Just what is the EU up to?
Just in case anyone in Europe thought China has become less of a threat to democracy and peace in the world, it hasn't. It has become worse. As China increasingly tests its power to control the free world's democracies through economic blackmail, its danger becomes more apparent. A peek inside the danger of giving China even a hint of market power can be gleaned from its recent hostile proclamations toward -- and perhaps sanctions against -- Taiwanese companies that invest billions in China. China has threatened to sanction those it considers guilty of supporting the pan-green camp and President Chen Shui-bian (
is threatening to destroy businesses that support Chen, using economic blackmail to effect its sinister political goals. Today, Taiwanese businesses. Tomorrow, EU businesses.
Suppose the EU contemplates a vote to censure China on human rights. What would happen if China threatened to block the tens of billions of euros the EU plans to plow into China's market? China already uses economic blackmail every single day all over the world to enforce policies on Tibet, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The blackmail is always the same: "You will not be welcome to do business in China if you don't agree with China's political agenda" -- namely, anti-democracy in Hong Kong and Taiwan and looking the other way over eugenics in Tibet.
And now the EU is thinking of selling the latest weapons
to China, pretending there is nothing wrong with arming a dictatorship. What will China do with advanced weapons? Defend itself? With offensive weapons? Defend itself from whom? Taiwan? The US?
Does the EU want to be in the
business of arming countries against the US? Perhaps it does.
Perhaps the EU wishes to oppose the US in every aspect of international policy, from the Middle East to Asia. Perhaps the EU believes that opposing the US (and gaining market share in China) is more important than upholding democracy and freedom around the
world and checking totalitarian regimes. The EU wants to establish itself as another "pole" of influence in the world. Or perhaps that is the agenda of France and Germany, the two most avidly pushing arms sales to China -- and the most likely to benefit from sales. You can call it teaming up with perfidy to regain lost glory and make some cash. Sounds sort of like selling one's soul to the devil.
Lee Long-hwa
United States
Caring about care
Kudos to your newspaper for publishing stories on restoring ethical values and compassion to our deteriorating society. They have boosted our concern over undesirable interpersonal relationships on the one hand, and the prospect of reinvigorating moral consensus and compassion on the other.
It's shocking to read recent reports on domestic homicide, particularly those cases initiated by parents. A mother is one who loves her kids the most, but we keep wondering why the situation nowadays is so pathetically different.
After the social transformation Taiwan has experienced over the past decades, people seem to be suffering from more stress -- very likely caused by financial, educational and political variables. It seems that there are a growing number of people of all ages afflicted by mental aberration. We fear the consequences will be grave if the authorities fail to take proper precautionary measures.
People should be nurtured in a way that allows them to release their stress in a socially acceptable manner. Families and schools can help children develop fundamental skills of coping and problem-solving.
Public figures, including government officials and legislators, should be respectable models for everyone. This would then help avoid unnecessary outbreaks of emotional distress.
Most unfortunate incidents can be avoided if we care more about those who suffer from emotional instability. Unfortunately, too many people fail to have empathy or compassion for these people; some even become indifferent and detached, especially in the big cities.
In the meantime, offering a hand to others in need reliably generates a satisfying feeling.
Hopefully, a peaceful and harmonious society can be rebuilt through the learning of these lessons. It is imperative that we care for the depressed and the needy around us with sincerity and compassion.
Li Chen-ching
Jenny Sung
Taipei
With escalating US-China competition and mutual distrust, the trend of supply chain “friend shoring” in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the fragmentation of the world into rival geopolitical blocs, many analysts and policymakers worry the world is retreating into a new cold war — a world of trade bifurcation, protectionism and deglobalization. The world is in a new cold war, said Robin Niblett, former director of the London-based think tank Chatham House. Niblett said he sees the US and China slowly reaching a modus vivendi, but it might take time. The two great powers appear to be “reversing carefully
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
Taiwan is facing multiple economic challenges due to internal and external pressures. Internal challenges include energy transition, upgrading industries, a declining birthrate and an aging population. External challenges are technology competition between the US and China, international supply chain restructuring and global economic uncertainty. All of these issues complicate Taiwan’s economic situation. Taiwan’s reliance on fossil fuel imports not only threatens the stability of energy supply, but also goes against the global trend of carbon reduction. The government should continue to promote renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, as well as energy storage technology, to diversify energy supply. It
RSS