"When written in Chinese the word `crisis' is composed of two characters; one represents danger and the other represents opportunity."
So said former US President John F. Kennedy in a speech delivered in April 1959.
China's passage of the "Anti-Secession" law, which formally authorizes the use of "non-peaceful means" against Taiwan if all possibility of unification has been exhausted, has stirred an outcry in Taiwan. Some have expressed grave concern over heightened tensions in cross-strait relations as a result of Beijing's unilateral enactment of the law.
"In my view, while China's enactment of the Anti-Secession Law does not exactly constitute an imminent crisis per se, it does provide an opportunity for President Chen Shui-bian (
"First of all, China's Anti-Secession Law gives Chen a very good opportunity to say that Taiwan is not proclaiming independence but it does not want to be annexed by China," Chiu said.
To sound out people's opposition to the law, a rally has been organized by the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) this Saturday in Taipei.
"Judging from the groups thus far who have publicized their participation in the demonstration -- including those in business and academia -- it seems that China's Anti-Secession Law has helped unite the people of Taiwan and given Chen a chance to demonstrate his leadership," Chiu said.
Echoing Chiu's observation, Thomas Hung (
Hung said that China has once again misjudged the situation in Taiwan, citing the 1996 incident when China fired missiles into Taiwan's waters to intimidate the Taiwanese people from participating in the nation's first-ever direct presidential election. In 2000, Beijing's threatening rhetoric also backfired, by swinging votes in Chen's favor.
"Despite previous lessons that its oppression of Taiwan is likely to result in a strong backlash, Beijing finds it hard to refrain from taking such steps because of its communist nature," Hung said.
He added that the law also cut against China's own interests by forcing the EU to reconsider the otherwise almost certain lifting of its arms embargo on China.
Noting the recent rift between Chen and his pan-green camp supporters in the wake of his inking of the 10-point joint statement with pro-unification People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (
Hung said that China's high-profile legislation had aroused concern from members of the international community over cross-strait and regional stability, and, as a result, "indirectly helped boost Taiwan's visibility on the world stage and gain international sympathy for its plight."
Emile Sheng (盛治仁), a professor of political science at Soochow University, however had a different view on world reaction, at least in Europe. Sheng said that some analysts see China's move as simply getting even with Chen.
"From my understanding, in exchanges with some academics in Europe, they feel that, after all of last year's rhetoric from Chen about rectifying Taiwan's name, rewriting the Constitution and such, China's introduction of this law now means that both sides of the Strait are even."
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
RSS