The US must heed the ripple effect caused by its opposition to Taiwan's UN bid because it might cause anti-US sentiment and strengthen Taiwan's determination to pursue its goal, analysts attending a forum said yesterday.
A poll made public by Taiwan Thinktank yesterday showed that the popularity of the US in the eyes of Taiwanese had declined by 15 percent over the past year, dropping from 32 percent one year ago to 17 percent.
The poll, conducted between last Thursday and Sunday with 1,068 respondents, found that 38 percent said they had the best impression of the Japanese. Seventeen percent named Americans, 10 percent Koreans and 7 percent Chinese.
Nearly 29 percent said they did not know or declined to answer.
Compared with a poll conducted in August last year, 35 percent of respondents said they had the most favorable impression of the Japanese.
Thirty-two percent named Americans, nearly 11 percent Koreans and approximately 9 percent Chinese.
Soochow University political science professor Lo Chih-cheng (
Lo was referring to the comments made by Dennis Wilder, senior director for East Asian affairs at the National Security Council, who told reporters last Thursday that the nationhood of Taiwan was an undecided issue and that Taiwan was therefore not qualified to become a member of the international body.
US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said on Aug. 27 that the US government opposes Taiwan's plan for a referendum because Washington views such activity as a move toward a declaration of independence.
While more than 50 percent of People First Party (PFP) supporters said they had the best impression of Americans, Yan Jiann-fa (
While Singapore was the first to voice its opposition to Taiwan's UN bid, almost 77 percent of respondents said they disagreed with Singapore's statement.
Lin Cheng-yi (
Lin pointed out that respondents aged between 20 and 29 had the least favorable impression of China, followed by those aged between 50 and 59.
Describing Taiwan's referendum bid as a "two-level game," Soochow University political science professor Hsu Yung-ming (
Hsu said that he wondered whether the US was actually opposing the referendum because it knew its opposition to the poll would have the affect of stoking public support for it among the Taiwanese.
Trips for more than 100,000 international and domestic air travelers could be disrupted as China launches a military exercise around Taiwan today, Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said yesterday. The exercise could affect nearly 900 flights scheduled to enter the Taipei Flight Information Region (FIR) during the exercise window, it added. A notice issued by the Chinese Civil Aviation Administration showed there would be seven temporary zones around the Taiwan Strait which would be used for live-fire exercises, lasting from 8am to 6pm today. All aircraft are prohibited from entering during exercise, it says. Taipei FIR has 14 international air routes and
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) today released images of the military tracking China’s People's Liberation Army (PLA) movements during the latest round of Chinese drills around Taiwan. The PLA began "Justice Mission 2025" drills today, carrying out live-fire drills, simulated strikes on land and maritime targets, and exercises to blockade the nation's main ports. The exercises are to continue tomorrow, with the PLA announcing sea and air space restrictions for five zones around Taiwan for 10 hours starting from 8:30am. The ministry today released images showing a Chinese J-16 fighter jet tracked by a F-16V Block 20 jet and the
Snow fell on Yushan (Jade Mountain, 玉山) yesterday morning as a continental cold air mass sent temperatures below freezing on Taiwan’s tallest peak, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Snowflakes were seen on Yushan’s north peak from 6:28am to 6:38am, but they did not fully cover the ground and no accumulation was recorded, the CWA said. As of 7:42am, the lowest temperature recorded across Taiwan was minus-5.5°C at Yushan’s Fengkou observatory and minus-4.7°C at the Yushan observatory, CWA data showed. On Hehuanshan (合歡山) in Nantou County, a low of 1.3°C was recorded at 6:39pm, when ice pellets fell at Songsyue Lodge (松雪樓), a
NO SHAME IN RETREAT: Hikers should consider turning back if the weather turns bad or if they do not have sufficient equipment, the Taroko park headquarters said Two people died of hypothermia over the weekend while hiking on Hsuehshan (雪山), prompting park authorities to remind hikers to bring proper equipment and consider their physical condition before setting out in the cold weather. Temperatures dropped over the weekend, bringing snow to high altitudes in Shei-pa National Park. One hiker, surnamed Lin (林), who on Friday was traveling with a group of six along the Hsuehshan west ridge trail, lost consciousness due to hypothermia and died, the Shei-pa National Park Headquarters said. On Saturday, another hiker, surnamed Tien (田), in a group of five on the southeast of the west
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