Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Hou, Ko vague on cross-strait views

Taipei Times Editorials

New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜), who is widely expected to become the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) presidential candidate, said on Friday in Singapore that “peace is the only option” for cross-strait relations, and practical communication is needed to reduce misunderstandings and seek the “common good” for both sides of the Taiwan Strait and the whole world.

Chinese-language media were quck to notice Hou’s remarks during his trip, which was announced on Monday and began on Wednesday, as it was his first attempt to reveal his stance on cross-strait relations — an important factor influencing presidential elections — and a “gesture” to officially enter the presidential race.

Uighur diaspora needs attention

Taipei Times Editorials

In what Michael Driscoll, the head of the FBI’s New York field office called a “blatant violation of our national sovereignty,” two Chinese men allegedly set up a secret police station in the city.

The station apparently performed public services such as helping Chinese renew their Chinese driver’s license. It also helped the Chinese government locate a rights advocate of Chinese descent, among other services to Beijing.

Taiwan, US should hold drills in Strait

Taipei Times Editorials

China is using military drills, conducted without warning and using live ammunition, as a pretext for further encroachment on Taiwanese territory, National Defense University researcher Ma Chen-kun (馬振坤) said on Tuesday. The use of live ammunition meant the drills risked developing into combat, and likely represented a scenario in which Beijing could authorize the use of military force to deter “Taiwanese independence activities,” he said.

China used the drills to “further approach the 12 nautical mile [22.2km] baseline of Taiwan’s territorial waters,” and could have been “a pretext to break into Taiwan’s 24 nautical mile contiguous zone,” he said.

US urged to invite Tsai to APEC meet

Taipei Times

Washington should invite President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to the APEC leaders’ summit in November, a group of US representatives said in a joint letter to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

“Given Taiwan’s important economic, cultural and technological contributions to the region, we believe President Tsai Ing-wen deserves our full respect as much as Taiwan deserves fair and equal treatment on par with those of other recognition and standing in APEC member states,” 21 US representatives said in the letter sent on Tuesday.

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