Seventeen months to go until the next presidential election. Yet a fierce presidential campaign was kicked off when PFP Chairman James Soong (
Soong has killed multiple "birds" with this statement. He has essentially declared that he will run for president since he knows it is impossible for Chen to accept the "one China" principle, be it the Chinese version -- "one country, two systems," or the "one China, with each side [of the Strait] free to make its own interpretation."
Throughout his talk, Soong referred to himself in conjunction with his vice chairman and former running mate Chang. This means that Soong may intend to run with Chang. But what would that do to the much-hyped KMT-PFP partnership in the 2004 election?
Since the two parties' attempt to endorse a joint mayoral candidate for Kaohsiung failed, many believe cooperation in the 2004 election is unlikely. After all, the KMT is unable to deliver what is believed to be its end of the bargain for a Lien-Soong ticket -- endorsement for a mayoral candidate backed by the PFP.
The PFP chief may be using a potential Soong-Chang ticket as a bargaining chip with the KMT. Between KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
So far Lien's reaction to Soong's remarks has been more interesting than Chen's. Lien has reportedly emphasized repeatedly that "Chen has not honestly faced up to the `one China' issue."
KMT Legislator John Chang's (
All that could not have made Soong feel too good. He knows that a dominant role in the cross-strait relationship will ensure leadership in the pan-blue camp and votes from pro-unification voters. So he had to speak out in order to reclaim some of the limelight from Chang and the KMT.
Despite pressure from inside and outside Taiwan, Chen has apparently decided to stay put and not react hastily. That is the right thing to do. The interplay between Chen, Soong and Lien will only become more complicated in the days to come.
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
With the manipulations of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), it is no surprise that this year’s budget plan would make government operations difficult. The KMT and the TPP passing malicious legislation in the past year has caused public ire to accumulate, with the pressure about to erupt like a volcano. Civic groups have successively backed recall petition drives and public consensus has reached a fever-pitch, with no let up during the long Lunar New Year holiday. The ire has even breached the mindsets of former staunch KMT and TPP supporters. Most Taiwanese have vowed to use
Despite the steady modernization of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the international community is skeptical of its warfare capabilities. Late last month, US think tank RAND Corp published two reports revealing the PLA’s two greatest hurdles: personnel challenges and structural difficulties. The first RAND report, by Jennie W. Wenger, titled Factors Shaping the Future of China’s Military, analyzes the PLA’s obstacles with recruitment, stating that China has long been committed to attracting young talent from top universities to augment the PLA’s modernization needs. However, the plan has two major constraints: demographic changes and the adaptability of the PLA’s military culture.
As an American living in Taiwan, I have to confess how impressed I have been over the years by the Chinese Communist Party’s wholehearted embrace of high-speed rail and electric vehicles, and this at a time when my own democratic country has chosen a leader openly committed to doing everything in his power to put obstacles in the way of sustainable energy across the board — and democracy to boot. It really does make me wonder: “Are those of us right who hold that democracy is the right way to go?” Has Taiwan made the wrong choice? Many in China obviously