Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Court suspends legislative reform bills

Taipei Times

The Constitutional Court yesterday ordered the temporary suspension of controversial legislative reform bills passed in May in a move that prevents the legal changes from being implemented.

The suspension is to remain in force until the court rules on the constitutional challenges to the bills, affecting one article of the Criminal Code and eight articles of the Act Governing the Legislative Yuan’s Power (立法院職權行使法), the court said in a news release.

The ruling means the legal amendments promulgated on June 24 cease to be in effect for the time being.

Honor guard change small, but vital

Taipei Times Editorial

After decades of standing sentry over the enormous bronze statue of Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) at his eponymous memorial in Taipei, the honor guards’ clacking boots are no longer heard reverberating around its cavernous hall.

However, they have not gone far: Since Monday, the guards have moved just outside the memorial park’s Democracy Boulevard. When weather permits, a six-member guard is to march from the north and south entrances to the park and converge by the steps leading up to the hall every hour on the hour between 9am and 5pm. They will also still perform the flag-raising and lowering ceremonies as usual, ensuring the popular tourist draw remains mostly unchanged.

Consistency sacrifices adaptability

Cathy Fang

As global power plays escalate, the room for the island democracy to maneuver has grown narrower. The idea of the “status quo” often implies stability and immutability, but in the context of Taiwan, it is anything but static.

The “status quo” is a myth; it is a dynamic and volatile state of affairs requiring constant adjustment and recalibration. It is better conceptualized as a “zone,” akin to the catchy phrase “gray zone.” This zone must acknowledge the interests of China, Taiwan and the US, aiming to maintain peace without escalating into full-blown conflict.

Jointly resist China’s legal bullying

Gong Lin-dong 宮臨冬

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office on June 21 issued “judicial guidelines on imposing criminal punishments” for “die-hard” supporters of Taiwanese independence, in collaboration with its Supreme People’s Court, Supreme People’s Procuratorate, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of State Security and Ministry of Justice. It is based on its “Anti-Secession” Law, the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Criminal Procedure Law of the PRC.

The “guidelines” set out strict conviction and sentencing standards for “Taiwan independence” behavior. This new law is not only another step in China’s expansion, but also shows its extreme stance on the Taiwan issue.

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