introduction to Taiwan      ★   Taiwan's Comprehensive Power ranks No.14 in Asia
    ★   world No. 1 in   2020~25,  2017~19,  2016,  2015,  2014,  2013,  2010~12     ★  Top  since 1998   ★  
　


fights for rights

★
 home   TW  OP  tour  hospitals  restaurants  night-markets  love  personality  women  speech  corruption  rotten  Taiwan  mental-control  privacy  fraud  judiciary  police  net-army  univ  foreign-labor  death penalty  prosecutors  pres. Tsai  president Lai   happiness  housing  democracy  diplomacy  prostitutes  massage  soft power  human-rights   intl-Human-rights  judicial-persecution  oppression  trans-justice  microwave-attacks  larceny  military  drugs  food  buffet  wealth  culture  US-cartoons  US-designs  Japan-comics  Chn-creativity  EXPO  cartoons-WWII  humor  political-cartoons  CovID   fb  music  movies  supermarket       
★

   the pages:  intro   travel   food   Taiwan economy   diplomatic   Taiwan military  human right in TW  soft power   identity   women  education  medical   personality   judiciary   white terror                          

☉○

◆

        intro. of Taiwan

full text

○ 

Taiwan might have reasons to worry about Trump.
◆  Council on Foreign Relations, 2025-2-21 Trump is making Taiwan more vulnerable. Trump has also made clear that he wants to negotiate a broad economic deal with China, which raises the question of what China will seek in return. If Trump can take Greenland, why can't China take Taiwan?
◆   Washington Post, 2025-2-18 Each statement by Trump that degrades the principle that territorial boundaries must not be redrawn by force or coercion might embolden China on Taiwan.  political scientist Graham Allison :  “Taiwan will be depreciated in the triangular relationship”,“I see no evidence whatever that [Trump] believes the U.S. has any vital interest in Taiwan.”
◆  NY Times, 2025-2-13 Taiwan prepares for Trump's tariffs and a more transactional U.S. relationship; Taiwanese officials have traveled to Washington to float energy deals and defend the island's semiconductors.
◆  Bloomberg, 2025-2-14 Taiwan President pledged to boost military spending  to 3% of GDP; Trump suggested the archipelago should devote 10% of GDP to its armed forces. 
◆   CNN,  2024-12-15 one thing's for sure: Trump is a less vocal supporter of Taiwan than Joe Biden. That's why Taiwan is buckling up for what could be a far more volatile relationship with Washington.  Trump's remarks have prompted jitters that Taiwan would need to move more of its critical chip supply chain to the US at a faster pace, that could affect the island's economic security and dismantle the very “silicon shield”  ...
◆   New York Times,  2024-11-24 Trump couldn't care less about Taiwan...  Maybe he will strike some sort of bargain with Taiwan. But whatever Taiwan can offer him, Beijing can easily top.  More and more, there are those in Taiwan who say we are an “abandoned chess piece,” no longer valued by the United States.  China amplifies these fears...
◆   Wall Street Journal,  2024-11-18 Some in Taiwan say its survival as a self-ruled democracy is at stake, that it can't afford to spend what Trump demands on defense and that it would wither in the crossfire of a U.S.-China trade war.
 Taiwan's military spending is currently at 2.45% of GDP—a lower share than Singapore's 2.8% and South Korea's 2.7%;  In Washington, the percent of GDP is really seen as a proxy for your seriousness.
◆   Fox News,  2024-11-10 Trump's public comments might suggest that he would not be willing to put boots on the ground to face another global superpower in defense of a tiny island democracy (Taiwan).   there is hope among restraint groups that Trump will be focused on economic warfare with China – rather than military.   "We don't have that alliance with Taiwan, ... the Taiwan issue is a powder keg — it's exceedingly dangerous. "
◆   New York Times,  2024-11-10 Tump's call for Taiwan to spend more on its own defense and his complaints about its semiconductor dominance may herald a tenser relationship.
◆   Business Insider,  2024-11-9 In 2025, Taiwan will have to contend with uncertainty on whether the US will protect it, or play it.
◆   New York Times,  2024-11-6 Some diplomats expect China to intensify pressure on Taiwan, if not invade Taiwan; and China may calculate that Mr. Trump would not go to war for a democracy that he has accused of “stealing” the microchip industry from the US.  “With Donald Trump, there are large amounts of uncertainty,” said Lev Nachman, a political scientist,  “And it's a matter of uncertainty that comes with great risk for Taiwan.”
◆   Washington Post,  2024-11-6 Trump's statements this year that raise doubt about his willingness to come to the island democracy's defense and his misleading assertion that Taipei needs to pay the US for defense. Such rhetoric could “fan the flames of skepticism” ...
◆   New York Times,  2024-11-6,  news briefing Trump could decide to do the true “America First” thing and withdraw completely, and basically say,  "defending Taiwan is not in our interest.” ...
◆   Bloomberg,  2024-11-5 Taiwan's Economic Affairs Minister acknowledged that Trump could introduce measures that might prove harmful for Taiwan's semiconductor industry. But the impact will not be as severe as some anticipate.
◆  Reuters,  2024-11-6 Trump might try to use the Taiwan issue as a bargaining chip to gain leverage in other areas, such as offering to restrain Taiwan's provocative actions in exchange for Beijing's compromise on trade.

　

　

　

　


　

        

pic. : No.1  "introduction to Taiwan" on Yandex of Russia (largest engine in Russia) at 2025-2-22, 2025-2-16, 2025-2-4, 2025-1-1, 2024-12-31, 2024-12-25, 2024-12-24, 2024-12-14, 2024-5-20, 2024-5-12, 2024-5-1, 2024-4-14, 2024-3-15, 2024-2-28, 2024-2-3, 2024-1-1, 2023-12-29, 2023-9-1, 2023-8-22, 2023-8-8, 2023-7-25, 2023-7-1, 2023-5-31, 2023-4-30, 2023-3-31, 2022-9-5, 2022-8-21,  2022-8-8;This websites group was ranked top "introduction to Taiwan" on Yandex of Russia, 2024-12-2,  2024-10-28, 2024-10-15, 2024-8-31, 2024-8-8, 2024-7-11     

　

　

No.1  "introduction of Taiwan" on Yandex of Russia, 2025-2-22, 2025-2-16, 2025-1-1, 2024-12-31, 2024-12-25, 2024-12-24,  2024-12-14, 2024-9-15, 2024-5-12, 2024-4-14, 2024-3-15, 2024-2-28, 2024-2-3, 2024-1-1, 2023-12-29, 2023-12-24, 2023-11-11, 2023-11-1;    No.1 "introduction to Taiwan" at 2022-7-31, 2022-7-7, 2022-7-1, 2022-6-24, 2022-6-15, 2022-6-12, 2022-5-26, 2022-5-14, 2022-4-30, 2022-3-14, 2021-12-27, 2021-12-4, 2021-11-21, 2021-10-21; No.2 at 2024-10-28, 2022-4-9, 2022-2-25; among top ranks at 2022-12-12; No.3 "introduction of Taiwan" at 2022-12-17

　

　

　

 Trump Won't Defend Taiwan
◆   Brookings, 2025-2-12 Trump said in 2021, if China invades Taiwan, “there isn't a f—ing thing we can do about it.”
◆   Fox News, 2025-2-7 Trump's comments on the campaign trail suggest that he would not be willing to put boots on the ground to face another global superpower in defense of the island democracy.
◆   Politico (EU), 2025-1-30 Trump said the island should pay the U.S. for protection from China and suggested that trying to defend the island would be futile.
◆   National Interest, 2025-1-13 Why Trump Won't Defend Taiwan - Waging World War III for Taiwan—or any small nation, for that matter—would not be in keeping with the predilections and preferences of the incoming US president.
◆   The Telegraph, 2025-1-13 Donald Trump has appointed a number of hawkish foreign policy advisers to his transition team. However, he has pledged not to allow the US to become involved in foreign wars.
◆   Newsweek, 2025-1-3 Trump, who positioned himself as being tough on China, has suggested he would not defend Taiwan from China.

　

 China - Taiwan conflicts
◆   Brookings, 2025-2-12 China's strategy of “coercion without violence” includes cyber intrusions, economic coercion, influence operations, organized crime, united front activities, and ceaseless and intensifying military pressure surrounding Taiwan.  In other words, Beijing is taking a full spectrum of actions...
◆   The Telegraph, 2025-1-14 China's invasion barges are a sure sign that war is coming.  Some analysts believe China would need to move two million people across the Strait to guarantee victory. If and when the invasion begins, the barges might be the reason it succeeds
◆   The Hill, 2025-1-7 Lyle Goldstein, a professor at Brown University said the cost of a war with China is “incalculable” and would at the very least sow mass destruction in Taiwan and the South China Sea region;  the U.S. should avoid a war over Taiwan, arguing it amounts to a civil war dispute.
◆   USNI News, 2024-12-19 The Pentagon's report recognizes that China has “both the will and capability to alter the international order in its favor”;  but Xi Jinping's goal of having his military ready to carry out a “short, sharp invasion” of Taiwan by 2027 “is not possible right now”
◆   Financial Times, 2024-12-13 US nuclear build-up would not help deter China from using atomic weapons in Taiwan, war game finds;  Unclassified exercise by CSIS and MIT suggests Washington should not go beyond current modernisation plans...only five of 15 iterations of the nuclear game ended with a withdrawal of the PLA.
◆   New York Times,   2024-12-10 Taiwan says China has deployed largest fleet of ships in decades, which could block American allies in the region  from coming to Taiwan's defense. 
◆   Economist, 2024-12-5 The views (the period of greatest danger has probably been pushed out for several years) are not universally shared, in or out of government.  “Xi has his foot firmly on the accelerator and a full tank of gas".
◆  Washington Examiner,   2024-12-4 Chinese leaders have said they want their military to be prepared to invade Taiwan by 2027, though U.S. defense leaders have said the date does not guarantee a decision to carry out such an operation has been made.   
War with China would exhaust munition stockpiles "very rapidly", national security adviser J. Sullivan acknowledged that China has "the single biggest advantage", "God forbid we end up in a full-scale war with the PRC" .

　

 Unaffordable-island!!
◆  Economist, 2025-1-30
Taiwanese youth complain of becoming “housing slaves”. A new generation is questioning the value of homeownership.  Taiwan has over 9m housing units for only about 8m households. 1.5 of homes are empty.
  House prices on the island are exorbitant. In Taipei, median house prices are 16 times the median income. That is a higher ration than New York, London, or Seoul.
 facebook.com/TheEconomist/posts/1077364737755379/     ps:  free expression in Taiwan is a problem too - above is a picture, because words were attacked by hackers
◆  Bloomberg, 2024-1-11 It costs 16 years of annual income to afford a home in Taipei — one of the highest such ratios globally.    uk.news.yahoo.com/taiwan-voters-head-polls-ties-220000046.html
◆  Economist - EIU's Global Liveability Ranking 2022 Taipei ranks No.53 (1. Vienna 2. Copenhagen 3. Zurich 4. Calgary 5. Vancouver 6. Geneva 7. Frankfurt 8. Toronto 9. Amsterdam 10. Osaka)

　

Delegation of Taiwanese lawmakers will not be able to attend the inauguration
◆  Radio Free Asia, 2025-1-20 Asia sends top officials to Trump inauguration amid concern over trade, security ── Taiwan's delegation led by the speaker of the legislature, Han Kuo-yu, will not be able to attend the inauguration “due to space constraints” in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol;  Trump's pre-inauguration talk of taking control of Greenland and the Panama Canal has triggered a wave of speculation in Chinese social media that he may be willing to let China take control of democratically ruled Taiwan.rfa.org/english/asia/2025/01/20/trump-inauguration-lookahead/
◆  Politico,   2024-12-20 Taiwan is launching a new charm offensive on Washington as DONALD TRUMP takes office, and it all starts at Trump's inauguration. ── underscores how unnerved Taipei is over what Trump's return to the White House means for the self-governing island. Taiwan has been savvy at navigating Washington's political scene in the past.

　

China's largest-ever war games around Taiwan
◆  Fox News,   2024-12-23 Taiwan defense officials raised concerns about a substantial deployment of Chinese naval ships and military planes, saying the build-up could eventually lead to war as tensions continue to rise in the region.
China warns US to stop arming Taiwan after Biden approves $571M in military aid
◆  EuroNews,   2024-12-11 "They were practicing to seal off Taiwan” , referring to a scenario whereby the Chinese coast guard ships could block Taiwan's ports while the navy would form an outer barrier at sea.

Asked whether he would commit to defending Taiwan against potential Chinese aggression, Trump told NBC “I never say, because I have to negotiate things, right?"  “We talked about other things” ,“But I have a very good relationship, and I hope he doesn't do it"
◆  New York Times,   2024-12-10 Taiwan says China has deployed largest fleet of ships in decades, which could block American allies in the region  from coming to Taiwan's defense.  Speculation had been growing for days that China would launch war games in retaliation for visits made by Lai Ching-te to Hawaii and Guam last week; The surge in Chinese ships could also be a signal to the incoming Trump administration, which has yet to indicate how it will deal with Taiwan.
◆  Fox News,   2024-12-10 After Taiwanese president visits Hawaii and Guam, Chinese military makes massive deployment around Taiwan to send 'very simple' message: "The Taiwan Strait is ours"; Taiwan defense officials are raising concerns ..., saying the build-up could eventually lead to war as tensions continue to rise in the area.
◆  AFP,   2024-12-11 Taiwan security official : the sea drills were "significantly larger" than Beijing's maritime response to then-US House speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei in 2022, which was China's largest-ever war games around Taiwan.  China's massive maritime operation began in October were aimed at demonstrating that Beijing could choke off Taiwan and also to "draw a red line" ahead of the next US administration.
◆   Radio France Internationale, 2024-12-11 Hopes for 'reunification'    a fact of life on China's window to Taiwan

　

Taiwan's pres. Lai flies to US, angering China
◆  CNN,   2024-12-1 Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te in Hawaii: A stopover that speaks volumes. Taiwanese security agencies anticipate that Beijing will respond with military drills near Taiwan. Taiwan does largely pay for its defense, through billions of dollars spent on US-made weapons. And unlike Japan, South Korea and the Philippines, it is not shielded by a mutual defense treaty with the United States.
◆  Wall Street Journal,   2024-12-1 Taiwan's President begins Hawaii stopover and sends a firm but conciliatory message to both China and the incoming Trump administration: While Taipei doesn't seek a war with Beijing, it is counting on U.S. support to deter any aggression from its larger neighbor.  "Transits" are part of careful arrangements made between Washington and Taipei to allow its leaders to engage with each other on American soil after the two severed formal diplomatic ties in 1979.
◆  Global Times (China) , 2024-12-6 Lai Ching-te is compelled to pledge loyalty to the US during his brief "stopover," said Zheng Jian, a professor at the Taiwan Research Institute of Xiamen University.

　

◆  The Atlantics, 2024-10-25: Taiwan's military, in a word, is incompetent.   The need for reform is more urgent than ever.  Taiwan very likely could not defend itself from a full-scale invasion on its own. ... ... isn't just outnumbered and outgunned. More troubling, its armed forces are plagued by poor planning and training, insufficient stockpiles, a sclerotic command system, and weaponry that may be ill-suited to defend against an invasion.  ◆  New York Times, 2024-10-22: If tensions continued rising, China would likely deploy expanded drills again, coordinating between its various military services and showing off modern warfare capabilities; But the frequency of such incursions also raises the risk of a conflict, accidental or otherwise, that could draw in the United States.◆  Foreign Affairs, 2024-10-16: By almost universal agreement, the Taiwan Strait has emerged as the most combustible flash point in the world.  ◆  Council on Foreign Relations, 2024-10-16: Taiwan and other U.S. partners will need to contend with an increasingly capable and aggressive China and rising isolationism and protectionism in the United States. Trump's foreign policy pronouncements reflect sentiments held by many in the United States. ◆  New York Times, 2024-10-16: David Sacks, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said PLA's activities are coming closer and closer to Taiwan shores.   China's military drills were aimed at demonstrating its potential to choke Taiwan's access to food and fuel and block the skies and waters from which the United States and its allies would presumably approach in coming to the island's defense. 

　

China's "the Joint Sword 2024B" military drills set a record
◆   le Monde, 2024-10-15 Taiwan announced that it had detected a record 153 Chinese aircraft in one day near its territory.
◆   Bloomberg, 2024-10-15 China sent a record 111 warplanes across a US-drawn boundary in the strait separating the sides.
◆   Insider, 2024-10-15 A record-breaking 153 Chinese warplanes flew around Taiwan in war games meant as a warning.
◆   Reuters, 2024-10-15 Taiwan says China uses record number of aircraft in war games.
◆   BBC, 2024-10-15 the deployment and how close Chinese ships and aircraft were to Taiwan - as well as the fiery rhetoric - could be seen as very aggressive behaviour -   a dramatic escalation .
◆   Asia Times, 2024-10-15 expert:  the latest military drills and the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean on September 25 have sent a clear signal to the US that China is building an “area denial” capability that the US can no longer fight against

　

  China's response to national day speech by Taiwanese President William Lai

◆   BBC, 2024-10-14 With new drills, China is sending a message to Taiwanese President William Lai that moves towards "Taiwan independence" are bound to meet a "dead end".  "Scared" and "desensitised" - here's how people on the streets of Taipei are talking about the exercise involved all parts of the military and simulates a full-scale attack on its neighbour.
◆   USA Today, 2024-10-14 China launches 'punishment' drills as 'Stern warning'
◆   National Review, 2024-10-14 The dragon will not be appeased; There should be no question that the scale of China's naval and air-force exercises represents an existential threat to Taiwan's sovereignty.  Perhaps the Taiwanese are too confident. Officials seem convinced that their dominance of the global semiconductor industry represents a deterrent against aggression. They can hold the world's consumer electronics industry hostage in the event of ......
◆   Japan Times, 2024-10-15 China says it won't rule out use of force to take  Taiwan  as war games end
◆   Reuters, 2024-10-14 Senior Taiwan security official says pressure on Taiwan from China is 'not light'
◆   Reuters, 2024-10-12 China threatens Taiwan with more trade measures after denouncing president's speech

　

◆  Chicago Council on Global Affairs , 2024-10-8: Should China invade, Americans support ... ?
If China were to invade Taiwan, would you support or oppose the United States: (% support)
yr. 2024 2023 2022
Using the US military to airlift food and medical supplies to Taiwan 74% 78 　
Imposing economic and diplomatic sanctions on china 72% 75 76
Sending additional arms and military supplies to the Taiwanese government 59% 62 65
Sending US troops to Taiwan to help the Taiwanese gov. defend itself against China 36% 39 40

　

 Taiwan's president in first National Day speech
◆   Financial Times , 2024-10-10 Taiwan's president calls on China to ‘live up to’ duty to protect peace.  China accused Lai of “deliberately severing the historical connection” between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait; and has threatened to annex it with military force if Taipei indefinitely resists its control. China has not previously responded to a Taiwan president's national address with military moves
◆ Wall Street Journal, 2024-10-10 Taiwan leader urges calm amid military threats... Lai Ching-te, who China accuses of separatism, says Beijing has no right to represent Taiwan
◆  Washington Post , 2024-10-10 Lai Ching-te says Beijing has no right to represent Taiwan.
◆  Washington Examiner , 2024-10-11

Lai Ching-te declared “On this land, democracy and freedom are growing and thriving... These are fine words. Unfortunately, words can't shoot down missiles.  In that regard, Taiwan has a big problem.   a 2.5% of GDP defense budget is a sad joke.   Taiwanese reserve forces lack adequate training and readiness, and its military procurement remains too reliant on platforms that lack agility and survivability......
◆  Reuters, 2024-10-10 China said Lai was a stubborn adherent of Taiwan independence, full of confrontational thinking, "constantly provoking troubles and deliberately aggravating cross-strait tensions".  "Lai Ching-te has made every effort to piece together the grounds for secession"
◆  Bloomberg , 2024-10-11 Lai reiterated that that neither side of the strait separating the two sides was “subordinate to each other.”  Beijing criticized  for sending “a dangerous signal of seeking independence.”... his speech showed “he is hell-bent on Taiwan independence and has the ill intention of heightening tensions in the Taiwan Strait for his political, selfish interest.。Taiwan's President signals he'll stand up to China challenge
◆  AFP , 2024-10-10 China warned after the speech that Lai's "provocations" would result in "disaster" for the people of Taiwan.

　

　

◆  Foundation of Defense of Democracies, 2024-10-4: Indicators the CCP is about to launch a large-Scale, coordinated economic warfare campaign in conjunction with military exercises.  The tabletop exercise confirmed that an integrated cyber and economic warfare campaign is a significant risk for Taiwan.  The compounding financial and psychological effects impose escalating political pressure on Taipei without crossing any U.S. redlines ◆  Brookings, 2024-10-3: Beijing is pursuing two parallel paths, significant military build-up and "coercion without violence" to compel the people of Taiwan to accept some form of union with the People’s Republic of China as a least bad option for Taiwan's future. "what do we get from protecting Taiwan, say?” Such skepticism has stayed hard-wired into Trump’s worldview. The common thread among these utterances is Trump (team) suggestion that Taiwan is too small and far away for the United States to feel obliged to defend. Harris said in 2022 that the US would “support Taiwan's self-defense, consistent with our longstanding policy.”◆  Associated Press, 2024-10-5: Beijing could wage an economic and cyber war to force a surrender from Taiwan without direct use of military power, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based research institute, said in the report◆  Foreign Policy, 2024-10-4: Taiwan's greatest vulnerabilities extend beyond its military    ──     financial, cybersecurity, and energy risks that China could exploit.

