President Chen Shui-bian (
When addressing the Democratic Pacific Union and the World Federation of Taiwanese Associations, Chen asked the international community and pan-Pacific nations to view China's military expansion and ambition as presenting "uncertainties that continue to threaten human security." In an interview with the Australian over the weekend, Chen highlighted concerns that many Chinese brides or academics may actually be Chinese spies. And when meeting with last year's Nobel laureate in economics Edward Prescott last Thursday, Chen said that China's proposal to hold talks with Taiwan on direct cross-strait passenger charter flights was "a political trick."
A look at recent China-related policies undertaken by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration however, leads one to wonder whether the president and his government are all on the same page.
The Taipei Airlines Association last Friday got the go-ahead from the Cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council to talk with China on both passenger and cargo charter flights across the Strait.
The council earlier this month announced that China is willing to deal with the agency commissioned by the council on the issue of opening up the nation to Chinese tourists. The council hailed China's response as a breakthrough in cross-strait relations.
The government currently allows only two categories of Chinese people to visit Taiwan: those who live in a third country, and those who live in China but come to Taiwan on business or en route to other countries.
The latest relaxation is expected to allow 365,000 Chinese tourists per year, or 1,000 people per day, to visit Taiwan for a maximum of 10 days. They will enter Taiwan through either Hong Kong or Macau. Premier Frank Hsieh (
But is the DPP government really prepared for the huge influx of Chinese tourists? Can Hsieh promise a safe and comfortable environment for the Taiwanese public after Chinese tourists start flocking to Taiwan?
There's reason for concern. Recently officials have seen an increase in cross-strait movement -- by both legal and illegal means -- in which Chinese criminals and spies enter Taiwan and conspire with domestic criminal gangs. This poses a serious threat to the nation's security, and the National Security Council (NSC) has warned that such ne'er-do-wells' activities in this country are aimed at influencing Taiwan's economy, social order and politics.
Chen has often spoken of China's schemes against Taiwan and urged the public to stay vigilant against Beijing's "united front" (
If Chen really means what he says, he should pressure his own party, and agencies mapping out China-related policies, with the same words of warning.
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
RSS