September 2023

Candidates Propose Healthcare Policies Ahead of Elections

Brian Hioe
Ahead of the January elections, Taiwanese presidential candidates have begun to outline the steps they would take to improve the healthcare system. This takes place even as all candidates are largely in agreement that Taiwan faces fundamental demographic issues regarding its declining birthrate and rising elderly population. As such, the proposed measures take place within this context...
EnglishPoliticsSeptember 20234 min read

Will the Pan-Blue Camp Unite Before Elections?

Brian Hioe
Despite many predictions that a split pan-Blue vote is likely to result in a DPP victory for its presidential candidate, William Lai, Foxconn founder Terry Gou, and TPP presidential candidate Ko Wen-je remain unlikely to pull out of the race. This has been labeled by some to be an irrational political move, seeing as the pan-Blue camp only stands a chance for any of its candidates to win if the other candidates unite behind a single one. Polling shows that Terry Gou, who is trailing in number three, is least likely to win...
EnglishPoliticsSeptember 20237 min read

Hou You-yi Travels to the US, Emphasizes Similar Policies to Tsai

Brian Hioe
KMT presidential candidate Hou You-yi recently traveled to the US. Taiwanese presidential candidates traditionally travel to the US ahead of elections. This is not only to meet with US government officials and conduct meetings, but to meet with wealthy members of the Taiwanese diaspora that live in the US, so as to solicit campaign funds. TPP presidential candidate Ko visited the US in April, while independent presidential candidate Terry Gou visited both in April and in late July. Ko has announced another trip for October. DPP presidential candidate William Lai visited the US in September...
America and the Asia PacificEnglishInternationalPoliticsSeptember 20235 min read

“The East Is Still Red” Book Launch Reveals Usual Tankie Denial of China as Capitalist, Imperialist

Brian Hioe
Friends of Socialist China's book launch for leading figure Carlos Martinez’s new book, The East is Still Red, proved to be an occasion for a collection of mostly Western leftists to once again illustrate their idealistic projection onto China. The event took place on August 13, 2023. In particular, the event was primarily focused on defending China from the charge that is imperialistic, while calling for uncritical support for China as continuing to advance the cause of socialist revolution...
EnglishPoliticsSelf-DeterminationSeptember 2023Social Movements9 min read

Calls for Unionization, Improvements in Firefighter Safety, After Deadly Pingtung Blaze

Brian Hioe
There have been calls for improving safety measures for firefighters after a blaze killed four firefighters in Pingtung on Friday. Subsequently, the National Association for Firefighters’ Rights demonstrated on Ketagalan Boulevard on Saturday with a banner listing the names of the 39 firefighters who were killed in the line of duty in the past decade. The incident points to the need for a number of fundamental safety reforms...
EnglishEnvironmentalLaborRaceSeptember 2023Social Movements6 min read

Supreme Administrative Court Rules Against Compulsory Surgery For Changing Legal Gender

Yo-Ling Chen
On September 21, 2023, the Supreme Administrative Court of the Judicial Yuan nullified the Kaohsiung High Administrative Court's ruling on a transgender woman’s legal gender change appeal and ordered a rehearing. With regards to Ministry of Interior executive order #0970066240, which requires people assigned male at birth to surgically remove their penis and testis and people assigned female at birth to remove their breasts, uterus, and ovaries in order to change their legal gender, the SAC’s decision clearly states that this rule “seriously infringes upon bodily rights, medical rights, human dignity, and right of personality”. Multiple transgender rights organizations, such as the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights and Taiwan Non-binary Queer Sluts, have celebrated the ruling...
EnglishGender/SexualitySeptember 2023Social Movements5 min read

Tsai’s Eswatini Trip Continues Praise of Authoritarian Monarchy

Brian Hioe
A recent visit to Eswatini by Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen saw Tsai praise Eswatini for its support of Taiwan, while lauding the relationship between Taiwan and Eswatini as “the epitome of progress and development”. However, what Tsai did not mention in her comments was the fact that Eswatini’s government is an authoritarian one, as a country in which freedom of political association is forbidden and ruled over by one of the world’s last absolute monarchs...
EnglishPoliticsSeptember 20236 min read

China Sets New Record with Air Incursions

Brian Hioe
The People's Liberation Army set new records yesterday with the number of planes it deployed into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense announced that 103 warplanes were detected around Taiwan in a 24-hour period yesterday. The ADIZ is the airspace in which planes normally identify themselves for security purposes. Aircraft also maneuvered in airspace southeast and southwest of the island...
Cross StraitEnglishInternationalSeptember 20236 min read