On Thursday, KMT Secretary-General Lin Fong-cheng (
The hubris of the KMT's suggestion shows the party not only can't spell the word "humility," but is also clueless about the weight it carries -- and the political baggage.
Rumor has it that several KMT lawmakers and high-ranking party officials will defect after the elections. The People First Party estimates the KMT will lose about 20 lawmakers. Talk of the party imploding can be heard everywhere -- except perhaps within KMT Chairman Lien Chan's (
At a time like this, if Lin's statement was intended to secure party harmony for the sake of the elections by easing external pressure for an alliance, it is understandable -- even though it appears likely to fail. However, if the KMT truly thinks it has leverage to carry through on such an alliance, the century-old party is not only old, it's senile. If it continues act in such a ridiculous manner, its disintegration is truly inevitable.
Fifty years ago, the KMT parachuted into Taiwan. The fact that this alien regime managed to maintain its rule for so long is more miraculous than Taiwan's oft-touted economic miracle. Its regime was a prime example of rule by force. Virtually all political observers who visited Taiwan during that time were amazed at the the people's obedience to their foreign masters.
The fact that the KMT did not hand over its power until last year shows the forgiving and tolerant nature of the Taiwanese. The KMT also has its former chairman Lee Teng-hui's (
The identity crisis that has plagued the KMT for the last year appears to have been resolved in favor of its Chinese identity, rather than its roots in Taiwan. It is enough to make one wonder why the KMT ever came to Taiwan in the first place if the Beijing regime is so good -- until, of course, one remembers that Beijing doesn't believe in the existence of any political organization except the Chinese Communist Party. Amazing how all the pro-China mouthpieces who fill the media seem to forget that little fact.
In the end, it doesn't matter whether KMT party members turned to China because they opposed Lee or his localization movement. They have lost any claim to political power in Taiwan. The party has betrayed the popular will in Taiwan in pursuit of a mirage of political Never-never Land where it could continue to rule.
As China steps up a campaign to diplomatically isolate and squeeze Taiwan, it has become more imperative than ever that Taipei play a greater role internationally with the support of the democratic world. To help safeguard its autonomous status, Taiwan needs to go beyond bolstering its defenses with weapons like anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles. With the help of its international backers, it must also expand its diplomatic footprint globally. But are Taiwan’s foreign friends willing to translate their rhetoric into action by helping Taipei carve out more international space for itself? Beating back China’s effort to turn Taiwan into an international pariah
Typhoon Krathon made landfall in southwestern Taiwan last week, bringing strong winds, heavy rain and flooding, cutting power to more than 170,000 homes and water supply to more than 400,000 homes, and leading to more than 600 injuries and four deaths. Due to the typhoon, schools and offices across the nation were ordered to close for two to four days, stirring up familiar controversies over whether local governments’ decisions to call typhoon days were appropriate. The typhoon’s center made landfall in Kaohsiung’s Siaogang District (小港) at noon on Thursday, but it weakened into a tropical depression early on Friday, and its structure
Since the end of the Cold War, the US-China espionage battle has arguably become the largest on Earth. Spying on China is vital for the US, as China’s growing military and technological capabilities pose direct challenges to its interests, especially in defending Taiwan and maintaining security in the Indo-Pacific. Intelligence gathering helps the US counter Chinese aggression, stay ahead of threats and safeguard not only its own security, but also the stability of global trade routes. Unchecked Chinese expansion could destabilize the region and have far-reaching global consequences. In recent years, spying on China has become increasingly difficult for the US
Lately, China has been inviting Taiwanese influencers to travel to China’s Xinjiang region to make films, weaving a “beautiful Xinjiang” narrative as an antidote to the international community’s criticisms by creating a Potemkin village where nothing is awry. Such manipulations appear harmless — even compelling enough for people to go there — but peeling back the shiny veneer reveals something more insidious, something that is hard to ignore. These films are not only meant to promote tourism, but also harbor a deeper level of political intentions. Xinjiang — a region of China continuously listed in global human rights reports —
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