President Chen Shui-bian (
When addressing the Democratic Pacific Union and the World Federation of Taiwanese Associations, Chen asked the international community and pan-Pacific nations to view China's military expansion and ambition as presenting "uncertainties that continue to threaten human security." In an interview with the Australian over the weekend, Chen highlighted concerns that many Chinese brides or academics may actually be Chinese spies. And when meeting with last year's Nobel laureate in economics Edward Prescott last Thursday, Chen said that China's proposal to hold talks with Taiwan on direct cross-strait passenger charter flights was "a political trick."
A look at recent China-related policies undertaken by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration however, leads one to wonder whether the president and his government are all on the same page.
The Taipei Airlines Association last Friday got the go-ahead from the Cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council to talk with China on both passenger and cargo charter flights across the Strait.
The council earlier this month announced that China is willing to deal with the agency commissioned by the council on the issue of opening up the nation to Chinese tourists. The council hailed China's response as a breakthrough in cross-strait relations.
The government currently allows only two categories of Chinese people to visit Taiwan: those who live in a third country, and those who live in China but come to Taiwan on business or en route to other countries.
The latest relaxation is expected to allow 365,000 Chinese tourists per year, or 1,000 people per day, to visit Taiwan for a maximum of 10 days. They will enter Taiwan through either Hong Kong or Macau. Premier Frank Hsieh (
But is the DPP government really prepared for the huge influx of Chinese tourists? Can Hsieh promise a safe and comfortable environment for the Taiwanese public after Chinese tourists start flocking to Taiwan?
There's reason for concern. Recently officials have seen an increase in cross-strait movement -- by both legal and illegal means -- in which Chinese criminals and spies enter Taiwan and conspire with domestic criminal gangs. This poses a serious threat to the nation's security, and the National Security Council (NSC) has warned that such ne'er-do-wells' activities in this country are aimed at influencing Taiwan's economy, social order and politics.
Chen has often spoken of China's schemes against Taiwan and urged the public to stay vigilant against Beijing's "united front" (
If Chen really means what he says, he should pressure his own party, and agencies mapping out China-related policies, with the same words of warning.
There is much evidence that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is sending soldiers from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — and is learning lessons for a future war against Taiwan. Until now, the CCP has claimed that they have not sent PLA personnel to support Russian aggression. On 18 April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelinskiy announced that the CCP is supplying war supplies such as gunpowder, artillery, and weapons subcomponents to Russia. When Zelinskiy announced on 9 April that the Ukrainian Army had captured two Chinese nationals fighting with Russians on the front line with details
On a quiet lane in Taipei’s central Daan District (大安), an otherwise unremarkable high-rise is marked by a police guard and a tawdry A4 printout from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicating an “embassy area.” Keen observers would see the emblem of the Holy See, one of Taiwan’s 12 so-called “diplomatic allies.” Unlike Taipei’s other embassies and quasi-consulates, no national flag flies there, nor is there a plaque indicating what country’s embassy this is. Visitors hoping to sign a condolence book for the late Pope Francis would instead have to visit the Italian Trade Office, adjacent to Taipei 101. The death of
By now, most of Taiwan has heard Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s (蔣萬安) threats to initiate a vote of no confidence against the Cabinet. His rationale is that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led government’s investigation into alleged signature forgery in the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) recall campaign constitutes “political persecution.” I sincerely hope he goes through with it. The opposition currently holds a majority in the Legislative Yuan, so the initiation of a no-confidence motion and its passage should be entirely within reach. If Chiang truly believes that the government is overreaching, abusing its power and targeting political opponents — then
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), joined by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), held a protest on Saturday on Ketagalan Boulevard in Taipei. They were essentially standing for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which is anxious about the mass recall campaign against KMT legislators. President William Lai (賴清德) said that if the opposition parties truly wanted to fight dictatorship, they should do so in Tiananmen Square — and at the very least, refrain from groveling to Chinese officials during their visits to China, alluding to meetings between KMT members and Chinese authorities. Now that China has been defined as a foreign hostile force,
RSS