　

Taiwanese are ready for fighting ??
◆ Fox News, 2024-10-4: the Taiwanese representative to the U.S. is warning that China has ramped up its aggression toward the island, and that its people are ready to fight. ◆ Washington Post (2024-8-4):  “Taiwan's reservists are going to be mobilizing where the fight is happening, when the fight is happening” . The island is patently not ready for that.
 ◆ National Interest (2024-8-29): the Taiwanese are not well prepared for the kind of attack that China is plotting.
 ◆ War On The Rocks, 2024-3-21:  Taipei has not made the necessary preparations.
◆ Fox News, 2024-10-4: the Taiwanese representative to the U.S. suggested they would be eagerly accepted if (help from U.S. troops) offered. "If your house is under fire, and they respond to help you with a bucket of water, would you say no?" ◆ War On The Rocks, 2024-5-15: Zelensky's now-famous refusal —”I need ammunition, not a ride”  —  But Taiwan will almost certainly be asking potential allies to engage in a direct military intervention.

　

◆  Economist, 2024-10-3: China is using an "anaconda strategy" to squeeze Taiwan.  "They are ready to blockade Taiwan at any time they want",  Taiwan's navy commander warns.  The government may be worried that too much disclosure would damage Taiwan’s public morale or economy ◆   Council on Foreign Relations, 2024-9-25: most security analysts say China would be able to conquer Taiwan by force, albeit at a potentially considerable cost. Today China's outmatches Taiwan's both in size and quality.  ◆   New York Times, 2024-9-25: Taiwan and U.S. work to counter China's drone dominance. U.S. policymakers may be leery of depending too much on Taiwan for drone parts. Some worry about industrial secrets leaking to China. If Taiwan were to come under a Chinese blockade or attack, American drone makers could lose flows of vital components

　

China's strategy to achieve its political objective of unification
◆   Brookings, 2024-9-16 Beijing has developed two different means—military and coercive—to achieve its political objective of unification.To subdue Taiwan without running the risks of war, the PRC is using economic, political, judicial, diplomatic, informational, cyber, and “gray zone” military tactics... seeks to deplete the confidence of the people brookings.edu/articles/why-does-the-us-security-partnership-with-taiwan-matter/
◆ Politico, 2024-9-11 Nearly three in four Americans are concerned about a potential invasion of Taiwan, according to the latest Reagan National Defense Survey. And, Washington has fixated on a potential 2027 invasion scenario.  China's strategy to annex Taiwan is more about cyber power than firepower

　

 ◆ War On The Rocks (2024-9-20): Washington is quietly watching how Taiwan's new president Lai consolidates power using the court to prosecute former vice premier Cheng Wen-tsan over corruption allegations.  The arrest and detention of TPP chair Ko Wen-je on corruption charges have Lai's critics protesting that he is using the judiciary to persecute rivals.  Washington observers might worry that Lai is undermining the independence of the judicial system...

　

U.S. SEAL Team Six  ──   resisting China's invasion ?
◆ Voice of America, 2024-9-14 the secret and precise combat characteristics of the  United States Navy's elite SEAL Team Six mean its role in resisting China's invasion of Taiwan would be very limited and the focus would be on carrying out special tasks.
◆ Financial Times, New York Post, 2024-9-12 SEAL Team Six has spent more than a year training for possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan.  However, it remains unclear if the US would engage in combat against China given its policy of “strategic ambiguity” toward Taiwan.  The US has so far declined to explicitly say it would come to Taiwan's aid if attacked.

　

◆ Reuters, 2024-9-11: China says it is verifying email tipoffs about Taiwan 'separatist' activity ◆ Asia Nikkei (Japan), 2024-9-11: Beijing wades into Taipei drama over corruption probe against TPP leader, and has accused Taiwan's president of persecuting Beijing-leaning revals ◆ National Interest, 2024-9-5:  A Taiwan war could mean U.S. aircraft carriers are 'going to the bottom'.  Some leaders are looking to lessons from Ukraine to make the Taiwan Strait a “hellscape” for Chinese forces.  In this scenario, the U.S. floods the region with autonomous aerial, surface, and subsurface drones, to buy Taiwanese and coalition defenders time to move assets into the region to blunt a Chinese assault. ◆ Wall Street Journal, 2024-9-2: Elbridge Colby's argument has always been that Taiwan isn't itself of existential importance to America. Rather, our core interest is in denying China regional hegemony over Asia. Taiwan is very important for that goal, but not essential  ◆ NBC News, Reuters, 2024-8-31: the use of China's tactics and strategies against Taiwan is still limited by the natural geographical environment of the Taiwan Strait and insufficient landing equipment and logistic capabilities, But China is speeding up development of a slew of new weapons, such as the H-20 bomber and hypersonic missiles and beefing up the number of nuclear warheads, and  China has other options to threaten Taiwan, such as inspecting foreign cargo ships ◆ Times of India, 2024-8-30: Taiwan's heavy reliance on imports—97% of its energy and 70% of its food—makes it particularly vulnerable, according to report from CSIS. such an action could force the US and its allies into a dilemma: whether to engage militarily, risking a larger war with China, or to impose sanctions, which could hurt their own economies and global stability.◆ Wall Street Journal, 2024-8-28: Elbridge Colby suggested the U.S. may not come to Taiwan's defense in the event of Chinese aggression. Robert O'Brien urged Taiwan to spend at least 5% of its gross domestic product on defense.◆ Insider, 2024-8-29: Taiwan is rethinking its use of US-made anti-tank missiles after less than half hit their targets in recent combat drills ◆ SCMP, 2024-8-29: according to the Cato Institute, a Washington-based think tank, a substantial backlog of US$19.1 billion worth of weapons ordered by Taiwan has piled up, some of which has been delayed for a decade or more; Washington's policy of strategic ambiguity has undercut Taiwan's ability to defend itself against Beijing, sending mixed signals to China...  ◆ Business Insider, 2024-8-23: within the next six months, an aggressive, short-of-war campaign could force some of Taiwan's most vulnerable islands into a quarantine. Involvement by the US and its allies will be critical in maintaining Taiwan's resistance ◆ Washington Post, 2024-8-21: a new and troubling strain of isolationism is emerging within the Republican Party that advocates for turning our backs on Taiwan and other allies. This new isolationism, masquerading as realism, dismisses the strategic imperatives that have underpinned American foreign policy ◆ Atlantic Council, 2024-8-21: The period between delivery and integration is often invisible to the public.   If the US government openly admits that Taiwan may be unable to use the systems already behind schedule for delivery, it could incentivize Beijing to seek unification by force. ◆ NPR, 2024-8-19: As rhetoric heats up over whether the U.S. should defend Taiwan in case of a Chinese invasion, there is also growing skepticism in Taiwan over U.S. reliability as a security partner. ◆  Wired, 2024-8-19: The Pentagon Is planning a drone ‘Hellscape’ to defend Taiwan. CNAS (Jun. 2024):   the US defense industrial based may not be “ currently capable of producing the quantities of drones needed for a war with China. ◆  National Interest, 2024-8-17: Tensions between China and Taiwan threaten to boil over. Multiple experts, including this author, believe some kind of major Chinese move against the island democracy is at hand. ◆ Newsweek, 2024-8-16: China researchers call for 'Shadow Government' in Taiwan ahead of takeover. Expert:  "nothing short of military action" would bring Taiwan into the fold ◆ The Hill, 2024-8-13:The West's failure to deter Russia's aggression , and its subsequent failure to support a Ukrainian victory is the most important of the pertinent lessons for the looming China-Taiwan conflict...China built the circumstances that would keep the U.S. out of the fight, with an arsenal of anti-ship ballistic missiles and a fleet of attack submarines ◆ SCMP, 2024-8-13: Beijing's spy agency 'destroyed large number' of Taiwan intelligence networks. More than 1,000 cases of Taiwanese espionage were uncovered in crackdown ◆ Council on Foreign Relations , 2024-8-9: The consensus of most foreign observers is that Taiwan is still not taking the existential threat that it faces seriously enough and should raise defense spending far more rapidly.  The PRC's multi-decade military modernization effort continues to widen the capability gap compared to Taiwan's military ◆ The American Reservative , 2024-8-9:  the Republican policy platform did not include a specific statement regarding the fate of Taiwan. The party platform’s silence on Taiwan represented a notable departure from previous platforms, which explicitly announced that a Trump administration would come to the aid of Taiwan if anything threatened to change in its present status ◆  Washington Post, Star and Strips, 2024-8-4: the “Zero Day” show's bleak assessment of Taiwanese readiness to fight touches upon a very real problem facing President Lai Ching-te,  new programs have continued to face shortages of funding, instructors and equipment ◆  CNBC 2024-8-5: Taiwan under pressure to bolster its defense as Trump-Harris presidential race stokes policy concerns 

　

◆  National Interest, 2024-7-30:  Taiwan spends less as a percentage of GDP on its defense than the US (2.6 % compared to 3 %). On top of that, Taiwan does not have a strong draft. Taiwan's politicians likely realize better than Washington that Taiwanese voters may not be as inclined to make the kind of heavy sacrifices that are necessary to defend their freedom ◆  Bloomberg (2024-7-24): China squeezes Taiwan by targeting islands and fishing Sites  ──   The Chinese Coast Guard is now “constantly” patrolling east of the median line in the Taiwan strait;  It's likely that China will increasingly harass fishing boats and sightseeing boats to test Taiwan's response,  China's detention of the vessel may also be a subtle test of the US.

　

　

　

　

pic. : No.1  "introduction to Taiwan" on Bing at  2024-8-31, 2024-8-8, 2024-8-2, 2024-7-11, 2024-5-12, 2024-5-1, 2024-4-14, 2024-1-4, 2023-12-24, 2023-11-11, 2023-11-1, 2023-10-10, 2023-9-1, 2023-8-22, 2023-8-8, 2023-7-25, 2023-7-1, 2023-5-31, 2023-4-30, 2023-3-31, 2023-3-23, 2023-3-4, 2023-2-1, 2023-1-22, 2023-1-15, 2023-1-1, 2022-12-17, 2022-6-24, 2022-5-14,  2022-4-30, 2021-11-21, 2021-10-21, 2021-9-21, 2021-8-5, 2021-6-15, 2021-6-2, 2021-5-13, 2021-4-18, 3-3-2021, 1-29-2021, 01-01-2021, 12-6-2020, 11-29-2020, 11-11-2020, 10-25-2020, 8-5-2020, 8-2-2020, 7-6-2020, 6-21-2020, 6-11-2020, 6-5-2020, 5-21-2020, 5-12-2020, 5-8-2020, 4-20-2020, 4-10-2020, 3-20-2020, 2-24-2020,1-27-2020, 1-15-2020, 12-25-2019, 12-16-2019,11-6-2019, 10-6-2019, 9-17-2019, 8-3-2019,  7-29-2019, 6-27-2019,  4-29-2019; This websites group was ranked No.2 "introduction to Taiwan" on Bing, 2022-10-4, 2022-4-9, 2022-3-25, 2022-3-14, 2022-2-22, 2021-12-4 No.3 at 2022-10-23, 2022-9-5;
No.1 "introduction to Taiwan" on Lycos, 2023-1-15, 2023-1-1

　

　

　

 Should biological males compete against women?    Taiwan's Olympic Controversies - Lin won a Gold medal in female boxing

☉The Diplomat, 2024-8-6: a global furor over a boxer's gender. ☉ Fox News, 2024-8-4: Debate over the biological sex of a boxer who won women's match at the Olympic Games is sweeping the globe. ☉ Fox News, 2024-8-11:  The IBA has said that Lin had an unfair advantage against female opponents.

West

Taiwan
♦ Associated Press News, 2024-8-11: The two boxers' detractors included former U.S. President Donald Trump, “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni.

♦ BBC, 2024-8-12: high profile figures like ex-US President Donald Trump and English author JK Rowling took to social media to decry the decision to let them compete in the women's categories.

♦ Reuters, 2024-8-7: Tesla founder Elon Musk voicing their opposition to the two boxers competing at the Games.

♦ Fox News , 2024-8-4: ...a positive test for "XY chromosomes. The IBA: said Lin and Khelif have competitive advantages.

♦ BBC, 2024-8-9:  Dr Emma Hilton, a developmental biologist who studies genetic disorders.  argues Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting shouldn’t be competing until further testing is done.Some are calling for mandatory sex testing at the next Olympics - including Reem Alsalem, the UN's special rapporteur on violence against women and girls.  “Screening DNA is now a piece of cake".
♦ Axios, 2024-8-9: Khelif : The attacks came from a host of prominent Republicans as well as celebrities...

 ♦ Reuters, 2024-8-7: Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said Lin had been "maliciously attacked" by the IBA.  "Yu-Ting is still under a lot of unfair pressure..."

　

♦ BBC, 2024-8-12: Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te calls Lin a "daughter of Taiwan," saying she had made Taiwan proud.   " she has overcome misinformation and cyberbullying" .

　

♦ Independent, 2024-8-8: "Let's cheer for Lin Yu-ting together", wrote Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan's first female president , adding that Lin was seeking victory for herself and honour for Taiwan.

　

Taiwan's Annual Han Kuang exercise      ──   People don't realise the stage of infancy the military is in, said expert of the Atlantic Council.

◆  Newsweek , 2024-7-22 This year's drills are designed to better reflect the uncertainties of actual warfare...participating troops are not being briefed on where or when the "enemy" would strike and with what weapons systems, as a result of the added uncertainties of the new format,...assess how Taiwanese forces would handle a decentralized command structure in the event they are cut off from headquarters, as could happen should Chinese air strikes disable communications infrastructure before any invasion.
◆  Financial Times (UK), 2024-7-21 This year's drill pivots from scripted performances to realistic battlefield scenarios to address the Taiwan military's core problem.  The biggest problem was the general staff's planning process, they need to learn to adapt operational plans to a changing situation in wartime in rapid, live planning cycles.
◆  Barron's,  AFP (France),  2024-7-22 Japan has reportedly concluded that a ground landing in Taiwan by Chinese troops would now be "possible in less than a week" instead of the previous estimate of a month.

　

◆ New York Times, 2024-7-16: many Taiwanese officials are convinced that their island will be vulnerable unless it quickly steps up preparedness. The upcoming presidential election in the United States adds another element of unpredictability to the tensions.◆ National Interest, 2024-7-13: Taiwan and its partners needed to find a steady path, avoiding both complacency and hysteria. President Biden should reverse course and reiterate the stated policy of ambiguity ◆ Financial Times, 2024-7-10: Experts warn that Taiwan remains woefully underprepared for war. ◆ Le Monde, 2024-7-11: Taiwan reports record-high Chinese military aircraft activity in 24 hours ◆ Bloomberg, TIME, 2024-7-11: China sent a record number of warplanes across a U.S.-drawn boundary in the Taiwan Strait—a move that comes as the new president of the archipelago mulls a trip that may include a stop in America◆ New York Times , 2024-7-3:  China Seizes Taiwanese Fishing Boat in Latest Uptick in Tensions; Bonnie Glaser: China wants to demonstrate to Taiwan that it does not have control over air space and sea space...and sends a  signal to Lai that he is very close to their red lines and he had better not cross them.

　

◆ Nikkei Asia , 2024-7-2: China pressures Taiwan's Lai (Ching-te) with most jet fighters in nearly 2 years ◆ Washington Post, 2024-7-1: China: Taiwan's leadership, along with its supporters in the United States, is pursuing “separation” from China in “incremental” fashion. ◆ The Atlantic Council, 2024-6-27: It is more challenging for Taiwan to win that level of support than it is for Ukraine, given Taiwan's contested political status and China's relentless international campaign against it.  Taiwan worries less about a sudden Chinese military invasion  than about slow strangulation... Foreign Affairs writes that Taiwan's major military investments are not well aligned with the insidious nature of the gray-zone threat. ◆ CNN, 2024-6-22 : China could take Taiwan without even needing to invade   ──   Quarantine    ──  will make it far harder for the United States and other like-minded democracies to counter  ◆ Daily Express, 2024-6-23 : In a move that escalates already high tensions, China has issued a dire warning to Taiwan independence advocates, threatening them with the death penalty. ◆ New York Times, 2024-6-17 : ... the United States would step in if China truly threatened to invade.  But that belief is not universal among Taiwanese politicians and voters, some of whom are skeptical about American dedication and intent...Not all Taiwanese people welcome the tightening embrace (strategic integration) between Taiwan and the U.S.   ◆ Financial Times, 2024-6-16 : China's President Xi Jinping told European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen that Washington was trying to goad Beijing into attacking Taiwan.  The White House did not comment.  

　

The US defends Taiwan ?

◆ TIME, 2024-6-4 Asked by Time magazine whether The US might involve boots on the ground, US President Joe Biden said, "It would depend on the circumstances""we are not seeking independence for Taiwan nor will we in fact, not defend Taiwan if they if, if China unilaterally tries to change the status...Not ruling out using US military force. There's a distinction between deploying on the ground, air power and naval power, etc"
◆ The Australian, 2024-6-4 ‘It depends’: Biden wavers on Taiwan defence

◆  Wall Street Journal, 2024-6-2: The U.S. is getting China's calculations wrong.  The assumptions are :China won’t invade unless provoked, and that China still needs to get its military built to attack. but China is determined to subvert and manipulate the island's politics.  ◆  FoxNews, 2024-5-28: House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul said : "These war games to intimidate and protest the election from China are probably the most provocative I've ever seen in terms of the numbers of ships and planes", "we will probably lose,  if China invaded Taiwan." ◆ New York Times, 2024-5-27: I just think our defense industrial base is overloaded right now, and it cannot handle this amount of conflict in the world.”, McCaul said ◆ New York Times, 2024-5-20: Many experts believe that if the Chinese government tries to force Taiwan to accept unification, it may first attempt using a ring of military forces to severely restrict air and sea access to the island.◆ Washington Post, 2024-5-20: Taiwan swears in new president,  the perception is that Lai Ching-te's policy could be more provocative compared to Tsai's policy  ◆ New York Times, 2024-5-20: Taiwan's president, Lai Ching-te vows to keep the island democracy safe in the face of Chinese pressure and wars raging abroad ◆ CNN, Reuters, Fox News, Independent (2024-5-17): Taiwan parliament brawl escalates into night as lawmakers shove, tackle and hit each other -  Taiwan's opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), along with the People's Party, wants parliament to have greater scrutiny over the government.  The clashes raise the prospect of more turmoil - and parliamentary conflict - ahead for Lai's new government after it takes office  

　

Taiwan's new president William Lai's inauguration speech
◆L.A. Times, 2024-5-20
yahoo.com/news/taiwans-president-calls-peace-amid-145319105.html		 Taiwan's new president calls for peace amid tenuous relations with China.  while Lai's remarks may reassure some foreign governments that he will not pursue formal independence for Taiwan, it did little to placate leaders in China.  Lai's inauguration speech largely telegraphed his plan to continue the same policies as Tsai ; He's trying to project an image of pragmatism and predictability
◆BBC, 2024-5-21
 yahoo.com/news/stop-threatening-taiwan-president-william-060149657.html		 China warned that the island's new leader "must seriously" consider the question of whether he wants peaceful development or confrontation.  Chinese state media even suggested he should be prosecuted for secession.  The 64-year-old also stuck closely to the formula used by his predecessor president Tsai; how Lai deals with Beijing will be the biggest question that will determine his presidency, especially as both sides have had no formal communication since 2016.
◆Reuters, 2024-5-21
yahoo.com/news/chinas-foreign-minister-calls-taiwans-102611047.html		 Lai, like his predecessor Tsai Ing-wen, says only Taiwan's people can decide their future, rejecting Beijing's sovereignty claims.  Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called Lai  "disgraceful" -  "The ugly acts of Lai Ching-te and others who betray the nation and their ancestors is disgraceful".
◆CNN, 2024-5-20  the DPP refused to endorse the so-called “1992 consensus” that both Taiwan and the mainland belong to “one China,” but with different interpretations of what that means. Beijing deems the tacit agreement a precondition for dialogue.
◆Politico, AP, 2024-5-20
 yahoo.com/news/lai-ching-te-inaugurated-taiwan-024228911.html		  In 2017, he described himself as a “pragmatic worker for Taiwan's independence,” drawing Beijing's rebuke.  He has since softened his stance and now supports maintaining the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and the possibility of talks with Beijing.

