Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Beijing’s muzzle on the HK media

Chung Ming-lun and Adrian Chiu 鍾明倫，趙致洋

In the post-Umbrella movement era, Beijing is seemingly turning a deaf ear and a blind eye to Hong Kongers’ demands — relentlessly suppressing their basic human rights — and forcing them to express solidarity with China.

This can be seen in the most recent policy address of Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying’s (梁振英) administration, which not only ignored Hong Kongers’ plea for genuine democracy, but also criticized students and the pan-democracy camp for advocating Hong Kong independence.

Taipei Dome contract is ‘ridiculous’: Ko Wen-je

Taipei Times

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je in this file photo taken in Taipei on Wednesday, said he will speak to Farglory chairman Chao Teng-hsiung next week.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times

The Taipei City Government’s current contract with Farglory Land Development Co (遠雄建設) for the construction of the Taipei Dome is “ridiculous,” Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said yesterday.

“I think this contract is simply ridiculous,” Ko said. “How could it be possible to draft a contract that we have absolutely no way of defending?”

US must not meddle in 2016 polls

Lee Shyu-tu 李學圖

Soon after the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) suffered a crashing defeat in the elections on Nov. 29 last year, speculation was raised that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) could win next year’s presidential election. That, in turn, has caused concerns over whether ties with China will sour and whether the White House would make efforts to influence Taiwanese voters as it did in 2012. Although there is no answer to the first concern at present, there is sufficient evidence to show that it is in the US’ national interests not to try to influence Taiwanese before an election.

Reform not for use as smokescreen

Huang Kuo-chang 黃國昌

New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫) — the sole candidate for chairperson of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) — has championed constitutional reform since he made the announcement that he would run for the position.

His sudden outspoken inclination toward a parliamentary system is noteworthy. However, perhaps because he sensed the public’s strong aversion to giving up the right to directly elect the president, he has now changed his tune and is saying that the Constitution should be amended to allow the legislature to regain its right to approve the appointment of the premier and that the president’s authority should be restricted to matters of national defense, diplomacy and cross-strait relations.

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