Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

With China, let Trump be Reagan

Joseph Bosco

US President Donald Trump does not see China as an enemy, according to an outside consultant who advises the president on how to think about China and prides himself on having “restrained” Trump from taking several actions that would have displeased Beijing.

The “China is not an enemy” refrain mirrors an urgent public plea to Trump from more than 100 China observers who consider this US administration’s more confrontational approach as misguided and dangerous.

This latest rhetorical assurance should provide some cheer.

Taiwan is drowning in a flood of falsehoods

Janet Hung 洪湘斐

With the presidential election looming, the nation is almost overwhelmed with an onslaught of disinformation and misinformation. That is not news though. The same phenomenon indirectly cost a diplomat’s life last year, created a widening fissure in society and interfered with the local elections.

Apparently, the government has learned its lesson and has been stretched thin clarifying endless falsehoods. It has also tried to reinforce punitive laws for the fake news deluge.

Tea controversy hits boiling point

Taipei Times Editorial

The “one country, two systems” framework is an emotive subject. There is no question of it being implemented in Taiwan, as the nation, unlike Hong Kong, is not a part of China. Hong Kongers — as they must abide by the framework — would prefer it if Beijing kept the “two systems” part intact.

A message posted on WeChat and Sina Weibo by the Hong Kong agent of Yifang Taiwan Fruit Tea on Monday set the Internet alight, with users from Taiwan and Hong Kong mocking and condemning the Taiwanese company. The reaction was in some ways more informative and consequential than the facts.

Withering US strategic ambiguity

Bill Sharp

As the US’ Indo-Pacific strategy evolves, the notion of strategic ambiguity, which has guided the US-Taiwan relationship since the mid-1950s, is withering.

After the Taiwan Strait crisis of 1954-1955, the US brought into force the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with Taiwan. The treaty was never intended to be a war-fighting pact. It was designed to boost Taiwan’s morale and to tie the hands of former president Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石), who was scheming to involve the US in his attempts to return to China.

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