People watch the air force’s Thunder Tiger Aerobatics Team conducting a flyover during a news conference at the Chiayi Air Base yesterday. It was part of a rehearsal for an open house event that is to begin at the base on Saturday.
Photo: CNA
Five countries have in the past few months canceled preferential visa treatment for Taiwan passport holders due to pressure from China, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. It was responding to a report by the National Audit Office that the number of countries offering preferential visa treatment to holders of Taiwan passports had dropped from 171 at the end of last year to 166 in April. In its Central Government Budget Audit Report, the National Audit Office also said that the ministry had failed to provide timely updates on the visa changes, which could affect Taiwan passport holders’ overseas travel. In response
More Taiwanese spectators at the Paris Olympics have reported having signs and banners confiscated by security staff or snatched by Chinese fans. Sandy Hsueh (薛雅俶), president of the Taiwanese Association in France, said that three security personnel confiscated a blank piece of cardboard from her at Sunday’s men’s doubles badminton final, in which Taiwan’s Lee Yang (李洋) and Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) defeated China’s Liang Weikeng (梁偉鏗) and Wang Chang (王昶) to win their second consecutive Olympic gold medal in the event. A staff member told her they had “received an instruction from the Olympic Games saying that anything related to Taiwan or
COGNITIVE WARFARE: The People’s Liberation Army’s recent military exercises near Taiwan aim to intimidate the Taiwanese public, a legislator said Two sorties of Chinese drones were detected flying around the perimeter of Taiwan proper between 6am on Saturday and 6am yesterday, according to the Ministry of National Defense. A total of 31 Chinese military aircraft — which included several drones — and 12 Chinese warships were detected operating in and near the Taiwan Strait over the 24-hour period, the ministry said. Institute for National Defense and Security Research fellow Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲) said the maneuvers were likely aimed at affecting public sentiment in Taiwan, demonstrating defiance toward the US’ two-plus-two talks with India and Australia, and enacting China’s polarized strategy of pushing
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Weng Hsiao-ling (翁曉玲) yesterday defended her comments lauding the victory of Taiwan’s badminton duo at the Paris Olympics as “the pride of Chinese people.” Lee Yang (李洋) and Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) on Sunday won the first gold medal for Taiwan in the men’s doubles at this year’s Olympics. Lee and Wang’s gold medal win is the “Pride of Chinese people,” Weng wrote on China’s WeChat social media app. In response to media queries yesterday, she said: “We are Chinese... No matter who wins, Team Taiwan or the team from mainland China, it is still the pride of all