Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Lai, Pelosi talk security issues, China

Taipei Times

Vice President William Lai, top left, US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, top right, and Representative to the US Hsiao Bi-khim hold a video conference on Friday.
Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office via CNA

Vice President William Lai (賴清德) discussed security and economic issues, as well as China, with US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi during a virtual meeting on Friday, Representative to the US Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said.

The meeting lasted about 30 minutes and touched on security issues, economic affairs and shared values, Hsiao told reporters after the meeting.

Ko still living his ‘Chinese dream’

Taipei Times Editorial

The Taipei City Council on Monday decided to freeze the NT$1.3 million (US$46,716) budget for the annual forum between Taipei and Shanghai if Chinese military aircraft and ships continue to patrol near Taiwan. The city council should be commended for defying Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), as the forum should not be held.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) does not allow politicians to hold events that are not in line with party objectives, and the forum is no exception. It is intended to push China’s unification agenda — which most Taiwanese oppose — and the use of public funds for Ko to attend such an event is inappropriate. Arguably, he should not be allowed to visit China — an antagonistic enemy state — at all.

Military cooperation with India practical

Chang Feng-lin 張豐麟

On Thursday last week, the Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) reported that Air Force Commander General Hsiung Hou-chi (熊厚基) took part in a videoconference on military affairs in the Indo-Pacific region, citing the Indian Air Force’s Facebook page. This is encouraging news.

Indian Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari and air force commanders in the region met online to discuss the challenges of distributed logistics and combat deployment while operating in austere locations.

Taiwan-India ties ready to take off

Sumit Kumar

The State Bank of India has raised US$300 million from the Taiwanese market through a maiden issue of Formosa bonds at a coupon rate of 2.49 percent. The issuance attracted a wide range of investors, such as supranational agencies, asset managers, private bankers and financial institutions. Meanwhile, the Indian government has also started talks with Taiwan on a free-trade agreement.

These developments would normally have been treated as a routine affair between India and Taiwan, but as the countries do not enjoy formal ties, and India has in the past remained hesitant to sign a free-trade agreement with Taiwan, the activities underscore a profound shift in New Delhi’s policy toward Taipei. More to the point, the successive governments before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tried to foster ties with Taiwan in a closet due to their fear of China.

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