The latest issue of the China Times Weekly reported that Warner Music Taiwan allegedly suggested pop singer Chang Hui-mei (
Hoping to get around China's boycott, Chang indirectly expressed regret for singing Taiwan's national anthem during President Chen Shui-bian's (
It is a unique phenomenon that local singers are purposely distancing themselves from the government to expand their exposure in the foreign market. During the days of Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) rule, Taiwan's entertainers usually made every effort to curry favor in order to gain benefits from those in power. Political events were the best channel for them to gain access to political resources. The late singer Teresa Teng (
Teng was a darling of the KMT authorities for her performances for the troops and national celebrations. Her close cooperation with the powerful also won her generous government assistance and earned her the title of "the military's sweetheart." She was also a model "patriotic entertainer."
Teng was a second-generation Mainlander from Hebei Province. When cross-strait relations began to thaw in the 1990s, rumor has it that the Chinese government invited her to sing in China -- an offer she refused due to her personal political beliefs. Depriving her fans in China the chance to see her perform was a conscious decision to ignore the growing China market.
But that was then, and this is now. These days, major and minor musicians and entertainers view the Democratic Progressive Party as a curse which they can't do enough to avoid. Their greatest fear is that any taint of association will deny them the yellow brick road to riches offered by China.
There was an absence of entertainers at the Double Ten National Day celebrations. Both Jay Chou (
Luo should not seek to revive his fading career in China. He is no longer popular in Taiwan, so why should the people of China spend money to watch his shows? Our experience has shown that incidents such as these only strengthen the growth of Taiwanese consciousness. Every time Beijing chuckles with delight over the ridiculous antics of Taiwanese performers, the people here realize that theirs is the laughter of a foreign regime.
This dynamic gives us further assurances of a green camp victory in December's legislative elections. The absurd performances put on by Beijing -- with the help of some Taiwanese performers -- disgust the Taiwanese people.
As strategic tensions escalate across the vast Indo-Pacific region, Taiwan has emerged as more than a potential flashpoint. It is the fulcrum upon which the credibility of the evolving American-led strategy of integrated deterrence now rests. How the US and regional powers like Japan respond to Taiwan’s defense, and how credible the deterrent against Chinese aggression proves to be, will profoundly shape the Indo-Pacific security architecture for years to come. A successful defense of Taiwan through strengthened deterrence in the Indo-Pacific would enhance the credibility of the US-led alliance system and underpin America’s global preeminence, while a failure of integrated deterrence would
US President Donald Trump created some consternation in Taiwan last week when he told a news conference that a successful trade deal with China would help with “unification.” Although the People’s Republic of China has never ruled Taiwan, Trump’s language struck a raw nerve in Taiwan given his open siding with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression seeking to “reunify” Ukraine and Russia. On earlier occasions, Trump has criticized Taiwan for “stealing” the US’ chip industry and for relying too much on the US for defense, ominously presaging a weakening of US support for Taiwan. However, further examination of Trump’s remarks in
It is being said every second day: The ongoing recall campaign in Taiwan — where citizens are trying to collect enough signatures to trigger re-elections for a number of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators — is orchestrated by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), or even President William Lai (賴清德) himself. The KMT makes the claim, and foreign media and analysts repeat it. However, they never show any proof — because there is not any. It is alarming how easily academics, journalists and experts toss around claims that amount to accusing a democratic government of conspiracy — without a shred of evidence. These
China on May 23, 1951, imposed the so-called “17-Point Agreement” to formally annex Tibet. In March, China in its 18th White Paper misleadingly said it laid “firm foundations for the region’s human rights cause.” The agreement is invalid in international law, because it was signed under threat. Ngapo Ngawang Jigme, head of the Tibetan delegation sent to China for peace negotiations, was not authorized to sign the agreement on behalf of the Tibetan government and the delegation was made to sign it under duress. After seven decades, Tibet remains intact and there is global outpouring of sympathy for Tibetans. This realization
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