About two weeks have elapsed since the tragic earthquake in Hualien County, which as of the time of writing, was known to have killed 12 people with many more still missing.While relatively small, especially compared with the Jiji Earthquake in September 1999 that killed more than 2,400 people, it o
On Saturday last week, vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷) and other international strategy experts took part in a forum organized by the Formosa Republican Association to mark the 45th anniversary of the US’ Taiwan Relations Act (TR
Hsu, be like MenciusChinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsu Chiao-hsin’s (徐巧芯) family has been accused of running a scam, obliging her to hold a news conference to clarify the situation.In a law-based society, adults should take responsibility for their behavior. What Hsu should have done was
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As their rivalry intensifies, US and Chinese military planners are gearing up for a new kind of warfare in which squadrons of air and sea drones equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) work together like a swarm of bees to overwhelm an enemy.The planners envision a scenario in which hundreds, eve
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
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has proposed a bill to suspend a phased-in reduction of the public pension income replacement ratio that was implemented in 2018. The amendment would not only reintroduce greater financial risks to the pension system, but would also increase the burden on the you
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has been touting the farce of former president Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) visit to kowtow to Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), presenting his “great” contributions. To be fair, Ma’s greatest accomplishment was finally removing all semblance of a smiling and clean-cut
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 engineeri
Asia is home to 60 percent of the world’s population whilst being the site of 85 to 95 percent of the world’s executions. Of the 11 nations in Southeast Asia, all but the Philippines, East Timor and Cambodia continue to retain the death penalty. Even Japan, which one would consider to be the closest
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Japan and Taiwan have struggled to escape their postwar legacies and the “normalization” of the state. Japan has had to address its relationship with its neighbors, including China, the two Koreas and, to a lesser degree, Taiwan — or at least the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) forces that previousl
Taiwan is the master of its own fate, yet the remnants and values of its colonial past still haunt the nation. The issue is not limited to Taiwan, but rather a phantasm that exists in all postcolonial states. The phenomenon is in apparent in several nations following their independence.Early example
As former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) wrapped up his visit to the People’s Republic of China, he received his share of attention.Certainly, the trip must be seen within the full context of Ma’s life, that is, his eight-year presidency, the Sunflower movement and his failed Economic Cooperation Fram
During former president Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in Beijing on Wednesday last week, Xi focused his speech on the theme of peace. He said that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should “work together to pursue a bright future for peaceful reunificati
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Former US national security adviser John Bolton has called for Israel to respond to Iran’s massive, failed weekend missile barrage by destroying its nuclear fuel facilities. In one sense, that is no surprise — Bolton has rarely seen a problem he did not think could be bombed into submission. Yet he
The Iranian-Israeli war has now emerged from the shadows with the barrage of more than 300 drones, rockets and cruise missiles that Iran launched at Israel. Along with the US military and other partners, the Israel Defense Forces were able to intercept 99 percent of them.Once again, the Israeli mili
Taiwan must seek overseas talent to bridge domestic employment gaps, as an aging society and smaller population make it challenging to expand a shrinking labor pool. The issue is particularly urgent for semiconductor and electronics companies, as skilled workers and researchers are crucial for safeg