China's continued military expansion has not only increased tension across the Taiwan Strait, but has also made Japan, the US and other nations nervous. The US, as the world's policeman, is especially troubled, for it is responsible for maintaining security in the Asia-Pacific region. If Taiwan's position became endangered, the US could not easily ignore the situation.
The Sino-Japanese relationship has been marked by attacks on each other's territory, with China's Yuan (
China's strengthened military serves not only to discourage any move toward formal independence by Taiwan, but also to threaten Japan. China continues to believe that Taiwan's sense of identity has not completely rid itself of Japanese colonial influence. It has even accused Japan of fanning the flames of Taiwan independence, using this as a way of hinting at its sense of historical injustice at Japan's hands. But Japan is a powerful nation in its own right, and economically at least China is beholden to Japan, so that it dare not adopt too harsh an attitude. Instead it has taken out its sense of historical injustice on Taiwan.
In his video conference with foreign correspondents in Japan on Tuesday, President Chen Shui-bian (
The US, however, seems to clearly understand the close security relationship between Taiwan and Japan resulting from historical and geopolitical factors. That's why it draws Japan closer into the maintenance of security in the Strait as part of the US-Japan security treaty.
"God helps those who help themselves," the saying goes. One could also say that a state must be determined to defend itself in order to expect its neighbors to help. A state lacking that determination will be doomed, for what state will put its people in harm's way for a state that is ready to surrender? The arms procurement bill, so long delayed by the legislature, is really a test of the Taiwanese people's will to defend themselves. If the bill is passed, it will substantially improve the nation's ability to defend itself. And it will also tell the international community that the Taiwanese people are determined to continue moving toward greater autonomy.
At the same time, the pan-blue camp's obstructionism highlights the lack of a central guiding idea in Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and People First Party (PFP) positions. The priority of the past KMT government's diplomatic activities was to purchase advanced weaponry. We must not forget that F-16 fighter jets, French Mirage fighter jets and Lafayette frigates were purchased during the KMT era. Now, with a new government, they have changed their minds and instead make it their top priority to block anything the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government tries to do to improve the nation's military capabilities.
The KMT's fickle ways only prove that the party lacks a clear and constructive political plan. How could such a party gain the public's trust?
The gutting of Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA) by US President Donald Trump’s administration poses a serious threat to the global voice of freedom, particularly for those living under authoritarian regimes such as China. The US — hailed as the model of liberal democracy — has the moral responsibility to uphold the values it champions. In undermining these institutions, the US risks diminishing its “soft power,” a pivotal pillar of its global influence. VOA Tibetan and RFA Tibetan played an enormous role in promoting the strong image of the US in and outside Tibet. On VOA Tibetan,
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), the leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), caused a national outrage and drew diplomatic condemnation on Tuesday after he arrived at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office dressed in a Nazi uniform. Sung performed a Nazi salute and carried a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf as he arrived to be questioned over allegations of signature forgery in the recall petition. The KMT’s response to the incident has shown a striking lack of contrition and decency. Rather than apologizing and distancing itself from Sung’s actions,
US President Trump weighed into the state of America’s semiconductor manufacturing when he declared, “They [Taiwan] stole it from us. They took it from us, and I don’t blame them. I give them credit.” At a prior White House event President Trump hosted TSMC chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家), head of the world’s largest and most advanced chip manufacturer, to announce a commitment to invest US$100 billion in America. The president then shifted his previously critical rhetoric on Taiwan and put off tariffs on its chips. Now we learn that the Trump Administration is conducting a “trade investigation” on semiconductors which
By now, most of Taiwan has heard Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s (蔣萬安) threats to initiate a vote of no confidence against the Cabinet. His rationale is that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led government’s investigation into alleged signature forgery in the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) recall campaign constitutes “political persecution.” I sincerely hope he goes through with it. The opposition currently holds a majority in the Legislative Yuan, so the initiation of a no-confidence motion and its passage should be entirely within reach. If Chiang truly believes that the government is overreaching, abusing its power and targeting political opponents — then
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