Taiwan rejects the Hong Kong model of "one country, two systems" unification with China, Taiwan's representative to Britain has reiterated in a "letter to the editor" of the Economist.
Edgar Lin (
To the Taiwanese people, Lin wrote, it is imperative that the condition of preserving the nation's democratic system and dignity of its people is met -- only then can Taiwan openly engage China at the negotiating table.
Lin's letter was a response to an article carried in the Economist's March 7 Asian edition that likened Taiwan's increasing trade dependence on China as being on a par with the "subtle, slow-boiling of a frog" and predicted that Taiwan could be peacefully unified with China in 20 years.
Rebutting the allusion as falling short of the truth through its "suggestion of ignorance and passivity," Lin wrote that Taiwan is fully aware of the potential pitfalls of its economic embracing of China and has taken care to see that the process remains under control.
"Indeed, there is a strong awareness, particularly within the circles of power, of the dangers of succumbing to China's dangling of economic carrots. While the carrots are too big to ignore completely, the Taiwanese government and people take care to see that the process remains under control," Lin wrote, adding that this is part of the reasoning behind President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) recent rhetoric which was a reminder to all of the threat that China could pose to Taiwan's freedom and democracy if the situation were to spiral out of control.
Lin was referring to Chen's address at a dinner party held in Taipei on March 4 of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs.
Chen said Taiwan wants independence, a new constitution, development and a change of its official name, and that "Taiwan" is the best name for the country to use in its bid to join the UN.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
Democratic Progressive Party caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu, front, grabs the pennant in a dragon boat race hosted by Qu Yuan Temple in the Shuanghsi River in Taipei’s Beitou District yesterday.
RSS