Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Abandonment of Taiwan unlikely

Theodore Leshnick

As the US is pulling out of Afghanistan, many Americans wonder what the war was all for. Seeing planes airlifting refugees out of Kabul brings back memories of planes flying into the Twin Towers in 2001.

In the weeks following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the US invaded Afghanistan. The US was grieving and wanted to get revenge.

Whether it got revenge is subjective. The objective truth is that the US got Osama bin Laden, a 20-year conflict and US$2.261 trillion in war debt.

Taiwan, Japan ruling parties talk trade

Taipei Times

Democratic Progressive Party legislators Tsai Shih-ying, top left, and Lo Chih-cheng, top center, and Japanese Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers Masahisa Sato, top right, and Taku Otsuka, bottom center, yesterday discuss trade and defense during a videoconference.
Photo courtesy of the Democratic Progressive Party

The ruling parties of Taiwan and Japan yesterday held their first diplomatic and defense policy discussion, with representatives of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) pledging to support Taiwan’s bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Defense autonomy to deter China

Taipei Times Editorial

As the local media continue to ponder over the events in Kabul, many have rightly pointed out the folly of comparing Afghanistan with Taiwan. Culturally, politically, economically and geographically, the two countries are poles apart. Nevertheless, the hasty withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, and the country’s return to rule under the oppressive Taliban regime, has ignited a debate within Taiwan over whether the US can be relied upon to come to its defense.

On Tuesday last week, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) wrote on Facebook: “I want to tell everyone that Taiwan’s only option is to make ourselves stronger, more united and more resolute in our determination to protect ourselves.”

Taiwan, EU should link up policies

Marcin Jerzewski 葉皓勤

As this year marks the fifth anniversary of the New Southbound Policy (NSP) the time is ripe to evaluate the challenges and opportunities brought about by the nation’s pivot to the south.

Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, international cooperation has not come to a halt; in fact, recent instances of closer cooperation on public health issues might be viewed as a catalyst for the return of multilateralism in global politics.

Consequently, it is important to evaluate the mechanisms and the extent to which the policy can facilitate Taiwan’s inclusion in multilateral partnerships within and beyond the policy’s 18 target countries. Specifically, potential synergies between the policy and the EU’s strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region merits further consideration.

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