　

 

 ◆ Bloomberg, Yahoo, 2024-5-15: China said it would sanction five Taiwanese political commentators and roll out a law to punish “separatists,” moves aimed at piling pressure on incoming president Lai Ching-te just days before he takes office ◆ Reuters, 2024-5-15: China's military has sailed and flown closer to Taiwan in recent weeks than it has before ◆ Foreign Policy, 2024-5-12: One former defense official  suggested  the use of “low-yield tactical nuclear weapons” in the event of a conflict with China. The possibility of Russian President Vladimir Putin using such weapons sent shock waves of horror through the world, but the idea of employing them in a war with China became normal in some circles ◆ The Telegraph, 2024-5-11: Just recently Beijing manoeuvred 12 ships to within four nautical miles of Taiwan. The United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) has a clear list on what you can do inside someone else's territorial waters (less than 12 nautical miles off the coast) ◆ Washington Examiner, 2024-5-10:  hard to believe that any fight with the United States over Taiwan would not include preemptive or retaliatory strikes against our military facilities in Japan, Guam, Hawaii, and perhaps even the U.S. mainland...key U.S. supply chains, including those related to national security, are dependent on China, giving Beijing the ability to strangle America possibly.◆ Defense News, 2024-5-7: DC became obsessed with a potential 2027 Chinese invasion of Taiwan.  But experts said Chinese law doesn't have timelines for an attack on Taiwan;“All politicians want options, so the last thing you want is to be tied to a deadline.”◆ ABC News, 2024-5-1: The US is in a Cold War with China over Taiwan.  Taiwan is really existential to U.S. interests because of its position in the region.  ◆ Wall Street Journal, 2024-4-30: Taiwan's economy got off to a strong start this year, boosted by strong exports as global demand for electronics picks up, benefiting the producer of high-end chips.  ◆ The Telegraph, 2024-5-1: ... Beijing's hypersonic missiles and nuclear weapons – not to enable an attack on Taiwan at a chosen date, but to ensure that with the balance of power changing in China's favour, it will not be needed.  Xi is betting on political disarray and disunity among the US and his Western allies ◆ Business Insider, 2024-4-27: A host of warning signs point to China preparing for military action against Taiwan.  Military forces are being deployed nearer to Taiwan than ever, effectively shortening Taiwan's reaction time.  ◆ USNI News, 2024-4-23: Report to Congress on Taiwan Defense Issues - A key consideration for U.S. policymakers is whether and if so how to support Taiwan’s ability to defend itself in a possible cross-Strait conflict without triggering such a conflict. ◆ New York Times, 2024-4-23:  in the Foreign Aid Package, the House attached a provision that would allow the Pentagon to quickly provide Taiwan with more offensive weapons and provides billions more for the purchase of advanced U.S. weapons technology as the U.S. and Taiwanese governments continue to build up their alliances to deter China from invading the island.  ◆ New York Times, 2024-4-18: The House is set to vote on a foreign aid package for Taiwan -  allow the Pentagon to quickly provide Taiwan with more offensive weapons and provides billions more for the purchase of advance U.S. weapons technology as the U.S. and Taiwanese governments continue to build up their alliances to deter China from launching an invasion ◆ Wall Street Journal, 2024-4-15: Appointing a national-security team that is almost identical to that of his predecessor will help reassure the White House that Lai isn't likely to sharply alter Taiwan's posture toward Beijing; Bringing a civilian into the defense ministry can promote reforms,  Taiwan's military will likely accelerate spending on asymmetric capabilities, a path that many in Washington have called for as Taiwan focuses on deterring an attack by a much larger Chinese military ◆ CNN, 2024-4-10: It's the first time a former president of Taiwan has been hosted by China's top leader in Beijing since Chiang Kai-shek's KMT fled to Taipei in 1949.   Their reunion highlights the widening political divide across the Taiwan Strait, and is a signal to Taiwan and others that peaceful unification through winning over hearts and minds remains Beijing's preferred option ◆ New York Times, 2024-4-3: In a rare call, Biden spoke with Xi. China said that Xi had called for “concrete actions” to demonstrate a U.S. commitment not to support Taiwan's independence. ◆ ABC News, 2024-4-3:  7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off Taiwan, TSMC, one of the biggest companies in Taiwan's crucial semiconductor manufacturing industry, said its safety systems were operating normally and that some fabrication plants had been evacuated as a preventive measure. Taiwan is on the so-called Ring of Fire, which circles the Pacific Basin and is known for earthquakes  ◆ War On The Rocks, 2024-4-4:  The comparative analysis suggests that a crisis in northeast Asia is more likely to start on the Korean Peninsula, not in Taiwan. ◆ New York Times, 2024-3-28 : After U.S. troops withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021, China pushed propaganda through traditional state-run media and social media that “the U.S. commitment to anything is not firm,” Taiwan's top diplomat said. “We suffered from a huge wave of cognitive warfare.”◆ JamesTown Org., 2024-3-29 : Beijing's increasing maritime gray zone operations around Taiwan's outlying islands ◆ Asia Times, 2024-3-27 : the government has failed to make military service a viable career choice - Military service is a hard life with low pay, bad housing and no GI-Bill sort of benefits... simply isn't respected in traditional Chinese society...Taiwan's “reserve force” is shambolic and that's being charitable.   There is no “territorial” or militia force, either.   Taiwan also lacks a civil defense scheme ◆ New York Times, 2024-3-24 : Larger, more menacing military actions are possible, especially after Mr. Lai's presidential inauguration. CCP officials and  news outlets have tied the fishermen's deaths  to  Mr. Lai and his DPP's resistance to China.  They accused Taiwan of dragging its feet in its investigation.  Mr. Xi probably won't make any big decisions over Taiwan before the United States' presidential election ◆ Washington Examiner, 2024-3-22: Adm. John Aquilino, U.S. Navy commander and head of the Indo-Pacific forces, told the House Armed Services Committee that America is steadily less prepared for a war with China that now appears to be right around the corner. ◆ Wall Street Journal, 2024-3-18 : Simulations of an all-out Chinese invasion run by American think tanks assume most of the Taiwanese air force or navy would be quickly destroyed by Chinese missile strikes, but if China amasses forces around the island in a blockade, or if Beijing's military establishes a firm beachhead on Taiwan, small, short-range weapons could be less effective at degrading the enemy, Taiwanese defense officials say, “The asymmetrical approach advocated by some people would put the whole of Taiwan into a meat grinder”

　

◆ Daily Express, 2024-3-20 : World on the brink as Taiwan admits US troops stationed on Chinese border. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed in 2023 facilitated the deployment of these troops to conduct training programs for Taiwanese frontline forces. ◆ Foreign Policy, 2024-3-14 : Taiwan imports  97 percent  of its energy through highly vulnerable maritime shipping routes. Any quarantine, blockade, or invasion of the island by China would devastate its ability to sustain basic services and critical infrastructure—not to mention the factories that produce approximately  90 percent  of the world's most advanced semiconductors. Solutions are in short supply. ◆ War On The Rocks, 2024-3-14 : U.S.  public support  for Taiwan, which is as high as it has ever been according to polls, supports aiding Taiwan to defend itself against China in the event of an attack, but consistently opposes any direct military intervention by the United States.  ◆ Daily Express, 2024-3-13:  Taiwan war with China given latest seal of approval by US with new deadly weapon (the Link 16 comm. system ) in a move set to escalate tensions between  Taiwan  and  China delivery.  Link 16 acts as the brain and nervous system of Taiwan's military apparatus, places control firmly in US hands. ◆ Daily Express, 2024-3-8: China - with its military build-up, hoarding of food, and military recruitment drives - is preparing for something big;  A recent documentary aired in Mainland China also added to expectations that a move on Taiwan is imminent.  Recent purges of top military brass might be an attempt by CCP leader Xi Jinping to eliminate all opposition to invading or blockading Taiwan in the near future.  Anyone who thinks China would be deterred because of the economic impact of war ought to remember Zero Covid and how political considerations outweighed economic factors.  

　

Taiwan classifies the military move against intrusion as  "First strike"
◆ EurAsian Times, 2024-3-10:Taiwan has authorized its commanders to use lethal military force on intruding Chinese warplanes that cross its aerial and maritime territorial borders. Classifying the military move as a “first strike,” ...Ministry of National Defense says “that if enemy aircraft or vessels intruded into Taiwan’s airspace or waters, then commanders are authorized to take appropriate measures to maintain national defense security when all other non-peaceful means fail.”  eurasiantimes.com/china-ill-prepared-to-annex-taiwan-top-pla-general/ ◆ United Daily (Taiwan), 2024-3-10: a group of China's fishing boats entered Taiwan's internal waters (6 nautical miles) and destroyed our fishing-net, but Taiwan was inactive about it.  udn.com/news/story/11091/7821748?from=udn_ch2cate6643sub11091_pulldownmenu_v2

　

◆ The Hill, 2024-3-5: In China's legislature, Premier Li's report had stronger language on Taiwan - Dropping the word “peace” combined with the phrase “resolutely opposing Taiwan independence,” is what signals a stronger stance ◆ EurAsian Times, 2024-3-5:  Admiral Samuel Paparo, leading the US Indo-Pacific Command, warned that China could soon use military drills to cover up an invasion of Taiwan. Thus, the writing is on the wall. ◆ New York Times, 2024-2-26: Chinese forces crossed the median line 302 times, essentially erasing it as a functional boundary. China also has essentially established a permanent naval presence around the island. ◆ CNN, 2024-2-27: Today Xi is expanding China's military at a pace the world hasn’t seen in a century – since before World War Two. Xi's military build-up is, by comparison, larger than Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan combined. his ambitions in nuclear, space, and AI warfare are advancing at lightning speed...  characterized by a high degree of projective self-confidence and a lot less patient on the Taiwan issue. ◆ Council on Foreign relations, 2024-2-27: Taiwanese society has grown increasingly skeptical of the United States, which has been enhancing its political relationship with Taiwan but without enhancing its international standing or offering it tangible economic benefits.  the increased number of official visits to Taiwan has been perceived as largely symbolic ◆ Financial Times, 2024-2-23: Previous statements only pledged to ‘resolutely oppose’ Taiwan independence, but now China’s Communist party toughens Taiwan rhetoric with call to ‘fight’ independence ◆ VOA, 2024-2-23: recent Chinese coast guard activities actions  will likely become a "new normal" near Taiwan’s outlying islands.  We can expect China to conduct similar operations near Kinmen and Matsu Islands ◆ Yahoo News, 2024-2-24: Trump wouldn't say definitively one way or the other whether he would defend Taiwan. DAVID SACKS: and actually blame Taiwan for taking America's semiconductor industry.  So I do think the US presidential election could be a real factor here. ◆ CNN, 2024-2-23: Xi takes a page from Putin as he vows to control Taiwan; Xi is expanding China's military at a pace the world has not seen in a century since before World War II.  

　

◆ Asia Times, 2024-2-19: China may be preparing for a drawn-out war, citing IISS think tank assessment. That may mean focusing more on its reservists and reexamining operational plans for long-term industrial and logistic sustainment.  RAND mentions that due to Taiwan's military disadvantages and low durability, a US intervention would be required to repel a Chinese invasion ...with 25 out of 28 naval wars from the Peloponnesian War to the Cold War being won by superior fleet numbers, with only three won out of technological advantage  ◆ Foreign Affairs, 2024-2-16: Were Japan or South Korea to go nuclear, Beijing might conclude that they needed considerably more than the 1,500 warheads, then both the United States and Russia would likely seek to expand their arsenals, too. ◆ DW, 2024-2-16: the blockade would be a very special threat for Taiwan...  neither the conventional capability, nor asymmetric capability, can be effective to deter or defend for this operation ◆ CSIS.org , 2024-2-13: any conflict in the Taiwan Strait would also quickly spread across the globe and into cyberspace and space. There would also be real risk of a nuclear exchange. If China uses force to assert control over Taiwan, it would mark the definitive end of the post-World War II international system  ◆  The Lowy Institute, 2024-2-12:  a Chinese invasion is probable this decade – (1) the trajectory of Taiwan's politics is away from the mainland (2) China's economic growth has plateaued (3) US export controls turn Taiwan into a Western bastion (4) the Silicon Shield is being eroded (5) The “one China” discursive framework has decayed (6) the military balance of power no longer is guaranteed  in the long term◆ Reuters, 2024-2-6:  the latest high-tech weapons delivered by the U.S. were often locked up in storehouses. The armed forces as burdened by "unprofessionalism, defeatism and Chinese nationalism". ◆ Business Insider, 2024-2-6: During last year's APEC summit, Chinese leader Xi Jinping reportedly told President Joe Biden that China fully intends to take over Taiwan — a move that could result in a hot war in the region ◆ National Interest, 2024-2-2:  hybrid warfare operations still fit better into China's cost-benefit calculus. China's invasion of Taiwan seems unlikely in the short term. Instead, the military aspects of China's hybrid warfare operations may be more visible in the near future ◆ Reuters, 2024-1-31: Taiwan angered at 'unilateral' China change to Taiwan Strait flight path, saying it appeared to be a deliberate attempt to change the status quo for possible military means ◆ Bloomberg, TIME, 2024-1-31:China says the U.S. could abandon Taiwan if Trump wins the Presidency; In July, Trump avoided directly answering a query over whether as president he'd defend Taiwan if China attacked. ◆ Reuters, 2024-1-31: Taiwan angered at 'unilateral' China change to Taiwan Strait flight path, saying it appeared to be a deliberate attempt to change the status quo for possible military means.◆ Semafor, 2024-1-26: whether or not these investments (more than 1.6 million reserve personnel) would count for much in the case of a potential invasion by Beijing “remains to be seen,”...As Taiwan continues to adjust to shifting demographics – such as its aging population and declining male-to-female ratio – the current one-year conscription policy for men may need lengthening further.  ◆ The Telegraph, 2024-1-26: The PLA is in crisis. That won’t stop China invading Taiwan. the US intelligence community and Defense Department have consistently underestimated the capabilities of the People's Liberation Army and its intentions  ◆ National Interest 2024-1-24:  the possibility of Washington sacrificing Taiwan in a deal with China that would benefit the United States financially would rise significantly under another Trump administration. Taiwan's unfortunate fate is that it will always be vulnerable to a sellout by the United States. This danger may be increasing. ◆ The Hill, 2024-1-23: according to a new survey from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a majority of experts said they believe a crisis in the Taiwan Strait is likely in 2024, with a Chinese blockade or “quarantine” of the island seen as the most likely scenario ◆ Semafor, 2024-1-24: according to Foreign Policy, Incoming President William Lai must also convince young people “who are more concerned with trying to pay their bills than preparing for war,” that an invasion threat is real and they are the first line of defense.◆ New York Times, 2024-1-17: A peaceful solution on Taiwan is slipping away.  Chinese law explicitly states that Beijing may use force if possibilities for peaceful unification are “completely exhausted.”.  Conflict between China and the United States just got a little more likely. ◆ New York Times, 2024-1-13: Beijing loathes the new president, Lai Ching-te. He aims to protect the status quo with caution and American help, but tensions are likely to rise ... Lai Ching-te is an impulsive and politically biased figure, so we cannot rule out the possibility that unpredictable and unknown developments may occur during his tenure...Mr. Xi's views on Taiwan were clear. That includes his insistence that force can be used if necessary.

　

◆ Washington Post, 2024-1-10:  increasingly frequent warnings from China's strongman leader Xi Jinping that Beijing's rule here is “inevitable” — raising the prospect of a conflict that could draw in the United States ◆ Washington Examiner, 2024-1-8: According to the Economist, China has directly warned the U.S. of the consequences of a Lai victory, raising tensions in the region. In the event of a Lai victory, large-scale demonstrations from the Chinese military and other belligerent moves are expected. The prospect of Taiwan severing ties with a China ... possibly leading him to warm to direct military action. ◆ NBC , 2024-1-9: China has framed the (Taiwan) election as “a choice between war and peace.”; Wen-Ti Sung, a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council, described Taiwan's security situation as “urgent but not immediate.”◆ Washington Post, 2024-1-5: With wars in Europe and the Middle East, U.S. power is stretched dangerously, historically thin. much of Taiwan's defense budget is locked into capabilities that are neither survivable nor potent.” Taipei is relying on the U.S. Air Force and Navy to ride to the rescue. The best path to preventing a war of “unification” is probably to postpone it, ideally indefinitely, through fictions such as the “one China” policy ◆ Reuters, 2024-1-5: A Hou presidency could help stabilize cross-Strait relations, lower the near-term threat level, and buy more time for Taiwan's defense reforms to be implemented," Templeman of Stanford University's Hoover Institution said  ◆ Reuters, 2024-1-3: 'Hawkish' China military squeeze on Taiwan likely after election. If the DPP wins the presidency but loses its majority in parliament, that could also temper China's response given it would weaken the DPP's ability to pass legislation ◆ Wall Street Journal, 2023-12-29: In Taipei, Lai Ching-te paints a picture of a Taiwanese public far less preoccupied with Beijing's designs than political leaders in the Western world. The KMT accused the DPP of underplaying the deterioration of cross-strait ties and the risk of war ◆ CNN, 2023-12-29: Beijing has long used its massive coast guard as a force to project power, some analysts believe that China could soon start to deploy the coast guard to ratchet up the pressure on Taiwan ◆ New York Post, 2023-12-26: Xi Jinping says China's ‘complete reunification’ with Taiwan will ‘surely’ happen   

　

Taiwan Presidential election debate 2023-12-30
◆ VOA News , Washington Post, AP,   2023-12-30  Taiwan's presidential candidates expressed desire for peaceful relations with Beijing. Tensions with China have featured strongly in the presidential campaign. Lai Ching-te promised to help strengthen Taiwan's defense and economy if elected. Hou said he opposed Taiwan's independence but also a potential unification under China's “one country, two systems” framework. Ko Wen-je, referenced a quote by Antony Blinken, saying that “Taiwan and China will cooperate if they can cooperate, compete if there’s a need to compete, and confront each other if they must confront each other.”; my bottom line is that Taiwan must maintain its current democratic and free political system and way of life. voanews.com/a/taiwan-s-presidential-candidates-emphasize-peace-with-beijing/7418610.html 
◆ Reuters (UK), 2023-12-31 China calls Taiwan president frontrunner a destroyer of peace,"His words were full of confrontational thinking," after he spoke at a presidential debate  the island's sovereignty and independence belong to its people,  the Republic of China and People's Republic of China "are not subordinate to each other". KMT's Hou has denounced Lai as an independence supporter. news.yahoo.com/china-calls-taiwan-president-frontrunner-012538807.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall
◆ DW (Germany),  2023-12-31 Presidential candidates debate in shadow of China。Lai remained defiant, at one point insisting that, "The sovereignty of Taiwan belongs to the 23 million people in Taiwan. It does not belong to China”, "I will not go backward like the Kuomintang and be willing to become a vassal of totalitarianism... There are so many uncertainties regarding their policies". msn.com/en-in/news/world/taiwan-presidential-candidates-debate-in-shadow-of-china/ar-AA1mfuFn
◆ AFP (France),  2023-12-30 China ties dominate Taiwan presidential debate，Ko, whose small TPP has performed above expectations in Taiwan's dominant two-party landscape, called President Tsai's cross-strait policies "a mess". The results of which could determine Taipei's future ties with an increasingly bellicose China. msn.com/en-us/news/world/china-ties-dominate-taiwan-presidential-debate/ar-AA1meDRj
◆ Reuters, 2023-12-30 The televised debate was dominated by arguments over China and tensions in the Taiwan Strait.。Taiwan belongs to its people: presidential candidate，"The current status quo is that the Taiwan Strait is on the brink of war. So, to maintain close ties with the United States while also making peace with China is the solution to the problem," Hou said news.yahoo.com/taiwan-belongs-people-presidential-candidate-131009794.html
◆ The Guardian, 2023-12-30 All three presidential candidates have acknowledged the potential risks of Taiwan becoming the next conflict zone. They aim to convince voters that they are the most capable leaders who can ensure peace and stability across the Taiwan strait, for Beijing the priority is to ensure the ruling Democratic Progressive party (DPP) is kicked out of office.  theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/30/taiwan-election-new-president-growing-threat-china  Helen Davidson
◆ SKY News (Australia),  2023-12-31 the race has become more unpredictable. The stakes for Taiwan's future have never seemed more unsteady, in light of rising tensions with China. skynews.com.au/world-news/our-future-has-never-seemed-more-unsteady-what-taiwans-2024-presidential-race-means-for-the-islands-rapidly-deteriorating-relationship-with-china/news-story/fe83df822e798ea6452659ceab914849   Hilton Yip

　

media

China's invasion
◆ GB News, 2023-12-25 So we should be working with Taiwan right now privately telling them we're not going to fight for you. “We just can't get into a war that could go nuclear, it would be foolish.”
◆ NBC, 2023-12-26 Xi's private warning  on  reunifying Taiwan to Biden was delivered at a time when China's behavior toward Taiwan is seen as increasingly aggressive and ahead of a potentially  pivotal  presidential election in the self-governing democratic island next month. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. said: First, create a robust defense supplemental for Taiwan and second, draft pre-invasion sanctions from hell to impose on China if they take action to seize Taiwan.  (ps: no plan to send military troops)
◆ Daily Express, 2023-12-23 The Taiwan war is coming - and the West will need boots on the ground
◆ New York Post, 2023-12-21  China's Xi Jinping warned Joe bluntly that Beijing will take Taiwan... It represents a clear escalation on China's part, moving from its longtime claim of ownership to notification of intent to take possession. Biden often talks tough, but shies from any action he fears will “escalate” a confrontation — forever leaving the initiative in the hands of America's adversaries.  
◆ First Post, 2023-12-22  Japan says that an invasion of Taiwan by China is imminent and that it is preparing for the repercussions 


◆ NBC Universal, 2023-12-21: War of Words / Experts say China is pushing influence campaign as Taiwan preps for Presidential Election. majority of voters don't favor closer ties to China or to the US, instead, they want to preserve the status quo with Taiwan ◆ Brookings Institution, 2023-12-18: although China would respond to a Taiwan declaration of independence with a military campaign, Beijing knows that this would be quite risky, in part because the PLA is not ready to undertake such a complicated campaign; a wide-ranging campaign of coercion that includes displays of military force but a variety of non-military pressure and intimidation, a low-risk approach, targets the confidence of the people of Taiwan, and there are signs that it is gradually working.◆ Reporters Without Borders (RSF) , 2023-12-13: Taiwan is a country that suffers from one of the lowest trust rates in the media among democracies (28%) and where the media community is often criticised for disregarding journalism ethics... journalists suffer from a very polarised media environment dominated by sensationalism and the pursuit of profit at the expense of quality news reporting. ◆ The Conversation, 2023-12-11: poll finds more than 80% of Taiwanese people believe the China threat is worsening – prospects for peace and stability are also affecting the island’s international business and investment outlook.◆ The Diplomat, 2023-12-11: Continuity in U.S. support for Taiwan and hardening against China will face an inflection point if Biden is replaced by Donald Trump or some other candidate with strong “America First” leanings in the November 2024 elections 

　

New York Times, 2023-12-4
 ◆ Fortune, 2023-12-5: After Israel and Ukraine, Taiwan business leaders fear Taipei-Beijing tensions may trigger the next geopolitical conflict... ◆ Defense News, 2023-12-5:The real danger is that Chinese leaders calculate a window exists for them to achieve a fait accompli before the United States has sufficient combat power in the region...Unfortunately, the logistics problem defies simple solution for the US...


