Last year marked a turning point in the course of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) growing power. The Chinese Ministry of State Security has even threatened those who spread pessimism about China’s economy. China’s property market, stock market, employment and consumption all show signs that people are having a hard time. However, Xi’s world view is still focused on the Indo-Pacific region. Meanwhile, there are those in Taiwan who echo China’s Taiwan Affairs Office by saying that only when there is peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait can Taiwanese live and work in peace and contentment.
