China and Taiwan Form Truce As War With Japan Approaches

The Senkaku islands located in the East China Sea have become a hot issue in recent months after the Chinese once again claimed the territory. The Japanese who received the islands from the US, issued statements that they would defend the islands with military force and have increased patrols around them. Since the ultimatum, China issued a "no fly zone", which the USA and Japanese have largely dismissed as political posturing. The main focus in the media revolves around the two major players in the conflict, yet conveniently ignore the fact that Taiwan has claimed the islands too and in the recent past near wars have broken out between China and Taiwan over the islands. So what would prompt a peaceful sit down? An Alliance and the planning for a future war, similar to how Italy made an alliance with the Nazi's to avoid destruction and to gain more political power during the war. 

 

In the meeting in Nanjing, the Chinese and Taiwanese designed a new communication system, effectively ending 65 years of hostilities. Taiwanese Minister of mainland affairs proclaimed the meeting a great success and called it a "new chapter" in relations between the two once violently opposed governments. 

“This will be good for regional stability,” George Tsai, a political scientist at Taipei-based Chinese Culture University commented. "Even if Taiwan elects a new government in 2016, there shouldn't be any back-pedaling on the relationship after ministerial-level dialogue is established.”

Are we seeing the formation of another axis of evil? Time will tell but the agreement made is surely only the beginning of nations picking sides in what will become another global war.