◆ Fox News, 2023-12-3: Joint Chiefs chairman says 'we all should be' worried about China possibly invading Taiwan ◆ The Hill, 2023-11-30: Americans now want the U.S. to focus its military efforts in the Middle East over East Asia, a month into the Israel-Hamas war; when it comes to the overall military capability, the United States no longer has outright superiority, but the American people clearly have not internalized that. ◆ New York Times, 2023-11-26: Taiwan, a highly online society, has repeatedly been found to be the top target in the world for disinformation from foreign governments.  RAND: China's disinformation work has had “measurable effects”.  Critics denounced the government's anti-disinformation campaign as a political witch hunt, Taiwan's media ecosystem, with its diverse political leanings, often produces pro-Beijing content that can be misattributed to Chinese manipulation. ◆ Bloomberg, 2023-11-24: Nottingham scholar says that there is zero chance that the unhappy trajectory in cross-strait relations gets reversed if Lai Ching-te wins.  It will certainly lead to a continuation and probable escalation of pressures and threats ... will impact the nature of the US's already tense ties with China. ◆  Washington Post, 2023-11-21: Xi Jinping is sending ominous signals on Taiwan / on the most important issue in the relationship — Taiwan — Washington and Beijing are moving further apart. Xi: 'peace is all well and good, but at some point we need to move toward resolution more generally' ◆ Newsweek, 2023-11-21: an overwhelming majority (7/10) of people in Taiwan do not believe the United States is trustworthy, according to a new poll released on Monday. Most, however, were convinced by America's commitment to the island's safety. ◆  Economist, 2023-11-13: Strategists worry about a “window of vulnerability” in the Indo-Pacific this decade, as China’s forces grow stronger and America’s investments in new military equipment don’t fully bear fruit until the 2030s...As for capacity, the Pentagon long ago abandoned the requirement that its armed forces be able to fight two major regional wars simultaneously. ◆  The WEEK, 2023-11-13: Historically, Taiwan has been an "easy target for Chinese spies", It is "not very strict about punishing espionage"...China has "penetrated many parts of the Taiwanese government over the decades", said The New York Times  
　

　

　

pic. : This websites group was ranked No.1  "introduction to Taiwan"
on Swisscows of Switzerland at 2023-11-1, 2023-10-10, 2023-9-1, 2023-8-8, 2023-7-25, 2023-7-1; No.2 at 2023-8-22

　

　

　

　

western media Taiwan's presidential election
Economist, 2023-11-15 Taiwan's opposition parties unite... could lead to a significant relaxation of the island-state's defiant posture towards China
Washington Post, 2023-11-15 Taiwan's two main opposition parties, both of which have vowed to restart talks with China, announced a joint presidential ticket for January’s election in a deal that could bring a major political upset in the self-ruled island democracy.
Foreign Policy, 2023-11-15 in any case, support for the DPP has been fading ahead of January’s presidential elections. But voters in Taiwan tend to be lukewarm toward candidates seen as too pro-China, and the DPP still leads in several polls.
Bloomberg, 2023-11-15  a single opposition bid raises the likelihood of a government in Taipei more willing to accept China’s conditions for direct talks between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
TIME, 2023-11-15 A successful opposition alliance — no matter who is running as president — means it’s likely cross-strait tensions will improve
Financial Times, 2023-11-15 Taiwan’s opposition parties join forces for crucial presidential poll Deal sharply increases odds that ruling Democratic Progressive party will lose election; Beijing has denounced Lai as a separatist and framed the presidential race as a choice between war and peace — rhetoric sometimes echoed by the opposition.
Reuters, 2023-11-15 Some opinion polls have shown that if Hou and Ko teamed up, in whatever combination, they would beat Lai 。Tamkang University scholar: The U.S. and China both want stabilised Taiwan Strait relations. Lai may not be the ideal person for this

　

◆  Washington Post, 2023-11-13: the United States’ Indo-Pacific Command now considers it harder to distinguish between Chinese military coercion and the full-scale mobilization that would presage an invasion...However, China probably remains years away from being capable of using civilian ships to support a successful cross-strait invasion  ◆  Newsweek, 2023-11-9:  Taiwan's long wait for nearly $20 Billion in American weapons, asymmetric weaponry accounts for $4.22 billion, or 22 percent of the backlog. ◆  BBC, 2023-11-9: If Taiwan is not controlling sensitive and secret information very well… You should expect any competent foreign intelligence service to get access to it. ◆  BBC, 2023-11-6:  In Washington there is a strong sense that Taiwan is running out of time to reform and rebuild its military.  In a conflict with China, Taiwan's navy and air force would be wiped out in the first 96 hours of battle. Under intense pressure from Washington, Taipei is switching to a "fortress Taiwan" strategy - repelling an invasion on the beaches and, if necessary,  in the towns and cities   ◆  New York Times, 2023-10-29:  Taiwan must accelerate its shift toward investing in defense capabilities - make a greater effort to stockpile not only munitions, but also food, water and energy. It needs to adopt a whole-of-society approach to its defense that emphasizes national resistance, resilience and the willingness to fight.  ◆ Newsweek, 2023-10-26: Taiwan Voters Must Choose Between 'War and Peace,' China Says ◆ Economist, 2023-10-26: 46% of voters are worried about a possible war between Taiwan and China in the next five years.   ◆ New York Times, 2023-10-22: Foxconn, Apple's Manufacturer in China, Is Said to Be Under Tax Audit ◆  New York Times, 2023-10-21: Why we should fear China more than Middle Eastern war ? Only China is an arguable peer of the United States, only China's technological and industrial might can hope to match our own, and only China has the capacity to project power globally as well as regionally. ◆  SKY News (Australia), 2023-10-21:   Taiwan has been accused of permitting modern modern-day slavery with its migrant workers...migrant workers are often mistreated in an unfair system which needs to be overhauled.  

　

Taiwan's economy - compared with Asian countries
★

Hong Kong

Taiwan
Median wealth per adult (Credit Suisse, Research Institute, 2023 ) US$ 202,410 (world No.3) US$ 108,250
Mean wealth per adult (Credit Suisse, Research Institute, 2023 ) US$ 551,190 US$ 273,790
The average salary (Morgan McKinley, Business Insider, 2023) HK $36,583 (about TWD147,204) TWD 48,032 (plus overtime etc TWD 57,045) - storm.mg/lifestyle/4851897
Median salary (UDN, 2023-12-14) about TWD 84,000 about TWD 43,000
Market Capitalization  (UDN, 2023-12-14) more than double of Taiwan's about USD 1.7 trillion
★ At the end of 2022, Taiwan's per capita GDP amounted to $32,756 while Singapore's was $82,808, Japan and South Korea were at $33,815 and $32,255, respectively, according to the World Bank.

　

Reuters, 2023-10-24 : Who is running to be Taiwan's next president?
LAI CHING-TE Lai and Tsai Ing-Wen say only Taiwan's people can decide their future.
HOU YU-IH strongly denies being pro-Beijing, and will restart talks with Beijing.
KO WEN-JE China should propose a new framework for engagement with Taiwan and explain what Beijing has to offer

　

◆  SCMP, 2023-10-21: Taiwanese defence minister admitted  it would be "impossible" for the island's military to block a saturation attack. The inadequate training given to Taiwanese reservists after discharge has been known for some time, drawing criticism from the US, ...Taiwan could also learn from Israel about maintaining a lasting public enthusiasm to fend off the enemy  ◆  New York Times, 2023-10-16: if Xi concludes that the United States has broken, once and for all, from its previous position on Taiwan and is bent on thwarting unification, he may feel that he must act militarily.  If the combination of deterrence and reassurance fails and China attacks Taiwan, it will set a precedent in which Chinese leaders kill and destroy to achieve their goals. ◆  Newsweek, 2023-10-16: The U.S. has known since no later than 2012——that Chinese surface-to-surface (STS) missiles can destroy U.S. aircraft carriers, or any other military asset that isn't submerged; Taiwan has storage capacity for 11 days of natural gas consumption. A Chinese blockade would force Taiwan's surrender in short order ◆  VOA News, 2023-10-13: Expert says : for Taiwan, the most important thing is whether the intelligence it has gathered can help Taipei prepare for potential military conflicts,  Taiwan should also assess whether it can promptly mobilize its forces and whether its forces can react to sudden attacks swiftly... there's a question about whether Taiwan can obtain enough equipment for all of them ◆  Telegraph, 2023-10-13: If China attempts a blockade of Taiwan, Taiwanese forces and their American allies will have to break the blockade – or risk losing the island democracy to mainland...It’s worth noting the United States hasn’t directly intervened in the Chinese blockade of a Philippine outpost  ◆  Express (UK), 2023-10-13: A China-Taiwan war could break out unless the war in Israel is put to an end  ◆  Newsweek, 2023-10-12: Since war broke out in the Mideast, some with hawkish views in the U.S. have suggested that Taiwan needs to take its self-defense seriously. ◆  Washington Post, 2023-10-12: Taiwan is closely watching the Hamas-Israel war for lessons as it faces intimidation from China ◆  AP, Reuters, 2023-10-10: Taiwan seeks 'peaceful coexistence' with China, president says, Differences between Taiwan and China must be resolved peacefully, and maintaining the status quo is "critical" to ensuring peace ◆  BBC, 2023-10-5: Most analysts agree that Taiwan's military - a shrunken army, outnumbered navy and old artillery - would be no match against a far more powerful China. ◆  Washington Examiner, 2023-10-5: Were Taipei truly serious about deterring and defeating a PLA attack, it would be spending closer to 10% of its GDP on defense ◆ Politico.eu, 2023-10-5: Taiwan shivers over Ukraine funding freeze  

　

　

◆  Report to Congress on Taiwan Defense Military Issues
news.usni.org/2023/09/26/report-to-congress-on-taiwan-defense-military-issues
Advantages  including geography and climate.
Challenges (1)  the PLA now is able, or will soon be able, to execute a range of military campaigns against Taiwan.
(2)  Civil-military relations are strained... The archipelago's energy, food, water, internet, and other critical infrastructure systems are vulnerable to external disruption.  Taiwan's civil defense preparedness is insufficient, and Taiwan's military struggles to recruit, retain, and train personnel.  At a societal level, it is not clear what costs — in terms of economic security, safety and security, and lives — Taiwan's people would be willing or able to bear.

　

US defends Taiwan ?

◆ The Hill, 2023-9-26

 During a Tokyo interview alongside Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Biden repeated his statement on defending Taiwan: “That’s the commitment we made.” But, when asked whether “the policy of strategic ambiguity towards Taiwan [is] dead,” he replied “No.”

 ◆ National Review, 2023-9-19

 It's noteworthy that Biden declined to say a single word about Taiwan in his U.N. speech came a day after the Chinese Communist Party's armed forces sent 103 jets into Taiwan’s air-defense identification zone — which is a new record that surpasses even the Chinese tantrum that followed then–House speaker Pelosi's visit to Taiwan.

　

◆ CNN, 2023-9-28: President Tsai Ing-wen hailed this as a significant milestone. “The submarine is an important realization of our concrete commitment in defending our country”.♦  Newsweek, 2023-9-29: Taiwan's former military leader who heads the submarine program said that the slated eight Hai Kun-class boats would bolster the country's defenses to the point that "I don't think we will lose a war.".

　

　

　


:pic.: No.1 "introduction to Taiwan" on ecosia of Germany, 2023-11-11, 2023-11-1, 2023-10-10, 2023-9-1, 2023-8-22, 2023-8-8, 2023-5-31, 2023-4-30, 2023-3-23, 2023-2-1, 2023-1-22, 2023-1-15, 2023-1-1, 2022-12-17, 2022-9-5, 2022-8-21, 2022-6-12, 2022-5-14, 2022-4-30, 2022-4-9, 2022-3-25, 2021-10-21, 2021-9-21,  2021-8-5, 2021-6-15, 2021-6-2, 2021-5-13, 2021-4-18, 3-3-2021, 1-29-2021, 10-25-2020, 8-9-2020; No.2 "introduction to Taiwan" on ecosia of Germany, at 2023-3-4, 2022-12-13, 2022-10-23, 2022-10-4, 2022-2-25, 2022-2-22   

　

　

　

◆  Washington Post, 2023-9-28: Taiwan launches the island's first domestically made submarine for testing
BBC, 2023-9-28 National University of Singapore Drew Thompson:  the "centre of gravity" for any China-Taiwan naval conflict would not likely be in the deep waters off the island's east coast, where submarines would be most effective in...Instead, the main theatre of war would be in the shallower waters of the west coast facing mainland China...The submarine is not optimised for a counter invasion role...
CNN, 2023-9-28 While the Taiwan Strait might be too shallow for submarines to operate in, the vessels could be most useful when deployed to target Chinese warships in the Bashi channel – which separates Taiwan from the Philippines – and the waters between Taiwan and Japan’s westernmost islands.  China has planned for a major naval engagement with the US outside the first island chain, around the Philippine Sea”.
News Week, 2023-9-29 A senior researcher at RAND: The relatively shallow, choppy waters of the Taiwan Strait were well-suited for masking submarines but also harder to operate in.  Policy experts in the U.S.  have urged Taipei to adopt an asymmetric defense strategy based on "lots of small, deadly things—anti-ship missiles, anti-air missiles, etc.—that would make Taiwan a porcupine." Such an approach would become more useful, and submarines less so。

　

News brief   ◆   The Daily Caller, 2023-9-24: China is on the fast track to wage war against Taiwan — and the US, experts say.  China has been preparing for the possibility of fighting the U.S. over Taiwan going back to around 1996 or 1997 after realizing Washington intended to preserve the status quo of Taiwan's semi-autonomy, experts explained. ◆    19FortyFive, 2023-9-20: China's military is preparing to invade Taiwan (And quite soon);  China's military has developed advanced methods for depriving the Americans of their vaunted advantage in space, threatening the US in the cyber domain, and possibly disrupting the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum to sabotage American forces ◆ The Hill, 2023-9-19: The US election may well decide the fate of Ukraine, Taiwan and the rules-based international order ◆  Military, 2023-9-13: We lost the wars in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. Knowing our frailties, Xi will persist in pressuring Taiwan to dissolve from within, while employing military provocations to test America's martial resolve ... By 37% to 22%, Americans on a bipartisan basis believe we should militarily protect Taiwan ◆  Washington Examiner, 2023-9-6:  Former President  Donald Trump  hinted that he would not order a U.S. military intervention against  China  were it to attack  Taiwan  ◆   Foreign Policy, 2023-9-5:  China could exploit its geographical proximity and advancing capabilities to win a regional war against Taiwan.  U.S. deterrence against China ( to convince Chinese President Xi Jinping that an attack would fail. ) is not working.  The U.S. military may merely need to raise China's perception that any conflict would be drawn out and exceedingly costly.  ◆  American Legion, 2023-9-6: Some predictions have estimated war could break out as early as 2029.  Dr. Shelley Rigger, a Davidson College professor, acknowledges that such forecasts are made with careful thought, research and analysis. Still, she says, it's a situation in flux.    ◆  Chicago Tribune, AP, VOA News, 2023-9-2: Taiwan's government is racing to counter China, but many on the island say they don't feel the threat. That may be partly due to the nuanced views many Taiwanese hold of China.  Many say they are attracted to their much larger neighbor’s dynamic economy, and its shared language and culture. Others are simply numb to hearing about the threat in their backyard. ◆ Wall Street Journal, 2023-8-29: Ramaswamy says The US currently doesn't even recognize Taiwan as a nation.  Democrates and Republicans both unquestioningly endorse the "One China" policy and embrace "strategic ambiguity" toward the island.  No other presidential candidate is willing to commit to militarily defending Taiwan ◆ Atlantic Council, 2023-8-23:  full-fledged invasion of the island would be difficult. But there are other scenarios, such as a blockade, that would paralyze life on the island and make a Chinese invasion a lot easier. ◆ The Telegraph, 2023-8-22: China's Taiwan invasion: Battle for the Strait will be a colossal missile duel ◆ Washington Examiner, 2023-8-22: China boasts record-high military recruitment, if military aid (Taiwan war) is needed, America's sagging recruitment numbers could be a problem. 

◎

 In Times Higher Education 2024, National Taiwan University ranks behind Asian countries - China, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, S. Korea.   In Quacquarelli Symonds，QS  UK 2024, National Taiwan University ranks behind Asian countries - China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, S. Korea, Malaysia.  In CWUR 2023 National Taiwan University ranks behind countries of Asia & Pacific, Japan, S. Korea, China, Australia, Israel, Singapore.   In Nature Index 2023, National Taiwan University ranks No.208 behind China, Japan, Singapore, S. Korea, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, India.

　

Taiwan presidency -  Lai (DPP), Ko, Hou, Gou (opposition)
◆ BBC, 2023-8-29 Opinion polls also show that around 40% of voters are pretty solid supporters of the ruling DPP. That means the ruling party can be beaten. But to have any chance the opposition would have to unite around a single candidate.  Now Taiwan's opposition vote will be split three ways.
◆ Economist, 2023-8-29 The opposition would not end the tensions, but it would probably reduce them by placating China. A win for Mr Lai, might have the opposite effect.
◆ Washington Post, 2023-8-28 Taiwanese voters could either fuel or dampen the mounting tensions. Their choice is between a ruling party determined to maintain Taiwan's political independence, and an opposition that sees closer ties with China as the only viable path.
◆ Wall Street Journal, 2023-8-25 analysts said Lai's lead could erode by the time voters cast their ballots in January, given Taiwan's reputation for volatile politics.
◆ Reuters, 2023-8-28 Any split on the non-DPP side would mean Lai's sure victory in January.
Terry Gou's main theme in his pre-campaign events has been that the only way to avoid war with China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, is to get the DPP out of office.
◆ AP, The Hill, 2023-8-28 Terry Gou announces run for Taiwan presidency. He has received criticism that he was splitting the vote,“I will definitely not allow Taiwan to become the next Ukraine”.  He has received criticism that he was splitting the vote

　

US Congress CRS Report, 2023-8-24  - Taiwan: Defense and Military Issues
crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF12481
♣ persistent, low-level, non-combat operations that analysts say are eroding Taiwan's military advantages and readiness... unmanned combat aerial vehicle flights near and encircling Taiwan, and reported flights of unmanned aerial vehicles in the airspace of Kinmen...The normalization of PLA operations ever closer to Taiwan's main island in peacetime could undermine “routine” operations or exercises to obscure preparations for an attack.  If the PLA were to use such operations as cover for an imminent attack, it could significantly shorten the time Taiwan would have to respond
♣ many observers argue that Taiwan's military is insufficiently equipped to defeat a possible PRC armed attack.  observers have raised concerns about impediments to the timely delivery of U.S. defense items to Taiwan.
♣  Civil military relations are strained for historical, political, and bureaucratic reasons. The archipelago’s energy, food, water, internet, and other critical infrastructure systems are vulnerable to external disruption. Civil defense preparedness is insufficient, ... Taiwan's military struggles to recruit, retain, and train personnel. It is not clear what costs—in terms of economic security, well-being, safety and security, and lives—Taiwan's people would be willing or able to bear ...

　

 

2023  Michelin stars comparisons among Asian countries

 Michelin cities

total number of stars

Green Star

3 Star

2 Star

1 Star
Tokyo (Japan) 202 12 12 39 139
Kyoto (Japan) 104 6 6 19 73
Osaka (Japan) 97 3 3 10 81
Hong Kong 81 3 7 13 58
Singapore 65 1 3 6 55
 Shanghai (China) 51 1 2 9 39
Seoul (S. Korea) 38 3 2 8 25
Taipei (Taiwan) 29 2 2 5 20
 By highlighting eco-friendly pioneer restaurants with the MICHELIN Green Star, and spotlighting their virtuous initiatives, it stimulates awareness and actions both within the industry and by gourmets. 

　

 ◆ Daily Mail, 2023-8-18: China rehearses invasion of Taiwan with troops storming 'sea defences' in chilling wargames - while Beijing and Russia stage joint naval exercises in the Pacific.  the CCP has more than 600 million citizens of military age, fit-for-service citizens from which it could theoretically source new troops endlessly. ◆  Bloomberg, 2023-8-16: China's PLA Daily published an editorial Wednesday saying Taiwan independence would mean the breakout of a war and that its pursuit would be a “road to ruin.”;  The comments are the clearest signal yet  ◆ The Hill, 2023-8-15: China and Russia are waging another Cold War; President Biden frequently expresses his fear about World War III ◆  New York Times, news brief 2023-8-14: A Taiwanese presidential contender (Lai Ching-te) walks a fine line... it's likely that he'll be more muted...Expect restraint...And his visit, however low-key, is also likely to prompt an escalation of Chinese military flights and naval maneuvers near Taiwan, bringing into focus the risks of real conflict over its future. ◆  The Hill, 2023-8-8: More ominously, the failure of the world's toughest-ever sanctions regime to bring Russia to heel could embolden China's expansionist designs against Taiwan, especially since similar sanctions against Beijing would have even less impact. Yet the U.S. is still not giving sufficient priority to deterring a Chinese attack on Taiwan.  ◆  Washington Examiner, 2023-8-7:  the predictable outcome now seems all but certain: whether during Taiwan vice-president Lai's visit or in the weeks following, the two nations' recent detente will fade amid their intractable political differences ◆  The WEEK UK, 2023-8-1: Taiwan's leaders generally believe Chinese efforts to incorporate the island into its political system will be attempted through economic coercion rather than military action  ◆  Washington Post, 2023-7-29: U.S. to provide up to $345 million in military aid to Taiwan;  a defense analyst in Taiwan was skeptical of the aid package and pointed to “serious delays in recent years in the delivery of numerous U.S. arms sales” to Taiwan. ◆  Bloomberg, 2023-7-29: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines have said they don’t see an effort by China to seize Taiwan by force as imminent ◆  Fox News, 2023-7-28 :  The coming China war over Taiwan - The US should fight alongside allies, not in their place  ◆  Wall Street Journal, 2023-7-28: Taiwan amps up Chinese-Invasion drills to deliver a message - War could happen.  ◆  Bangkok Post, 2023-7-28: Beijing's military supremacy over Taiwan 'growing swiftly' - Japan's 2023 white paper - the gap between China and Taiwan appears to be growing year by year ... During the exercises (Last Aug.) , the Chinese military may have simulated operations for "invading Taiwan" ◆  Financial Times, 2023-7-23: Washington is reducing some long-term deployments in the Indo-Pacific,...the US's decision to help Ukraine only with weapons and the wavering of some European countries about support for Kyiv do not bode well for Taiwan  ◆ BBC, 2023-7-27:  many of Taiwan's conscript soldiers remain woefully under trained, and its weapons systems and military doctrine old and out of date.  

