In a recent interview, President William Lai (賴清德) said that the legislature’s responsibility is to supervise the government and review the budget, not to use the budget as leverage to force the executive to comply with political demands. In response, the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) accused the pres
Chile has elected a new government that has the opportunity to take a fresh look at some key aspects of foreign economic policy, mainly a greater focus on Asia, including Taiwan.Still, in the great scheme of things, Chile is a small nation in Latin America, compared with giants such as Brazil and Me
All members of the K-pop boy group BTS have officially completed their military service, and after four years, they are reuniting for a world tour. Immediately after the news broke, accommodation prices in the tour’s host cities surged.BTS is to perform at Kaohsiung National Stadium for three consec
EDITORIAL CARTOON
US President Donald Trump rose to power partly by positioning himself as a foil to global elites, but last week, he attended the World Economic Forum (WEF) — the quintessential gathering of the world’s wealthiest and most powerful people — in Davos, Switzerland, as the star guest.With the largest-ev
US President Donald Trump’s attempted Greenland grab has driven a wedge between him and some of his ideological allies in Europe, as previously unstinting enthusiasm and admiration collide with one of the far right’s key tenets: National sovereignty.Trump’s subsequent disparaging remark that NATO al
While the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) reportedly aims to possess the capability to attempt an invasion of Taiwan by 2027, Beijing on Saturday surprisingly announced an investigation into two of its highest-ranking PLA commanders for unspecified breaches of the law, sparking doubts about B
Taiwan’s long-term care system has fallen into a structural paradox. Staffing shortages have led to a situation in which almost 20 percent of the about 110,000 beds in the care system are vacant, but new patient admissions remain closed. Although the government’s “Long-term Care 3.0” program has inc
Under US President Donald Trump’s push to “make America great again” and pursue an “America first” strategy, Taiwan and the US reached a trade agreement that includes a 15 percent tariff without stacking on existing most-favored nation rates. Also included was favorable treatment for semiconductors
Recently, remarks by US officials have drawn attention in Taiwan for linking security assurances to levels of investment and the relocation of semiconductor production capacity. Such language might be unsurprising in an era increasingly shaped by transactional diplomacy, but from the perspective of
EDITORIAL CARTOON
Standing centimeters from Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) at a military ceremony late last month, China’s highest-ranking general, Zhang Youxia (張又俠), might have had little inkling about the fate that was to befall him just a few weeks later when he was put under investigation.The 75-year-old’s p
When US President Donald Trump took office just over a year ago with an “America First” agenda, many saw trouble for China’s sluggish economy, but Beijing has thawed frosty relationships with other trade partners to post a record trade surplus.While Trump’s policies have strained ties with tradition
There comes a point in a prime minister’s career when foreign travel offers respite from domestic trouble. Even when relations with the host nation are tricky, as Britain’s are with China, the dignifying protocols of statecraft make a beleaguered politician feel valued.Next comes the phase where mis
Taiwan’s export-oriented economy is booming amid strong global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) applications, the National Development Council (NDC) said on Tuesday. The composite index of economic indicators flashed “red” last month for the first time in a year, while the index of leading in
On Sunday, elite free solo climber Alex Honnold — famous worldwide for scaling sheer rock faces without ropes — climbed Taipei 101, once the world’s tallest building and still the most recognizable symbol of Taiwan’s modern identity. Widespread media coverage not only promoted Taiwan, but also saw t
Pingtung County’s National Neipu Senior Agricultural and Industrial Vocational High School last weekend hosted a meeting involving six schools and their programs for Hakka-language integration into the 12-year national curriculum. The schools shared their experience in incorporating the Hakka langua
On Sunday, I watched from my home in the US as a man in a red T-shirt clung to the side of my birth city’s most recognizable silhouette. Alex Honnold’s 91-minute, ropeless ascent of Taipei 101 was a global spectacle, but for those of us in the diaspora, it felt deeply personal.With most of my family
An international organization that refuses to examine its own mistakes while demanding that the world continue to trust it is itself a global security risk. The collapse of trust the WHO is currently facing did not begin with the US’ withdrawal — it is the inevitable outcome of long-standing institu
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