As a taxpayer, I would very much like to know whether there is a specific person in Taiwan in charge of correcting and responding to the statements, news and announcements broadcast on the official Web site of China's Taiwan Affairs Office. If not, I strongly insist on building a mechanism to do this. If there's already someone in a position paid to do such things, we'd like for him or her to do the job -- if not well, at least not this errantly.
After the media reports on Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan's (連戰) visit in China, there is a rosy picture of the China-Taiwan relations, which were devastated by the "Anti-Secession" Law. Two of the headlines were "CPC [Chinese Communist Party] Taiwan Work Office, KMT delegation hold talks" and "Top adviser calls for earlier reunification." I exerted all my efforts trying to find the relevant statement by our officials to correct these deliberate distortions. But to no avail -- there was no coverage at all.
We all know how difficult it is to battle with China in the global arena -- politically, economically and diplomatically. But is having people do their job too much to ask? All we want is our own statement from an equal level, such as an official institution, to clear up this intentional ambiguity.
Tell me, what's wrong with our national apparatus? Why isn't our national apparatus working, while China is distributing messages and news that jeopardizes our existence, both in the present and future? There is no equivalent clarification while China is foisting its nebulous language on the international arena. We want our own statements to also be heard in the international arena.
Looking at the political spectrum in Taiwan, we know there are plenty of different opinions in Taiwan's political climate. Despite having different standpoints and ideas, we respect the right of free speech! However we can't be deprived of our own right of speech by someone who poses as being a delegation on our behalf. Lien stands for his own party and the advocates of the party -- no more, no less. That's only one of the colors of the spectrum.
Lien was appointed by no one! We don't want to be represented by Lien, who is nothing but a chairperson of a party. The people of Taiwan, will never put our trust in him. He is not there to communicate the will of the people in Taiwan nor the message of "earlier reunification."
Rudy Chen
Belgium
Trying to force a partnership between Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) and Intel Corp would be a wildly complex ordeal. Already, the reported request from the Trump administration for TSMC to take a controlling stake in Intel’s US factories is facing valid questions about feasibility from all sides. Washington would likely not support a foreign company operating Intel’s domestic factories, Reuters reported — just look at how that is going over in the steel sector. Meanwhile, many in Taiwan are concerned about the company being forced to transfer its bleeding-edge tech capabilities and give up its strategic advantage. This is especially
US President Donald Trump last week announced plans to impose reciprocal tariffs on eight countries. As Taiwan, a key hub for semiconductor manufacturing, is among them, the policy would significantly affect the country. In response, Minister of Economic Affairs J.W. Kuo (郭智輝) dispatched two officials to the US for negotiations, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s (TSMC) board of directors convened its first-ever meeting in the US. Those developments highlight how the US’ unstable trade policies are posing a growing threat to Taiwan. Can the US truly gain an advantage in chip manufacturing by reversing trade liberalization? Is it realistic to
The US Department of State has removed the phrase “we do not support Taiwan independence” in its updated Taiwan-US relations fact sheet, which instead iterates that “we expect cross-strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means, free from coercion, in a manner acceptable to the people on both sides of the Strait.” This shows a tougher stance rejecting China’s false claims of sovereignty over Taiwan. Since switching formal diplomatic recognition from the Republic of China to the People’s Republic of China in 1979, the US government has continually indicated that it “does not support Taiwan independence.” The phrase was removed in 2022
US President Donald Trump, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth have each given their thoughts on Russia’s war with Ukraine. There are a few proponents of US skepticism in Taiwan taking advantage of developments to write articles claiming that the US would arbitrarily abandon Ukraine. The reality is that when one understands Trump’s negotiating habits, one sees that he brings up all variables of a situation prior to discussion, using broad negotiations to take charge. As for his ultimate goals and the aces up his sleeve, he wants to keep things vague for