Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

EU-Taipei ties rise as China falters

Huynh Tam Sang and Tran Hoang Nhung

While China is losing its luster in Europe, Taiwan’s importance is growing in the eyes of European countries. Against the backdrop of Beijing’s worsening image, European states should work with Taipei to develop a robust and sustainable relationship.

Amid Taiwan’s vaccine shortage, European partners donated COVID-19 vaccines to help Taiwan. Lithuania was the first EU member state to donate vaccines to Taiwan, with 20,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The Czech Republic followed with a donation of 30,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine last month. Poland donated 400,000 AstraZeneca doses this month and Slovakia has pledged to donate 10,000 doses.

Removal of Chiang statue prioritized

Taipei Times

Honor guards march in front of a bronze statue of former president Chiang Kai-shek at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei yesterday.
Photo: CNA

The Transitional Justice Commission yesterday announced its plan for transforming Taipei’s Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, which would prioritize removing the main hall’s large bronze statue of the former leader.

Judge reviews need transparency

Taipei Times Editorial

The long-standing problem of Taiwan’s “dinosaur judges” finally saw some light in July last year when amendments to the Judges Act (法官法) allowed the public to directly request that judges’ and prosecutors’ competency be evaluated.

The amended act ordered the Judicial Yuan to establish the Judicial Evaluation Committee for judges, and the Judicial Personnel Review Committee to evaluate their appointments, removals and transfers.

War means instant independence

Joseph Bosco

The people of Afghanistan are bearing the escalating brunt of inhuman Taliban rule after US President Biden’s abandonment of the country. However exasperated many Americans felt about the prolonged US stay in Afghanistan, they do not like what Biden has done and said about it, and his approval ratings have justifiably fallen.

For its part, China mocks Biden personally and the US generally as weak and untrustworthy. Driving its disdain home, it has issued a brazen new challenge, threatening military action against Taiwan if Washington merely allows President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to participate in a virtual democracy conference planned for December.

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