Now that the election results are in, the period of intense suspense and electoral speculation has concluded. The issue of cross-strait relations remains unresolved, as the People’s Republic of China (PRC) insists that the Republic of China (ROC), often known as Taiwan, is a separatist province of the mainland and aims for reunification. For the first time in history, Taiwan has re-elected the same political party to govern the democratic island for a third consecutive term. The election of Lai Ching-te on Saturday signifies a strong counter to the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) forceful stance and intimidation tactics towards the island. The primary challenge now is how Lai’s new government will maintain its relations with Beijing and navigate the complex triangular dynamics of the US, China, and Taiwan...
The KMT continues to politicize the issue of vaccines in Taiwan, lashing out at the use of Medigen flu vaccines and framing this as the Tsai administration favoring the vaccine developer. This occurs even as Medigen is just one of a number of brands that will be used domestically...
Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen's National Day address yesterday had few surprises. More generally, Tsai touted her accomplishments ahead of next year’s elections. With Tsai having served two full terms, this will be the last National Day address of Tsai’s tenure. Taiwan will go to the polls to decide its next president in January...
Controversy about egg imports has been ongoing in past months, leading to the resignation of Minister of Agriculture Chen Chi-chung, among others. Nevertheless, this has taken a new turn in the past days...
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...
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...
The KMT has begun to lean into attacks on the Tsai administration over efforts to alleviate egg shortages in Taiwan. The egg shortages have resulted in price hikes, with egg prices increasing earlier this month by 3 NT per catty...
President Tsai Ing-wen, KMT presidential candidate Hou You-yi, and Foxconn founder Terry Gou all traveled to Kinmen over the last week. Though Gou has not formally announced a presidential run, he has strongly hinted at one. Gou would be likely running as an independent, having ruled out the possibility of collaboration with the KMT and this also being unlikely with Ko Wen-je’s TPP, seeing as neither he nor Ko would serve as the other’s deputy...
