Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Ko’s floodwater gate debacle

Taipei Times Editorials

Heavy rain brought by Typhoon Nesat over the weekend left a trail of destroyed property in northern Taiwan. Losses from natural disasters are expected, but the circumstances that led to vehicles being swamped after floodgates near Bailing Bridge (百齡橋) in Taipei’s Shilin District (士林) were closed have prompted criticism.

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) called for improvements to integrated warning and public messaging systems, but added: “Each citizen should take responsibility for their own behavior” when asked why vehicles had not been moved after warning messages were sent.

Japan-China ties threaten Taiwan

Wang Hui-sheng 王輝生

After Japan broke off diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1972, exchanges between the countries ended. It was only years later, through the efforts of former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), that communication between Taipei and Tokyo was rekindled.

The next turning point came in the aftermath of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, when Taiwanese made significant contributions to disaster relief and recovery in Japan.

Then-Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe regarded Lee as a kind of mentor, and the mutual goodwill of the statesmen helped grow the bond between Taiwan and Japan.

Back Taiwan, global alliance says

Taipei Times

The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) yesterday urged democracies to support Taiwan, rearrange supply chains and impose sanctions on Chinese officials, a day before the opening of the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) is expected to secure a third term in power, showing that “the CCP has no intention of moderating its belligerent policies at home or abroad,” the international group of lawmakers wrote in a news release.

Capricious Ko could help the CCP

Taipei Times Editorials

In a campaign tackling wasted government funds on Saturday last week, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) — who is also the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) chairman — and his team were invited to take part in a shooting game using gel blasters. Ko was filmed taking shelter behind his shield throughout the game — only once poking his head out for a quick look — while his teammates fired freely at the “enemies.”

When interviewed about his “moves” in the game, Ko said that when one enters an unfamiliar environment, the first thing to do is to observe and hold out until the enemy runs out of ammunition.

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