The Politics of Eating Gunpowder

A week prior to Alexander’s diplomatic mission to Taiwan and North Korea, which hadn’t been cancelled despite the two-week-long trade interdiction of the latter, China increased the frequency of their incursions into Taiwan airspace. They were sending more than fifty jets per day on “routine patrols over Chinese Taipei”, rapidly increasing the already-existing tension between the two countries.

Those watching from the sidelines rightfully guessed that the intentions behind the constant and increasing provocations were to destabilize the situation to the point that Alexander would be forced to reconsider his upcoming diplomatic visit.