"It is only divided by one line and Taiwan stands right on the middle point of that line."
Anyone familiar with East Asian geopolitics who has read the article "Fan Theory" written by former US secretary of state James Baker can understand the meaning of this sentence -- and the reason why Taiwan's position is so important.
Taiwan has been called an "unsinkable aircraft carrier," sitting as it does right on the US' defense line in the West Pacific and near the major sea lanes for oil tankers. Taiwan remains an international issue to this day mainly because the countries concerned share a common understanding about its security and a responsibility to safeguard it. Taiwan should try to fully utilize this strategic advantage and establish common strategic interests with neighboring countries. Such interests will be key to Taiwan's security and future development.
For a country standing on a dividing line, the question of what role Taiwan should play appears to be both blurred and embarrassing. However, Taiwan's objectives and position are in fact very clear. Taiwan must rely on the US and Japan for national security and on Chinese market for economic development. This situation is in line with post-Cold War international relations -- conflict and cooperation -- what the Chinese call "mesh"
After long years of diplomatic impasse that has proven difficult to break, Taiwan's representative in Japan, Lo Fu-chen (羅福全), has proposed a new diplomatic policy toward Japan. In the future, Taiwan will "seek its interests in a US-Japan security alliance," Lo said. His words point at the biggest change in Taipei's Japan policy since 1972. This new thinking puts Taiwan-Japan relations in the framework of a US-Japan-Taiwan triangular relationship and strengthens Japan's role in cross-strait relations. It is worthwhile for the people of Taiwan to reflect on how to reach a consensus on this policy and realize it.
We believe this is an encouraging change that deserves praise. The fact that Lo has come up with this new idea is praiseworthy, given Chen Shui-bian's
Two years ago, several Japanese scholars proposed the establishment of a US-Japan-Taiwan-Korea military alliance, or an "Asian collective security system" to resist Chinese military expansion and hegemony. What Beijing fears the most is a Theater Missile Defense encirclement jointly set up by the US, Japan and Taiwan, because such a system could incapacitate China's missiles and nuclear weapons.
No matter how fast China's economy is growing and absorbing resources from surrounding countries, Taiwan and its allies cannot let down their guard as long as China does not abandon communism. As long as China is ruled by an irrational and undemocratic regime that has aggressive policies, the country will remain a threat in Asia. In the context of congagement, where else can Taiwan turn to ensure its survival and security if it does not build an alliance with the US and Japan?
A series of strong earthquakes in Hualien County not only caused severe damage in Taiwan, but also revealed that China’s power has permeated everywhere. A Taiwanese woman posted on the Internet that she found clips of the earthquake — which were recorded by the security camera in her home — on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu. It is spine-chilling that the problem might be because the security camera was manufactured in China. China has widely collected information, infringed upon public privacy and raised information security threats through various social media platforms, as well as telecommunication and security equipment. Several former TikTok employees revealed
For the incoming Administration of President-elect William Lai (賴清德), successfully deterring a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) attack or invasion of democratic Taiwan over his four-year term would be a clear victory. But it could also be a curse, because during those four years the CCP’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will grow far stronger. As such, increased vigilance in Washington and Taipei will be needed to ensure that already multiplying CCP threat trends don’t overwhelm Taiwan, the United States, and their democratic allies. One CCP attempt to overwhelm was announced on April 19, 2024, namely that the PLA had erred in combining major missions
The Constitutional Court on Tuesday last week held a debate over the constitutionality of the death penalty. The issue of the retention or abolition of the death penalty often involves the conceptual aspects of social values and even religious philosophies. As it is written in The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay, the government’s policy is often a choice between the lesser of two evils or the greater of two goods, and it is impossible to be perfect. Today’s controversy over the retention or abolition of the death penalty can be viewed in the same way. UNACCEPTABLE Viewing the
At the same time as more than 30 military aircraft were detected near Taiwan — one of the highest daily incursions this year — with some flying as close as 37 nautical miles (69kms) from the northern city of Keelung, China announced a limited and selected relaxation of restrictions on Taiwanese agricultural exports and tourism, upon receiving a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) delegation led by KMT legislative caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅崑萁). This demonstrates the two-faced gimmick of China’s “united front” strategy. Despite the strongest earthquake to hit the nation in 25 years striking Hualien on April 3, which caused