　

　

　

　

pic. : This websites group was ranked No.1  "introduction to Taiwan"
on Swisscows of Switzerland at 2023-11-1, 2023-10-10, 2023-9-1, 2023-8-8, 2023-7-25, 2023-7-1; No.2 at 2023-8-22

　

　

pic. : No.1  "introduction to Taiwan" on Bing at  2023-11-11, 2023-11-1, 2023-10-10, 2023-9-1, 2023-8-22, 2023-8-8, 2023-7-25, 2023-7-1, 2023-5-31, 2023-4-30, 2023-3-31, 2023-3-23, 2023-3-4, 2023-2-1, 2023-1-22, 2023-1-15, 2023-1-1, 2022-12-17, 2022-6-24, 2022-5-14,  2022-4-30, 2021-11-21, 2021-10-21, 2021-9-21, 2021-8-5, 2021-6-15, 2021-6-2, 2021-5-13, 2021-4-18, 3-3-2021, 1-29-2021, 01-01-2021, 12-6-2020, 11-29-2020, 11-11-2020, 10-25-2020, 8-5-2020, 8-2-2020, 7-6-2020, 6-21-2020, 6-11-2020, 6-5-2020, 5-21-2020, 5-12-2020, 5-8-2020, 4-20-2020, 4-10-2020, 3-20-2020, 2-24-2020,1-27-2020, 1-15-2020, 12-25-2019, 12-16-2019,11-6-2019, 10-6-2019, 9-17-2019, 8-3-2019,  7-29-2019, 6-27-2019,  4-29-2019; This websites group was ranked No.2 "introduction to Taiwan" on Bing, 2022-10-4, 2022-4-9, 2022-3-25, 2022-3-14, 2022-2-22, 2021-12-4 No.3 at 2022-10-23, 2022-9-5;

　

　

　

resolve contrasts
Chinese military  Taiwan's military
♦The Guardian, 2023-8-7: the more dramatic parts of China's documentary on Taiwan invasion are pledges by PLA soldiers from various divisions to give up their lives in a potential attack on Taiwan.   ── “If the conditions were too difficult to safely remove the naval mines in actual combat, we would use our own bodies to clear a safe pathway for our [landing] forces,” said  a frogman; “fighter jet would be the last missile rushing towards the enemy" said a pilot.   .theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/07/chinese-soldiers-pledge-to-sacrifice-their-lives-in-documentary-on-taiwan-invasion  Associated Press ♦Wall Street Journal, 2023-7-5: The professionalism and motivation of Taiwan's military are a particular concern, ... “A lot of young people who signed up for the four-year volunteer force decided to pay a penalty and dropped out early because they say they had come for the money—not to fight and not to die".  wsj.com/articles/taiwan-china-ukraine-russia-hong-kong-military-war-517b87d?siteid=yhoof2&yptr=yahoo    Yaroslav Trofimov    Joyu Wang

　

#MeToo in Taiwan
★ New York Times, 2023-7-27 our society remains patriarchal and hierarchical. Under Confucian values, women obey their fathers and their brothers and eventually their husbands. People are expected to respect and yield to their elders and superiors — in short, the powers that be... In a collectivist culture like ours, the burden of being nice and preserving group harmony falls on those with less power and authority nytimes.com/2023/07/27/opinion/taiwan-women-metoo.html  Vickie Wang
★ Reuters, 2023-7-28 Despite Taiwan's reputation as a progressive bastion in a conservative region - the first place in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage...to confront a problem long shrouded in shame and silence.   Victims of abuse often stay silent due to what experts say is a tradition of victim-blaming, cultural pressure, and unequal power relationships.   reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/years-after-metoo-first-swept-world-taiwan-races-respond-2023-07-28/   Sarah Wu   

　

◆ Washington Examiner, 2023-7-24:  China and Russia train together to sink US submarines.  the U.S. retains a key, though diminishing, advantage in undersea warfare. U.S. submarines remain a thorn in China's side. ◆  Daily Express, 2023-7-23: Japan says:  If people all over the world have the will to support Taiwan, it would be very possible that we will provide some kind of support to Taiwan...the government would need to first secure the support of the population before intervening. ◆ Washington Post, 2023-7-17:  Taiwan abandoning the One China framework aggravates the risk of war ◆ ResponsibleStatecraft.org, 2023-7-17: War with China over Taiwan? Don't expect US allies (Japan, Australia, Korea, Philippines, Thailand) to join  ◆ Lowy Institute, 2023-7-17:  the US will help Australia acquire nuclear-powered attack submarines. This will enable Australia to conduct operations such as anti-submarine warfare against China's subsurface fleet. Similarly, Japan will acquire counterstrike capabilities, which will include purchasing 400 Tomahawk cruise missiles from the United States. These would allow Japan to target China's missile launchers and command-and-control sites that would be key to an invasion of Taiwan. But there is uncertainty over not just the kind of support allies would provide, but over whether they would provide any at all. ◆  Wall Street Journal, 2023-7-15:  Japanese leaders publicly shun discussion of a role in any Taiwan war, in part because public opinion is generally against getting ensnared in a conflict.  ◆  National Interest, 2023-7-16: extension of the compulsory conscription program received backlash from younger Taiwanese. U.S. deterrence strategy without sufficient Taiwanese military capability and determination of Taiwanese people would lose its solid foundation  ... it is likely that Beijing will act early against Taiwan ◆  National Review, 2023-7-15: the Chinese military is advantaged if a Taiwan invasion is viewed as a local, limited conflict... Janet Yellen: If reelected, president Biden may prefer not to fight for Taiwan. ◆  CNN, 2023-7-14:  it may become too late for Washington to come to Taipei's rescue if large amounts of PLA planes and ships are already on station around the island.  ◆  Reuters, 2023-7-14:  US needs to speed up delivery of weapons like air defence systems and those that could target ships from land to Taiwan  in the coming years.  ◆   Bloomberg, 2023-7-13: Taiwan #MeToo scandals push Tsai government to toughen equality laws.  The scandals contrast with the island's image as one of Asia's most progressive societies: 1st to legalize same-sex marriage, but“Speaking up takes a lot of courage, because speaking up in this culture may lead to victim shaming.”◆  West Point, 2023-7-11:  <White Sun War: The Campaign for Taiwan>  implicitly suggests that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan is essentially a land war, and  highlights a fundamental component of warfare that applies to an attempted Chinese forceful reunification of Taiwan—that the war will be won or lost by land forces on the ground.  ◆  Sky News, 2023-7-12: A war over Taiwan – a conflict cause mass casualties and destruction, international trade would plunge, supply shortages of essential goods would pile up and inflation would surge  ◆   Council on Foreign Relations, 2023-7-7: U.S. reliance on Taiwanese chips gives it a major stake in preserving peace in the Taiwan Strait but does not make a war between China and Taiwan less likely.  While Taiwan’s dominance of semiconductor production acts as a brake to hostilities by raising the cost to China of using force, it does not diminish China’s desire to gain control over Taiwan and is unlikely to act as a “silicon shield". ◆  Atlantic Council, 2023-7-7: Taiwan, is one of the world's most energy-insecure economies, relying on maritime imports for about 97 percent of its energy. Beijing appears increasingly capable of launching a quarantine, blockade,... ◆  Wall Street Journal, 2023-7-5:  Taiwan is far from ready, many U.S. officials and analysts say. Taiwan's military budget is still only 2.4% of the GDP—compared with about 5% in Israel.  The professionalism and motivation of Taiwan's military are a particular concern. 

　

◆  NPR, 2023-7-3:  More than 100 accusations of sexual harassment and assault have rocked Taiwan... — showing the gap between laws meant to protect victims and their implementation. ◆  CBS News, 2023-7-2: Several sources within the Pentagon tell 60 Minutes that if China invaded Taiwan, it could very well kick off in outer space, with both sides targeting the other's satellites that enable precision-guided weaponry. Cyber attacks on American cities and the sabotage of ports on the West Coast of the U.S. mainland could follow ◆  Economist, 2023-6-29:   if Taiwan war did break out, even severe sanctions might do little. ◆ National Interest, 2023-6-29:   it could require considerable time—potentially several months—for the United States to mobilize sufficient U.S.-based combat power to augment forward... the weaker Taiwan’s political leadership and its military are, the earlier and more robust the U.S. intervention must be to maximize the prospect that Taiwan will avoid defeat. ◆ The Diplomat, 2023-6-27:  Washington and the U.S. public might opt against intervention if Taiwan's military rapidly collapsed or if the conflict appeared to be a lost cause. it could require  potentially several months – for the US to mobilize sufficient U.S.-based combat power to ... fight a major contingency in East Asia. ◆  NPR.org, 2023-6-22:  the Council on Foreign Relations says that the U.S. and China are 'drifting toward a war' over Taiwan.  ◆  Wall Street Journal, 2023-6-22: can sanctions threat deter china from invading Taiwan? The answer, according to a new study, is a potential "yes" - but with big caveats  ◆ FoxNews, 2023-6-19: Blinken says US 'does not support Taiwan independence' ◆ New York Post, 2023-6-19: Blinken ruffles feathers by stating US "does not support Taiwan independence" – as an inappropriate kowtow to America's greatest adversary.  ◆   Bloomberg, 2023-6-16 : Henry Kissinger believes military conflict between China and Taiwan is likely if tensions continue on their current course ◆ The Diplomat, 2023-6-17:  Taiwan has abandoned asymmetric defense reform in all but name, War on the Rocks: Instead, Taiwan is now planning to deter an invasion by threatening to retaliate with missile strikes against the Chinese homeland and by pitting Taiwanese units in direct combat against the vastly superior People's Liberation Army ◆ SCMP, 2023-6-17: Washington believes Beijing is leaning towards the stick rather than the carrot because of its increasingly tough stance, analysts warn  ◆ National Interest, 2023-6-15:  If China launches an invasion without first destroying America's military assets in the region, its ships will be left vulnerable to attack. However, if it launches a preemptive strike on U.S. forces, especially on American soil in Guam, it will experience the full wrath of a vengeful United States   

　

changes to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait
Atlantic Council, 2023-6-21: Effective deterrence requires credible threats to be matched with credible assurances. The G7 should make clear to Beijing it has no desire to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.  atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/report/sanctioning-china-in-a-taiwan-crisis-scenarios-and-risks/  Charlie Vest and Agatha Kratz AP (Germany Berlin), 2023-6-22: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned Beijing against using force to change the status quo with Taiwan  news.yahoo.com/germany-warns-china-over-taiwan-103947340.html
Global Times (China), 2023-6-21:  Blinken said "We remain opposed to any unilateral changes to the status quo by either side".  China's Foreign Ministry: the three China-US Joint Communiqués means that the US recognizes the real status quo in the Taiwan Straits, that is, there is only one China in the world, and both sides of the Taiwan Straits belong to one China. However, the US has unilaterally attached the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances to its one-China policy, these are not consensus reached by both China and the US.  The US is tampering with political commitments on one-China policy.   globaltimes.cn/page/202306/1292976.shtml 

　

◆ Washington Post, 2023-6-14: Biden and Xi recognize that war between the two nations would be suicidal for both. They understand that the most dangerous flash point is Taiwan. While the nations’ differences over Taiwan are irreconcilable, irreconcilable does not mean unmanageable ◆ Bloomberg, 2023-6-15: US Presses Taiwan Opposition Candidate Over China Policies; Washington will want to be assured that KMT's Hou has “a clear stance on China and international policy..."   ◆  full text

　

economist / The world's most liveable cities in 2023
City liveability index, Mar. 2023   -   Taipei ranks world No. 65, Asia's No.14
score

cities in Asia
90+ Melbourne, Sydney, Aucland, Adelaide, Osaka(Japan), Perth, Tokyo(Japan), Brisbane, Wellington, Singapore
 80-90 Seoul(Korea), Hong Kong(Chn),  Busan(Korea), Taipei (Taiwan), Kaohsiung, Taichung
60-80 Noumea, Nantong, SuZhou, Beijing, ShenYang, Shanghai, etc
top 5 cities: Vienna 98.4,  Copenhagen, Melbourne, Sydney, Vancouver ... No.10 Osaka, Aucland 96
 Score out of 100*  five categories: stability, health care, culture and environment, education and infrastructure.

　

# MeToo in Taiwan
◆ DW (Germany), 2023-6-13:  Taiwan's culture remains conservative, and chauvinism still exists in workplaces and politics. Victims may be "judged" by the public for sharing details....they may not be treated justly ◆ The Guardian (UK), 2023-6-8: The belated #MeToo reckoning has exposed the deeply patriarchal norms that still govern Taiwanese society.  ◆Wall Street Journal, 2023-6-7: Sexual misconduct allegations roil Taiwan's U.S.-friendly ruling party. 

　

discrimination in Taiwan
Taipei Times, 2023-6-12: Taiwanese government actively courts Chinese tourists by the hundred thousand, immigration authorities hand out insult after insult to people whose skins are a bit too brown... the reality of its suicidally discriminatory immigration policies is painful for those of us who live and work here. Besides, over 1,000 nurses, have come from Hong Kong and are unable to obtain residency to work .taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2023/06/12/2003801383

　

◆ TIME, 2023-6-7:  in the event of a potential conflict between the U.S. and China over Taiwan, most Europeans would prefer to stay out of it.… It’s only when such events happen when we would really be able to see whether European perceptions and attitudes have changed or not ◆ Washington Examiner, 2023-6-1:  the PLA has a strong prospect of defeating the U.S. over Taiwan even if the U.S. commits its full forces. Elbridge Colby : "If Taiwan is so blithe about its own defense, why should Americans stick their necks out? ◆ Economist, 2023-5-31: The next Taiwan president will take office with the island at the centre of a bubbling superpower showdown ◆ Washington Post, 2023-5-31: Taiwanese voters' choice is between a ruling party determined to maintain Taiwan's political independence, and an opposition that sees closer ties with China as the only viable path. ◆ Bloomberg, 2023-5-31: China could decide to launch a series of actions short of war — seizing one of Taiwan's small outlying islands, say, or interfering with Taiwanese shipping ... without provoking a US military response. ◆ The Christian Science Monitor, 2023-5-30: Taiwan's rep. in US: Taiwan is preparing to defend itself, and not just rely on other democracies to save the day. The challenges that the US is experiencing in the defense supply chain have certainly had an impact on Taiwan. ◆ Washington Post, 2023-5-29: Choosing Taiwan over Ukraine is frighteningly misguided. Yes, China is a greater military threat than present-day Russia.  A turn toward Taiwan will most likely cause us to fail in both places.   ◆  full text

　

　

Taiwan could soon be under US nuclear protection?
◆ Sky News (Australia), 2023-5-28 Analysts warn the  ‘nuclear umbrella’ agreement could be globally catastrophic as it would mean the US could use nuclear weapons if Taiwan was attacked. skynews.com.au/world-news/united-states/taiwan-could-soon-be-under-us-nuclear-protection/video/732789a9ca7ee4de4c33a614a6a24c35
◆ SCMP (Hong Kong), 2023-5-28 John Mearscheimer (U. Chicago):It would send a clear message to Beijing that "if they are to attack Taiwan, it will escalate to the nuclear level"。Chang Yen-ting: "Taiwan's priority should be to get more advanced and effective weapons instead of seeking to be incorporated into the nuclear umbrella,"  a security analyst at the National Policy Foundation, says until today, the US has not entirely committed to using nuclear weapons to help defend South Korea in the event of a nuclear attack from North Korea."    msn.com/en-xl/news/other/us-nuclear-umbrella-for-taiwan-solid-cross-strait-shield-or-wishful-thinking/ar-AA1bMtGS
◆ EurAsian Times, 2023-5-26 There has also not been any statement or reaction from either the Department of State, Department of Defense, or the White House on the statement from Joseph Wu. This implies the US has no plans to defend Taiwan using nuclear weapons.  eurasiantimes.com/taiwan-eyes-us-nuclear-umbrella-to-deter-chinese-invasion/   Parth Satam
◆ Benzinga, 2023-5-29 Xi Jinping 'Unlikely' To Go Nuclear On Taiwan Amid Taipei's Bid For US Umbrella: Defense Experts, given the radiation spillover problem and the proximity of Taiwan to the Chinese mainland," 


◆ Fortune, 2023-5-21: Warren Buffett  told Japan's Nikkei that the threat of war was a “consideration” in dumping the bulk of the stake in TSMC. Musk told the Financial Times that a conflict over Taiwan is inevitable. His comments did not go over well in Taiwan ◆ The Guardian, 2023-5-22: over 90% of the world's semiconductors are made in the place many US officials think could be the site of the next global conflict: Taiwan. ◆ Space News, 2023-5-22: Just the threat of an attack on GPS could be enough to deter America from defending Taiwan, according to some analysts. Loss of GPS would result in a profound degradation of America's military strike capabilities and severe economic and societal disruption to the U.S. homeland. ◆  New York Times, 2023-5-17: As China looms over Taiwan's Presidential race, the opposition picks a moderate Hou Yu-ih, trying to appeal to voters wary of Beijing ◆  Financial Times, 2023-5-15: even if the US had a broader plan to thwart Chinese economic growth, any such efforts would probably be unsuccessful. Xi should understand that global political power flows from economic power. China does not need to win a shooting war to expand its international power and influence.  ◆ Washington Post, 2023-5-12:  Taiwan's low defense spending is often explained by Taiwanese voters’ expectations of U.S. protection. Others might calculate that the stakes of China’s threats are not as high as the United States says, and that their lives might be able to continue mostly as normal even if Beijing did alter the cross-strait status quo ◆Washington Post, 2023-5-10:  A war involving Taiwan would depend more on the U.S. Navy and Air Force, as well as hybrid warfare tools that are used in information and cyber operations.◆ Foreign Policy in Focus, 2023-5-10:  Unlike Russia, China seems unwilling to sacrifice the country's economic well-being on the pyre of nationalism ◆ 19FortyFive, 2023-5-10: By stacking their heaviest punches upfront, Beijing thinks that they can render the Americans so dazed and confused — inflicting so much damage at the outset of a fight — that Washington will stand down and abandon Taiwan ◆ Washington Times, 2023-5-9: Taipei unnerved by investor fears, apocalyptic rhetoric, Taiwanese officials are trying to tone down alarmist comments made by U.S. investment gurus and policymakers about the risks of a clash with China, "the fearmongering talk coming out of Washington isn't helping"

　

　

★ Reuters Report (reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2023/taiwan)
 Trust in Taiwan's news overall: 28%; Trust in news I use: 35%; Trust score in 2017/2018: 31%, score in 2022/2023: 28%.   Due to the intense competition in the media market and the interventions of owners, trust in news (28%) remains among the lowest in our survey. In the polarised media landscape, many brands with political colours are less trusted, whereas business publications tend to have higher levels of trust. PTS (55%) remains one of the most trusted brands this year, after internal improvements.

★  RSF, <Reporters Sans Frontieres>, France, 2023: Taiwan's World Press Freedom Index - score 75.54, rank 35.

　

　

pic.: No.2 "introduction to Taiwan" on Yahoo, 2023-8-22, 2023-8-8, 2023-5-31, 2022-4-30, 2022-4-9, 2022-3-25, 2022-3-14, 2022-2-25, 2022-2-22;  No.1 "introduction to Taiwan" on Yahoo, 2021-10-21,  2021-9-21, 2021-8-5, 2021-6-15, 2021-6-2, 2021-5-13, 2021-4-18, 3-3-2021, 1-29-2021, 12-6-2020, 11-29-2020, 11-11-2020, 10-25-2020, 8-5-2020, 7-6-2020

　

　

　

◆Business Insider, 2023-5-3: In first-of-its-kind drill, US Army special operators train to defend Taiwan against Chinese attack, while the "ultimate backstop" remains America's nuclear capabilities, according to the Pentagon's National Defense Strategy ◆  Daily Express, UK, 2023-5-3: WW3 fears as Taiwan issues a threatening statement about how it intends to handle imminent China invasion ◆  le Monde, 2023-4-30: China's military exercises in the Taiwan Strait are a reminder of how fragile the island's status quo is  ◆ Brookings, 2023-4-17: the Taiwan voters are deeply pragmatic. a significant majority of the Taiwan voters are in the middle ◆ The Register, 2023-4-22: Taiwan asks US if it could chill out on the anti-China rhetoric "We're trying to run a chip business here" ◆ New York Times, 2023-4-18: Fear of China is pitting Taiwan's people against each other ◆ Brookings, 2023-4-15:   While Taiwan clearly is under growing military threat, it also is facing a simultaneous and intensifying Chinese political campaign to wear down the will of the Taiwan people. ◆  New York Times, 2023-4-14: China's Communist Party is now convinced that America wants to bring it down, which some U.S. politicians are actually no longer shy about suggesting. ◆ The Guardian, 2023-4-14:  German foreign minister warns of ‘horror scenario’ in Taiwan strait ◆   Nikkei Asia, 2023-4-7: Taiwan's choice: peace or war, ex-president says after China trip ◆   FoxNews, 2023-4-6:  Taiwan residents are in apparent agreement in believing the U.S. will not come to their aid   ◆   Newsweek, 2023-3-31:  "Tsai's visit to the U.S. can be seen as a face-saving way for the U.S. to avoid another Pelosi-like fiasco from which it is still paying a price in global standing," " At the same time, Ma's visit to China shows there is strong desire on both sides of the Taiwan Straits for a peaceful solution."  ◆  Bloomberg, 2023-3-31: Washington's planned subsidies to “hollowing out” its world-beating chip industry, or that US defense strategists hope to provoke a war over Taiwan to ... cripple the People's Liberation Army — have gained noticeable traction 

　

Associated Press, 2023-5-2: Unclear who would help Taiwan in a war: Taiwan foreign minister
Japan S. Korea
 Asahi News, 2023-5-1: Asahi poll: 80% of voters said they are worried that Japan would be caught up in the armed conflict if the United States and China clashed over Taiwan, 56% want only SDF rear support to U.S. in event of Taiwan crisis. Which approaches to prioritize for its national security?  70% selected “deepening the relationship with China,” far more than the 26 % who chose “strengthening defense capabilities.”


