Taiwanese expats should help
Having just returned to the US this week after attending the March 30 Sunflower rally with half a million people in Taipei, I am overcome with the hope and promise of change, and a proud sense of participation in the history of the nation’s democracy.
Overseas Taiwanese should and can contribute to the Sunflower movement. They can do their share toward protecting the nation’s democracy.
First, the Sunflower movement in general, including the rally, were initiated entirely by Taiwanese college students calling for long-overdue policies for dealing with China and social reform. The students demand changes to the review of the cross-strait service trade agreement and base their appeals on the principles of freedom and democracy, guided by procedural and substantive justice.
They are voicing grave concerns over potential damage to the nation’s fledgling democracy that might result from the agreement — as happened with a similar agreement in Hong Kong after 1997 — including imbalanced media coverage, compromised elections and heightened social controls over speech and religious beliefs. Moreover, they are demanding proper action be taken against police who used excessive force against unarmed civilians.
Many foreigners residing in Taiwan attended the rally. Their presence sent a strong and unequivocal pledge of support to the students for their cause. These international friends endorse universal values such as liberty, democracy and free press, which Taiwanese have fought long and hard to earn.
To make a difference in the nation’s democracy, overseas Taiwanese can join international communities and voice their support for the Sunflower movement.
With an abundance of voluntary effort, the students are not in great need of financial support, but knowing they are not alone in the fight would go a long way in helping them for the journey ahead.
Overseas Taiwanese can help by organizing rallies in Taiwanese communities to raise awareness, send letters to editors and discuss Taiwanese events with international media outlets. They can also talk to elected officials about what protecting the nation’s democracy means to the rest of the world.
The support will render a strong voice to help Taiwanese get through this most trying of times, as they fight the good fight to safeguard the universal values of democracy, which are enjoyed by a large part of people in the rest of the world.
Chiehwen Ed Hsu
San Diego, California
Recently, China launched another diplomatic offensive against Taiwan, improperly linking its “one China principle” with UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to constrain Taiwan’s diplomatic space. After Taiwan’s presidential election on Jan. 13, China persuaded Nauru to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Nauru cited Resolution 2758 in its declaration of the diplomatic break. Subsequently, during the WHO Executive Board meeting that month, Beijing rallied countries including Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Egypt, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Laos, Russia, Syria and Pakistan to reiterate the “one China principle” in their statements, and assert that “Resolution 2758 has settled the status of Taiwan” to hinder Taiwan’s
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s (李顯龍) decision to step down after 19 years and hand power to his deputy, Lawrence Wong (黃循財), on May 15 was expected — though, perhaps, not so soon. Most political analysts had been eyeing an end-of-year handover, to ensure more time for Wong to study and shadow the role, ahead of general elections that must be called by November next year. Wong — who is currently both deputy prime minister and minister of finance — would need a combination of fresh ideas, wisdom and experience as he writes the nation’s next chapter. The world that
The past few months have seen tremendous strides in India’s journey to develop a vibrant semiconductor and electronics ecosystem. The nation’s established prowess in information technology (IT) has earned it much-needed revenue and prestige across the globe. Now, through the convergence of engineering talent, supportive government policies, an expanding market and technologically adaptive entrepreneurship, India is striving to become part of global electronics and semiconductor supply chains. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vision of “Make in India” and “Design in India” has been the guiding force behind the government’s incentive schemes that span skilling, design, fabrication, assembly, testing and packaging, and
Can US dialogue and cooperation with the communist dictatorship in Beijing help avert a Taiwan Strait crisis? Or is US President Joe Biden playing into Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) hands? With America preoccupied with the wars in Europe and the Middle East, Biden is seeking better relations with Xi’s regime. The goal is to responsibly manage US-China competition and prevent unintended conflict, thereby hoping to create greater space for the two countries to work together in areas where their interests align. The existing wars have already stretched US military resources thin, and the last thing Biden wants is yet another war.