Regarding Michael Richardson's Aug. 24 article, "Taiwan arms deal serves as litmus test of U.S. resolve": Richardson's biased assumptions and pandering to paranoid anti-China elements borders on yellow journalism. He uses the straw man of a Chinese "red line" regarding U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan to set up a "litmus test" for U.S. resolve. It is this type of exaggeration and false choices that can lead countries into military conflict.
Fortunately, the world — and U.S.-China relations — are not that simple; nor will they be determined by such false choices.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.
mark valencia
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