Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

US wavering on Taiwan: ‘Economist’

Taipei Times

The latest US arms sale to Taiwan seems to show that the US security commitment to its ally in Asia is “wobbling,” an article in The Economist said yesterday, adding that Washington should continue to support Taiwan in the interests of cross-strait relations and Sino-US relations.

US President Barack Obama on Wednesday notified the US Congress of a US$5.85 billion package of arms to Taiwan that did not include the 66 F-16C/D aircraft Taipei was seeking and centered instead on upgrading its existing fleet of aging F-16A/Bs.

Titled “Dim sum for China: Why America should not walk away from Taiwan,” the article said that “Chinese objections made the deal less advantageous than it would have been.”

Taiwan needs to go asymmetrical

J. Michael Cole 寇謐將

The decision by the administration of US President Barack Obama to deny Taiwan the F-16C/Ds it has been requesting since 2006 has implications that go well beyond Taipei’s inability to procure modern aircraft, as it raises questions about the utility of almost every other arms sale the US has agreed to in recent years.

Over the past decade, the balance of air power in the Taiwan Strait has steadily shifted in Beijing’s favor. During that period, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) launched a dramatic aircraft modernization program, with the result that it now enjoys a clear quantitative and qualitative advantage over Taiwan in air combat capabilities.

A Taiwan blockbuster: Blood-stained rainbow

The Economist

A FILM that depicts Taiwan’s half-century of Japanese colonial rule from the point of view of a fierce tribe of indigenous headhunters is generating a surge of national pride on the island. “Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale” was surrounded by buzz at this year’s Venice Film Festival. But that was nothing compared with its reception in Taiwan since opening on September 9th.

Made by an acclaimed Taiwanese director, Wei Te-sheng, with John Woo, a Hollywood force, as producer, the film has already broken records. At a cost of $25m, it is the most expensive Taiwanese film ever made. The opening-day takings of NT$23m ($790,000), for the first of what will be two instalments, were the highest ever for a Taiwanese film. More box-office records are bound to follow.

Disclosure a betrayal of mutually held trust

Nat Bellocchi 白樂崎

During her visit to Washington last week, Democratic Progressive Party Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) was well-received, meeting administration officials, speaking at think tanks such as the Brookings Institution and the American Enterprise Institute, and being welcomed at a rousing reception by members of the US Congress.

On each occasion, she discussed her policies and outlined the major issues that play a role in her presidential election campaign.

In particular, she held out an outstretched hand toward China, urging it to work on engagement on the basis of mutual respect.

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