PFP Legislator Kao Ming-chien (
China is a problem for Taiwan both internationally and domestically. It is putting pressure on Taipei internationally. Taiwan joined the WTO not only due to trade needs, but also to gain visibility in international organizations. China put pressure on the WTO secretariat in an attempt at changing the name and status under which Taiwan could join the organization, something which Taipei firmly refused. Taiwan has made seven attempts to gain WHO observer status, both to give its people the medical treatment they deserve and to carve out some international living space.
Both sides of the Taiwan Strait have expended huge resources on winning diplomatic allies. Even though Taipei never will get more diplomatic allies than China, it is important for it to maintain a minimum number. Each time Taiwan's president visits a diplomatic ally, China does its best to stop him from crossing the borders of non-diplomatic allies, while Taipei does its utmost to break through China's defense lines. Taipei's purchases of defensive weapons is a necessary effort to avoid being militarily annexed by China. As soon as Beijing hears about a new purchase, it applies all the pressure it can. Taipei's efforts to avail itself of every opportunity are meant to send an important message to the international community -- Taiwan is a sovereign and independent state.
The PRC has ruled the Chinese mainland since 1949, while the Republic of China (ROC) has ruled Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu. The ROC was founded in 1911, long before the PRC was born in 1949, and the ROC government has all along maintained effective rule over Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu. For more than half a century, the people on either side of the Taiwan Strait have never paid any taxes or fulfilled any civic duties to the government on the opposite side. The two sides are mutually independent and sovereign states.
The concept that "one China means the PRC" that Beijing is trying to push on the international community is concerned only with power. The international confusion between PRC and ROC passports affects the right to travel of the Taiwanese. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' announcement that it will add "Taiwan" to the cover of ROC passports is meant to further differentiate the two.
The Kao incident only serves to awaken the people's awareness of this nation's sovereignty and identification with Taiwan. It will not tolerate being confused with China. Even though politicians trying to benefit by pandering to both sides of the strait may be temporarily successful, clever talk about "one China" will only result in being abandoned by the people once their awareness of Taiwanese sovereignty is awakened.
Recently, China launched another diplomatic offensive against Taiwan, improperly linking its “one China principle” with UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to constrain Taiwan’s diplomatic space. After Taiwan’s presidential election on Jan. 13, China persuaded Nauru to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Nauru cited Resolution 2758 in its declaration of the diplomatic break. Subsequently, during the WHO Executive Board meeting that month, Beijing rallied countries including Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Egypt, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Laos, Russia, Syria and Pakistan to reiterate the “one China principle” in their statements, and assert that “Resolution 2758 has settled the status of Taiwan” to hinder Taiwan’s
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s (李顯龍) decision to step down after 19 years and hand power to his deputy, Lawrence Wong (黃循財), on May 15 was expected — though, perhaps, not so soon. Most political analysts had been eyeing an end-of-year handover, to ensure more time for Wong to study and shadow the role, ahead of general elections that must be called by November next year. Wong — who is currently both deputy prime minister and minister of finance — would need a combination of fresh ideas, wisdom and experience as he writes the nation’s next chapter. The world that
Can US dialogue and cooperation with the communist dictatorship in Beijing help avert a Taiwan Strait crisis? Or is US President Joe Biden playing into Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) hands? With America preoccupied with the wars in Europe and the Middle East, Biden is seeking better relations with Xi’s regime. The goal is to responsibly manage US-China competition and prevent unintended conflict, thereby hoping to create greater space for the two countries to work together in areas where their interests align. The existing wars have already stretched US military resources thin, and the last thing Biden wants is yet another war.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, people have been asking if Taiwan is the next Ukraine. At a G7 meeting of national leaders in January, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida warned that Taiwan “could be the next Ukraine” if Chinese aggression is not checked. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said that if Russia is not defeated, then “today, it’s Ukraine, tomorrow it can be Taiwan.” China does not like this rhetoric. Its diplomats ask people to stop saying “Ukraine today, Taiwan tomorrow.” However, the rhetoric and stated ambition of Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) on Taiwan shows strong parallels with