Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

The DPP faces historic challenge

Annette Lu 呂秀蓮

Back in the days of Formosa Magazine (美麗島雜誌) and the Kaohsiung Incident, we members of the dangwai (黨外, “outside the party”) opposition movement put ourselves and our families at risk to oppose martial law and the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) one-party rule. We were often in a state of fear and exhaustion. I often jokingly say that it was a good thing that the KMT was anti-communist, because it allowed us to devote our energy to confronting the KMT while it handled the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Taiwan has its work cut out to join US-led TPP

Edward Chen 陳一新

On Tuesday, Republican Donald Trump was elected US president. For Taiwanese, the most important thing about the election results is their potential effects on Taiwan-US relations, specifically on the US’ commitment to maintain peace and security in the Taiwan Strait and to provide arms to Taiwan, as well as on Taipei’s chances of joining the second round of negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

China blocks NGO chairman from UN

Taipei Times

Tseng Min-chieh, chairman of Taiwan Foundation for Rare Disorders, right, is pictured in an undated photograph.
Photo provided by Taiwan Foundation for Rare Disorders

A Taiwan non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to the treatment of rare diseases was barred from a UN-affiliated meeting in New York because of a protest from China.

Xi’s greatness depends on Taiwan

Yu Jie 余杰

During his meeting with Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) — who was recently named part of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) “core” — said that “1.3 billion Chinese will not agree to Taiwanese independence. We are determined, able and prepared to handle the problem of Taiwanese independence. If we do not handle that, we will be overthrown.”

It was as if the future of the CCP depends on which direction Taiwan takes. Was Xi saying that to threaten Taiwan, or was he trying to conceal his insecurities? If Taiwan really is that important to China, the CCP is extremely vulnerable.

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