Category: Government & Politics

Washington, A survey released by the nonpartisan American think tank Pew Research Center on Thursday showed that 57 percent of Taiwanese people were satisfied with Taiwan’s democracy, far lower than that of other countries, including Singapore, and that the island was also among several advanced economies whose people believe their political systems need major changes or complete overhauls.

“As citizens around the world continue to grapple with a global pandemic and the changes it has brought to their everyday lives, many are also expressing a desire for political change,” the research center said.

The finding was part of a survey that focuses on views of democracy and the desire for political, economic and health care reform in 17 advanced economies, which included the United States, Canada, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Australia Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan.

According to the survey, 57 percent of the people polled in Taiwan were satisfied with the way democracy was working, but 56 percent believe their political system needs major changes or a complete overhaul.

Several countries had a higher percentage of respondents satisfied with the democratic processes in their democracies, including Singapore, which topped the list at 82 percent, followed by Sweden (79 percent), New Zealand (76 percent), Canada (66 percent), Germany (65 percent), the Netherlands (65 percent), Australia (64 percent) and the United Kingdom (60 percent).

At the same time, the survey showed that a far greater percentage of people — more than two thirds of respondents — in Italy, Spain, the United States, South Korea, Greece, France, Belgium and Japan want political change, compared to Taiwan.

The Pew Research Center did not explain why Taiwan’s figures differ from that of the other democracies.

When it comes to reforming the economic system, views were roughly split across the 17 economies surveyed, the center said, noting that calls for economic reform were highest in Italy, Greece and Spain, which stood at 85 percent, 84 percent and 83 percent, respectively.

For Taiwan, only 49 percent of those polled believed economic reform was necessary, while the majority expressed that their health care system doesn’t need to be changed.

“Roughly half or more in seven nations think the health care system needs major changes or needs to be completely reformed, and in the U.S. and Greece, roughly three-in-four express this view,” the center said.

The Pew Research Center survey was conducted from Feb. 1 to May 26 this year among a total of 18,850 adults in these 17 advanced economies.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

President Tsai Ing-wen (???) on Thursday decorated French Senator Alain Richard with a national medal, in recognition of his contribution to the development of relations between his country and Taiwan.

Richard, who heads the French Senate’s Taiwan Friendship Group, was awarded the Order of Propitious Clouds with Special Grand Cordon, a civilian order that can be conferred on citizens or foreign nationals.

At the award ceremony at the Presidential Office in Taipei, Tsai said Richard had “pioneered” exchanges between Taiwan and France for many years, blazing a trail for the development of bilateral ties.

Tsai said it was very heart-warming to see that Richard, along with other members of the Senate’s friendship group, was visiting Taiwan for the third time, despite external pressure.

Richard’s visit to Taiwan is like the return of “family members in France,” she said.

The French Senate has always been the greatest advocate for the development of Taiwan-France relations, and the current visit by Richard and other senators is proof of its support, Tsai said.

Two of the major milestones in the exchanges between Taiwan and France were initiated by the French Senate, Tsai said, citing its passage of a resolution in May to support Taiwan’s participation in international organizations and its invitation in 2019 for Taiwanese legislators to visit France.

In Richard’s acceptance speech, he said he was dedicating the honor to all members of the French Senate, who had approved his trip to Taiwan and passed the resolution on Taiwan’s international participation.

“Like many other countries, we support Taiwan,” Richard said, adding that Taiwan has “contributed greatly” in many areas internationally, including the application of healthcare technology and preservation of harmony in the international community.

Prior to Richard’s five-day visit to Taiwan, Beijing had repeatedly voiced its objections, saying such a trip would be a violation of France’s one-China policy.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

Former Australian Prime Minister (PM) Tony Abbott, who recently voiced support for Taiwan joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) regional trade bloc, arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday to attend an international forum later this week.

Abbot, who served as Australian PM from 2013-2015, arrived at Taoyuan International Airport on a Singapore Airline flight around 1:45 p.m. He was greeted by Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang (???).

The two men declined to give public statements at the airport.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Abbot is in Taiwan mainly to give a keynote address at the annual Yushan Forum that will be held on Friday.

The forum, which is being held for the fifth time this year, is a Taiwan-initiated regional dialogue that seeks to strengthen the nation’s relationship with ASEAN countries, India, Australia and New Zealand.

