Traffic and spelling
I am delighted that my earlier letter about traffic violations in Taiwan has produced some reactions (Letter, Sept 4, page 6). Alas, the two responses published by the Taipei Times some time ago seem to have been influenced by misinte[r]pretation and simple misunderstandings of some things, which, I believe, may benefit from a brief review:
First, in accusing me of “recommending a police state like the US,” Stuart Bacha must realize that he does not understand the meaning of the term “police state,” which has nothing do with police officers issuing tickets for traffic violations (Letters, Sept. 8, page 8).
Second, I find it alarming when somebody says: “So what if some people park illegally or drive on the wrong side of the road,” as this suggests that the driving habits I wrote about precisely describe this person’s behavior on the road. I am forced to assume the same regarding the other respondent, who even admitted to having been fined “for a slew of traffic offenses and other violations.”
In any case, one can draw the conclusion here that these two responses to my letter demonstrate its necessity. I would also like to encourage the two respondents to carefully double-check their argumentation and accusations before submitting their letters to the newspaper and have them proof read in order to ensure readability, as, in the case of Bacha, part of the letter (the third paragraph) is nearly unreadable, whereas I must stress to Geert Anthonis that I have nothing whatsoever to do with “foreigners in Taiwan [who] feel the need to change everything the Taiwanese do.”
In fact, I doubt the respondent can indicate even one such foreigner in this country who might wish to change “everything the Taiwanese do.” Please do not hyperbolize where it is not appropriate.
Finally, in response to Anthonis where one could observe rampant sidewalk driving in Kaohsiung, much of Zhongzheng Road and the central part of Heping First Road are very spectacular places. As far as I know, the administration of NKNU (a school on Heping Road) has repeatedly asked the city government to rearrange the parking in front of the school in order to protect the pedestrians (most of which are students and university staff), but so far, alas, to no avail. I would also like to ensure both respondents that the issues raised in my original letter also happen to represent the opinion of a large number of my Taiwanese colleagues.
Aurelijus Vijunas
Kaohsiung
Although former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo — known for being the most pro-Taiwan official to hold the post — is not in the second administration of US president-elect Donald Trump, he has maintained close ties with the former president and involved himself in think tank activities, giving him firsthand knowledge of the US’ national strategy. On Monday, Pompeo visited Taiwan for the fourth time, attending a Formosa Republican Association’s forum titled “Towards Permanent World Peace: The Shared Mission of the US and Taiwan.” At the event, he reaffirmed his belief in Taiwan’s democracy, liberty, human rights and independence, highlighting a
The US Department of Defense recently released this year’s “Report on Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China.” This annual report provides a comprehensive overview of China’s military capabilities, strategic objectives and evolving global ambitions. Taiwan features prominently in this year’s report, as capturing the nation remains central to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) vision of the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” a goal he has set for 2049. The report underscores Taiwan’s critical role in China’s long-term strategy, highlighting its significance as a geopolitical flashpoint and a key target in China’s quest to assert dominance
The Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) last week released the latest job vacancy data in Taiwan, which highlighted how many job openings firms had yet to be filled at the end of August last year. The data also revealed how the vacant positions were closely related to the business climate that industrial and services sectors faced at the time. The DGBAS collects data on job vacancies at the end of February, May, August and November every year. The number of job vacancies includes recruits for expanding operations and additional production lines as well as for openings related to
The Legislative Yuan passed legislation on Tuesday aimed at supporting the middle-aged generation — defined as people aged 55 or older willing and able to work — in a law initially proposed by Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Legislator Wu Chun-cheng (吳春城) to help the nation transition from an aged society to a super-aged society. The law’s passage was celebrated by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the TPP. The brief show of unity was welcome news, especially after 10 months of political fighting and unconstitutional amendments that are damaging democracy and the constitutional order, eliciting concern
RSS