Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Ma’s words undermine sovereignty

James Wang 王景弘

Taiwan’s status is unique and unprecedented. Not only is it independent, it is generally accepted that, legally speaking, there is no need for it to declare independence.

That said, even though the reasons Taiwan has no need to declare independence appear similar on the surface, there are major differences in terms of their implications.

Academic spirit and national identity

Lee Min-yung 李敏勇

The most important thing about a university is its spirit.

Human civilization began with intellectuals and literati exploring the meaning of life. Their efforts opened new possibilities and led to social progress and the development of humanity’s relationship with nature. The spirit of universities is based on independence and freedom.

Transitional justice must be public

Li Chung-chih 李中志

In contrast with classical notions of justice, transitional justice is a relatively new concept. Its purpose is to define and punish the illegal actions of a previous government and to provide justice for victims following the transfer of political power to a new administration that holds radically different — sometimes even diametrically opposed — beliefs.

Steady decline of military morale

Taipei Times Editorial

The Ching Chuan Kang Air Base scandal involving personnel testing positive for Category 1 drugs is yet another blow to the armed forces’ morale. Premier Lin Chuan’s (林全) team is being called the “drugs Cabinet,” for which Minister of National Defense Feng Shih-kuan (馮世寬) apologized, and one major general has been disciplined for his culpability in the case. Military leaders are scrambling to contain the conflagration, but the fallout continues to damage the armed forces’ image.

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