The uncertainty surrounding the Economic Sustainable Development Conference finally came to an end last week, when Vice Premier Tsai Ing-wen (
Since the Democratic Progressive Party took power in 2000, it has organized several conferences, which have reached a long list of conclusions, beginning with the Economic Development Advisory Conference in 2001, in which 322 recommendations were approved. In particular, former president Lee Teng-hui's (
There followed a national conference on social welfare services in 2002, a national conference on population policy in 2004, a national energy strategy conference last year and a national sustainable development conference this April. Some of the conference conclusions became law, but many others have still not been passed because of political paralysis in the legislature.
Opposition parties have threatened to boycott next month's conference because the government has not fully implemented decisions reached at the 2001 conference -- especially the consensus to move ahead on cross-strait economic links. Industry representatives also gave a lukewarm response to the conference after President Chen Shui-bian (
But the Cabinet's announcement last week of plans to expand cross-strait passenger and cargo charter flights appeared to help improve domestic sentiment for the moment. Moreover, the inclusion by the Mainland Affairs Council of China-bound investment matters in the preparatory meetings over the coming six weeks has heightened expectations for the event. Such matters will include a possible lifting of the current limit on Taiwanese firms' investment in China.
However, it is questionable whether the Cabinet can use a national conference to solicit the collective public will and untangle difficult issues. Facing rising calls from business circles for further relaxations in cross-strait trade and investment, it is certainly questionable whether participants can stand up for national security concerns and reach a conclusion that maintains Taiwan's competitiveness while securing a balance between global markets and the Chinese market.
Given the nation's entrenched political polarization, some have worried whether any meaningful and realistic conclusions could come from the conference. How can such a divided country reach agreement on cross-strait policies such as whether to allow Taiwanese banks to invest in Chinese lenders or allow chipmakers to invest in 0.18-micron process technology in China?
Some politicians and mass media prefer to focus on political scandals. But why not try to draw the public's attention to next month's conference, which will focus on cross-strait issues, as well as structural and long-term development issues including financial reform, labor shortages and environmental protection? In a country like Taiwan, where many political figures have no vision for the nation because they can only see their enemies, a constructive exercise like the conference could make a refreshing change.
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,
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