Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

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.

Musk draws ire; BJP shows support

Taipei Times Editorials

In the past few days, two high-ranking individuals — Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, spokesman for India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s New Delhi branch, and SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk — have expressed very different attitudes toward Taiwan and China, and the relationship between them.

Bagga hung a banner celebrating Taiwan’s Double Ten National Day outside the Chinese embassy in the Indian capital on Monday, while in an interview with the Financial Times on Friday, Musk said that cross-strait tensions could be resolved by making Taiwan a “special administrative zone” of China.

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