Responsible Statecraft, 2023-5-2: It is naïve, however, to expect Japan to automatically fight China if the United States intervened militarily.   If Japan were to assume a neutral stance, China might be encouraged to use military force to realize its aim to bring Taiwan under its control. Recent war games conducted by the CSIS suggests that the United States would lose a conflict over Taiwan if it were unable to access bases in Japan. 

　

　

  The Diplomat, 2023-3-21: South Korea Will Stay Out of a Taiwan Strait War，  Seoul’s desire to limit the damage in its relations with Beijing is strong enough that strikes on South Korean territory that killed only Americans would not necessarily bring South Korea into the war as a combatant against China.。
South Korea would limit its support to actions near the low end of the spectrum – strong diplomatic statements, symbolic economic sanctions, and behind-the-lines re-supply of U.S. forces returning from battle.  

　

Axios, 2023-5-2: South Korea would be unlikely to consider sending troops into the Taiwan Strait. But the U.S. could pull some of its own 30,000-strong contingent out of Korea, and would likely expect Seoul to play a key support role.  That could leave Seoul exposed to retaliation from China, and more vulnerable to North Korea

　
  asahi.com/ajw/articles/14898395  responsiblestatecraft.org/2023/05/02/should-japan-defend-taiwan/    k. sugawa   thediplomat.com/2023/03/south-korea-will-stay-out-of-a-taiwan-strait-war/    axios.com/2023/05/02/taiwan-war-us-philippines-japan-korea-australia  d. lawler, b. a. ebrahimian

　

◆  Taiwan is losing its friends.  Economist (2023-3-28) :With China's wallet growing ever larger, Taiwan may instead need to hope that historical ties help to sustain the loyalty of its few remaining diplomatic partners ◆  AFP (2023-3-28): Latin America has been crucial to the diplomatic struggle between Beijing and Taipei since they separated in 1949, after the Chinese civil war....the decision by Honduras was a blow to Washington  ◆ Foreign Affairs, 2023-3-21: J. Chen Weiss: Alarm Over a Chinese Invasion Could Become a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy. ◆  full text

　

According to CNN, 2023-3-28, and 2023's “Asia's 50 Best Restaurants, Taiwan ranks No. 9 among Asia's countries, Taipei ranks No. 17 among Asia's cities, Taipei's Mume restaurant ranks No. 45 in top 50 restaurants, the number of Taiwan's restaurants entering top 50 is the least in recent 10 years.  Taipei's Logy ranks No. 57, but its chef is a Japanese.  Tapei's Adachi Sushi ranks No. 87, Kaohsiung's Liberte ranks No. 96.

 Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023
theworlds50best.com/asia/en/list/1-50

rank

countries with the most wins

  number of restaurants selected rank

cities with the most wins

 number of restaurants selected
1 China   (Hong Kong 5, Shanghai 2, ShenZhen 1, Macau 2, Beijing 1) 11 1

Bangkok (Thailand )

 9
2 Japan    (Tokyo 7,  Osaka 1, Wakayama 1, Kyoto 1) 10 2

Singapore

 9
3 Thailand  (Bangkok 9) 9 3 Tokyo (Japan) 7
4 Singapore 7 4 Hong Kong (China) 5
5 S. Korea 4 5 Seoul (S. Korea) 4
6 India 3 6 Shanghai (China) 2
7 Philippines 2 7 Macau (China) 2
8 Vietnam 1 8 Manila (Philippines) 2
9 Taiwan 1 9 Osaka (Japan) 1
♣ No.1 Le Du (Thai.), No.2 Sezanne (Japan), No.3 Nusara (Thai.), 4. Den (Japan), 5 Gaggan Anans (Thai.)...No. 45 Mume (Taiwan Taipei)

　

♣ Bangkok has long been considered a world capital when it comes to street food. But these days, its fine dining scene is proving to be just as alluring.  Though most of the winners on the list are fine dining restaurants, one street food eatery managed to break through the pack – Bangkok’s Michelin-starred Raan Jay Fai

 10 Wakayama (Japan) 1
11 Mumbai (India) 1
12 New Delhi (India) 1
13 Chennai (India) 1
14 ShenZhen (China) 1
15 Kyoto (Japan) 1
16 Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam) 1
17 Taipei (Taiwan) 1
18 Beijing (Chn) 1

　

 ◆ Newsweek, 2023-3-20: The combination of political warfare, gray-zone actions, and the potential for kinetic warfare come together most clearly around Taiwan, which offers the most immediate prospect of China going on a major kinetic offensive.◆  Foreign Policy Research Institute, 2023-3-9: Taiwan's "porcupine strategy" calls for Taiwan to arm itself with thousands of mobile anti-ship and anti-air weapons, sea mines, drone strike systems, and other smaller, mobile systems. While it still struggles with two challenges: a continued preference for big-ticket defense systems, and US delays in delivering weapons ◆ Economist, 2023-3-6:  The KMT  has been unable to articulate a new cross-strait strategy beyond continuing dialogue with the Chinese Communist Party.  the  DPP   has also been hesitant about telling voters to prepare for war. The DPP   has already softened its messaging, from Ms Tsai's slogan of  “Resist China and protect Taiwan”, to the more pacific “Peacefully protect Taiwan”. ◆ VOA Asia Weekly, 2023-3-9: Taiwan's so-called “silicon shield”  semiconductor is building its second US facility in Arizona, But Taiwanese officials worry that U.S. national security may come at a cost to their own.  ◆ Economist, 2023-3-6: Taiwan needs to prioritise becoming a porcupine, but they continue to build big ships and to buy better planes partly as a public-relations exercise. Politicians like to point to arms sales as evidence of American support. Better weapons boost morale.   ◆  full text

　

Honduras ditching Taiwan raises larger geopolitical concerns
AP, Washington Post, The Hill, 2023-3-15 thehill.com/homenews/ap/ap-international/honduras-ditching-taiwan-raises-larger-geopolitical-concerns/   ... a blow to the Biden administration, which has rather fruitlessly tried to convince countries in the region to stick with Taiwan. Taiwan, a U.S. ally,...also exemplifies the American government is “losing it’s grasp on” Latin America
L.A. Times, 2023-3-15 The switch would leave Taiwan recognized by only 13 countries as China spends billions to win recognition of its “one China” policy.   msn.com/en-us/news/world/honduras-to-seek-official-ties-with-china-spurning-its-long-relationship-with-taiwan/ar-AA18EeCH
Bloomberg, 2023-3-15 Tsai Ing-wen has worked to raise the self-governing island’s profile on the world stage during her tenure. Tsai says Taiwan deserves broader recognition and greater support given its status as a democracy. msn.com/en-us/news/world/taiwan-may-lose-official-ally-as-honduras-mulls-china-switch/ar-AA18Du8h

　

◆  J Post, 2023-3-8:  we must be wary of China’s impatience, which fears undermining its credibility and exposing its national prestige to constant insults and provocations that could put it in a position where it would quickly opt for a military reconquest of Taiwan ◆  FoxNews, 2023-3-7: Why does the U.S. keep on professing the maintenance of regional peace and stability while covertly formulating a plan for the destruction of Taiwan?" Chinese foreign minister Qin asked.  ◆  Reuters, 2023-3-5: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang pledged "peaceful reunification" with Taiwan...Taiwan holds presidential and parliamentary elections in early 2024 and tensions with China are likely to dominate campaigning ◆  USNI, 2023-3-2:  Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl testified before the House Armed Services Committee that he does not think China will attempt to invade Taiwan before 2027.  ◆ Responsible Statecraft, 2023-2-28: The Washington Post: “In the current atmosphere of intense distrust, verbal assurances have to be accompanied by coordinated, reciprocal actions to reduce the risk of a catastrophic crisis.” ◆ Washington Post, ABC news, 2023-2-27: CIA chief:  Xi Jinping has instructed his country's military to “be ready by 2027” to invade Taiwan; China has some doubt on ability to invade Taiwan ◆  New York Times, 2023-2-27: the Chinese are prepared to wage a much broader type of warfare that would reach deep into American society. The U.S. economy is heavily dependent on Chinese resources and manufactured goods ◆ EurAsian Times, 2023-2-26:  "No Boots On Ground': Majority Of US Voters' Chicken Out’ From Sending Soldiers To Taiwan To Battle China ◆  Asia Society Policy Institute, Feb. 2023: evidence from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Congress in 2022 augurs against an invasion or all-out blockade in the short term. PRC might seizure of one or more of the islands currently controlled by the ROC. ◆ Japan Times, 2023-2-24: Japan will, at best, be a (possibly reluctant) follower of a U.S.-led coalition to defend Taiwan...In case Chinese President Xi Jinping attempts to annex Taiwan, the stakes of confronting Beijing will be much higher for Japan and other U.S. partners than facing Moscow is for Europeans. ◆ New York Times, 2023-2-22: Gallagher argued that Taiwan could not be expected to build defense formidable enough to deter Beijing...without the US making good on a backlog of purchase order  ◆ WSJ, Fox News, 2023-2-23: The U.S. is preparing to send 100 to 200 troops to Taiwan for training amid rising tensions with China; The Wall Street Journal described the planned troop increase in the coming months as the largest deployment of American forces in Taiwan in decades. ◆  Washington Examiner, 2023-2-23:  Taiwan views Russia's war in Ukraine as a fate that could await it if it doesn't take the proper steps needed to defend its democratic island nation from a potential Chinese invasion.◆ TIME, 2023-2-23: Winning the tech war with China depended entirely upon persuading U.S. allies—particularly Taiwan, the Netherlands, and Japan—to follow the U.S. lead and adopt similar export control regulations    

　

 ◆ Aljazeera, 2023-2-23: CIA Director William Burns recently said although Xi was likely “unsettled” by Russia’s failures in Ukraine, he had still told China’s military to be ready to invade Taiwan by 2027. ◆ Economist, 2023-2-18: China still relies on Russia for certain crucial military components, which makes the friendship central to any plans China might have to invade Taiwan  (CBS  2023-2-19: China considering providing "lethal support" to aid Russian invasion of Ukraine, Blinken says)  ◆ Japan Times, 2023-2-19:  There is no evidence that China is in a hurry to attack Taiwan, despite a number of U.S. government and military officials citing 2027 or even 2025 as a potential deadline for forcible unification ◆ Daily Express, 2023-2-17: A "proxy war" between China and the US over Taiwan could happen during the Biden presidency  ◆ Washington Examiner, 2023-2-17:  New House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman: Ukraine is capable of fighting on their own if we give them the weapons. Taiwan cannot fight this war alone, even if we gave them the weapons.  ◆ Washington Post, 2023-2-3: (China's) state-run People's Daily said the United States must drop its “obsession” with containing China.  ◆ Washington Post, 2023-2-2: Japan must do more, and faster, to avert war over Taiwan...Crudely, Japan seems to be prepared to push back against only Chinese assets that are clearly poised to attack its sovereign territory. ◆ US Naval Institute, 2023-2-1:  The US and Taiwan should plan a defense strategy centered on defeating China in an urban war;  it is possible that using the geography of the island and its urban citadels is the best hope of success in the face of PLA overmatch ◆ Forbes, 2023-2-2: The United States Could Defend Taiwan—At The Cost Of A Lot Of Submarines  ◆ Forbes, 2023-1-31: China's lack of capacity for amphibious assault as evidence that it will not be ready for war so quickly.  China's use of civilian ferries in military exercises makes it difficult to predict when, and if, China will invade Taiwan. ◆ Wall Street Journal, 2023-1-26:  Will the U.S. Really Defend Taiwan? Washington is strategically unprepared for a crisis and Biden's policies are hampering deterrence  ◆ USA Today, 2023-1-20: Taiwan's envoy to the US says her island has learned lessons from Ukraine's war that will help it deter, defend against an attack by China. Among the lessons: preparing for the kind of all-of-society fight Ukrainians are waging against Russia  ◆ Bloomberg, 2023-1-21: A more effective structure would de-emphasize vulnerable combat aircraft and surface ships and emphasize instead land-based anti-air and anti-ship capabilities. This is what some commentators have called the "porcupine strategy"  ◆ War On The Rocks, 2023-1-20:  Training, Not Arms Sales, Should Be the New Priority ◆  WSJ, 2023-1-19: The Heritage Foundation's latest 'Index of U.S. Military Strength' warns of declining power in the U.S. Navy and Air Force. Taiwan  is ramping up its spending on defense but its conscription and readiness are underwhelming. ◆ Economist, 2023-1-19: TSMC  is playing a subtle game of diplomacy in which its business interests come first  

　

World's Best Hospitals 2023
by Newsweek & Statista
comparison among Asia's selected 12 countries
newsweek.com/rankings/worlds-best-hospitals-2023

Asia's rank

country

total number of top 250  hospitals
1 Japan 18
2 S. Korea 18
3 Australia 7
4 Singapore 5
5 Israel 3
6 India 3
7 Thailand 1
8 UAE 1
9 Taiwan 1
10 Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Indonesia 0
Taiwan's NTU Hospital ranks world No. 249
Asia's China, etc are not included in survey list - 28 countries in total
Why is Taiwan behind ?

(1) Taiwan got highest CovID death rate in Asia and entire world several times. /  "Medicine should be prescribed but not prescribed, medicine should be taken but not taken" bad record of "failure to administer CovID remedy/medicine in time".  Bloomberg, 2021-7-25: Taiwan's medical care system is also run on a tight budget to keep costs affordable.  Newsweek: These are challenging times for hospitals. COVID-19 put unprecedented stress on health systems.

(2) Not patient-centered /  not easy to register clinic and emergency, 7-10 waiting days to be hospitalized, 2-5 minutes for clinic diagnosis, shortage of some excellent medicines and newest equipments, number MDs per 10000 is very low, turnover rate of the nurses is high, some chronic disease items score very low, poor internationalization, no value privacy,  Medical dispute,  problem of Rural patients and the disadvantaged...

　

New York Times,  2023-2-16,  News briefing
CovID death per 100,000 people since 2020
comparison among Asia's countries
Australia Taiwan S. Korea Indonesia Japan New Zealand Singapore China (official count)
74 70 65 59 55 50 30 6
China's official toll includes only infected people who died in hospitals

　

Biden's State of the Union speech - Taiwan war
The Hill, 2023-2-9 Biden's State of the Union speech on Feb. 7 buried these two clear and present dangers simultaneously confronting national security. When is the Biden administration going to recognize that we are essentially in the equivalent of WWIII?
Washington Examiner, 2023-2-1 State of Our Union: Biden's China policy tolerates excessive risks    The Biden administration is playing with fire by refusing to prepare for war.
The Hill, 2023-2-14  In his first State of the Union address in March 2022, President Biden, proclaimed, “In the battle between democracy and autocracy, democracies are rising to the moment";...  if China invaded Taiwan, would the international order really collapse? Would authoritarianism really spread throughout the globe? Is it in the U.S. interest to come to Taiwan’s defense? Are we prepared to send Americans into harm's way?

　

◆ Star & Strips  2023-1-19: Taiwan defense experts expect few US boots on the ground if war breaks out with China  ◆ The WEEK (UK), 2023-1-19:  China's "compounding troubles" —  the demographic challenges, the pandemic and a troubled property market — could prompt President Xi Jingping to take rash action. ◆ TIME, 2023-1-7:  the threat of a costly armed engagement may encourage Beijing to pursue non-military scenarios to try to coerce Taiwan under its control. ◆Washington Post, 2023-1-9: Taiwan needs to be prepared to withstand a lengthy siege but has not stockpiled nearly enough energy, food, medicine or ammunition. It has only about 10 days of natural gas supplies in reserve... Unfortunately, a lot of Taiwanese still don’t seem to grasp how perilous their situation is.  ◆The WEEK (UK), 2023-1-10:  Bloomberg:“calls growing” among American politicians for a commitment to get involved if Beijing invades the island. ◆ Forbes, 2023-1-9:  the extended-range JASSM-ER that helped to win the war in CSIS War game ◆ Financial Times, 2023-1-2: Taiwan's move to extend military conscription will not address broader strategic shortfalls... expert has long urged them to build a territorial defence force, a force which could operate as an urban guerrilla under a more decentralised command ◆ The Hill, 2022-12-30: Mark Esper says Taiwan is “not prepared enough” for a potential Chinese invasion ◆ The Guardian, 2022-12-30: Extending conscription may make Taiwan feel safer – but at the cost of alienating its young people  ◆ Deutsche Welle, 2022-12-30: US support for Taiwan is double edged: both essential to its survival, and risking dragging Taiwan into a much bigger conflict. ◆ Reuters, 2022-12-28: China's government criticised Taiwan on Wednesday for seeking to use the Taiwanese people as "cannon fodder" by extending compulsory military service from four months to one year starting in 2024  ◆ Insider, 2022-12-29: Easton: It would be very difficult and dangerous for the PLA to try to move on Taiwan proper without first suppressing Kinmen, the Penghus, and the Matsu islands (with a substantial number of missiles ) ◆Wall Street Journal, 2022-12-28:  Military conscription is a good start, but leaders in Taipei need to act with greater urgency still  

　

New York Times, 2023-1-5: The Nuclear waste dump on Lanyu island created a generation of indigenous activists. "The government deceived us" the pastor said , "They didn't care that the nuclear waste would kill us, that the Tao people would go extinct". Despite the government's repeated promises to relocate the site, the dump remains. Now, some residents run inns and restaurants on Lanyu. the focus these days is on tourism


 ◆ Politico, 2022-12-27:  The U.S. has pledged to deploy so much firepower to the Indo-Pacific in 2023 that China won't even consider invading Taiwan. Lawmakers and allies say it’s already too late ◆  France 24, 2022-12-26: Seventy-one warplanes deployed by China in war drills - the largest reported incursion to date ◆ Modern War Institute at West point, 2022-12-19: Taiwan has mostly accepted the need to shift to a “porcupine strategy” ... implementation has been slow. And Taiwan has neglected to cultivate the guerrilla-style resistance forces that will be necessary to counter an occupation. ◆ Politico (eu), 2022-12-20: the consequences of war in Asia would be just as devastating for the Continent.  if Taiwan wants to alter Beijing's cost-benefit calculus and deter an invasion, it must move boldly and quickly to bolster its defense. ◆  1945, 2022-12-12:  the likelihood of a Chinese move to take Taiwan by force is as close to inevitable as it gets. The reason: in China's thinking that the United States has embarked on a course to prevent Taiwan from ever reunifying with China ◆ National Interest, 2022-12-11: China Isn’t Ready to Invade Taiwan - two major challenges: unfinished military modernization and high casualty potential  ◆   Economist,2022-11-29:  many Taiwanese are tired of squabbles over national identity, especially after Ms Tsai's refusal last year to accept an offer of much-needed vaccines from China  ◆ DW (Germany), 2022-11-26: China said the midterm election result shows that "mainstream public opinion in the island is for peace, stability and a good life ◆ Washington Post, 2022-11-23: Despite consistent prodding from Washington, however, Taipei is also not nationalistic enough in the sense that it hasn’t engaged in the kind of military preparation necessary to deter an attack. Its political leaders are reluctant to reduce their dependence on U.S. protection 

　

NBC, 2022-12-27: Taiwan to extend military conscription to one year, citing threat from China
WSJ, 2022-12-27 a once politically unpalatable move that has become imperative in the face of growing concerns about a Chinese attack and intensifying competition between Washington and Beijing. wsj.com/articles/taiwan-to-extend-mandatory-military-service-11672129529
PBS, AP,  2022-12-27 The White House welcomed the announcement on conscription reform, saying it underscores Taiwan’s commitment to self-defense and strengthens deterrence...mong the youngest demographic group of 20-24, however,  only 35.6 percent said they would support an extension pbs.org/newshour/world/taiwan-extends-compulsory-military-service-from-4-months-to-1-year
CNN, 2022-12-27  Chinese soldiers can only make an amphibious landing after taking control of the air and the sea...before they land, there will likely be bombing and blockade, and we need people to deliver goods and guide residents to air raid shelters  edition.cnn.com/2022/12/27/asia/taiwan-military-conscription-intl-hnk/index.html
Washington Post, 12-27 It had been a widely debated topic for a long time, but faced with Chinese threats, the government was left little room to be hesitant   washingtonpost.com/world/2022/12/27/taiwan-military-mandatory-service-china/
Mainichi Japan , 2022-12-28 The change is said to have come at the request of the United States
 mainichi.jp/english/articles/20221227/p2g/00m/0in/058000c
GT (China), 2022-12-27 "a deplorable decision" made under US pressure  /   the DPP authorities might incorporate some conscripts into the "cyber army" to engage in collecting intelligence and conduct information warfare against the mainland, given their relatively weak capabilities on the real battlefield. ...expecting that the US may ask Taiwan authorities to increase the defense budget to purchase more US weapons and ensure the island's military is in line with US strategy. globaltimes.cn/page/202212/1282753.shtml    12-27

　

◆ Economist, 2022-11-24: Where might conflict flare up in 2023?  Keep an eye on Taiwan and the South China Sea—and the Himalayas ◆   Wall Street Journal, 2022-11-23:  ...the persistent fecklessness of Taiwanese government's defense policy, whose bottom line is that the island should be defended by others while Taiwan's youth can continue to play video games.◆ Economist, 2022-11-18: Will Taiwan be the Ukraine of Asia? The status quo is breaking down, making war more likely   ◆ Fortune, 2022-11-19:  U.S. restrictions on selling advanced computer chips to China could make invading Taiwan more tempting to Beijing. U.S. faces ‘immediate Great Depression’ if China seizes Taiwan’s semiconductor industry ◆ CNN's meanwhile in China, 2022-11-14:  For Beijing, no red line is starker or more crucial than its claim over Taiwan ...The Chinese believe the US goal is to keep China down so we can contain it. And the US believes China's goal is to make the world safer for authoritarian states, push the US out of Asia and weaken its alliance system  

