China badly misread Japan. It sought to intimidate Tokyo into silence on Taiwan. Instead, it has achieved the opposite by hardening Japanese resolve.By trying to bludgeon a major power like Japan into accepting its “red lines” — above all on Taiwan — China laid bare the raw coercive logic of compell
The government’s “Bilingual 2030” policy is undeniably an ambitious blueprint aimed at enhancing Taiwan’s international competitiveness. However, as the policy trickles down to the classroom level, the gap between the lofty goals and the chaotic reality is widening. What was intended to be an educat
Taiwan does not exist in a state of true peace. Its situation is more akin to a prolonged, unofficial state of political warfare. The Legislative Yuan, beyond being the venue of policy debate in Taiwan, has become the front line of resistance in the conflict. Understanding this strategic reality is
EDITORIAL CARTOON
As a musician and music lover, the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution terrifies me in many ways. AI apps such as Suno have already shown extraordinary potential to generate catchy and professionally produced music in certain genres. So it is not hard to imagine a world in which, for example, se
Every year, Japanese vote for a single Chinese character to sum up the past 12 months. This year, that was “bear” (熊), after ursine attacks dominated the headlines.There was a much better option: the character 高, pronounced kou or taka — as in Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. She made history
Eight years ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested that whoever masters artificial intelligence (AI) “will be the ruler of the world.” Since then, investments in the technology have skyrocketed, with US tech giants (Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta) spending more than US$320 billion this yea
Legislators of the opposition parties, consisting of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), on Friday moved to initiate impeachment proceedings against President William Lai (賴清德). They accused Lai of undermining the nation’s constitutional order and democracy.For a
Taiwan’s voters sent representatives to the legislature to do a difficult, often unglamorous job: make laws, oversee the executive and govern within the Constitution. What they did not elect was a permanent troupe of political performers, staging confrontations with no realistic legal endgame and li
Reactions to the White House’s 2025 National Security Strategy (NSS) focused on familiar themes: “America First,” a skepticism of foreign entanglements and an emphasis on economic strength over ideological crusades. However, the document has a more consequential message that Taiwan cannot afford to
When Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) was invited to Soochow University to give a talk to students, what should have been a prime opportunity for a free and open discussion soured.In an incident that quickly became something of a public relations disaster, she dismissed
EDITORIAL CARTOON
What connects the word “vape,” the crying-laughing emoji and the phrase “squeezed middle”? No, it is not just a biting crossword clue for “millennial”: They have all previously been crowned word of the year. Admittedly, there are now so many “words of the year” that, if they were physical objects, t
The deadliest domestic terror attack in Australia’s history is raising an uncomfortable question: Is there an Islamic State (IS) revival in Asia?Despite years of counterterrorism successes and the group’s territorial collapse in Iraq and Syria, the assault at Sydney’s Bondi Beach highlighted a troub
As travelers wedge themselves into planes, trains and automobiles for holiday trips, there is a good chance they would be joined by an unwanted passenger: a new flu strain that seems intent on derailing the season.With flu cases in the US starting to take off, there are still some steps people can t
As the nation reels from the knife attack in Taipei last week, the way society moves on from the incident could have lasting consequences for public safety and social cohesion.After the tragedy, parent-child specialist Wu Chuan-yu (吳娟瑜) urged families to provide emotional support and help children a
Earthquakes do not care about borders. Neither do floods, hurricanes or the diseases that follow them. When disaster strikes anywhere in the world, the international system is supposed to respond based on need, not politics.Organizations like the WHO exist specifically to coordinate amid global heal
My neighbor recently asked me: “Why did the court find Hsinchu Mayor Ann Kao (高虹安) not guilty of fraudulently claiming assistant fees?”I said that the appellate court judges held that although Kao did indeed “underpay and overreport” assistants’ salaries, which created a discrepancy of about NT$110,
Climate change is a multiplier of conflict, and governance gaps are a multiplier of climate risk. The connection between Sustainable Development Goal 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions, and goal 13 on climate action can no longer be ignored. India and Taiwan are well-placed to advance both
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