During his stay in Taiwan, Abbot will also meet with President Tsai Ing-wen (???) on Thursday, and other senior government officials, according to MOFA.

He is visiting Taiwan under a so-called “diplomatic bubble” that exempts him from undergoing certain COVID-19 prevention and quarantine measures, according to MOFA, without elaborating.

Under normal circumstances, all arrivals in Taiwan are required to quarantine for 14 days.

The former Australian PM recently expressed support for Taiwan joining the CPTPP, of which Australia is a member, even if it risks upsetting China.

Abbott said during an Australian joint parliamentary committee on Sept. 30 that he is “strongly in favor” of Taiwan joining the CPTPP and that the only argument against Taiwan being admitted is that it might upset China.

However, given the fact that China is not a member of the CPTPP and is unlikely to become a member of the trade bloc, “I don’t see that China is going to be any more upset than it already is,” he said in his testimony.

Abbott said any countries that want to sign up to the partnership need to “play by the rules,” and there is no way that China should be allowed to join the CPTPP until it drops its trade boycotts of Australia and stops weaponizing trade.

Taiwan formally applied to join the agreement on Sept. 22, less than a week after China applied for membership of the CPTPP.

The CPTPP, which grew out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership after the U.S. left the pact in January 2017, is one of the world’s largest trade blocs, representing a market of 500 million people and accounting for 13.5 percent of global trade.

Its 11 signatories are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam.

Local experts have called on Taiwan’s government to accelerate its preparations to join the CPTPP, especially as the nation is unlikely to be able to join the Beijing-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

President Tsai Ing-wen (???) issued a congratulatory message on Monday to Fumio Kishida after he was officially elected as Japan’s 100th prime minister earlier in the day after winning a majority of votes in both houses of parliament.

The 64-year-old former Japanese foreign minister first won the leadership election of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) last Wednesday after two rounds of voting, which positioned him to take over the reins of the country from his predecessor Yoshihide Suga.

In a press release, Presidential Office spokesman Xavier Chang (???) said President Tsai had extended sincere congratulations on behalf of Taiwan’s government and people to Kishida, while wishing the new Japanese government under Kishida’s leadership all the best.

Taiwan and Japan are like-minded partners, as signified by the high volume of trade and people-to-people exchanges between the two sides, Chang said.

They also share the fundamental values of freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, he added.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan is Taiwan’s third-largest trading partner, while Taiwan is Japan’s fourth-largest.

Taiwan is also Japan’s No. 3 source of foreign visitors, while Japan was Taiwan’s second-largest source of foreign visitors before the pandemic, it added.

Meanwhile, Chang said Tsai also thanked Suga for his strong support toward Taiwan during his tenure as prime minister, especially Tokyo’s five deliveries of COVID-19 vaccine donations to Taipei.

Tsai said she hopes the “circle of goodwill” between the two diplomatic partners will continue under the new Japanese government, according to Chang.

The government will continue to promote diversified cooperation with Japan and to jointly safeguard regional peace and prosperity for the benefit of both peoples, Chang added.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

Incoming Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is unlikely to soften his country’s foreign policy toward Beijing, despite his leanings on the dovish side of his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on China issues, a Japanese scholar said Wednesday.

Kishida, 64, won the leadership election of the ruling LDP early Wednesday in the second round of voting, which positioned him to take over the reins of the country from incumbent Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in early October.

While Kishida has long been on the dovish side of the LDP with regard to China policy, he was at the forefront of a more hardline stance on a number of issues during his campaign for the party’s presidency, according to Yuki Tatsumi, a Japanese scholar at the Stimson Center think tank in Washington.

For example, Kishida has proposed appointing a special advisor to Japan’s prime minister on human rights issues in China, said Tatsumi, who is director of the center’s Japan Program and co-director of its East Asia Program.

The hawkish stance is a major shift in Japan’s policy toward China, and it signals consensus on the importance of Taiwan and the role Japan would play in the event of conflict across the Taiwan Strait, Tatsumi said, commenting on the implications of Kishida’s victory for Taiwan.

Japan’s cross-strait policy has changed amid concern over the growing aggression of China’s military in the seas and air near Taiwan and Japan and in the South China Sea, Tatsumi said.

