Taiwan and Singapore are paying the price for China’s provocative maritime move

Before things got violent. Reuters/Kham

Some 19,000 workers in Vietnam rioted yesterday, burning down and damaging as many as 15 factories in an outburst of rage over China’s decision to deploy an oil rig near a disputed chain of islands. Regardless of the trigger, the aggression was ultimately misplaced: Most of the torched facilities were owned by companies based not in China but in Singapore, Taiwan, and South Korea.

Taiwan’s president, Ma Ying-jeou, plans to expand relations with China

Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou outlined plans Thursday to further improve ties with China, already at their warmest level in decades, and rebutted criticism that he is giving up too much in exchange for better economic relations with the island’s former foe.

MANDY CHENG/AFP/Getty Images - Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou, center, gestures during celebrations on National Day in Taipei on October 10, 2013. Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou on October 10 hailed a new trade pact with China as protesters hurled shoes to oppose the deal and demand his resignation.

Ma said in an interview that he has not conceded anything of substance to China in pursuit of economic cooperation during the past five years but rather has freed his island from a“vicious cycle” of provocation.