollars worth of “torpedoes,
technical support for early warning radar,
anti-radiation missiles,
and missile components.”
Trump’s announcement, though,
is not really groundbreaking.
The US has sold weapons to Taiwan
dozens of times over the past 50 years.
The most recent package was approved
by President Obama less than two years ago.
But for the Chinese Communist Party,
it’s something they never quite get used to.
Like when your roommate leaves
his dirty socks in the living room.
“Come, on, Carl!
We’ve talked about this a hundred times!
What is your problem?!”
And that’s because the Chinese regime
considers Taiwan to be a third rail issue.
They say Taiwan is a breakaway province of China.
And deep in their hearts,
they hope that someday—
someday—
Taiwan and mainland China will be reunited.
And nothing makes you want to get
back together with someone
more than having advanced weaponry aimed at you.
Taiwan...doesn’t really like this.
And neither does its long-time ally,
the United States.
And that’s why the two have
a long-standing weapons agreement.
“Only by actively preparing for battle
can the battle be stopped.
Only with our own strength
can peace be maintained.”
Well, Madam President,
the Chinese ambassador would beg to differ.
“How can you promote peace and stability
by selling arms?
This is a most ridiculous argument.”
Yes, China is all about peaceful development,
as you can see from the Embassy’s official website.
And that would be a really good argument...
except that China kinda supplies weapons to 37 countries,
making China the third biggest weapons exporter
in the world.
Presumably no one told that
to the Chinese ambassador.
Which is why the Embassy said,
“The Chinese government and Chinese people
have every right to be outraged”
over the US-Taiwan weapons deal...
a deal so big, it’s...
wait, it’s only a quarter the size
of China’s $5 billion dollar weapons deal
with Pakistan.
Hmm…
Well, besides all the weapons selling part,
the Communist Party is totally about
peaceful development, I swear.
We silly Americans just don’t understand
the larger picture,
which is why Ambassador Cui
said China needs to continue to instruct the US
and continue advancing on the right track
of China-US relations.
Unfortunately for the Chinese regime,
President Trump seems to be un-instructable.
And in addition to the weapons deal with Taiwan,
this month has seen another shift
in Trump’s tactics on dealing with China.
There are signs that Washington
is about to take the kid gloves off,
and underneath those gloves…
“Look at these hands,
are they small hands?”
Maybe Indian Prime Minister Modi,
who got this bear hug from the president,
could answer that question.
The two met at the beginning of the week.
India is China’s main Asian rival,
and according to China expert, Gordon Chang,
“It was clear both saw in the other
the means to contain an increasingly aggressive
Chinese state.”
Anyway, the US State Department has labeled China
as one of the worst human trafficking offenders.
That was followed by another whammy.
The US accused the Chinese Bank of Dandong
of laundering money for North Korea.
“This bank has served as a gateway
for North Korea to access the U.S.
and international financial systems,
facilitating millions of dollars of transactions
for companies involved in North Korea’s nuclear
and ballistic missile programs.”
And when Steven Mnuchinsays he’s gonna go after you,
watch out.
Because he was the executive producer
of over a dozen action blockbusters—s
o I assume he can personally call for backup
from the heroes whose movies he’s funded,
including Wonder Woman,
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. slash Superman,
and most fearsome of all,
LEGO Batman.
The U.S. Treasury also slapped sanctions
on two guys and a shipping firm
over their North Korean ties.
Dang! Mnuchin just stole my sitcom idea:
“Two Guys, a Megalomaniac, and a Shipping Firm.”
Anyway, all this follows President Trump’s
reportedly growing frustration
with China’s inability to rein in North Korea.
Which probably wasn’t helped by this news:
“Kim Jong-Un calls it
‘a gift package for the Fourth of July,’
Pyongyang saying, Wednesday,
its new Intercontinental Ballistic Missile
can carry a nuclear warhead.”
Apparently it could hit Alaska.
Brings a whole new meaning
to the show Deadliest Catch.
Ever since Trump was elected last November,
the relationship between the US and China
has been up and down
like a game of whack-a-mole.
First, Trump took a phone call from Taiwan’s president.
“This is believed to be the first time
a president-elect has spoken with
the Taiwanese leader since 1979
when the two countries broke off ties.
They are going to—
Wolf, I can't underestimate
how they are going to freak out.”
And freak out, China did.
Especially after Trump then questioned
the One China Policy.
But the relationship seemed to thaw in the spring,
after Trump invited Chinese leader Xi Jinping
to his Mar-a-Lago estate.
I also like to show off my cool house
when people come to visit.
At the time,
Trump said their relationship was really warming up.
“The relationship developed between
president Xi and myself,
I think, is outstanding.
We look forward to being together
many times in the future.”
Though now it seems like the relationship
could be getting icy once again,
as Trump feels China’s efforts to stop North Korea
are going nowhere.
And if he’s not asking for China’s help
any more on North Korea,
well, it’s a good time to sell
a billion dollars in weapons to Taiwan.
And coming up after the break:
We bring you corruption,
sex scandals, and murder.
Or as the Chinese Communist Party calls it,
Tuesday.
Listen, you know what’s better
than a billion dollars worth of weapons?
More China Uncensored.
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you can this and other segments
on our full length episode right now—
before they come out on YouTube.
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What’s that, Shelley?
It sounds like you’re rolling your eyes...