How would the US and European countries react if the heads of the American and European business associations in this country were appointed by Taiwan's government? Incredulity, unhappiness, objection and utter condemnation would be the expected reactions. This is exactly Taiwan's response to the fact that many senior executives at Taiwanese business associations in China are appointed by the Taiwan Affairs Office of China's State Council.
According to intelligence obtained by the government, there are 74 Taiwanese business associations in China. Each has at least one official from the Taiwan Affairs Office doubling as a vice chairperson. The secretaries-general of more than 90 percent of the associations also hail from the same office -- an indication that the organizations are under close surveillance by the Beijing authorities. They are Beijing's tools for controlling Taiwanese businesses.
The associations should have been a channel through which Taiwanese businesses cooperate with and take care of each other. They should reflect the interests and needs of those businesses. When a conflict arises between a Taiwanese business and the local government, the association should defend the business interests by appropriate means.
This is exactly the same rationale behind the annual white papers published by the American and European chambers of commerce in Taipei to criticize some of Taiwan's policies. Both the ruling and opposition parties accept such criticism with a tolerant attitude.
Taiwanese business associations in China not only could never publish such white papers, they are losing what little independence they had. Not only are they unable to reflect the opinions of their members, but they are becoming institutions for controlling what the Taiwanese companies say and do in China. This is about the same as planting the People's Liberation Army's political warfare units inside the associations. This is a unique situation not seen in other foreign business groups in China, or anywhere else.
Interference by Chinese officials is not something Taiwanese businesses want to see. But what can they do except kowtow? Even if many Taiwanese businesses want to express goodwill toward this country's government, they will refrain from doing so after considering China's possible response.
By controlling the business associations, Beijing can influence the opinions of the groups' members and push them to vote for its favorite candidates in next year's presidential election. Recently, the Liberty Times, our sister paper, reported that Taiwanese businesspeople attending an official function in China were handed invitations to a banquet hosted by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (
In the long run, Beijing may use the associations to pressure Taiwan to accept direct links under the "one China" principle. The next step will be to squeeze all capital and technology out of Taiwan, thereby weakening the economy and leaving the country powerless to resist unification with China.
Unhappy as it is to see its businesspeople invest in a hostile neighboring country, Taiwan at best can only use the "no haste, be patient" policy and try to warn the businesses about the risks of investing in China. Beijing has crossed the line separating politics from business and is controlling Taiwanese business associations. The political and economic threat posed to Taiwan should not be underestimated. The government needs to lodge a strong complaint via the WTO. If China refuses to take its hands off the associations, the government should consider halting the planned indirect cargo flights as well as measures allowing China-based Taiwanese businesses to get listed in this country.
Two weeks ago, Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh (楊紫瓊) raised hackles in Taiwan by posting to her 2.6 million Instagram followers that she was visiting “Taipei, China.” Yeoh’s post continues a long-standing trend of Chinese propaganda that spreads disinformation about Taiwan’s political status and geography, aimed at deceiving the world into supporting its illegitimate claims to Taiwan, which is not and has never been part of China. Taiwan must respond to this blatant act of cognitive warfare. Failure to respond merely cedes ground to China to continue its efforts to conquer Taiwan in the global consciousness to justify an invasion. Taiwan’s government
This month’s news that Taiwan ranks as Asia’s happiest place according to this year’s World Happiness Report deserves both celebration and reflection. Moving up from 31st to 27th globally and surpassing Singapore as Asia’s happiness leader is gratifying, but the true significance lies deeper than these statistics. As a society at the crossroads of Eastern tradition and Western influence, Taiwan embodies a distinctive approach to happiness worth examining more closely. The report highlights Taiwan’s exceptional habit of sharing meals — 10.1 shared meals out of 14 weekly opportunities, ranking eighth globally. This practice is not merely about food, but represents something more
In an article published on this page on Tuesday, Kaohsiung-based journalist Julien Oeuillet wrote that “legions of people worldwide would care if a disaster occurred in South Korea or Japan, but the same people would not bat an eyelid if Taiwan disappeared.” That is quite a statement. We are constantly reading about the importance of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), hailed in Taiwan as the nation’s “silicon shield” protecting it from hostile foreign forces such as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and so crucial to the global supply chain for semiconductors that its loss would cost the global economy US$1
Concerns that the US might abandon Taiwan are often overstated. While US President Donald Trump’s handling of Ukraine raised unease in Taiwan, it is crucial to recognize that Taiwan is not Ukraine. Under Trump, the US views Ukraine largely as a European problem, whereas the Indo-Pacific region remains its primary geopolitical focus. Taipei holds immense strategic value for Washington and is unlikely to be treated as a bargaining chip in US-China relations. Trump’s vision of “making America great again” would be directly undermined by any move to abandon Taiwan. Despite the rhetoric of “America First,” the Trump administration understands the necessity of