The general who many believe is a key in forming China's Taiwan strategy is the PLA's rising star, Chief of Staff Zhang Wannian.
Wang Zaixi, an army officer with a reputation as a hardliner, was also appointed to China's Taiwan Affairs Office, along with Mr Zhou.
If China and America had come to blows in the Taiwan Strait over China's intimidation of Taiwan last year, Japan would have been in a dither over whether it could even supply the American warships involved.
Yet some in the region have started to fret that China and America, bent on rubbing along better after a tricky few years when they almost came to blows over China's military intimidation of Taiwan (which China claims as its own), might use East Asia's time of troubles to rearrange the regional balance between them.
The most difficult issue is how to circumvent China's insistence that Taiwan accept the principle that there is only one China, of which Taiwan is a province.
America's protection of Taiwan was China's big worry, Nixon was told.
Furthermore, the crisis over Hong Kong's anti-subversion bill is undermining China's attempts to convince Taiwan (which it regards as a breakaway province) that it would retain its freedoms if it rejoined the motherland.
It is anyone's guess whether this propaganda show, worthy of China's Communists across the Taiwan Strait, instilled confidence.
Xiong who served notice in 1995 that one of this country's largest population centers risked nuclear attack if the United States interfered with China's plans to bring Taiwan to heel.
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The problem is finding something to offer in return that both China and Taiwan's voters could accept.
But it does convey how much China's view of Taiwan has changed since Ma Ying-jeou became president last May.
"Together they make China's policy on Taiwan more flexible, " says a cadre with the Taiwan Compatriots Association (TCA) in Beijing.
"China's position on Taiwan's foreign exchanges is clear and consistent, " Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said on Wednesday.
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China demanded Taiwan's virtual surrender as a condition for restarting talks.
They are the rapid build-up of short-range ballistic missiles on China's coast facing Taiwan, and the purchase of sophisticated weaponry from Russia, including destroyers, submarines and fighter aircraft.
At the moment, the region's anxieties center on China's intentions in the China Sea -- its relationship with Taiwan -- and the direction of its military modernization.
Those in charge of Taiwan's policy see no easing of what they consider China's imperious and bullying attitude and its attacks on Taiwan's international stature.
Could China's new friendliness towards Taiwan be a result of a sudden surge of confidence in Beijing?
Without the China commerce, Taiwan's substantial trade surplus would become a deficit.
" He strongly reiterates China's determination to regain Taiwan, saying "one inch of territory is more valuable than the life of our people.
Taipei's China Times says the Taiwan foreign ministry has issued a "solemn protest and condemnation" and demanded that Manila apologise, punish the perpetrators and give compensation.
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