Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Sunflower legacy: no complacency

Lai Yen-cheng 賴彥丞

The Sunflower movement, which started on March 18, 2014, had a great influence on Taiwan. Although now part of the nation’s history, the movement’s spirit will endure forever.

Most important of all, the movement inspired young people to engage in politics. It taught them to think independently, articulate their ideas for themselves and contribute to social development — leading to the establishment of youth departments in local governments, an amendment of the Referendum Act (公民投票法) to allow the voting age to be lowered to 18.

I was a senior-high school student at the time the mostly undergraduate students occupied the main chamber of the Legislative Yuan in Taipei and I was shocked at how the police violently suppressed those who entered the Executive Yuan compound.

European MPs challenge M503 change

Taipei Times

Twenty-eight members of the European Parliament have sent a joint letter to leaders of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the EU to express concern over China’s unilateral decision to alter the M503 flight path.

The letter, which was sent on Wednesday last week, was addressed to ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, European Commissioner for Climate Action Frans Timmermans and European Commissioner for Transport Adina Valean.

Taiwan’s chip diplomacy with India

Taipei Times Editorial

Taiwan clinched another victory in deepening trade ties with India through its semiconductor diplomacy. Last week, the Indian government started the construction of three new chip manufacturing facilities in Gujarat and Assam, including a fab to be built with the assistance of Taiwan’s Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp (PSMC).

The strategic use of semiconductor technology, production and supply chain diplomacy might be a convenient approach for a diplomatic breakthrough, since many governments are keen to build local chip supply and boost supply chain resilience to help them weather geopolitical tensions and prepare for contingencies such as a global pandemic. However, Taiwanese companies should be cautious in making inroads into India’s chip market, as there are multiple factors behind successfully building a chip industry.

The Sunflower movement’s legacy

Tshua Siu-ui 蔡守崴

Exactly a decade ago today, university students and civic groups from throughout Taiwan congregated in the Legislative Yuan in a demonstration against the then-ruling Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) hasty attempt to pass a proposed Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement.

Apprehensive that the agreement might allow Beijing to put Taiwan’s autonomy in severe jeopardy via economic means, protesters occupied the legislature and chanted slogans to voice their outrage.

Initially, the government stood firm on its intent to implement the agreement, with demonstrators dispersed by police force and water cannons as they endeavored to expand their activities to the Executive Yuan. However, after generating widespread support among the public, the protesters eventually succeeded in compelling the government to revoke it.

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