Taiwan’s government denounced the timing of the China-Russia partnership on the eve of the Beijing Winter Olympics, calling it an “insult” to the Olympic spirit that should be held “in contempt” by democratic countries, its foreign ministry said on Friday. [Reuters] Taiwan, a self-ruled island Beijing claims as its own, asserted that the Chinese Communist Party appears to have utilized the Russian summit to expand authoritarianism at a time when the world is focused on the Winter Olympics. “It not only increases the Taiwanese people’s disgust at and loathing for the Chinese government’s arrogance and bullying, it also clearly shows all the world’s countries the sinister face of the Chinese Communist regime’s aggression, expansionism, and damaging of peace,” the ministry remarked. China and Russia declared a “no limits” partnership on the opening day of the Winter Olympics, backing each other over standoffs on Ukraine and Taiwan with a promise to …