Against that backdrop, Japanese politicians, especially those in the LDP, have revised their stance toward Taipei and are considering further improvement of bilateral relations, she said.

“I don’t see any softening of Japan’s stance vis-a-vis the People’s Republic of China, even under Mr. Kishida,” Tatsumi said, during a webinar titled “Warming Japan-Taiwan Ties: Implications for East Asia,” hosted by the Jamestown Foundation in Washington.

Also speaking at the event, Abraham Denmark, director of the Asia Program at another Washington-based think tank the Wilson Center, said he expects greater cooperation between the United States, Japan and Taiwan in the coming years, particularly on economic matters.

Denmark said Tokyo will likely support Taiwan’s bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a regional trade bloc led by Japan.

The 11-member CPTPP, which grew out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership after the U.S. left the pact in January 2017, is one of the world’s biggest trade blocs, representing a market of 500 million people and accounting for 13.5 percent of global trade.

Taiwan submitted a formal application on Sept. 22 to join the CPTPP, one week after China did so.

Taiwan has expressed worry that if China gains entry to the CPTPP first, the Chinese government will try to oppose Taiwan’s membership.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

The United States House of Representatives passed its annual defense policy bill on Thursday, which includes recommendations for inviting Taiwan to the 2022 Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) and enhancing cooperation between the U.S. National Guard and Taiwan.

 

The House approved its US$777.9 billion fiscal 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in a 316-113 vote Thursday night.

 

The 1,390-page bill includes three major provisions related to Taiwan under sections 1243, 1247, and 1248, according to the text of the bill released by the House Rules Committee.

 

Under section 1248, the bill recommends that the naval forces of Taiwan should be invited to participate in RIMPAC in 2022. Taiwan has never been invited to participate in the exercise before.

 

RIMPAC, hosted every two years by the U.S. Pacific Fleet near Hawaii, is the world’s largest international maritime military exercise.

 

RIMPAC began in 1971 as an annual exercise to foster relationships between the U.S. and its allies, and safeguard their safety in trade and sea lines of communication in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

 

Section 1243 of the bill calls for a report on the feasibility and advisability of enhanced cooperation between Taiwan and the U.S. National Guard by no later than Feb. 15, 2022.

 

The provision requires an evaluation of the feasibility of enhancing cooperation on a range of activities, including disaster and emergency response, cyber defense and communications security, military medicine, cultural and educational exchanges, and training of the reserve components of the military forces of Taiwan.

 

Section 1247 is pertinent to helping Taiwan to strengthen its self-defense capability. It reiterates the importance of the Taiwan Relations Act and the “six assurances” as the foundation of ties between Taipei and Washington.

 

The provision also calls for practical training and military exercises with Taiwan; exchanges between defense officials and officers of the United States and Taiwan at the strategic, policy, and functional levels especially for the purposes of enhancing cooperation on defense planning; improving the interoperability of the military forces of the U.S. and Taiwan; and improving the reserve force of Taiwan.

 

Additional sections request reports on military and security developments involving the People’s Republic of China, the expansion of Chinese influence in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the inclusion of information on Beijing’s attempts to poach Taiwan’s diplomatic allies in the region.

 

The U.S. Senate’s version of the bill was approved by its Armed Services Committee on July 23 and is expected to be considered by the full Senate in October.

 

With both the House and Senate having introduced their respective versions of the bill, presuming the Senate passes its version, a House-Senate conference will reconcile differences before both chambers vote on sending the final bill to President Joe Biden before it becomes legislation.

 

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said Friday that it will make a prudential assessment of participating in RIMPAC based on its defense operations needs and will proactively seek to join exercises that are conducive to regional peace.

 

Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Friday thanked the U.S. Congress for having continued promoting military cooperation and exchanges between Taiwan and the U.S. in its annual defense policy bill over the past few years.

 

This highlights the importance the Congress attaches to Taiwan’s national defense and its support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, MOFA spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said.

 

MOFA will keep a close watch on the review processes of the bill in the near future and maintain close contact with related U.S. government agencies to deepen security cooperation between the two countries, she added.

 

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

The ruling parties of Taiwan and Japan held their first bilateral talks on security policies on Friday, in a move seen as directed at the challenge posed by an increasingly assertive China.

