Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Taiwan’s opposition and Beijing

Paul Lin 林保華

While Hon Hai Precision Industry Co founder Terry Gou (郭台銘) aspires to stand for election as president of Taiwan, it remains to be seen whether he can collect enough signatures to register as a candidate. In addition, some people involved in Gou’s signature drive have become embroiled in lawsuits.

Meanwhile, negotiations over electoral collaboration between the “blue” Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the “white” Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) are proceeding in fits and starts.

At one point, Gou said that “all will be revealed” about a possible cooperation with TPP Chairman and presidential nominee Ko Wen-je (柯文哲).

Prevent spying, boost morale

Taipei Times Editorial

The High Court’s Kaohsiung branch on Wednesday last week sentenced a retired air force colonel to 20 years in prison for running espionage activities for China and recruiting active-duty military officers for a spy network in Taiwan.

Although such offenses have been drawing severe penalties in the past few years, last week’s case once again laid bare that the nation is vulnerable and the law has loopholes. It is of paramount importance that military morale and discipline are restored.

The retired colonel, surnamed Liu (劉), in 2013 moved to China for business after retiring from the military. He was paid to infiltrate Taiwan’s military, recruit active-duty personnel and procure intelligence for Beijing, such as details of military planes and ships, prosecutors said.

TPP plan to select China-born candidate a risk: DPP

Taipei Times

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers yesterday said that if the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) were to select a China-born legislative candidate it would pose national security concerns, while the TPP accused the ruling party of employing “double standards.”

The TPP has come under fire for its rumored selection of Taiwan New Residents Development Association chairwoman Xu Chunying (徐春鶯), the wife of a Taiwanese man and an advocate for foreign-born spouses, for its list of legislator-at-large nominees.

The TPP has yet to confirm or deny the selection of Xu, which was first reported by Mirror Media on Thursday last week.

US military buys Japanese seafood to counter China ban

Taipei Times

The US has started bulk buying Japanese seafood to supply its military there in response to a ban China imposed after Tokyo released treated water from its crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant into the sea.

Unveiling the initiative in an interview yesterday, US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel said Washington should also look more broadly into how it could help offset China’s ban that he said was part of its “economic wars.”

China, which had been the biggest buyer of Japanese seafood, says its ban is due to food safety fears.

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