　

★  Can "silicon shield" protect Taiwan?
CNN, 2022-12-9 Taiwan worries about losing its ‘silicon shield’  /  TSMC's presence gives a strong incentive to the West to defend Taiwan against any attempt by China to take it by force...Chiu (a lawmaker) claimed that the chip giant was under political pressure to move its operations and its most advanced technology to the US.  edition.cnn.com/2022/12/09/tech/taiwan-tsmc-chips-hnk-intl/index.html 
Global Times, 2022-12-9 Alarm is sounded after TSMC becomes ‘USSMC’  / it will be a key event marking a dark turn in the development history of the global semiconductor industry...Political pressure from Washington and subsidies and inducements are throughout the construction of TSMC’s plant in the US.  the DPP authorities are even more shameful. Not only do they have no resistance to US’ behavior of hollowing out Taiwan, but they act proactively, with their words and actions full of servility to Washington.    globaltimes.cn/page/202212/1281494.shtml
Bloomberg, 2022-10-7 some advocate the US make clear to China that it would destroy TSMC facilities if the island was occupied...Such a “scorched-earth strategy” scenario appeared in the November 2021 issue of the US Army War College Quarterly.    finance.yahoo.com/news/taiwan-tensions-spark-round-us-090131394.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall
Financial Times, 2022-12-12  TSMC's investments in the US and elsewhere are stoking fears over ‘hollowing out’ of Taiwan's economy... Premier Su has already stated that  TSMC is not free to transfer its technology wherever it wishes  ft.com/content/2408b289-dbf4-40db-87db-eb272aef68b9
Reuters, 2022-12-6 Taiwan seeks to reassure on TSMC commitment to island despite U.S. investment   msn.com/en-us/money/markets/taiwan-seeks-to-reassure-on-tsmc-commitment-to-island-despite-u-s-investment/ar-AA14ZR39
New York Times, 2022-12-6 In Phoenix, a Taiwanese Chip Giant Builds a Hedge Against China ...But the company set a limit on the factory’s level of production technology  nytimes.com/2022/12/06/technology/tsmc-chips-factory-phoenix.html
TIME, 2022-10-5 Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen recently argued in Foreign Affairs that the island's chip industry is a “‘silicon shield’ that allows Taiwan to protect itself and others from aggressive attempts by authoritarian regimes to disrupt global supply chains.” That's a highly optimistic way of looking at the situation.  time.com/6219318/tsmc-taiwan-the-center-of-the-world/
New York Times, 2022-9-9 Taiwan is protected by something far more subtle —The "silicon shield"...If it is clear that China will be better off with a steady flow of chips from Taiwan, peace is likely to prevail
New York Times, 2022-8-29 Analysts debate how much protection China's reliance on Taiwan gives it.  Some argue that calculations over supply chains are insignificant in a decision over war.
 National Interest, 2022-5-15 Taiwan's “silicon shield”—the name for a strategy that entrusts the island's defense to both Chinese and American reliance on its semiconductors—is an outmoded concept that burdens the United States, emboldens Taiwan, and fails to deter China
VOA News, 2021-5-10 Song Hong, assistant general director at the Institute of World Economics and Politics under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences  shrugged off the geopolitical implications of Taiwan’s silicon shield, saying that China views Taiwanese issues as domestic affairs and will not be deterred from its goals by U.S. action
AIT (US), 2021-5-22 Taiwan should not regard TSMC as a guaranteed security blanket.  
Fox News, 2022-8-26  Why would the U.S. fight China over Taiwan, Trade is the key reason and the aforementioned importance of semiconductor production is the glue
New York Times, 2022-1-25 75 percent of production takes place in East Asia.  Ninety percent of the most advanced chips are made in Taiwan...China could use economic coercion, cyberoperations and hybrid tactics to try to seize or harm Taiwan's semiconductor industry — Biden promised he would work to bring production of semiconductor chips back to the United States.  nytimes.com/2022/01/26/us/politics/computer-chip-shortage-taiwan.html
 CBS News, 2022-9-25 Blinken said. "[Which is] one of the reasons we're now investing so heavily in our own capacity to produce semiconductors here in the United States. We designed them, but the actual production is done in a handful of places, and Taiwan produces most of them… The effects that that would have on the global economy would be devastating."

 
Taiwan dominates the global production of computer chips /
◆  BBC, 2022-1-12, source: The Military Balnce, IISS 2021
Taiwan S. Korea China Other
65% 18% 5% 12%

news.yahoo.com/china-taiwan-really-simple-guide-142542268.html
　
　

　

◆Washington Examiner, 2022-11-11: commander of U.S. Strategic Command: This Ukraine crisis  is just the warmup, the Taiwan war may be the next world war ◆  NY Times, briefing, 2022-11-11: Biden has taken a bolder stance on Taiwan than previous U.S. presidents. ◆ SCMP, 2022-11-10: General Mark Milley vows military support for Taiwan ◆ Economist, 2022-11-10: International attention is always welcome in Taiwan's quest for global recognition ◆  DW (Germany), 2022-11-8: Beijing denies having an accelerated timeline on Taiwan "reunification" ◆ Washington Times, 2022-11-8:  It would take at least a decade to design and build new types of ships and aircraft to counter China's threats... US Forces in the Indo-Pacific   may not be able to defend Taiwan successfully today ◆ National Interest, 2022-11-4: Washington should mediate a political solution  between Moscow and Kyiv and refocus its global efforts on deterring Beijing from invading Taiwan  ◆  USNI, 2022-11-7: Pentagon official: China will increase pressure on Taiwan in next two years rather than invade  ◆ Times of India, Next Shark, Yahoo, 2022-10-29:  Vladimir Putin declares Taiwan is 'inherent part' of China, blames 'granny' Nancy Pelosi for provoking the Taiwan-China conflict ( is expected to have long-standing impacts)  ◆ US News, 2022-10-27:  Russia's Sechin Says U.S. attempts to create its own complex microchip industry showed that "Taiwan's return to its native harbour" was "on schedule"  ◆ SCMP, 2022-11-3: China has no time frame for Taiwan reunification, even if US says so ◆ WarOnTheRocks, 2022-10-28: U.S. support for Ukraine and other dynamics have led some to question if the current administration is truly prioritizing Taiwan  ◆ SCMP, 2022-10-30: Tsai administration accused of stalling decision due to plan's unpopularity with young voters; Better training needed if Taiwan extends mandatory military service, experts say ◆  Voice of America, 2022-10-22:  Analysts say even though Beijing doesn't want to go to war to reunify the two sides, it may feel forced to do so if the current trend of U.S.-Taiwan relations continues  ◆ BBC, 2022-10-18: China is pursuing unification with Taiwan "on a much faster timeline" than previously expected, Blinken says, Beijing had decided the status quo was no longer acceptable ◆ New York Times, 2022-10-20:  The longer, written version of Xi's speech also stated that China has strengthened its “strategic initiative for China’s complete reunification,” suggesting greater urgency for its future plans   ◆  full text

　

◆ Newsweek, 2022-10-21: Beijing has responded to the U.S. Navy's warning of a potential Chinese attack on Taiwan as soon as this year by cautioning Washington against any intervention on the sensitive geopolitical issue ◆ Daily Express, 2022-10-21: the 'Weakness' of US could 'encourage' China's efforts to blockade Taiwan; Experts urged the US to stand firm against Beijing ◆ The Diplomat, 2022-10-21:  recent polling has indicated over 50 percent of Americans support coming to Taiwan’s defense if an invasion were to occur ◆ CNBC, 2022-10-18: Political watchers say the (CCP Congress) speech showed that Xi is not be keen to take Taiwan by force ◆ New York Times, 2022-10-17: China's leader warns of “perilous, stormy seas" ahead ◆ USNI news, 2022-10-18:  China is looking to speed up its timeline for taking control of Taiwan to 2027  ◆ NPR, 2022-10-18: there's evidence to suggest that from China's point of view, what they really want is control, not that kind of symbolic unification ◆ Washington Post, 2022-10-12: Xi's looming third term in China raises threat of war over Taiwan... “Before, leaders talked about unification as something to be achieved in the long run. Now, it's number one on the agenda.”◆ Wall Street Journal, 2022-10-10: Mr. Xi may be disinclined to wait, given the risk of a more assertive president in Taipei in May 2024 or Washington in January 2025. Beijing's recent rhetoric has been consistent with this hypothesis ◆ Economist, 2022-10-10:  In Washington, there is talk of intelligence that the pla has been told to be in a position to take Taiwan by 2027...The liberal political order is at stake  

　

★ Chinese Communist Party Congress  

◆ CNBC, 2022-10-18 Political watchers say the (CCP Congress) speech showed that Xi is not be keen to take Taiwan by force
◆ NY Times, 2022-10-16 China is still exerting what Xi also uses in the speech — ‘strategic patience'
◆ LA Times, 2022-10-16 Chinese Communist Party Congress affords another step for Xi Jinping's consolidation of power

 ◆  full text 

　

◆ CBS News,2022-10-9: while much of the world thought an invasion might be imminent, polls showed that a majority of Taiwanese think that is unlikely any time soon, if ever..."This is not a matter of if they will invade, it's a matter of when they will invade" ◆  NY Times, 2022-10-5:  the U.S. was intensifying efforts to build a giant stockpile of weapons in Taiwan, turning it into a “porcupine” bristling with armaments to discourage aggression from mainland China ◆ Forbes, 2022-10-3: Defense Secretary Austin: Chinese Invasion Of Taiwan Not 'Imminent'; “What we do see is China moving to establish what we would call a new normal". ◆ Chicago Tribune, 2022-9-23: Biden pokes at China again over Taiwan. At what cost to US national interests?  if China needs to be confronted militarily (and that's unlikely), Taiwan is precisely the wrong place to try to do that ◆ CBS News,2022-9-18: Biden tells <60 Minutes> U.S. forces, U.S. men and women would defend Taiwan, but White House says this is not official U.S. policy ◆ Wall Street Journal,2022-9-19: China Is Capable of Blockading Taiwan, U.S. Navy Commander Says◆ NY Times,2022-9-10: Drones -the latest front in China's mounting campaign of intimidation and psychological warfare  ◆ NY Times, 2022-9-4: Washington is increasingly wary that an emboldened China might invade Taiwan in the coming years. NY Times, 2022-8-25: China could try to impose a blockade to force the island into concessions or as a precursor to wider military action  ◆ NY Times, 2022-8-21: critics argued the tensions over Taiwan showed that Washington needed stronger military and economic strategies. ◆ Moscow Times (Russia), 2022-8-2: Russia Condemns Potential Pelosi Visit to Taiwan as ‘Provocation’ and accuses Washington of choosing "the path of confrontation." ◆ SCMP, 2022-8-21: PLA adopts nuclear deterrence to stop foreign intervention on Taiwan: analysts ◆ NY Times, 2022-8-11: Taiwan, which has struggled with accidents and morale in the face of such a would-be foe as China. By many accounts, Taiwan's forces are poorly equipped and understaffed ◆ Economist, 2022-8-10: Ms Pelosi's visit has allowed Beijing to move to a new level of military activity unchallenged, which will make it harder for America to defend Taiwan. ◆ New York Times, 2022-8-7: After China's Military Spectacle, Options Narrow for Winning Over Taiwan   

　

No guarantee that U.S. military will hold the same view as Biden to defend Taiwan ★
♣ Foreign Policy, Politico, 2022-10-2: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin declined to directly endorse President Joe Biden’s statement that the U.S. military would defend Taiwan   politico.com/news/2022/10/02/lloyd-austin-china-taiwan-biden-00059922
 ♣ The Hill, 2022-10-3: US defense chief sidesteps questions on Biden’s pledge to defend Taiwan news.yahoo.com/us-defense-chief-sidesteps-questions-200504858.html		 ♣ VICE, 2022-9-28:  no guarantee that the next U.S. president will hold the same view as Biden, given the lack of a formal commitment by the U.S. military to intervene in the event of an attack by the PLA  vice.com/en/article/m7gp7v/taiwan-defense-china-invasion-conscripts

　

★  Biden :  "U.S. forces, U.S. men and women would defend Taiwan"

CNN (US), 2022-9-20 looks like the US has moved from ambiguity to deterrence...  Biden's remarks don't necessarily equate to how he would behave in a real crisis. edition.cnn.com/2022/09/19/world/joe-biden-taiwan-answer-analysis/index.html  
Bloomberg, 2022-9-20 Such comments will do more to feed Beijing's sense of urgency than they will bolster deterrence” Taiwan's leaders could move closer to independence     msn.com/en-us/news/world/biden-s-vow-to-defend-taiwan-makes-us-policy-shift-explicit/ar-AA123qxX
Japan Times (Japan), 2022-9-20 Cornell prof. called Biden's remarks “dangerous",  this new combo (a pledge to send troops + decisions about independence are Taiwan’s) suggests an unconditional commitment, U.S. is issuing Taiwan a blank check japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/09/20/asia-pacific/politics-diplomacy-asia-pacific/biden-taiwan-remarks-uncertainty/
The Guardian (UK), 2022-9-21 the president's remarks are provocative to Beijing without providing security to Taiwan or the US,  Biden is conveying anxiety rather than confidence  ... theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/sep/21/biden-taiwan-comments-china-war-independence
DW (Germany), 2022-9-19 scholars: "it can lead to very different results than what Biden might be thinking he has the capacity to do,"," US "strategic ambiguity is becoming more strategic and less ambiguous." dw.com/en/biden-us-forces-would-defend-taiwan-if-china-invades/a-63166248
Le Monde (France), 2022-9-19 Alors que l’occupant de la Maison Blanche a tenu des propos forts sur le dossier taïwanais dimanche soir, la Chine a dénoncé « une grave violation de [son] engagement important à ne pas soutenir l’indépendance de Taïwan .   lemonde.fr/international/article/2022/09/19/joe-biden-affirme-que-les-etats-unis-defendraient-taiwan-en-cas-d-invasion-chinoise_6142183_3210.html
 France 24 (France), 2022-9-19  most explicit statement so far on the issue, something sure to anger Beijing.。Biden's Asia policy czar, Kurt Campbell, has in the past rejected any move to "strategic clarity" over Taiwan, saying there were "significant downsides" to such an approach”msn.com/en-gb/news/world/biden-says-us-forces-would-defend-taiwan-if-china-invades/ar-AA11YIsO
Daily Express (UK), 2022-9-19 Bonnie Glaser: " if Mr Biden makes such pledges he needs the "capability" to back them up, If President Biden plans to defend Taiwan, then he should make sure the U.S. military has the capability to do so", “"Rhetorical support that isn't backed up by real capabilities is unlikely to strengthen deterrence"  express.co.uk/news/world/1671100/Joe-Biden-Taiwan-China-Xi-Jinping-CBS-Nancy-Pelosi-White-House-ont
Bloomberg (US), 2022-9-19 Expert Bonnie Glaser: “China has long assumed that the US would intervene to defend Taiwan, so these statements don’t change PLA plans”, Prof. Lev Nachman: “The worry is that this will exacerbate Taiwan's current high-tension moment rather than reduce it.。” Bloomberg     msn.com/en-us/news/world/biden-says-us-would-defend-taiwan-from-unprecedented-attack/ar-AA11Yf55
Chicago Tribune, 2022-9-23 At what cost to US national interests? if China needs to be confronted militarily (and that's unlikely), Taiwan is precisely the wrong place to try to do that  chicagotribune.com/opinion/commentary/ct-opinion-taiwan-china-biden-tensions-20220922-tjd6rxcmozgunew3djsycoodsa-story.html
Modern Diplomacy.eu, 2022-2-25 Under the Budapest Memorandum, the US and UK promised to ensure Ukraine's security, geographical integrity and sovereignty, but, the world has seen that both the US and UK have not fulfilled their promise.  moderndiplomacy.eu/2022/02/25/ukraine-is-betrayed-by-the-us-and-uk/
Washington Post (US), 2022-9-19 Biden’s most hawkish comments on Taiwan yet  /  The implications for that are huge. This is still in the realm of the hypothetical  washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/09/19/biden-taiwan-china-defense/
Global Times (CHN) , 2022-9-19 his most explicit answer so far on the question, which analysts believe suggested a shifting process in Washington's decades-long "strategic ambiguity" policy  ...not only his personal views, but also those in his White House team and various political forces on Capitol Hill.  China clearly knows that the US is trying to erode its "one-China policy." If the US moves further toward such "strategic clarity" that is entirely targeted against the Chinese mainland and supports Taiwan's pro-independence behaviors, we will certainly have diplomatic, military and economic countermeasures for them, Xin said.   globaltimes.cn/page/202209/1275600.shtml 
The Conversation  (Australia),
2022-9-20		 so does this support mean economic aid, supply of weapons or U.S. boots on the ground? China and Taiwan are left guessing if – and to what extent – the U.S. will be involved in any China-Taiwan conflict.    news.yahoo.com/biden-again-indicates-us-defend-181440760.html

　

  "Taiwan's midterms"

♣ CNN, 2022-11-27: Taiwan's President billed midterms as all about China. The pro-independence DPP's losses come as a heavy blow for Tsai as she had tried to frame the election – as a way to send a message against Beijing's rising bellicosity toward the island.   edition.cnn.com/2022/11/27/asia/taiwan-election-analysis-intl-hnk/index.html
 ♣ Reuters,  2022-11-27: Tsai had tried to frame the elections as more than just a local vote, saying the world is watching how Taiwan defends its democracy amid tensions with China... But her strategy failed to win public support.   Taiwan democracy
　

♣ DPP-friendly mass media FTV (民視, 2022-11-28, 2022-11-27; ftvnews.com.tw/video/detail/h0489vFQzf4,  youtube.com/watch?v=2Nn4iEsCHGA, etc ) analyzed that one main factor causing DPP drubbed in local vote is war fears growing, which is why " Taiwan president strategy 'resist China and defend Taiwan' backfires" (Reuters, 2022-11-27).
　

media

comments
Wall Street Journal, 2022-11-28 Taiwan Ruling Party's election drubbing could ease tension with China and persuade Chinese leaders that they can peacefully influence politics there.  wsj.com/articles/taiwan-ruling-partys-election-drubbing-could-ease-tensions-with-china-11669645587?siteid=yhoof2&yptr=yahoo
Independent (UK), 2022-11-27 Tsai's DPP campaigned on the political anger against China's stance towards Taiwan, the KMT focussed more on the self-ruled island’s democracy and freedom; Its campaign also pointed to whether the government favoured a local vaccine over imported ones.   msn.com/en-gb/news/world/taiwan-election-president-tsai-ing-wen-resigns-as-ruling-party-chair-after-disastrous-results/ar-AA14BJm0
Global Times (China),
2022-11-28		 A loud "No" to DPP authorities' policies on a wide range of topics related to people's livelihoods including the chaotic COVID-19 response and the failure to rein in rising prices, and also demonstrated that Tsai Ing-wen''s "China threat bet" has backfired.  Such results proved the mainstream public opinion on the island was for peace.  Besides, failures in handling frequent scandals violating "values" it boasted about,  corruption, black gold politics and nepotism severely violated what the DPP had pledged to the people,  in many cases DPP sacrificed the interests of ordinary people and local companies such as relaxing a ban on food imports from Japan's sites of Fukushima nuclear disaster, and the US pork with ractopamine, DPP appeared to be incapable of handling the prices and livelihoods crises, and have also mulled lengthening the mandatory military service, a very unpopular idea among the youth.    globaltimes.cn/page/202211/1280569.shtml
WSWS.org, 2022-12-1 Taiwan currently has the second-highest CovID-19 deaths per million.  While economic and social issues were major factors in the election, the result also reflects real fears about Taiwan being transformed into a US pawn for a war with China  wsws.org/no/articles/2022/12/01/bqmc-d01.html

　

◆ Reuters, 2022-8-7: The ability to enforce a blockade would give Beijing leverage to bring Taiwan to the negotiating table ;A former Chinese defence official :"Seeing how the U.S. and its allies responded to the drills, how confident can Taiwan leaders be in counting on them to come to the rescue should the PLA attack?"  ◆ New York Times, 2022-8-2: China is preparing a hostile response of some sort...This is an exceptionally dangerous situation, perhaps more so than Ukraine  ◆ NY Times, 2022-7-28: The United States and China are on a collision course in the Taiwan Strait. China may soon be capable of seizing democratically ruled Taiwan — even in a fight with the United States. ◆  CNN,2022-7-29: Pelosi's possible visit potentially triggers the worst cross-strait crisis in decades ... the escalating tension barely made headline news in Taiwan this week. Taiwan has made few comments about the situation.  ◆ NY Times, 2022-7-25: Chinese leaders might try to move against the self-governing island over the next year and a half — perhaps by trying to cut off access to all or part of the Taiwan Strait  ◆ CNN,2022-7-25: Under Xi, a rising wave of nationalism has swept China, and support for "reuniting" with Taiwan — possibly by force — is running high ◆ Washington Post, 2022-7-23: Many Asian leaders have voiced fears that Russia’s effort to take over Ukraine could embolden China to move aggressively into Taiwan ◆ le Monde (France), 2022-7-21: China appears determined on using force in Taiwan ◆ DW (Germany),2022-7-22: Japan defense report warns Russia's invasion of Ukraine could encourage China to act against Taiwan ◆ Business Insider, 2022-7-21: CIA chief: the Ukraine war likely won't shake China's resolve to invade Taiwan ◆ FoxNews, 2022-7-20: CIA director 'wouldn't rule out' near-term Taiwan invasion ◆  Asia Nikkei (Japan), 2022-7-20:  Taiwan's ex-defense chief calls for sweeping military reforms  ◆ full text

　


China Taiwan issue in Le Monde diplomatic
　

pic. : Le Monde diplomatique
of France

depictes Taiwan-China issue
as :

 Taiwan, a trembling sweating rat ,
 turning its back on an
approaching huge cat (China),
lifting high the banner "$O$" . 



  artwork by Selcuk Demirel,  Mai '16
https://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/2016/05/BEAULANDE/55450

　

　

　

　

  Intro. to Taiwan

　

"We call ourselves the Republic of China, Taiwan", president Tsai has told BBC UK at Jan. 15, 2020, but later BBC changed it to "the Republic of China (Taiwan)".  This self-governing island country lies roughly 100 miles off the coast of southeastern China ( Taiwan's small island, Kinmens,  just one mile off China ) .  Taiwan's current population around 24 million is roughly the same as Australia's, close to New York's, but the area of Australia is 207 times larger than Taiwan's, that of NY is about 4 times Taiwan's.  Taipei's housing price is about triple Tokyo's or Singapore's.  Taiwan's climate is subtropical.
　

　 　 　 means you should eat & drink nothing for 29.68 years
 to buy a house
in Taipei
　 area population data , 2023 Ratio of house price to income
UK 7 Taiwan 3 Taiwan Taipei (Taiwan) 29.68
Japan 10 Taiwan 5 Taiwan Tokyo (Japan) 12.65
Australia 207 Taiwan same Singapore 15.73

  

Taiwan's travel and tourism competitiveness is ranked No.10 among Asian nations (WEF,  9-4-2019), ranked about No.13 in Asia & Pacific (Statista, 2-4-2021) , ranked n/a in 2022 (WEF) . Taiwan's higher education is ranked about No.7~9 in the region (QS  UK, Times, Nature Index, ARWU World 2019~2022) ,  Taipei ranks No.53 in EIU's Global Livability Index Ranking 2022.  Taiwan's justice ministry was insufficiently independent and was questioned the impartiality of judges and prosecutors involved in high profile, politically sensitive cases (USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices , 2018, 2019, 2021 ; http://intlhumanrights.com/PoliticalPersecutionsTaiwanENG.htm  ) . CTN opinion (4-12-2019): Taiwan's three presidents should be ashamed of Taiwan's judiciary.  Taiwan's physicians density is almost the last in Asia.  Taiwan was still "in its early days" of building soft power  (abc news Australia, 9-28-2022) .Taiwan's soft power has never entered top 30 before CovID-19, losing Asia-Pacific's Japan, Australia,  NZ, China, Singapore, Korea, UAE, India, Thailand, Qatar in recent years (USC, Portland , Monocle's Soft Power Survey, 2010 ~ 2020)

　

To contrast China's 'authoritarian', Westerners gave too many fulsome compliments to Taiwan's democracy, however, Taiwan's democracy  is at surface level.  USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices (2022-4-12, 2021-3-30):  There were allegations of vote buying by candidates and supporters of both major political parties in Presidential election in 2020.  Besides, Taiwan lacks good separation & balance of powers between the ruling party and the opposition, the executive and the legislative, the government and the media.  New York Post (4-25-2020) comments that Taiwan deals with CovID-19 with "a lot more authoritarian".  Global Times, 2022-8-11: under the guise of "democracy", the DPP authorities are practicing "green terror".  Taiwan's ruling party, DPP's official website : human rights abuses occur anywhere and anytime in Taiwan (https://www.gotv.ctitv.com.tw/2020/12/1648383.htm). 

