Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

A new front in the diplomatic war

Taipei Times Editorial

The past month has been tumultuous for international relations. Panama switching diplomatic recognition to Beijing in the middle of the month saw the number of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies reduced to 20. It was followed by the Nigerian government sending troops to seal off Taiwan’s trade office in Abuja, despite having already ordered the office’s relocation from the capital in January due to apparent pressure from China.

Ordinary Taiwanese have grown numb to the gradual, one-at-a-time drop in the number of diplomatic allies.

Ko playing into Beijing’s hands

Taipei Times Editorial

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) has caused a stir with comments he made in Shanghai.

In a speech at the Taipei-Shanghai Forum opening ceremony on Monday, Ko said: “The two sides of the [Taiwan] Strait are one family” and should establish “a community of common destiny.”

The dispute between Taiwan and China is like a “quarrel between a married couple,” he said.

Groups join call for full pardon for Chen Shui-bian

Taipei Times

Taiwan Society chairman Chang Yeh-sen speaks at a news conference in Taipei yesterday for a petition signed by 65 groups calling for former president Chen Shui-bian to be pardoned.
Photo: Peter Lo, Taipei Times

Sixty-five groups yesterday joined a petition calling for former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to be pardoned, providing a boost to a campaign that has been brewing ever since the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) regained power last year.

Beijing’s ignorance of convention

Taipei Times Editorial

On the 20th anniversary of the UK’s handover of Hong Kong to China, Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) on Sunday gave a glowing interpretation of Hong Kong’s apparently unprecedented democratic freedoms, tempered by his “red line” on attempts to realize sovereignty.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam (林鄭月娥), Beijing’s preferred choice for the job, celebrated her recent election, having won 777 votes from a population of almost 7.5 million.

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