Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (
At such a crucial time for the future of the country, it is worth reminding the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) that there has been a dangerous polarization of public opinion over these visits. The government must clearly state its stance on these trips in order to resolve the suspicions between rival camps and defuse potential confrontations.
Regrettably, President Chen Shui-bian (
A succession of opposition officials have visited China, meeting with a government that claims Taiwan is a part of its territory and that Taiwan's democratically elected government is nothing more than a regional government similar to those in Hong Kong and Macao. Faced with this situation, why is this nation's government doing nothing more than watching from the sidelines? Have the nation's leaders nothing to say and no policy to put forward as opposition officials engage in a dangerous farce with the other side of the Strait?
When a serious split occurs in domestic politics, the people have the right to demand the government engage with them and explain what measures it is taking and in what direction it is leading them. The efficacy of closed-door methods of resolving political crises is a myth. Successive US presidents have understood this and have engaged the public in "fireside talks" during which they reveal their thinking and help the people understand where the government is taking the country. Chen should consider a similar method.
Trying to deal with a political crisis by keeping the ruling party and its legislative caucus in the dark over party policy is absurd. Only by communicating with the people can the government reduce misunderstanding and friction between the public and the government. Only in this way can a situation in which a small number of politicians instigate violence between rival political camps be avoided. Chen should bear this in mind as the first anniversary of his second term in office approaches.
What worries the people of this country is that China could get involved in domestic politics through the KMT and the PFP. The opposition has long sought to impede the president, which would serve Beijing's political interests.
The pan-blue camp has long been making preparations for a bid to recall Chen, and there are even suggestions that members of the pan-green camp would not shrink from this course of action. Therefore, Chen must not hesitate to demonstrate his leadership and tell the people what he intends to do, instead of what he cannot do. Chen should not be afraid to rely on public opinion since the majority is strongly opposed to Beijing's efforts to ally itself with the opposition. Only in this way will the people fully accept Chen as their leader.
The central bank and the US Department of the Treasury on Friday issued a joint statement that both sides agreed to avoid currency manipulation and the use of exchange rates to gain a competitive advantage, and would only intervene in foreign-exchange markets to combat excess volatility and disorderly movements. The central bank also agreed to disclose its foreign-exchange intervention amounts quarterly rather than every six months, starting from next month. It emphasized that the joint statement is unrelated to tariff negotiations between Taipei and Washington, and that the US never requested the appreciation of the New Taiwan dollar during the
Since leaving office last year, former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has been journeying across continents. Her ability to connect with international audiences and foster goodwill toward her country continues to enhance understanding of Taiwan. It is possible because she can now walk through doors in Europe that are closed to President William Lai (賴清德). Tsai last week gave a speech at the Berlin Freedom Conference, where, standing in front of civil society leaders, human rights advocates and political and business figures, she highlighted Taiwan’s indispensable global role and shared its experience as a model for democratic resilience against cognitive warfare and
The diplomatic dispute between China and Japan over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments in the Japanese Diet continues to escalate. In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, China’s UN Ambassador Fu Cong (傅聰) wrote that, “if Japan dares to attempt an armed intervention in the cross-Strait situation, it would be an act of aggression.” There was no indication that Fu was aware of the irony implicit in the complaint. Until this point, Beijing had limited its remonstrations to diplomatic summonses and weaponization of economic levers, such as banning Japanese seafood imports, discouraging Chinese from traveling to Japan or issuing
The diplomatic spat between China and Japan over comments Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made on Nov. 7 continues to worsen. Beijing is angry about Takaichi’s remarks that military force used against Taiwan by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could constitute a “survival-threatening situation” necessitating the involvement of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. Rather than trying to reduce tensions, Beijing is looking to leverage the situation to its advantage in action and rhetoric. On Saturday last week, four armed China Coast Guard vessels sailed around the Japanese-controlled Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台), known to Japan as the Senkakus. On Friday, in what
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