Two of the nation's political parties have been given the responsibility of sitting in the legislature. They have been entrusted with the great privilege of participating in the drafting of this nation's laws. They clearly take this privilege and responsibility very lightly.
What should a nation do when the members of these parties behave for more than four years in a manner that demonstrates their utter contempt for the democratic process?
The sad truth is that no KMT or PFP member has answered in a court of law for their repeated, routine and blatant acts of corruption. No KMT or PFP member has done the right thing and divested (or put into escrow) holdings which bring many of them into clear violation of conflict of interest rules. No KMT or PFP member has answered for the pathetic brawls they initiate in that august chamber.
No KMT or PFP member has retracted their stated intention to indefinitely obstruct the lawmaking duties of the legislature. They apparently believe they have the absolute right to do whatever they want in the legislature. Who knows where their contempt for democracy comes from.
We have a right to ask: Why does the government allow these renegade parties to systematically destroy Taiwan's traditions? Does the government really believe that Taiwan is a society of laws? The government is aggrieved by the behavior of the opposition parties, yet their unwillingness to act shows they believe the opposition does have the right to do this. They do not.
Corrupt political parties should be outlawed and those members who have broken the law should be put on trial. They should answer for their crimes. They have shown repeatedly: they despise this nation.
Comparable behavior in any Western nation by members of the national legislature would, as an absolute certainty, result in long, public trials, and prison sentences likely longer than 15 years for such crimes. The worst of all, however, were the visits of the two party leaders to China. By the nation's own laws these trips unequivocally constitute acts of treason against the state. These two leaders should answer for this. Their statements while in China, statements that humiliated and debased Taiwan and its legislature, constitute treachery against Taiwan's political process. They should answer for this.
Their anti-democratic demagoguery, their belittling of everything this nation tries to accomplish, their open consorting with a vicious, totalitarian enemy, their corrupt behavior in and out of the legislature -- they should answer for all of this.
The KMT and PFP must be destroyed before they destroy Taiwan. It's that simple.
Stephen Carter
Taichung
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’s second administration has gotten off to a fast start with a blizzard of initiatives focused on domestic commitments made during his campaign. His tariff-based approach to re-ordering global trade in a manner more favorable to the United States appears to be in its infancy, but the significant scale and scope are undeniable. That said, while China looms largest on the list of national security challenges, to date we have heard little from the administration, bar the 10 percent tariffs directed at China, on specific priorities vis-a-vis China. The Congressional hearings for President Trump’s cabinet have, so far,
RSS