A perplexing struggle
The struggle for independence is a long unresolved matter. US President Barack Obama’s confirmation of arms sales to Taiwan was a symbolic gesture, condemning Taiwan never to be an independent country — a verdict that has been confirmed by former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) in previous statements.
A recent front-page article in this paper (“Obama informs Congress of arms sales,” Jan. 27, page 1) raises the question of how to define “true independence.”
While Taiwan has sovereignty in terms of an independent government, it does not have sufficient arms to protect itself. Instead, it has to rely on overpriced arms from the US.
The truth is, no country can be truly independent of others economically or culturally.
So the question becomes: “What are we fighting for?”
Mandy Chou
Taipei
Scientology is humanitarian
I am writing in response to the Guardian’s article on Scientology that appeared in this paper (Planet Pop, Jan. 25, page 13).
Scientology’s Volunteer Ministers are well known for their effective work in disaster response and have served at 145 worst-case disaster sites, including Ground Zero after Sept. 11, the Southeast Asian Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, as well as after Typhoon Morakot hit southern Taiwan last year.
In Taiwan, our volunteer ministers have worked with other relief agencies and government organizations and have been commended for truly selfless work many times with the Ministry of the Interior’s Excellent Religious Group Award (績優宗教團體表揚).
The Volunteer Ministers’ great work has been acknowledged by a number of officials.
Emily Tsai
Director of Public Affairs
Church of Scientology Taiwan
Hey, ISO: Taiwan isn’t China
While doing some research for business I happened to reference the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) country code listing for Taiwan. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the ISO, which I would assume to be non-political, has listed Taiwan (ISO country code TW) as: Taiwan, Province of China.
I find this insulting — and I’m not even a citizen of this country. This should be outrageous and unacceptable to all citizens. I urge the people of Taiwan to visit the ISO Web site at: www.iso.org/iso/english_country_names_and_code_elements to express their distaste.
Craig Crawford
Tainan, Taiwan
Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) on April 9 said that the first group of Indian workers could arrive as early as this year as part of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India and the India Taipei Association. Signed in February 2024, the MOU stipulates that Taipei would decide the number of migrant workers and which industries would employ them, while New Delhi would manage recruitment and training. Employment would be governed by the laws of both countries. Months after its signing, the two sides agreed that 1,000 migrant workers from India would
In recent weeks, Taiwan has witnessed a surge of public anxiety over the possible introduction of Indian migrant workers. What began as a policy signal from the Ministry of Labor quickly escalated into a broader controversy. Petitions gathered thousands of signatures within days, political figures issued strong warnings, and social media became saturated with concerns about public safety and social stability. At first glance, this appears to be a straightforward policy question: Should Taiwan introduce Indian migrant workers or not? However, this framing is misleading. The current debate is not fundamentally about India. It is about Taiwan’s labor system, its
Japan’s imminent easing of arms export rules has sparked strong interest from Warsaw to Manila, Reuters reporting found, as US President Donald Trump wavers on security commitments to allies, and the wars in Iran and Ukraine strain US weapons supplies. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s ruling party approved the changes this week as she tries to invigorate the pacifist country’s military industrial base. Her government would formally adopt the new rules as soon as this month, three Japanese government officials told Reuters. Despite largely isolating itself from global arms markets since World War II, Japan spends enough on its own
On March 31, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs released declassified diplomatic records from 1995 that drew wide domestic media attention. One revelation stood out: North Korea had once raised the possibility of diplomatic relations with Taiwan. In a meeting with visiting Chinese officials in May 1995, as then-Chinese president Jiang Zemin (江澤民) prepared for a visit to South Korea, North Korean officials objected to Beijing’s growing ties with Seoul and raised Taiwan directly. According to the newly released records, North Korean officials asked why Pyongyang should refrain from developing relations with Taiwan while China and South Korea were expanding high-level
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