One year ago yesterday was the fateful night that changed Taiwan's political dynamics of forever -- the night Chen Shui-bian
Unable to change its "opposition party" mentality and outnumbered in the legislature, the DPP acts like a kid trying to run around in his mom or dad's shoes, but cries when he trips and falls. The epitome of this was the DPP's participation in the Feb. 24 anti-nuclear rally. Then there is the behavior of some ministry heads who lambast their own ministries as if they were opposition lawmakers -- such as Minister of Transportation and Communications Yeh Chu-lan (
However, the biggest mistake the DPP has made was to let its relations with its rivals become so polarized that the crisis over the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant
Opinion polls have repeatedly shown the DPP trailing behind the People First Party in popular support. One small consolation for the ruling party is that its nemesis has performed no better.
KMT Chairman Lien Chan
By toadying up to China and the PFP, the KMT has shed the last remnants of Lee Teng-hui's
Then there is the PFP. At first, we were baffled by its ability to lead in the polls. Has the PFP ever clearly proposed any important policy?
Then we realized that the PFP is a tabula rasa. Because it hasn't had to perform, people are still freely transferring their expectations onto it. The PFP is the kid who can't decide what he wants to be ... so he just throws a sheet over his head. The only difference is that there is a mug-shot of James Soong
As for the New Party, now that its arch-enemy, its raison d'etre -- Lee -- has retired, it seems to have lost the will to go on. With all the New Party heavy-weights defecting to PFP, the New Party is the outdated costume no one wants to wear anymore.
One year on, we see little reason to celebrate. We can only hope that by the time another year has passed, Taiwan's parties will have put away their childish fantasies -- and tantrums -- and learned to live and work in the adult world.
Taiwan faces complex challenges like other Asia-Pacific nations, including demographic decline, income inequality and climate change. In fact, its challenges might be even more pressing. The nation struggles with rising income inequality, declining birthrates and soaring housing costs while simultaneously navigating intensifying global competition among major powers. To remain competitive in the global talent market, Taiwan has been working to create a more welcoming environment and legal framework for foreign professionals. One of the most significant steps in this direction was the enactment of the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals (外國專業人才延攬及僱用法) in 2018. Subsequent amendments in
The recent passing of Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu (徐熙媛), known to many as “Big S,” due to influenza-induced pneumonia at just 48 years old is a devastating reminder that the flu is not just a seasonal nuisance — it is a serious and potentially fatal illness. Hsu, a beloved actress and cultural icon who shaped the memories of many growing up in Taiwan, should not have died from a preventable disease. Yet her death is part of a larger trend that Taiwan has ignored for too long — our collective underestimation of the flu and our low uptake of the
US President Donald Trump on Saturday signed orders to impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China effective from today. Trump decided to slap 25 percent tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada as well as 10 percent on those coming from China, but would only impose a 10 percent tariff on Canadian energy products, including oil and electricity. Canada and Mexico on Sunday quickly responded with retaliatory tariffs against the US, while countermeasures from China are expected soon. Nevertheless, Trump announced yesterday to delay tariffs on Mexico and Canada for a month and said he would hold further talks with
Taiwan’s undersea cables connecting it to the world were allegedly severed several times by a Chinese ship registered under a flag of convenience. As the vessel sailed, it used several different automatic identification systems (AIS) to create fake routes. That type of “shadow fleet” and “gray zone” tactics could create a security crisis in Taiwan and warrants response measures. The concept of a shadow fleet originates from the research of Elisabeth Braw, senior fellow at the Washington-based Atlantic Council. The phenomenon was initiated by authoritarian countries such as Iran, North Korea and Russia, which have been hit by international economic