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Freddy Lim’s Departure Pushes NPP Toward Cooperation with the DPP

Freddy Lim announcing his withdrawal from the New Power Party over the party’s failure to adopt a clear policy regarding whether to cooperate with the DPP in next year’s presidential and legislative elections seems to have been surprisingly successful as a political strategy. Lim was able to successfully force the NPP into at least publicly claiming that it will endorse Tsai Ing-wen for reelection in 2020 elections next year...

Banqiao High School to Allow Male Students to Wear Skirts After Student Demonstration in May

The New Taipei Municipal Banqiao Senior High School announced earlier this month that starting from next year, both male and female students will be allowed greater say in their choice of uniforms. As such, male students will also be allowed to wear skirts as part of their uniforms if they so desire, whereas previously it was only female students that were allowed a choice of whether to wear skirts or pants...

The NPP Faces Crisis After Major Controversies, Unexpected Departure of Freddy Lim

The NPP saw two major controversies erupt in the past week, not only regarding a conflict of interest scandal regarding legislator Kawlo Iyun Pacidal that led to her being stripped of her position as a legislator, but also questions about the political orientation of the party vis-a-vis the DPP going into 2020 elections. Subsequently, with little warning, NPP legislator and party heavyweight Freddy Lim announced earlier today that he would be withdrawing from the NPP and running in Taipei’s Zhongzheng-Wanhua district as an independent...

Han Kuo-yu Confirmed as the KMT’s Presidential Candidate, But Fractures Remain Visible in the Party

Han Kuo-yu was confirmed as the KMT’s presidential candidate on Sunday at the party’s National Congress, although an unusual development was the simultaneous announcement that a KMT president would not simultaneously serve as the chair of the party going forward. Indeed, this seems to be a sign of continued fractures within the party...

China Announces Ban on Individual Tours to Taiwan, Conducts Drills on Border with Hong Kong

Reports of unusual actions by the Chinese government aimed at affecting Hong Kong and Taiwan have emerged in the last day. First, the Chinese government announced that individual tours to Taiwan from 47 cities across China will come to a halt starting on August 1st. Second, reports have emerged of Chinese troops amassing on the border between Hong Kong and China, leading to fears that this could be an early sign of a PLA crackdown on Hong Kong. A report by the SCMP later stated that these were police by 190,000 Chinese police officers to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, not military drills, but the development has raised fears nonetheless...

Protests Erupt Outside of Hong Kong Police Stations in Response to Sunday’s Arrests

Clashes between demonstrators and police took place outside of police stations in Kwai Chung, Sai Wan Ho, and Tin Shui Wai in Hong Kong last night, with demonstrators protesting the arrest of dozens of demonstrators the preceding night. The demonstrations were not called for in advance yet took place at the same time in three separate locations in Hong Kong, a sign of the escalating situation in the wake of four consecutive days of protest...