It has been almost one year since the attempted assassination of President Chen Shui-bian (
One of the biggest changes since the assassination attempt is of course the relationship between the KMT and the People First Party (PFP). The PFP was a passionate and enthusiastic participant in the post-election rallies and protests against Chen's re-election. In fact, several PFP lawmakers were even seen spearheading riots in various places at the time.
But this time around, PFP Chairman James Soong (
One year ago, there was still hope of a merger between the KMT and PFP. However, the growing rift between the two parties has made it virtually impossible for the merger to take place. One year ago, Lien, Soong and their supporters did not think they would have to worry about early retirement so soon. After the pan-blue election defeat, Lien put up a fight to maintain his grip on power in the KMT. When the pan-blue camp won a majority in the Legislative Yuan, for a while it seemed that Lien would be able to stay in the leadership throne a little while longer and resist generational succession within his party. Now, with Soong, his sidekick in the presidential election, reconciling with Chen, it will be hard for Lien to run a one-man show.
These days, with the exception of Lien and his cronies, the most important things on the mind of KMT members is the upcoming election of the KMT chairman. With all eyes fixed on the two biggest contenders -- Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
While many people feel skeptical about the recent breakthrough in the investigation of the assassination attempt, it is hard to see what can possibly be accomplished by holding the rally. The investigation is not yet over, and the police are still searching for additional evidence. Even though nobody can deny the fact that the public has a constitutionally protected right to assemble, the mere thought of re-living the chaos and unrest spurred by the massive rallies last year is enough to cause jitters.
If people are really bent on exercising their right to assemble, participating in the planned rally to protest China's "anti-secession" law would most definitely be a more worthwhile cause.
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
US President Donald Trump’s challenge to domestic American economic-political priorities, and abroad to the global balance of power, are not a threat to the security of Taiwan. Trump’s success can go far to contain the real threat — the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) surge to hegemony — while offering expanded defensive opportunities for Taiwan. In a stunning affirmation of the CCP policy of “forceful reunification,” an obscene euphemism for the invasion of Taiwan and the destruction of its democracy, on March 13, 2024, the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) used Chinese social media platforms to show the first-time linkage of three new
If you had a vision of the future where China did not dominate the global car industry, you can kiss those dreams goodbye. That is because US President Donald Trump’s promised 25 percent tariff on auto imports takes an ax to the only bits of the emerging electric vehicle (EV) supply chain that are not already dominated by Beijing. The biggest losers when the levies take effect this week would be Japan and South Korea. They account for one-third of the cars imported into the US, and as much as two-thirds of those imported from outside North America. (Mexico and Canada, while
I have heard people equate the government’s stance on resisting forced unification with China or the conditional reinstatement of the military court system with the rise of the Nazis before World War II. The comparison is absurd. There is no meaningful parallel between the government and Nazi Germany, nor does such a mindset exist within the general public in Taiwan. It is important to remember that the German public bore some responsibility for the horrors of the Holocaust. Post-World War II Germany’s transitional justice efforts were rooted in a national reckoning and introspection. Many Jews were sent to concentration camps not
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