Could World War 3 start just because of a handshake?

There is an uproar in most of China over an event that has not yet been picked up by the mainstream media in the United States.

Today, President George W. Bush was at the unveiling of a new memorial that remembers the tens of millions that were killed under communism. The memorial, a replica of the Tiananmen Square "Goddess of Democracy," was dedicated 20 years to the day since Bush's predecessor Ronald Reagan stood at the infamous barrier dividing Berlin and urged Moscow to "tear down this wall."

The bronze memorial near the Capitol building is modeled on the papier-mache statue raised by pro-democracy demonstrators on Beijing's Tiananmen Square before they were brutally suppressed by Chinese paramilitary forces in June 1989.

At this memorial, the President somehow shook hands with Joseph Wu, the Taiwanese representative to the US. This has infuriated the Chinese communist government in Beijing believing that this handshake constitutes a warming in relations between the US and Taiwan.

Government officials spoke of dire consequences during a press conference as China made clear its fury that Bush had even chosen to acknowledge Wu's visit. They have threatened to plan new war games and heighten military readiness in anticipation of any attempt by the US to defend Taiwan should a Chinese invasion occur, or simply if Taiwan declares its independence.

In Taiwan, the media are concentrating on the handshake event. China has accused Taiwan of being part of a conspiracy to worsen relations and the current geopolitical landscape in the Taiwan Straits.

Strange enough that no one in the mainstream media has picked up on this. We are too busy watching the Paris Hilton jail debacle, K-Fed impregnating his former girlfriend,

China Threatens War Escalation Over Bush Handshake

Also reported on Digg.com

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It is obvious that China is bitching and whining about Bush meeting with a Taiwanese government representative. I am sure they will make a huge fuss and everything will calm down again. Bush will tell China through Rice or Cheney or some mid-level bureaucrat that it was just a chance meeting not an official recognition of Taiwan as an equal partner. It is all politics, but please understand that if you push China a bit too much, they will take action. If they do so, the United States must react swiftly. If we blink and do nothing, then our status as the world's lone superpower is at an end. China would know we are bluffing.

I do wonder if Bush knew that China would not be happy if he met with Wu during the memorial dedication.

Anyways, China still has 950-1000 short-range missiles pointed at Taiwan.