Major Republican victories in the US midterm elections could leave Taiwan in a strong political position on Capitol Hill, a Taiwan lobby organization said.
With Republicans capturing 60 seats to take control of the House of Representatives and the Democrats managing to hang on to the Senate by a narrow majority, power is now divided in Washington. As a result, Taiwan’s supporters in Congress are expected to have increased freedom to speak out on controversial issues, such as arms sales, free trade and a place for Taiwan within international organizations.
“The next two years could see some serious Taiwan action in Congress,” said Coen Blaauw, executive director of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA).
FAPA, a bipartisan organization of Taiwanese-Americans, promotes pro-Taiwan legislation in Congress.
“We are in good shape. It is always beneficial to have a strong opposition,” Blaauw said.
With the Republicans in charge of the House, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen — a long-time backer of Taiwanese democracy — will take over as chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Ros-Lehtinen, first elected to Congress in 1989, is a Cuban-American who has worked fiercely against communist rule in Havana. She favors a free-trade agreement (FTA) with Taiwan and US sales of advanced F-16C/D fighter aircraft.
Observers said Taiwan would particularly benefit from the victory of Marco Rubio, the new Republican senator from Florida.
“Cuban Americans in Congress possess a naturally ingrained sense of justice and freedom and tend to be solid Taiwan supporters,” Blaauw said.
Referring to Rubio — a Cuban-American and former member of Ros-Lehtinen’s staff — Blaauw said: “We have high expectations.”
Another victory that should strengthen Taiwan came with the election of Republican Rob Portman of Ohio to the Senate.
A former US trade representative, Portman is expected to boost action on free trade in general and on a US-Taiwan FTA in particular.
Results in some races were so close that recounts may be needed and a detailed tally of just how many Republicans and Democrats were elected may not be known until the end of the week.
Democratic Congressman Gerry Connolly of Virginia, vice-chair of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, remains in one of those races still too close to call.
However, Steve Chabot, an Ohio Republican, regained the congressional seat he had held for 14 years until his defeat by a Democrat in 2008. Chabot has a record as an avid Taiwan supporter and may take over as vice chairman of the Taiwan caucus, a position vacated by retiring Florida Republican Lincoln Diaz-Balart.
Democrat David Wu of Oregon, the only Taiwanese-born member of Congress, handily held onto his seat, defeating a Republican challenger 54 percent to 42 percent.
Mainly as a result of retiring Republicans and defeated Democrats, the 151-strong Congressional Taiwan Caucus has lost about 25 members. Taiwan-watchers are confident this number will be easily made up by recruiting new members from the ranks of the newly elected politicians.
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
LANDSLIDES POSSIBLE: The agency advised the public to avoid visiting mountainous regions due to more expected aftershocks and rainfall from a series of weather fronts A series of earthquakes over the past few days were likely aftershocks of the April 3 earthquake in Hualien County, with further aftershocks to be expected for up to a year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Based on the nation’s experience after the quake on Sept. 21, 1999, more aftershocks are possible over the next six months to a year, the agency said. A total of 103 earthquakes of magnitude 4 on the local magnitude scale or higher hit Hualien County from 5:08pm on Monday to 10:27am yesterday, with 27 of them exceeding magnitude 5. They included two, of magnitude
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique