As Taipei 2018 mayoral elections approach ever closer, it remains an opaque question as to whether the DPP will back Ko Wen-Je. In the meantime, one can divine something of the shifts in the DPP’s position going into 2018 elections as compared to 2016 from the continued debate over whether the DPP will endorse Ko this year...
With over 1,000 demonstrating on May 5th to call for implementation of a jury trial system, members of the public continue to attempt to push the Tsai administration towards advocacy for a jury-based system...
China forcing airlines to list Taiwan as part of China on their websites is a highly significant move in framing Taiwan as part of China from the get-go for anyone going to Taiwan. As it seems unlikely that airlines will defy China, in spite of American condemnations, this may require intelligent responses...
The annual demonstration commemorating International Workers’ Day took place today in Taipei, drawing thousands of workers out onto the streets in protest...
A demonstration was held by LGBTQ groups this morning to demonstrate the Central Election Commission passing a referendum pushed for by anti-gay groups. The referendum seeks to overturn a judicial ruling in favor of the legalization of marriage equality in Taiwan by the Council of Grand Justices last year. In particular, the demonstration serves as the start of what will necessarily be a longer campaign by LGBTQ groups...
The passage of the Taiwan Travel Act has been hailed as a triumph by pro-Taiwan groups in the US as representing a step forward in advancing US-Taiwan relations. On the other hand, media coverage of the passage of the Taiwan Travel Act by western media has oftentimes acted as though the move is dangerously provocative of China. Both polarized positions may miss part of the point...
Moves by China to upgrade benefits currently enjoyed by Taiwanese similar to those enjoyed by Chinese citizens, as a way of luring Taiwan into its fold, would be another attempt by China to divide and conquer Taiwan from within. It remains to be seen how successful these strategies prove to be. But there are already several cases in which one can see what the logical outcome of China treating Taiwanese citizens as they are Chinese citizens would be...
A recent cabinet reshuffle by the Tsai administration likely indicates hopes by the Tsai administration to improve its public image in the lead-up to 2018 local elections. In particular, where changes in cabinet officials have occurred in areas in which the Tsai administration had previously seen criticisms...
The announcement this week by state-run power utility Taipower that it plans to seek approval from the Atomic Energy Commission for restarts of a nuclear reactor at Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant should be of little surprise. Namely, even if little discussed, the Tsai administration quietly approved nuclear reactor restarts in June of last year. It remains to be seen whether it will not only be the Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant reactor that is approved for restarts...
Amending the so-called “Birdcage Referendum Act” has long been a demand of Taiwanese activists. In particular, holding a nationwide referendum was seen as a way to settle long-standing domestic issues in Taiwanese politics, such as with regards to the usage of nuclear energy in Taiwan, as well as the fundamental issue of independence versus unification, which goes to the heart of Taiwan’s unique political situation in global politics. It may not be too surprising, then, that calls for referendum have now become an object of political contestation on a number of issues. At least four campaigns for referendum are now under way in Taiwan that have been launched in the two months since changes to the Referendum Act in December of last year...