Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Learning from US’ Ukraine policy

Joseph Bosco

If Washington’s support for Ukraine against Russia’s aggression is a model for the US’ role after a Chinese attack on Taiwan, Taiwanese are in for a rough ride.

In 2008, at the urging of then-US president George W. Bush, NATO issued a communique from its 26 members, stating: “We agreed that [Georgia and Ukraine] will become members of NATO.”

Bolstering Taiwan, UK exchanges

Yao Chung-yuan 姚中原

Although Taiwan and the UK have no military cooperation, London has been closely monitoring the situation in the Taiwan Strait in the face of the aggressive expansion of Chinese Communist Party forces in the Indo-Pacific region. There is strategic space for military exchanges between Taiwan and the UK, and for the two nations to collaborate on maintaining security and stability in the region.

On Nov. 29, a British parliamentary delegation visited Taiwan. On Dec. 5, British Defence Select Committee Chairman Tobias Ellwood said in a Reuters report that the UK should have greater military and security interaction with Taiwan, and it should be bolder in supporting Taiwan internationally.

Taiwan to boost east coast defenses

Taipei Times

The military is to station mobile missile defense systems along Taiwan’s east coast after Chinese military vessels were spotted in the area, a source said yesterday.

On Friday, six Chinese warships, including the aircraft carrier Liaoning, entered the Pacific Ocean via the Miyako Strait, posing a threat to Taiwan’s east coast.

The Japanese Ministry of Defense on Friday confirmed the passage of the ships, saying that its Maritime Self-Defense Force monitored the vessels, adding that they did not enter Japan’s territorial waters.

‘Anti-black bills’ seek to correct bad behavior

Huang Di-ying 黃帝穎

On Thursday, the Executive Yuan approved draft amendments to the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法) and the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act (總統副總統選舉罷免法). The amendments would prohibit people who have been convicted of the following crimes from running for office: national security crimes, major offenses related to organized crime, bribery, money laundering, firearms, drugs and vote buying.

Advocated by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the “anti-black bills,” in addition to addressing accusations of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) gangster activities, try to correct government officials’ behavior and regulate public offices.

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