Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Human rights, the TRA’s legacy

John J. Tkacik, Jr.

I don’t know if anyone, inside or outside Taiwan, wants another paean to the US’ Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) on its 40th birthday on April 10. However, it pains me, as a young US foreign service officer assigned to human rights duties on the Taiwan desk at the US Department of State 40 years ago, that forgotten in all the congratulatory hubbub is the most significant and long-lasting legacy of that law:

Know thine enemy

Taipei Times Editorial

Who has been maneuvering to squeeze Taiwan’s diplomatic space? Who has been saber-rattling and threatening Taiwan with coercion or use of force to settle cross-strait differences? And who has been employing various tactics — openly and clandestinely — with the aim of bringing Taiwan under its authoritarian rule and usurping Taiwanese’s democratic way of life?

All these queries can be summed up in one short question: Who is Taiwan’s enemy?

DPP must do its job or risk being voted out

Tzou Jiing-wen 鄒景雯

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has entered the presidential primary stage. Unlike the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), the DPP is the ruling party and is responsible for administering the central government and must fulfill its contract with voters until May 19 next year.

At the moment, significant responsibility falls on Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), who should demand that the entire administrative team stop acting like bystanders.

Talks on ‘treason’ amendment to begin

Taipei Times

Police officers stand guard at the main entrance to the Legislative Yuan in Taipei on Jan. 28.
Photo: Lin Liang-sheng, Taipei Times

A draft amendment to broaden the definition of treason to include collusion with China has been submitted for legislative negotiations, with the first round of cross-caucus talks expected to begin tomorrow at the soonest.

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