US President Donald Trump on Sunday dealt a devastating blow to Iran’s nuclear program. US B-2 bombers entered and exited Iran’s airspace while the country’s air force and air defense systems remained completely oblivious. Fordow — an underground nuclear facility, which was built with help from China — was surrounded by six large craters after being struck by US bunker buster bombs.
The international community was astonished by the US’ ability to strike a facility across the world with such ease. Notably, the US also dispatched several B-2 bombers to Guam prior to the strikes, as if sending a silent warning to China.
Conflicts are erupting all around the world, while China is lying in wait, provoking nations across the South China Sea, the Taiwan Strait and the Pacific.
Last week, the US deployed the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier and its Carrier Strike Group 11 — originally patrolling the Indo-Pacific region — to the Middle East in response to the situation in Iran. To prevent China from taking advantage of the shift, the US transferred B-2 bombers to Guam under the guise of a diversionary maneuver, illustrating that it is paying close attention to the strategic balance in the Taiwan Strait.
It is clear that Taiwan finds itself at an unprecedented strategic moment — which could either be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity or a grave existential threat. The outcome of the situation depends on whether the nation can unite and make the correct strategic decision.
Other major challenges remain, such as Trump’s tariff policies and the industrial innovation being driven by the rapid development of artificial intelligence applications. They require the collective efforts of all Taiwanese to confront and address.
When President William Lai (賴清德) set aside domestic political disputes and extended an olive branch to the leaders of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party to attend a national security briefing on Wednesday, his invitation was rejected outright. The reasons given boiled down to ridiculous domestic political factors, revealing the opposition parties’ narrow-mindedness.
They treated a national security briefing as a trap set by Lai. They showed no interest in understanding the country’s global strategy and showed no concern for Taiwan’s future; they are only focused on protecting themselves from potential recalls.
Once recalled, a representative is barred from running for the same position in the same district for four years. That means someone else would have to take over the electoral district they might have spent a lifetime cultivating — a political death sentence. The opposition lawmakers at risk, who are supposed to represent the public, could not care less about the fate of the nation or its people; they only care about their own political survival. That is precisely why they must be recalled.
Political infighting in Israel is equally intense. Opposition parties generally harbor deep resentment toward Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and serious conflicts arise frequently, even among the ruling coalition. Yet when faced with the threat of Iran — a country ruled by a regime that denies Israel’s right to exist and openly calls for its elimination — parties stands united. That is what competition between political parties should look like in a democratic nation.
That is something that Taiwan can accomplish, as long as Taiwanese unite with a shared consensus on how to build a prosperous and normal nation. The first step is to press on with the nationwide recall and weed out unfit opposition legislators.
Tommy Lin is chairman of the Formosa Republican Association and director of the Taiwan United Nations Alliance.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
In a summer of intense political maneuvering, Taiwanese, whose democratic vibrancy is a constant rebuke to Beijing’s authoritarianism, delivered a powerful verdict not on China, but on their own political leaders. Two high-profile recall campaigns, driven by the ruling party against its opposition, collapsed in failure. It was a clear signal that after months of bitter confrontation, the Taiwanese public is demanding a shift from perpetual campaign mode to the hard work of governing. For Washington and other world capitals, this is more than a distant political drama. The stability of Taiwan is vital, as it serves as a key player
Yesterday’s recall and referendum votes garnered mixed results for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). All seven of the KMT lawmakers up for a recall survived the vote, and by a convincing margin of, on average, 35 percent agreeing versus 65 percent disagreeing. However, the referendum sponsored by the KMT and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) on restarting the operation of the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County failed. Despite three times more “yes” votes than “no,” voter turnout fell short of the threshold. The nation needs energy stability, especially with the complex international security situation and significant challenges regarding
Much like the first round on July 26, Saturday’s second wave of recall elections — this time targeting seven Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers — also failed. With all 31 KMT legislators who faced recall this summer secure in their posts, the mass recall campaign has come to an end. The outcome was unsurprising. Last month’s across-the-board defeats had already dealt a heavy blow to the morale of recall advocates and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), while bolstering the confidence of the KMT and its ally the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). It seemed a foregone conclusion that recalls would falter, as
The fallout from the mass recalls and the referendum on restarting the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant continues to monopolize the news. The general consensus is that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has been bloodied and found wanting, and is in need of reflection and a course correction if it is to avoid electoral defeat. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has not emerged unscathed, either, but has the opportunity of making a relatively clean break. That depends on who the party on Oct. 18 picks to replace outgoing KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫). What is certain is that, with the dust settling
RSS