The 2-on-2 virtual dialogue lasted about 90 minutes and was attended by Lo Chih-cheng (???) and Tsai Shih-ying (???) of Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), with Masahisa Sato and Taku Otsuka of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), DPP spokeswoman Hsieh Pei-fen (???) told reporters after the meeting.

On Taiwan’s side, Lo and Tsai are both members of the Legislative Yuan and serve on the Foreign and National Defense Committee.

On the Japan side, Sato is a member of the House of Councilors and Otsuka is a member of the House of Representatives. They are the respective directors of the LDP’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense divisions.

According to Hsieh, the meeting started with Sato’s remarks, who said both sides hope to strengthen cooperation through exchanges between legislators as official contacts are still impeded by the lack of diplomatic relations.

Sato mentioned that such strengthening of cooperation is needed as China’s unilateral actions in the region have altered the status quo and impacted the security of Japan and the Taiwan Strait, Hsieh said.

Otsuka echoed Sato and said China’s rising military power has undermined stability in the region and affected the world order, according to Hsieh.

He then said the LDP’s National Defense division has proposed to the Japanese government that it should make bold changes in policies and increase related budgets to help maintain regional stability, Hsieh said.

Lo, according to Hsieh, told his Japanese counterpart that both parties have to act together on issues relating to security, environmental protection and economic growth to maintain their free and democratic way of life.

He was also quoted by Hsieh as saying that today’s dialogue is supported not only by both ruling parties but also both peoples and is certain to produce fruitful results.

Tsai recalled the historical ties between Taiwan and Japan since the Japanese colonial period and hoped that this security dialogue can become a regular event and serve as a new channel of communication between both countries, Hsieh said.

The dialogue came amid China’s increased military activities in the region, such as the almost daily entry of China’s military aircraft into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) and the transit of warships near Japan’s waters.

Meanwhile, Shi Yinhong (???), a retired professor at the School of International Studies at Renmin University in China, told CNA earlier on Thursday that a policy of “joint military intervention” by Japan and the United States the moment armed conflict breaks out in the Taiwan Strait is taking shape.

Shi described the just concluded dialogue as the first “open and direct political and military connection” between Taiwan and Japan since Tokyo established diplomatic relations with Beijing in 1972.

He said under Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, strategic cooperation between Japan and the United States on issues relating to Taiwan has strengthened rapidly and touched the redline laid down by China on Taiwan, leading to an “unprecedented” dangerous situation.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

A 38-member delegation, comprising Taiwan’s national Paralympic team, coaches, support staff and officials, departed for Japan on Sunday to take part in the Tokyo Paralympics Aug. 24 to Sept. 5.

At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, which were postponed from last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 10 Taiwanese athletes will compete in table tennis, powerlifting, badminton, judo, swimming, and track and field.

Judoka Lee Kai-lin (???), who won a silver medal at the 2012 London Paralympics, said she was looking forward to her third Games.

Lee said she has managed to stay fit, physically and psychologically, and hopes to follow in the footsteps of Yang Yung-wei (???), who won a silver medal in judo at the Tokyo Olympics last month.

First time Paralympic swimmer Chen Liang-da (???) said he wants to not only make a breakthrough but also enjoy the two-week Games.

Chen said, however, that he has to take it easy and not put too much pressure on himself, because he was forced to suspend training for two months due to the domestic COVID-19 outbreak in Taiwan over the past few months.

Powerlifter Lin Ya-hsuan (???), who will be competing for the sixth time in the Paralympics, said composure is the key to successful participation in the Games.

“I used to be very nervous when I was trying to give my best performance, but the higher my expectations, the more likely I was to mess up,” she said.

he other six members of the Taiwan delegation, including the badminton team, will head to Tokyo on Aug. 27.

Those who departed Sunday were all in high spirits, according to Lin Che-hung (???), deputy director-general of the Sports Administration, who was part of the 32-member Taiwan delegation.

“Participation in the Games itself is a victory,” Lin said.

Nonetheless, he said, he hopes Taiwan will increase its best Paralympic medal count this year from one silver and one bronze.

The 2020 Tokyo Paralympics will be held over 13 days, from Aug. 24 to Sept. 5, with some 160 countries expected to participate.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

Taipei-Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Thursday confirmed media reports that a Chinese freight operator has decided to halt its direct train service to Lithuania, in apparent retaliation by Beijing over a spat relating to Taiwan.

