Another sex scandal involving members of the Legislative Yuan has gripped the nation's media. What makes this supposedly sordid tale even more fascinating is the fact that the allegations concern two celebrities turned lawmakers -- former basketball icon and current PFP lawmaker Cheng Chih-lung (
From the standpoint of the PFP, this latest ordeal is no laughing matter. After a series of sex scandals involving some of the most prominent members of the party, from secretary-general David Chung (
A good image probably means a lot more to the PFP than any other party. In fact, Soong, the PFP chairman, rose to political stardom primarily on an oppressed-martyr image. His campaign platform for the 2000 presidential race was ambiguous at best. Yet, Soong was able to garner enormous support. Had it not been for the "Chung Hsing bill scandal (
Soong's concern is evident from a less than subtle change in the attitude of the PFP's lawmakers after this latest scandal erupted. Reportedly, many, if not most, PFP lawmakers jeered at the reported affair when it first hit the news. They reportedly joked that they knew something was fishy between the two from the interactions between them. But, beginning yesterday, many PFP members began to comment that the entire thing was probably a hoax. Apparently pressured by the party into damage control, Cheng and his wife held a press conference in which the emotionally-distraught couple said very little and allowed PFP lawmaker Liu Wen-hsiung (
Perhaps an even more important question for the PFP in the long run is what does it intend to offer besides a good image? A good image cannot forever hide the fact that this party has no consistent or worthwhile policy direction. While the PFP is certainly posing serious threat to the KMT for the leadership position of the `pan-blue' camp, policywise, it continues to be perceived largely as merely a spin off of its KMT big brother. At times the PFP appears to be trying to target more moderate voters, rather than conservative unificationists in the area of cross-strait issues, but in many instances it has swung back to the far right with the KMT.
Bound to the KMT in political interest and with a rapidly decaying image, the PFP is only steps away from becoming a siamese twin of the KMT.
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
For Taipei, last year was a particularly dangerous period, with China stepping up coercive pressures on Taiwan amid signs of US President Joe Biden’s cognitive decline, which eventually led his Democratic Party to force him to abandon his re-election campaign. The political drift in the US bred uncertainty in Taiwan and elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific region about American strategic commitment and resolve. With America deeply involved in the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, the last thing Washington wanted was a Taiwan Strait contingency, which is why Biden invested in personal diplomacy with China’s dictator Xi Jinping (習近平). The return of
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has long been a cornerstone of US foreign policy, advancing not only humanitarian aid but also the US’ strategic interests worldwide. The abrupt dismantling of USAID under US President Donald Trump ‘s administration represents a profound miscalculation with dire consequences for global influence, particularly in the Indo-Pacific. By withdrawing USAID’s presence, Washington is creating a vacuum that China is eager to fill, a shift that will directly weaken Taiwan’s international position while emboldening Beijing’s efforts to isolate Taipei. USAID has been a crucial player in countering China’s global expansion, particularly in regions where
Actress Barbie Hsu (徐熙媛), known affectionately as “Big S,” recently passed away from pneumonia caused by the flu. The Mandarin word for the flu — which translates to “epidemic cold” in English — is misleading. Although the flu tends to spread rapidly and shares similar symptoms with the common cold, its name easily leads people to underestimate its dangers and delay seeking medical treatment. The flu is an acute viral respiratory illness, and there are vaccines to prevent its spread and strengthen immunity. This being the case, the Mandarin word for “influenza” used in Taiwan should be renamed from the misleading