New residency permits issued by China for Taiwanese living, working, and studying in China have raised ire in Taiwan, with some urging legal repercussions for those that apply for use of such cards...
DPP legislators would in the past week make allegations that the Chinese government has begun investigating whether Taiwanese businesses operating in China have made donations to the pan-Green political camp. If found to have done so, the Chinese government reportedly intends to take punitive measures against such companies, forcing them to make statements acknowledging the 1992 Consensus or otherwise acknowledging a political stance that Taiwan is a part of China ...
Tensions seem to be on the rise between North Korea and America again in past weeks. A prominent sign of this would be secretary of state Mike Pompeo canceling his planned visit to Pyongyang, as announced by American president Donald Trump through Twitter...
One notes that absent in many discussions of the trade war between America and China to date, particularly in Taiwan, is any sense of how the trade war will affect the global standing of both countries going forward. However, it is probably true to say that America will be less affected than China by the trade war...
Taiwan continues to prove an unfriendly place to refugees, with the deportation of Ricardo "Ardot" Parojinog back to the Philippines late last month. Parojinog was suspected of drug trafficking in the Philippines and it is possible that he may be killed after he returns, given current Filipino president Rodrigo Duterte's campaign of state-sanctioned violence and extrajudicial executions against drug dealers and users...
News that El Salvador has decided to break diplomatic ties with Taiwan marks the third diplomatic ally that Taiwan has lost this year. This brings Taiwan’s total number of diplomatic allies down to seventeen. What does this mean for Taiwan, going forward?...
A recent visit by Taiwanese president to America has received much attention, with this being seen as a sign of stronger ties between Taiwan and America in the wake of the passage of the Taiwan Travel Act. However, first, the visit represents incremental change far more than it does a substantial break from previous American policy towards Taiwan, and second, one actually observes increased wariness of the Trump administration from the Tsai administration in the course of the visit...
Unfortunately, it continues to be unlikely that Taiwanese comfort women who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese empire will see justice in their lifetimes given the politicization of the issue by both pan-Blue and pan-Green political actors, and the reluctance of the current Japanese government to make any genuine apology for its actions during World War II...
It is not too surprising that anger would break out from the public after Taiwanese bakery chain 85°C issued a public statement claiming that it upholds the 1992 Consensus and views both sides of the Taiwan Straits as part of one family. On the other hand, it is also not too surprising that 85°C would make such a declaration either...
With the Trump administration touting its “Indo-Pacific initiative,” some in Taiwan have taken this as a hopeful sign that the Trump administration plans to step up pressure against China. It is further hoped that this will mean stronger American support for Taiwan. However, the perpetual dilemma that Taiwan faces regarding the US-Taiwan security relationship continues to loom in the background. Namely, stronger US actions against China does not necessarily entail stronger support for Taiwan, even if it sometimes does. And this is something that many in Taiwan have failed to reckon with...
