President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday was awarded last year’s John McCain Prize for Leadership in Public Service in recognition of her leadership in defending Taiwan’s democracy and standing up against Chinese aggression.
The Washington-based Halifax International Security Forum, which announced its decision in a video posted online, said that Tsai was “arguably the most powerful female politician in the Chinese-speaking world” and had helped Taiwan stand up against Beijing’s military coercion and international isolation.
The video also said that under her tenure, Taiwan was the first Asian nation to legalize same-sex marriage, and it also paid tribute to the nation’s success in containing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photo: CNA
The annual John McCain Prize for Leadership in Public Service, named after late US senator John McCain, is awarded by the forum to individuals from any nation who have demonstrated “uncommon leadership in the pursuit of human justice.”
The 2019 prize was awarded to the people of Hong Kong, where democracy advocates organized protests following plans to pave the way for extraditions to mainland China.
Tsai was awarded the prize despite reports that the Canadian government had warned the organizers that it would pull its funding, apparently due to concerns about angering Beijing.
The forum receives half its funding from the Canadian Department of National Defence.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau later denied that the government had issued any such warning, adding that the forum was free to make its own decision and promising that his administration would continue to help fund the non-governmental organization.
The Canadian House of Commons also adopted a unanimous motion saying that Tsai was an ideal candidate for the prize.
In Taipei, Presidential Office spokesman Xavier Chang (張惇涵) said in a statement that Tsai was honored to receive the prize, and that it represented the achievements of the whole nation and not her alone.
The nation’s success in preventing the spread of COVID-19 has shown the world that Taiwan can achieve a great deal when the nation is united and that it is a force for good that can contribute to the international community, Chang said.
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today condemned the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) after the Czech officials confirmed that Chinese agents had surveilled Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) during her visit to Prague in March last year. Czech Military Intelligence director Petr Bartovsky yesterday said that Chinese operatives had attempted to create the conditions to carry out a demonstrative incident involving Hsiao, going as far as to plan a collision with her car. Hsiao was vice president-elect at the time. The MAC said that it has requested an explanation and demanded a public apology from Beijing. The CCP has repeatedly ignored the desires
Many Chinese spouses required to submit proof of having renounced their Chinese household registration have either completed the process or provided affidavits ahead of the June 30 deadline, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said on Thursday. Of the 12,146 people required to submit the proof, 5,534 had done so as of Wednesday, MAC deputy head and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said. Another 2,572 people who met conditions for exemption or deferral from submitting proof of deregistration — such as those with serious illnesses or injuries — have submitted affidavits instead, he said. “As long as individuals are willing to cooperate with the legal
The Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant’s license has expired and it cannot simply be restarted, the Executive Yuan said today, ahead of national debates on the nuclear power referendum. The No. 2 reactor at the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County was disconnected from the nation’s power grid and completely shut down on May 17, the day its license expired. The government would prioritize people’s safety and conduct necessary evaluations and checks if there is a need to extend the service life of the reactor, Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) told a news conference. Lee said that the referendum would read: “Do
The Ministry of Environment yesterday held a seminar in Taipei for experts from Taiwan and Japan to exchange their experiences on the designs and development of public toilets. Japan Toilet Association chairman Kohei Yamamoto said that he was impressed with the eco-toilet set up at Daan Forest Park, adding that Japan still faces issues regarding public restrooms despite the progress it made over the past decades. For example, an all-gender toilet was set up in Kabukicho in Tokyo’s Shinjuku District several years ago, but it caused a public backlash and was rebuilt into traditional men’s and women’s toilets, he said. Japan Toilet Association
RSS