Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Lai unveils ‘T-Dome’ defense plan

Taipei Times

President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday pledged to strengthen the nation’s air defense capabilities and build a “T-Dome” system to create a safety net against growing military threats from China.

“We will accelerate our building of the T-Dome, establish a rigorous air defense system in Taiwan with multi-layered defense, high-level detection and effective interception, and weave a safety net for Taiwan to protect the lives and property of citizens,” he said in his National Day address.

In his keynote address marking the Republic of China’s (ROC) 114th anniversary, Lai said the lessons of World War II have taught nations worldwide “to ensure that the tragedies of history are never repeated.”

Threats and freedom of speech

Taipei Times Editorial

The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) has opened an investigation into influencer Holger Chen’s (陳之漢) controversial remarks calling for the decapitation of President William Lai (賴清德) during a live stream on Sunday. The incident has triggered concerns about abuse of freedom of speech, as well as concerns about endangering national security and the safety of Taiwan’s elected leader.

Chen is a gym influencer also known as Kuan Chang (館長). Once a supporter of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) speaking out vocally against Beijing, Chen has become an active backer of the Taiwan People’s Party, making a political about-face to denounce the Taiwanese government while fawning over communist China.

Implications of Huang accusations

Taipei Times Editorial

Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) is facing allegations of operating a “paparazzi” group to surveil his political adversaries.

The accusations stem from a lawsuit filed by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wang Yi-chuan (王義川) after Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯) in June last year publicly released a video showing Wang’s car making an illegal left turn.

Wang said he suspected the video was recorded by paparazzi.

After months of investigation, prosecutors said the people who shot the video were staff members of Kai Ssu International Co, a company with no known news publication.

Taiwan security vital to world: Morrison

Taipei Times

The world cannot afford to ignore Taiwan’s security and allowing the nation to succumb to China’s authoritarian rule would have global repercussions, former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison said yesterday.

“Taiwan matters to the world,” Morrison said in his keynote address at the Taipei Security Dialogue, adding that maintaining the “status quo” across the Taiwan Strait is essential to the “security, prosperity and sovereignty” of countries such as Australia, the US and Japan.

“If Taiwan were to be forcibly placed under the authoritarian rule of the CCP [Chinese Communist Party], there would not be a corner of the globe that would be unaffected,” said Morrison, who was prime minister from 2018 to 2022.

More Articles...