Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Taiwanese must show China their tenacity

Huang Tzu-wei 黃子維

During the recent visit by China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) Minister Zhang Zhijun (張志軍) to Taiwan, there were many calls, from both sides of the local political divide, for Zhang to listen carefully to what the public has to say.

Although this was one of those very rare occasions where people with political differences — pan-blue camp and pan-green camp — agreed, it is, frankly, rather naive to place any hopes that the normalization of cross-strait relations will lead to the public’s voice being heard in the heady heights occupied by the powers that be in Beijing, or that this will make any difference.

Japan loosens bonds on its military

Taipei Times

Japan yesterday loosened the bonds on its powerful military, proclaiming the right to go into battle in the defense of its allies, in a highly controversial shift in the nation’s pacifist stance.

After months of political horsetrading and browbeating of opponents, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said his Cabinet had formally endorsed a reinterpretation of rules that have banned the use of armed force except in very narrowly defined circumstances.

Hong Kong marches for democracy

Taipei Times

Thousands of pro-democracy protesters march in the streets to demand universal suffrage in Hong Kong yesterday.
Photo: Reuters

Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters marched in Hong Kong yesterday, with many calling for the territory’s leader to be sacked, in what could turn out to be the biggest and most passionate challenge to Chinese Communist Party rule in more than a decade.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying (梁振英) said his government would do its “utmost” to move toward universal suffrage and stressed the need for stability after nearly 800,000 voted for full democracy in an unofficial referendum.

Taiwan ‘unwanted’ by Canada

Taipei Times

Taiwan has been included on a list of countries unwanted at Canada Day events, the Canadian Press news agency reported on Sunday.

The Canadian Trade Office in Taipei was not able to verify the information, which the Canadian Press obtained under the Canadian Access to Information Act, which provides access to information under the Ottawa’s control.

According to the report, the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development circulates a persona non grata list in June each year, warning its embassies, consulates and other overseas missions to bar them from local events marking Canada Day, which is on July 1.

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