On May 17, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) joined forces to create a horrible spectacle. They began their plan to expand the powers of the legislature and gut the power of the incoming administration, which could potentially “Hong-Kong-ify” the legislature. They are using unscrupulous methods to make inroads into the judiciary, threatening that they would lock up officials or legislators for certain offenses, leading to public ire and worry. The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) subjugation of Hong Kong came about through four major stages. First: The CCP broadly looked for people it could coordinate with to
Taiwan’s exceptional expertise in semiconductor manufacturing has propelled the nation to a paramount position of global economic significance. With renowned foundries such as the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) spearheading global high-end chip production, Taiwan’s dominance in this sector has not only catalyzed substantial economic growth, but also attracted considerable international attention and strategic interest. Nevertheless, Taiwan’s semiconductor industry is confronting potential challenges. The global shortage of high-end chips, fueled by surging demand in sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI), underscores the industry’s indispensable role in the global economy and the urgent need for solutions. At the same time, competitors are
It is a question that has kept wonks and pols busy for years: Can the US remain the world’s mightiest power, defending its own interests and the international order? Or is the US in the early stages of secular decline? The sight of Marine One soaring over my head toward the White House the other day was a useful reminder that it all depends on one’s point of view. Marine One is the iconic green-white helicopter that transports US presidents. Few images project “superpower” better than the president alighting from his chopper on the South Lawn to the salute of a
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) have disregarded procedural justice and disguised their attempt at a power grab as legislative reforms, which has sparked a public outcry. More than 100,000 people, without being mobilized by any political parties or being led by a specific person, gathered outside the Legislative Yuan on Friday last week in opposition to the controversial reform bills. The protest has been called the Qingniao movement (bluebird movement, 青鳥運動), named after Qingdao E Road (青島東路) where the protest took place. “Qing” means blue and “dao” contains an element meaning “bird” in Chinese. It