Today is Constitution Day, which celebrates the promulgation of the ROC Constitution (
President Chen Shui-bian (
Outsiders may find it difficult to distinguish between the "constitutional amendment" advocated by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the "rectification of the name of Taiwan and a new constitution" proposed by the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU).
In fact, the DPP seeks to amend the constitution whilst retaining the name of the country, whereas the TSU wants a new constitution for the country, with Taiwan as its new official name. President Chen and former president Lee Teng-hui (
At the very same time, the Chinese are discussing the creation of an anti-secession law (
Hardline pro-Taiwan groups could advocate an "anti-annexation law" (
Nations need to make amendments to their constitution and related laws so that they reflect the current reality. Even the People's Republic of China (PRC) has undertaken four rounds of constitutional amendments since 1988, a clear indication that they accept that adjustments to the constitution are necessary in response to national and governmental changes. This is part of a healthy process of development within a constitutional government, and the world need not look askance at Taiwan's moves to amend its Constitution.
It is employment pass renewal season in Singapore, and the new regime is dominating the conversation at after-work cocktails on Fridays. From September, overseas employees on a work visa would need to fulfill the city-state’s new points-based system, and earn a minimum salary threshold to stay in their jobs. While this mirrors what happens in other countries, it risks turning foreign companies away, and could tarnish the nation’s image as a global business hub. The program was announced in 2022 in a bid to promote fair hiring practices. Points are awarded for how a candidate’s salary compares with local peers, along
China last month enacted legislation to punish —including with the death penalty — “die-hard Taiwanese independence separatists.” The country’s leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), need to be reminded about what the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has said and done in the past. They should think about whether those historical figures were also die-hard advocates of Taiwanese independence. The Taiwanese Communist Party was established in the Shanghai French Concession in April 1928, with a political charter that included the slogans “Long live the independence of the Taiwanese people” and “Establish a republic of Taiwan.” The CCP sent a representative, Peng
Japan and the Philippines on Monday signed a defense agreement that would facilitate joint drills between them. The pact was made “as both face an increasingly assertive China,” and is in line with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s “effort to forge security alliances to bolster the Philippine military’s limited ability to defend its territorial interests in the South China Sea,” The Associated Press (AP) said. The pact also comes on the heels of comments by former US deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger, who said at a forum on Tuesday last week that China’s recent aggression toward the Philippines in
The Ministry of National Defense on Tuesday announced that the military would hold its annual Han Kuang exercises from July 22 to 26. Military officers said the exercises would feature unscripted war games, and a decentralized command and control structure. This year’s exercises underline the recent reforms in Taiwan’s military as it transitions from a top-down command structure to one where autonomy is pushed down to the front lines to improve decisionmaking and adaptability. Militaries around the world have been observing and studying Russia’s war in Ukraine. They have seen that the Ukrainian military has been much quicker to adapt to