Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

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.

What Trump means for Taiwan

Taipei Times Editorial

After US president-elect Donald Trump’s stunning victory at the polls, Taiwan faces the question of what it means for US foreign policy and how Taipei should respond to a post-US President Barack Obama world.

Taiwan has long maintained a relatively close relationship with the US Republican Party due to the party’s anti-communist stance, not to mention that in July, the Republican National Convention included, for the first time, the “six assurances” — given to Taiwan by then-US president Ronald Reagan in 1982 — in its official platform.

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