Bush must uphold values
Should US President George W. Bush betray the moral values his voters supported him for, he would have no leg to stand on. Not only will he fail to win back the "other half" of Americans who voted for Kerry and thereby achieve national unity, he would also lose "this half" of Americans who supported him. He would then be a complete failure.
Taking this context to Taiwan, Bush must not lose sight of freedom, democracy, God and family in dealing with China. Americans from the heartland to metropolises, are not keen on or easily intimidated by bullies, whether they be Nazis, Russians or North Koreans.
Bush will not need to run in another election, yet his legacy will remain. His legacy is to shape the US at the beginning of the 21st century.
His biggest mandate in this election is loud and clear: uphold American values, Mr. President; do not lose them in the Taiwan Strait.
Chen Ming-chung
Chicago, Illinois
Don't require early English
Parents in Taiwan believe that English is crucial for their children's future, and also believe schools should start English "as early as possible." ("Parents believe in English," Nov. 16, page 2). But starting early may not be the best way to help children acquire English proficiency.
Studies show that older children acquire language skills faster than younger children. Thus, starting later (eg, at grade three or grade four instead of kindergarten or grade one) is more efficient. It also means more time to develop a solid foundation in Chinese.
Studies show that those who have a better education in the first language make better progress in developing a second.
Cynthia Wu is correct when she emphasizes the importance of not cutting back on Chinese language classes in order to squeeze in more English.
I would not forbid early English, but I think it is a mistake to require it.
Stephen Krashen
Professor Emeritus
University of Southern California
I came to Taiwan to pursue my degree thinking that Taiwanese are “friendly,” but I was welcomed by Taiwanese classmates laughing at my friend’s name, Maria (瑪莉亞). At the time, I could not understand why they were mocking the name of Jesus’ mother. Later, I learned that “Maria” had become a stereotype — a shorthand for Filipino migrant workers. That was because many Filipino women in Taiwan, especially those who became house helpers, happen to have that name. With the rapidly increasing number of foreigners coming to Taiwan to work or study, more Taiwanese are interacting, socializing and forming relationships with
Whether in terms of market commonality or resource similarity, South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Co is the biggest competitor of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC). The two companies have agreed to set up factories in the US and are also recipients of subsidies from the US CHIPS and Science Act, which was signed into law by former US president Joe Biden. However, changes in the market competitiveness of the two companies clearly reveal the context behind TSMC’s investments in the US. As US semiconductor giant Intel Corp has faced continuous delays developing its advanced processes, the world’s two major wafer foundries, TSMC and
We are witnessing a sea change in the government’s approach to China, from one of reasonable, low-key reluctance at rocking the boat to a collapse of pretense over and patience in Beijing’s willful intransigence. Finally, we are seeing a more common sense approach in the face of active shows of hostility from a foreign power. According to Article 2 of the 2020 Anti-Infiltration Act (反滲透法), a “foreign hostile force” is defined as “countries, political entities or groups that are at war with or are engaged in a military standoff with the Republic of China [ROC]. The same stipulation applies to
The recent termination of Tibetan-language broadcasts by Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA) is a significant setback for Tibetans both in Tibet and across the global diaspora. The broadcasts have long served as a vital lifeline, providing uncensored news, cultural preservation and a sense of connection for a community often isolated by geopolitical realities. For Tibetans living under Chinese rule, access to independent information is severely restricted. The Chinese government tightly controls media and censors content that challenges its narrative. VOA and RFA broadcasts have been among the few sources of uncensored news available to Tibetans, offering insights
RSS