The massive earthquake and ensuing tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, which led to the crisis at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, have triggered a debate on nuclear energy in Taiwan. The response of President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) government echoes the way it defends its China policy — underestimating the risk and telling the public that it need not worry because everything will be just fine.
Taiwan’s nuclear power plants are built near faults and volcanoes, and the three operational plants are already getting old. According to the March 19 edition of the Wall Street Journal, those three plants and the fourth one, which is still under construction, are among the most risk-prone in the world.
A responsible government would immediately stop operations at the three working plants to allow for safety inpsections, and then seriously consider scrapping the fourth one. It would also make greater efforts to expand alternative energy resources, improve energy efficiency and implement the existing “nuclear-free county” clause in the Basic Environment Act (環境基本法).
However, that is not what this government has in mind. It would have us believe that Taiwan’s nuclear power plants are as safe as houses. It raises the specter of economic collapse if the country were to abandon nuclear energy, while citing selective statistics to mislead the public.
While failing to set the public’s mind at rest, the government is also wasting a good opportunity to work out the best combination of energy resources for the nation.
Between the two extremes of scrapping nuclear power and further developing it, there are other options, such as gradual plant closures and slowly reducing our dependence on nuclear energy.
The government’s China policy also poses a grave threat for Taiwan. In a sense, this threat is even more serious, because Taiwan cannot decide the outcome alone. China is using a carrot-and-stick strategy to work toward the goal of annexing Taiwan.
However, the Ma administration seems to believe that if Taiwan acts obsequiously and pleases China by promoting a “diplomatic truce” and scrapping its defenses, the result will be peace and economic bonuses. Under the previous administration of president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) used its majority in the legislature to oppose procurements of US arms.
Since taking office in 2008, Ma has repeatedly bragged about the “peace bonuses” of his China policy. He wants the public to share in his self--assurance, while the country unwittingly walks further and further into danger.
As to assessing the risks of its current China policy and working out how to respond if something goes wrong, the government has nothing to offer.
Just as we protect our own homes, we have to stand together in defense of our homeland.
Over the past three years, the government has narrowed Taiwan’s prospects by replacing “internationalization” with “sinicization.” The more Taiwan becomes integrated with China, the harder it gets to pull out.
The government is doing something similar with regard to nuclear power, expecting the public to accept it regardless of the risks and refusing to reconsider its nuclear energy policy.
The only assurance Ma can offer is: “With me in charge, your heart can be at ease.”
Unfortunately, given this administration’s record of incompetence, there can be few people who feel “at ease” as long as Ma remains in office.
Lu Shih-hsiang is an adviser to the Taipei Times.
TRANSLATED BY EDDY CHANG
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’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,
US political scientist Francis Fukuyama, during an interview with the UK’s Times Radio, reacted to US President Donald Trump’s overturning of decades of US foreign policy by saying that “the chance for serious instability is very great.” That is something of an understatement. Fukuyama said that Trump’s apparent moves to expand US territory and that he “seems to be actively siding with” authoritarian states is concerning, not just for Europe, but also for Taiwan. He said that “if I were China I would see this as a golden opportunity” to annex Taiwan, and that every European country needs to think
For years, the use of insecure smart home appliances and other Internet-connected devices has resulted in personal data leaks. Many smart devices require users’ location, contact details or access to cameras and microphones to set up, which expose people’s personal information, but are unnecessary to use the product. As a result, data breaches and security incidents continue to emerge worldwide through smartphone apps, smart speakers, TVs, air fryers and robot vacuums. Last week, another major data breach was added to the list: Mars Hydro, a Chinese company that makes Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as LED grow lights and the
RSS