No matter how China develops politically, democracy will be its final destiny, said President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) in an article in remembrance of today's 16th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre.
The massacre began in Beijing on June 4, 1989, when the Chinese authorities brutally instructed troops to crush pro-democracy demonstrators gathered in Tiananmen Square.
In his weekly e-newsletter published yesterday, the president said it is time to review political developments on both sides of the Taiwan Strait since 1989.
While the massacre stymied China's democratic development, Chen said Taiwan has since accelerated its democratic reforms and has emerged as the "democratic lighthouse" of the world's Chinese societies.
Judging from Taiwan's experience, Chen said he is convinced that repressive rule only restricts humans temporarily, and cannot constrain them for ever.
The value of democracy lies in the fact that diverse opinions can co-exist, Chen said, "although sometimes clamoring might appear in an occasional display of disorder,this, however, cannot be used as an excuse to take away the people's right to be their own boss."
"Pursuing democracy is our ideal, and protecting democracy is our responsibility," Chen said in the article. "Although to China, the shadow of Tiananmen might gradually fade away, the `sun' of democracy is dawning quietly in various corners of China."
"I believe that no matter how bumpy China's political development might be, democracy will be its final destiny," Chen said. "I earnestly hope that China's leaders can respect and protect the people's right to free choice, and hope that the universal values of freedom and democracy will blossom in China eventually."
LOW RISK: Most nations do not extradite people accused of political crimes, and the UN says extradition can only happen if the act is a crime in both countries, an official said China yesterday issued wanted notices for two Taiwanese influencers, accusing them of committing “separatist acts” by criticizing Beijing, amid broadening concerns over China’s state-directed transnational repression. The Quanzhou Public Security Bureau in a notice posted online said police are offering a reward of up to 25,000 yuan (US$3,523) for information that could contribute to the investigation or apprehension of pro-Taiwanese independence YouTuber Wen Tzu-yu (溫子渝),who is known as Pa Chiung (八炯) online, and rapper Chen Po-yuan (陳柏源). Wen and Chen are suspected of spreading content that supported secession from China, slandered Chinese policies that benefit Taiwanese and discrimination against Chinese spouses of
ALIGNED THINKING: Taiwan and Japan have a mutual interest in trade, culture and engineering, and can work together for stability, Cho Jung-tai said Taiwan and Japan are two like-minded countries willing to work together to form a “safety barrier” in the Indo-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) yesterday said at the opening ceremony of the 35th Taiwan-Japan Modern Engineering and Technology Symposium in Taipei. Taiwan and Japan are close geographically and closer emotionally, he added. Citing the overflowing of a barrier lake in the Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) in September, Cho said the submersible water level sensors given by Japan during the disaster helped Taiwan monitor the lake’s water levels more accurately. Japan also provided a lot of vaccines early in the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic,
PROMOTION: Travelers who want a free stopover must book their flights with designated travel agents, such as Lion Travel, Holiday Tours, Cola Tour and Life Tours Air Canada yesterday said it is offering Taiwanese travelers who are headed to North America free stopovers if they transit though airports in Japan and South Korea. The promotion was launched in response to a potential rise in demand for flights to North America in June and July next year, when the US, Canada and Mexico are scheduled to jointly host the FIFA World Cup, Air Canada said. Air Canada offers services to 13 of the 16 host cities of the tournament’s soccer games, including Toronto and Vancouver; Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey in Mexico; Atlanta, Georgia; Boston; Dallas; Houston;
The US approved the possible sale to Taiwan of fighter jet spare and repair parts for US$330 million, the Pentagon said late yesterday, marking the first such potential transaction since US President Donald Trump took office in January. "The proposed sale will improve the recipient's capability to meet current and future threats by maintaining the operational readiness of the recipient's fleet of F-16, C-130," and other aircraft, the Pentagon said in a statement. Trump previously said that Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) has told him he would not invade Taiwan while the Republican leader is in office. The announcement of the possible arms
RSS