Cherry diplomacy?

This time of the year in DC, national cherry blossom is ready to kick off and cherry trees start to blossom, so does Japan Taiwan ties.

Taiwanese seniors play Taichi to welcome planting of 450 cherry trees, the first of more than 10,000 that Japanese and Taiwanese groups intend to plant across Taiwan. They are seen as emblems of the newly blooming relationship between Japan and Taiwan. While Sakura (cheery trees) is purposely played down in China, Japan reach out to strengthen ties with the US and Taiwan among others by planting cheery trees and celebrating the blossoms.

Like Ping Pong or Pandas, cheery trees became diplomatic tools.