“MOFA is aware of the reports that the state-owned China Railway Container Transport Co. (CRCT) will stop direct cargo trains to Lithuania by the end of August,” MOFA spokesperson Joanne Ou (???) said in a statement.

“The reports are confirmed to be accurate,” as determined by MOFA through various sources, she said.

Rail freight is one of the most economic and convenient ways for China to export its goods to Lithuania and is subsidized by the government, Ou said.

MOFA opposes the use of trade and economic activities to sanction anyone, she said, urging all countries to respect the spirit of free trade.

Ou also said Taiwan is willing to deepen its economic links with all like-minded partners, including Lithuania.

Her statement came after the Baltic News Service reported Tuesday that it had obtained a copy of a letter sent by CRCT to its Lithuanian clients, notifying them that all direct freight trains to Vilnius would be canceled, with effect from late August, until further notice.

The cancellation was due to the political tensions between Lithuania and China, the Baltic News Service said, citing the letter.

On Wednesday, however, CRCT said in a statement on its website that the report was inaccurate.

“We did not issue any such notice. Currently, rail freight between China and Lithuania remains normal,” said CRCT, a subsidiary of the state-owned China Railway Group.

Meanwhile, at a press conference in Beijing on Thursday, China’s commerce ministry spokesperson Gao Feng (??) dodged reporters’ questions on whether CRCT had halted its direct freight train service to Lithuania.

Instead, Gao said Lithuania was creating obstacles to business and trade with China, according to the Global Times, a daily newspaper run by the Chinese Communist Party.

On Aug. 10, China publicly took issue with Lithuania’s decision to allow the establishment of a Taiwan representative office in Vilnius, saying it was recalling its ambassador to Lithuania, and it called on the European country to withdraw its envoy to Beijing.

Allowing the establishment of an office that would bear the name “Taiwan” is a violation of the “One-China principle,” the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, demanding that Lithuania immediately revise the decision.

In response, Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was committed to pursuing mutually beneficial ties with Taiwan, in line with the One-China principle.

China sees Taiwan as part of its territory and objects to any interactions with the international community that may carry implications of Taiwan sovereignty.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

When Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan took office in March, she  vowed a U-turn in politics from her predecessor, the late John Magufuli. But the arrest of opposition leader Freeman Mbowe in July has dimmed hopes that Hassan will her turn back on Magufuli’s iron-fisted style of rule.    

On this day, Neema Mwakipesile got a chance to read her favorite book, after spending 15 days in police custody.   

She was accused of organizing a protest to demand the release of  opposition  party leader Freeman Mbowe.                                                            

Mwakipesile says the police feared her as though she were a terrorist or had done something wrong. They also would not allow her to meet with lawyers or members of her family.   

Freeman Mbowe, the leader of the Chadema Party, was arrested last month in the port city of Mwanza, where he was to address a meeting to discuss constitutional reforms.

In a court appearance, prosecutors accused Mbowe of taking part in conspiracies to blow up fueling stations and fund terrorist acts.    

The Chadema Party denies the charges and claims the arrest aims to weaken the opposition party and its call for a new constitution.     

Gerva Lyenda, a Chadema Party spokesperson, says that party members firmly believe that the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi Party continues to remain in power because of the weakness of the current constitution. “The Chadema Party’s first demand is a new constitution,” Lyenda said.   

In an interview with the BBC last week, President Samia Hassan denied her government was targeting the opposition, and instead accused it  of  wrongdoing.   

Hassan said that every party is free to have its own constitution, timetable and delegates. What is not good, she added, is to demand the freedom to do political violence.    

Both Mbowe and Chadema have denied all government accusations of backing terrorism or fomenting violence.  

Victor Kweka, an analyst, says it appears there is no level playing field for politics in Tanzania.   

Kweka said that such events paint a picture of unbalanced politics that rely on the ruling party and not a democracy that allows opposition parties to perform their activities, participate in political meetings and hold rallies as other countries are doing.

Meanwhile, Neema Mwakipesile says she is still experiencing trauma from her 15 days behind bars.   

She says despite the challenges, pro-democracy activists will continue their push for their goal.    

Source: Voice of America