Taiwan-US relations
US Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler is to visit Taiwan in the beginning of next month.
This would be the third top-level US visit in the past few months, following US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar in August and US Undersecretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment Keith Krach in September.
Some people have reacted to these visits by disparagingly describing them as “graduation trips,” in an attempt to play down the importance of the close relationship between the US and Taiwanese administrations.
One cannot help but wonder if these people have such a shallow understanding of international affairs, or if they do not want Taiwan to do well or have good relations with the US.
On Nov. 7, 2015, then-president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) met with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in Singapore. The meeting made the headlines, and a proud Ma still praises it as one of the achievements of his presidency.
However, a simple look at the timing of the meeting shows that it took place a bit more than six months before he had to step down, on May 20, 2016, and a mere three months ahead of the presidential election on Jan. 16, 2016. Add the fact that it was already becoming apparent that there would be a change in government.
Following the logic of those talking about “graduation trips,” surely the meeting between Ma and Xi was Ma’s graduation trip, especially as it carried no particular significance.
The US is Taiwan’s most important ally. Any possibility to cause relations between the two to advance further is a possibility that Taiwan must grasp.
As long as the two countries agree that they are in the same boat, there should be no need for any acid, sarcastic remarks.
Huang Wei-ping
Kaohsiung
Speaking at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit on May 13, former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said that democracies must remain united and that “Taiwan’s security is essential to regional stability and to defending democratic values amid mounting authoritarianism.” Earlier that day, Tsai had met with a group of Danish parliamentarians led by Danish Parliament Speaker Pia Kjaersgaard, who has visited Taiwan many times, most recently in November last year, when she met with President William Lai (賴清德) at the Presidential Office. Kjaersgaard had told Lai: “I can assure you that ... you can count on us. You can count on our support
Denmark has consistently defended Greenland in light of US President Donald Trump’s interests and has provided unwavering support to Ukraine during its war with Russia. Denmark can be proud of its clear support for peoples’ democratic right to determine their own future. However, this democratic ideal completely falls apart when it comes to Taiwan — and it raises important questions about Denmark’s commitment to supporting democracies. Taiwan lives under daily military threats from China, which seeks to take over Taiwan, by force if necessary — an annexation that only a very small minority in Taiwan supports. Denmark has given China a
Many local news media over the past week have reported on Internet personality Holger Chen’s (陳之漢) first visit to China between Tuesday last week and yesterday, as remarks he made during a live stream have sparked wide discussions and strong criticism across the Taiwan Strait. Chen, better known as Kuan Chang (館長), is a former gang member turned fitness celebrity and businessman. He is known for his live streams, which are full of foul-mouthed and hypermasculine commentary. He had previously spoken out against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and criticized Taiwanese who “enjoy the freedom in Taiwan, but want China’s money”
Last month, two major diplomatic events unfolded in Southeast Asia that suggested subtle shifts in the region’s strategic landscape. The 46th ASEAN Summit and the inaugural ASEAN-Gulf-Cooperation Council (GCC)-China Trilateral Summit in Kuala Lumpur coincided with French President Emmanuel Macron’s high-profile visits to Vietnam, Indonesia and Singapore. Together, they highlighted ASEAN’s maturing global posture, deepening regional integration and China’s intensifying efforts to recalibrate its economic diplomacy amid uncertainties posed by the US. The ASEAN summit took place amid rising protectionist policies from the US, notably sweeping tariffs on goods from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, with duties as high as 49 percent.
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