Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Ma’s erratic maneuvers put regional ties at risk

Gerrit van der Wees

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) has always prided himself — particularly vis-a-vis the US — that he would follow a low-key approach, and would pull “no surprises.”

However, this appearance was mainly designed for US consumption: the reality is quite different, as Ma has pulled one surprise after another, particularly in relation to US allies in the region, Japan and the Philippines.

China can track mobiles through satellite system

Taipei Times

China’s Beidou Navigation Satellite System is pictured in an undated photograph.
Screengrab from the Internet

China’s Beidou Satellite System (北斗衛星) poses an information security risk to Taiwan in that the satellite is able to track smartphone users via embedded malware in devices with Chinese-manufactured chips directly tied into the system or phones manufactured in China, according to the latest mobile device security report that the Ministry of Science and Technology submitted to the Legislative Yuan.

Ma desperate to save his legacy

Taipei Times Editorial

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) has been in power for eight years. His political performance on domestic issues and the economy is dire. This is reflected in his rock-bottom approval ratings. In the final month of his last term, he has finally discovered a cause he hopes will restore his reputation: nationalism. His little South China Sea shenanigans are stirring up international tensions and, finally, some of the more hawkish supporters of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) are gradually warming to him again, moving his approval ratings from single-digit figures back into double digits.

Rights groups criticize Kenya for deportations

Taipei Times

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said that a report published by an international human rights organization expressing concerns over the deportations of Taiwanese fraud suspects to China is expected to exert pressure on the parties concerned.

At a news conference in Taipei yesterday morning, Department of West Asian and African Affairs Director-General Antonio Chen (陳俊賢) said since the deportation of 45 Taiwanese citizens to Beijing earlier last month, his colleagues on the front line have endeavored to seek assistance.

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