SINGAPORE -Media OutReach - 23 September 2019- Prof Kishore Mahbubani clarified Taiwan's position in the China-US relationsduring his book launch in Hong Kong on the 3^rd September 2019.

"Taiwan isan incredibly difficult and sensitive subject to address in the China-USrelations. When two great powers fight, often the bystander will get hurt.There will be geopolitical pawns that will be used by one against the other.Taiwan faces the danger of becoming a geopolitical pawn that could be used toembarrass China if necessary or that could also be dropped.

In 2003,when the US wanted to get UN security council to legitimize American occupationin Iraq, it had to get the 5 permanent members including China in the UN securitycouncil to agree. China agreed based on Taiwan's surrender. President Chen ShuiBian was then put under enormous pressure by President George W Bush to reduceas the geopolitical pawn in 2003. And, with regards to the upcoming Taiwan'selection in 2020 and buying of weapons from the US on 6^th September2019, Taiwan will again be positioned as a geopolitical pawn today.

As thestruggle between China and the US intensifies and it will only get moreintense, it is safer and wiser that Taiwan will not stand in the middle and beshot by both sides.

Submittedby Sam Wong of Flat Globe Capital Partners Pte Ltd