Taiwan first lady Wu Shu-hen (
I believe the IPC's action is worthy of recognition from all who love Taiwan. The first lady and the entire Taiwan delegation are entitled to further support and encouragement from every Taiwanese.
Therefore, together with other progressive organizations, I have drafted an open letter to the IPC to commend it on its fair and just action, and to support the first lady -- who in spite of weak health continues to stand up for her people and country -- and all Taiwanese athletes.
This letter along with e-mail addresses are provided for public use, and I expect each Taiwanese send an e-mail to the IPC to support our delegation and speak out for the energetic Taiwan civil society. E-mails can be sent to the IPC at info@paralympic.org, or to the IPC's Executive Committee contact Leen Coudenys at leen.coudenys@paralympic.org.
Dear International Paralympic Committee President Craven,
I am writing this letter to commend the International Paralympic Committee for its courageous decision to respect first lady Wu as the head of the Taiwanese Delegation.
Both you and I have been expecting the positive inspiration that the Paralympic athletes' excellent performance will have on the global community of disabled people.
This will be demonstrated and appreciated through empowering outstanding disabled athletes to achieve sporting excellence in a fair and just competition.
The Paralympic spirit should above all be about fairness, which is often not given to people with disabilities. Today IPC's important decision to respect Taiwan's first lady as the head of the Taiwanese Delegation has demonstrated the true spirit of fairness and justice.
The vision of the IPC is "to enable Paralympic athletes to achieve sporting excellence, and inspire and excite the world."
The IPC creates the conditions for the empowerment of athletes with disabilities through self-determination. This vision is the reason why the IPC exists.
Today, your action demonstrates great moral strength and upholds this vision despite external intervention.
In this way you have helped protect the integrity and dignity of our athletes and their outstanding leader. For this, I highly commend you on your great moral courage and efforts.
I want to also express our appreciation and encouragement to the first lady and the entire Taiwanese team. Despite her weak health, first lady Wu has stood up for her people at a difficult time by committing herself to the enhancement of the human rights of the disabled, and the protection of national dignity.
I also appreciate our athletes' courage and confidence in supporting their leader and achieving sporting excellence in the coming games.
They have shown the best example possible for all disabled people around the world to stand up for a just cause and dignity.
Please convey my sincerest respect to the IPC, first lady Wu and the Taiwanese team.
Hsiu-min Wu
President of the Taiwan Northern Society, Taipei
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) were born under the sign of Gemini. Geminis are known for their intelligence, creativity, adaptability and flexibility. It is unlikely, then, that the trade conflict between the US and China would escalate into a catastrophic collision. It is more probable that both sides would seek a way to de-escalate, paving the way for a Trump-Xi summit that allows the global economy some breathing room. Practically speaking, China and the US have vulnerabilities, and a prolonged trade war would be damaging for both. In the US, the electoral system means that public opinion
In their recent op-ed “Trump Should Rein In Taiwan” in Foreign Policy magazine, Christopher Chivvis and Stephen Wertheim argued that the US should pressure President William Lai (賴清德) to “tone it down” to de-escalate tensions in the Taiwan Strait — as if Taiwan’s words are more of a threat to peace than Beijing’s actions. It is an old argument dressed up in new concern: that Washington must rein in Taipei to avoid war. However, this narrative gets it backward. Taiwan is not the problem; China is. Calls for a so-called “grand bargain” with Beijing — where the US pressures Taiwan into concessions
The term “assassin’s mace” originates from Chinese folklore, describing a concealed weapon used by a weaker hero to defeat a stronger adversary with an unexpected strike. In more general military parlance, the concept refers to an asymmetric capability that targets a critical vulnerability of an adversary. China has found its modern equivalent of the assassin’s mace with its high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP) weapons, which are nuclear warheads detonated at a high altitude, emitting intense electromagnetic radiation capable of disabling and destroying electronics. An assassin’s mace weapon possesses two essential characteristics: strategic surprise and the ability to neutralize a core dependency.
Chinese President and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Chairman Xi Jinping (習近平) said in a politburo speech late last month that his party must protect the “bottom line” to prevent systemic threats. The tone of his address was grave, revealing deep anxieties about China’s current state of affairs. Essentially, what he worries most about is systemic threats to China’s normal development as a country. The US-China trade war has turned white hot: China’s export orders have plummeted, Chinese firms and enterprises are shutting up shop, and local debt risks are mounting daily, causing China’s economy to flag externally and hemorrhage internally. China’s
RSS