　

Economist at 2022-11-29 reported many Taiwanese are tired of squabbles over national identity, especially after president Tsai's refusal to accept an offer of much-needed vaccines from China during a severe coronavirus outbreak.   Guardian, 2021-7-12: Taiwan has rejected China's offers as fake altruism. ... putting politics above its people The priority of the CovID vaccination is to draw votes (electoral interest) instead of saving human lives, which is "cold-blood", "losing their souls " (ref. to China Times, 2021-9-7, United Daily, 2021-9-12, Guardian, 2021-8-14). 

　

 Taiwan's press freedom is ranked No.43 in 2020 and 2021.  At end of 2020, Taiwan shuts Pro-China TV channel first ever since Taiwan's liberation, which could have a "chilling effect, strongly impacting press freedom".   The Liberty Times, 1-12-2020, editorial: The administration's rottenness smells already.... It has shown a retrogressive trend in recent years, the freedom of speech, publication, assembly etc were persecuted by excuses such as national security (NHU paper, Jun. '20). Taiwan not only harm its democracy for national security, but also harm its national security for democracy. 

　

Now China keeps inching closer to Taiwan, Economist (2021-5-1) describes Taiwan as "The most dangerous place on Earth", western experts (e.g., Foreign Policy, 4-5-2021, 10-28-2020, Financial Times (UK), 7-12-2020 ) advise Taiwan to make urgent defense reforms such as lengthening the existing four-month conscription and improving reservist systems, but, Taiwanese politicians are afraid to discuss this issue with the public because of electoral realities, Taiwan's leaders don't want to shift to a policy which could be deeply unpopular among the young voters courted by the ruling party (DPP), according to Foreign Policy (10-19-2020).  N.Y. Times, 2022-6-19: 'A Looming Threat'  ──  but "politicians have electoral considerations".   Most younger generation don't want to be soldiers (China Times, 2022-9-28: 81.5% oppose one-year compulsory military service ).  Financial Times (UK), 2021-9-15 : Washington keeps scolding Taipei over its supposed lack of preparation against an ever mightier Beijing.  New York Times criticized Taiwan's nearly two million reservists "exist in name only" - Eventually, in Dec. 2022, Taiwan extends its mandatory military service - still shorter than that of Singapore, Israel, S. Korea... and president Tsia denied the decision was made under US pressure - it's a lie.    

　

The People's Republic of China (PRC) has identified that Taiwan as part of its territory and its most important core interest, since the Kuomintang (Nationalists or KMT) government retreated to the island in 1949 following defeat in the Chinese civil war.  Beijing regards reunification of the mainland and Taiwan is priceless  and a   "sacred mission” ,  'do or die' prestige issue,  and has traditionally used a double strategy  of “carrot and stick”  towards Taiwan, on one hand, it has vowed to reunite this "breakaway province" by force if necessary, and has been ramping up military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan since president Tsai I.W. (2016 ~) refused to recognise the "1992 consensus" a 'pseudo'-agreement made by Taiwan's KMT party and the Chinese Communist Party, that proclaimed "the existence of only one China ”, but “ with different interpretations ” (being free to decide which side was legitimate.).  In early 2019,  CCP Xi openly equates One Country Two Systems with the 1992 Consensus to eliminate other interpretations.   Under China's political development and strengthening its trade ties to our allies, Taiwan is diplomatically isolated, has only 13 formal diplomatic relation allies till Mar., 2023, most of them are little, unknown countries. 

　

On the other hand, China took the "carrots" strategy ─ "Allowance of economic benefits to Taiwan"("讓利" ) so that Taiwanese people may have higher tendency toward unification with China ―― about 52% Taiwanese want closer economic ties with the mainland China.  Brookings, 1-22-2021: Only 23% Taiwanese thought that democracy was more important than economic development.  Washington Post, 2017-1-2:  83 percent chose bread ( economic ties with China) over romance (political independence).  Taiwanese understood this interdependence is unavoidable, but over-dependence is risky. New York Times, 2022-6-22:  To Pressure Taiwan, China Flexes Economic Muscle...  L.A. Times, 2022-7-29: (Taiwan) The country's economy relies on China, its largest trading partner .  Washington Post, 2022-10-21:  42 percent of Taiwan's exports — and 60 percent of its chip exports — go to China.  But after China's largest ever drills around Taiwan to respond Pelosi's visit, New York Times (2022-8-7) comments the policy carrots that China has used to entice Taiwan toward unification may carry even less weight.

　

President Tsai (ruling party DPP) in her inauguration speech at 5-20-2020 reiterated that Taiwan calls for stability in China relations but would reject being ruled by China in the same way Hong Kong is.  Washington Post (7-22-2020) reports: In a major speech in January 2019, Xi offered an ultimatum to Taiwan to come to the table for unification talks or face annexation by force.  Then, in Mar., the PLA warplane crossed the Taiwan Strait "median line" that has served as a "de facto border" (Newsweek, 8-11-2020) or "the de facto cease-fire line" ( Japan's asia nikkei review, 8-13-2020) for the first time since the end of Chinese civil war in 1949 (Newsweek, 8-12-2020). However, Taiwan's government was tight-lipped about this ultimatum, a everyone's life-and-death issue,  according to National Interest (6-16-2020): more than 60.3 percent of the respondents opposed Taiwan's independence if it is followed by China's military invasion...

　

Yomiuri Shimbun, Opinion, 6-22-2017 stated the US is the key to keep the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait ("米国は台湾の防衛力強化を担っており、台湾海峡の平和と安定のカギを握る"。).   The United States,  Taiwan's most important protector,  “acknowledges” there is one China and Taiwan is part of China, but has never officially “recognized” Taiwan as part of China.  The US Congress passed a law ("Taiwan Relations Act") to commit the US to defend Taiwan's sovereignty, and provide necessary 'defensive' services.   After Biden's 4th remark about defending Taiwan in Sept. 2022, it looks like the US has moved from strategic ambiguity to deterrence...  But CNN (2022-9-20) comments Biden's remarks don't necessarily equate to how he would behave in a real crisis.  In Dec. 2022,  the US Senate passed legislation authorizing $10 billion in security aid for Taiwan.

　

Till end of 2022, seeing US' actions on the Taiwan run counter to its clear political promise, the Chinese increasingly and really believe that the U.S. government is “salami slicing” and “hollowing out” the One China policy (US also blames China's salami-slicing behaviors against Taiwan ), as Beijing's ambitions grow and relations between the U.S. and China deteriorate.  Anyway, China has long assumed that the US would intervene to defend Taiwan - maybe not sending their troops.

　

After Vietnam war, Afghanistan withdrawal, and Ukraine-Russia war, Taiwan learns it must defend itself.  But Taiwan's defense budget remains scandalously low.  New York Times, 2022-5-7: US presses Taiwan to buy missiles and smaller arms for asymmetric warfare (suited to win against China);  But some Taiwanese defense officials are resistant.   Foreign Policy (8-20-2020) comments Taiwan just focus on putting up a good show of being tough, buy enough U.S. weapons for display, and pray that Americans come to our rescue (Politico, 3-15-2021:Trump indicated (in 2019) America might not come to Taipei's defense in the event of a Chinese invasion.  ).  Foreign Affairs, 2022-9-14: (US) military's most promising capabilities to counter China will not be ready until the 2030s...This creates a window of vulnerability for Taiwan, most likely between 2024 and 2027.  

　

Taiwan also relies upon its computer chips as "silicon shield" to protect Taiwan, perhaps from a highly optimistic viewpoint.   Taiwan is the source of 90+ % of the most advanced computer chips relying upon importation of key components and advanced technology from the US  and Japan.  WSJ, 2021-6-19: The world relies on one chip maker in Taiwan, leaving everyone vulnerable.  That's one of the reasons we're trying to produce semiconductors here in the United States, Blinken told CBS (2022-9-25), but this will take years to accomplish at the cost of trillions of dollars (National Interest, 2021-9-11) .  Japan's日本経済新聞 (Nikkei news, Nihon keizai shinbun ) comments in May 2020 that the US asking TSMC-Taiwan to build a factory in Arizona as a "Pressure Point" in tech. fight with China (N.Y. Times, 5-19-2020)  may weaken Taiwan's security .  Some analysts argue that calculations over supply chains are insignificant in a decision over war (NY Times, 2022-8-29).

○

Wikipedia (Oct., 2022): Taiwan is the 8th largest economy in Asia (Forbes, 2022-5-15: Taiwan is home to the world's 22nd largest economy), although its high-tech sector is falling behind for lacking of key tech. and its low pay to attract university-educated talent.   Global Wealth Report (Credit Suisse, Sept., 2022) shows Taiwanese' "Median wealth per adult", USD 113,940, is higher than Americans' USD93,270, but nation's share (Credit Suisse, Oct., 2018) world wealth (1.3%) is less than USA(31%), Japan(7.5%), China(16.4%) and Korea(2.2%).

★

★ 

　

　

     Taiwan  reviews              

　

The ROC on Taiwan, has its own constitution, independently elected president and military forces, However, Taiwan's image and brand personality were tarnished or damaged for having benefits by any means, and having principal human rights problems.  What's Taiwan's true colors?

○

 ○

● Ethics of Taiwan politicians : ♣ New Yorker (2022-11-21):  When the Chinese test-fired the ballistic missiles, Tsai Ing-wen didn’t tell the public that they flew over the island; that became known only after it was announced by Japanese leaders. When a Chinese drone flew into Taiwan's airspace, Tsai Ing-wen's government reacted with similar reserve... the government looks like it doesn't know what it's doing,”♣ al jazeera, 2022-5-30:  Taiwan legislature erupts in violence over "secret expenses" bill /  KMT lawmakers try to block bill they say could be used to overturn ex-President Chen Shui-bian’s corruption conviction.   ♣ Guardian, 2021-7-12: China accused Taiwan has rejected China's offers as fake altruism. ... putting politics above its people  ♣ United Daily, 3-11-2021, editorial: smear, fragmentation, low dirty means ... Pan Green's propaganda campaign already beyond the critical point of morality. udn.com/news/story/7338/5309442 ♣ China Times, 3-12-2021: Ruling party ignoring bottom line of morality is grief of the country. ♣ The Liberty Times, editorial (7-21-2020) reports only 2.3% Taiwanese politicians are trustworthy and have professional ethics, according to a survey half year ago,  56% Taiwanese note elected representatives (lawmakers, councilman, etc) care their own interest, only 9.3% think they care "national interest".  ♣ Washington Post (7-22-2020) reports:  In a major speech in January 2019, Xi (Chinese president) offered an ultimatum to Taiwan to come to the table for unification talks or face annexation by force.   However, Taiwan's government was tight-lipped about this ultimatum, so that even famous commentator and analyst  know nothing about it, otherwise pro-Independence Tsai I. W. may not easily continue in presidential office in Jan. 2020, because, according to National Interest (6-16-2020): more than 60.3 percent of the respondents opposed Taiwan's independence if it is followed by China’s military invasion...   Taiwanese personality

○

●  democracy :  ● Economist, 2022-11-29: many Taiwanese are tired of squabbles over national identity, especially after Ms Tsai’s refusal last year to accept an offer of much-needed vaccines from China ... ● Wall Street Journal, 2022-11-28: Taiwan Ruling Party's election drubbing could ease tension with China and persuade Chinese leaders that they can peacefully influence politics there.   ●  US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released at 2022-4-12 :  In 2020 presidential and legislative elections, President Tsai Ing-wen won re-election,...there were allegations of vote buying by candidates and supporters of both major political parties.  ●  al jazeera, 2022-5-30: Taiwan legislature erupts in violence over "secret expenses" bill /  KMT lawmakers try to block bill they say could be used to overturn ex-President Chen Shui-bian’s corruption conviction.● United Daily(聯合報) , 2022-5-9, editorial:  Taiwan's news reports seem to be free, but in recent years, the speech market has tended to be "Homogeneity" (單一化); particularly, the state apparatus controls the media very deeply ● USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices,  2021-3-30: There were allegations of vote buying by candidates and supporters of both major political parties (KMT and DPP) in Presidential election. ● Economist EIU Democracy Index 2019 shows Taiwan is "Flawed democracy", overall score is lower than 2015's and 2016's, the scores of "political culture", "political participation" are low (5.63, 6.11). ● <DW> of Germany (Chinese edition, 12-25-2020) and <RFI> of France (Chinese edition, 12-27-2020) both quoted <Yazhou Zhoukan > (亞洲周刊) criticizing Taiwan's new democratic authoritarianism. ● N.Y. Times  12-3-2019:  soft underbelly of Taiwanese politics: patronage networks.  they continue to allow community leaders, farmers’ associations and even organized-crime figures to buy votes. ● New York Times, 1-11-2020: Taiwan’s young and vibrant, if messy at times, democratic society. ● <China Times> 2-26-2020, editorial: more and more uncontrolled admin. power and withered legislative power, freedom of speech was suppressed by admin. and judicial power at all levels, ...as for political culture, partisan, stand and ideology matter. ● <Foreign Policy>, 2015: Taiwan politics belongs to mega-corporations (not the people) and is controlled by the political parties. ● Apple Daily, editorial, 12-14-2019: Taiwan gov. shows authoritarianism political culture, ignoring and being hostile to those critics.   ● Apple Daily, editorial, 12-7-2019:  in this bad election morality age, Taiwan president becomes a low threshold, min. qualification criteria position, and a laughingstock. ● <UDN> editorial,12-6-2018: Taiwan's democracy exists in name only ...; ● <United Daily News>, editorial opinion, 6-23-2019: The operation of democracy usually strays off most public-opinions, big-data became a sharp-weapon for politicians to manipulate the will of the people ... fail to solve the adverse situation of reversing democracy;  ● <United Daily News>, Opinion, 3-7-2017:  Now it seems hard to keep Taiwan's skin-deep democracy ... the people's "livelihood" was sacrificed for politics ...● <United Daily> editorial 1-8-2020, <UDN> editorial (聯合報社論) 11-14-2019／Taiwan's democracy turns into grave 。 (民主設計的良意，如今變成私欲墳場 https://udn.com/news/story/11321/4163629)  democracy & freedom

○

●  freedom of speech  :  ● US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released at 2023-3-20 : Reporters faced the threat of legal action under the liberal libel laws.● US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released at 2022-4-12 : CTi News was forced off the air after the National Communications Commission declined to renew its broadcast license. Opposition politicians and some academics and commentators claimed the decision was politically motivated retaliation for CTi News’ criticism of the ruling party. ●  RSF, <Reporters Sans Frontieres>, France, 2022-5-3: Taiwan's press freedom situation has been "impaired" by some "serious problems". ●  USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices,  2021-3-30: Opposition politicians and some media outlets criticized these provisions (a new law criminalized receiving direction or funding from prohibited Chinese sources to conduct political activities) as overly broad and potentially detrimental to freedom of expression, including for the press. Opposition politicians and some academics and commentators claimed NCC’s decision not to renew the license was politically motivated retaliation for CTi News’ criticism of the ruling party.  ● Global Times, 2021-3-29 : Taiwan DPP's dark "online army" underbelly in misinformation campaign ,  the DPP's "online army" which manipulated and meddled in an online public opinion field of more than 20 million people on the island.   "The DPP can collude with social media such as PTT, Facebook, print media, electronic media, and TV programs".    globaltimes.cn/page/202103/1219763.shtml   ●  USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices,  3-11-2020:  Journalists said they faced pressure from management to submit news stories to complement or support the content of paid advertisements. Oxford university (UK) Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: Only 24% Taiwanese trust in local news which remains one of the lowest in Oxford survey.  < Reporters Sans Frontieres> (RSF, France) , 4-18-2019:  Taiwan’s journalists are suffering from a very polarized media environment dominated by sensationalism and the pursuit of profit. Although President Tsai Ing-wen has said she wants to continue developing press freedom in Taiwan, few concrete measures have been taken to improve journalists’ editorial independence and encourage media to raise the quality of the public debate. Beijing is exploiting this weakness by putting pressure on Taiwanese media owners, who often have business interests on the mainland. ●  China Times, editorial <中時社論> , 3-9-2020: Political power forms threats (penalty fine and suspending the license) to certain media ... Secretly bullying by (gov.-related) cyber force.  ● Apple Daily 12-4-2019 editorial : All political parties and many politicians found cyber-forces who are mean, base, cruel and dark to destroy target's image and reputation by secretly ways, without moral bottom line ...  ● UDN 12-7-2019 editorial: The number of fake news spread by Pan-Green coalition (ruling party) is far more (and more vile) than that sent by ordinary people   ● Apple Daily 3-29-2019 editorial opinion: Democracy & Freedom of speech is the bottom line which should never be lost, the government should not create chilling effect by fishing in trouble water.  ● The China Times 12-14-2019 editorial : the gov. seriously harmed free speech by investigating those messages shared or published on the net by the masses   ● The China Times 3-29-2019 headline news:  Democracy on the surface, anti-democracy to the bone is not allowed.  ● US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released at 3-13-2019: the impact of the concentration of media ownership on freedom of the press, self-censorship continued. ● N.Y. Times  12-3-2019:  Social media platforms are another key battleground (Chn-TW): Nearly 90 percent of Taiwan’s population is active on them, and traditional news outlets have been known to republish fake posts without fact-checking. According to Reuters, Chinese government agencies have paid Taiwanese news outlets to publish pro-Beijing content.  freedom of speech

○

●  Family  New York times, Pew Research Institute, 2021-11-28:  unlike most other countries put family first, Taiwanese ranked Material well-being above family.  Marry for money not love

　

●  women  ● The Guardian (UK), 2023-6-8: The belated #MeToo reckoning has exposed the deeply patriarchal norms that still govern Taiwanese society...  in formal legal proceedings victims were unlikely to succeed.   ● DW (Germany), 2023-6-13:  Taiwan's culture remains conservative, and chauvinism still exists in workplaces and politics.。 victims may be "judged" by the public for sharing details....they may not be treated justly, ...the existing mechanisms are inadequate.  ● SCMP, 2023-6-11:  NTU prof.  Tso Chen-dong: the DPP has greatly disappointed the public as ... referring to the party's pledges to promote gender equality and human rights.  DPP had long focused on LGBTQ equality, rather than women's rights. ● United Daily, editorial,  2023-6-4 : sexual harassment and bully become the ruling DPP's norm  women

　

●  justice:  ● National ChungCheng University (ccu.edu),   2023-2-13: study found the percentage of Taiwanese trust in the judges is 32.8%.● National ChungCheng University, 2022-2-14: study found 2/3 Taiwanese are not satisfied with the quality of judgment of criminal cases ●  United Daily, editorial , 2022-1-25 : More people suffered fear from invisible and delicate social control and threats by DPP government' flank and judiciary (prosecutor, police) ... ●  USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices,  2021-3-30: Some political commentators and academics, however, publicly questioned the impartiality of judges and prosecutors involved in high profile, politically sensitive cases.  ● USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices,  3-11-2020:  Some political commentators and academics,  publicly questioned the impartiality of judges and prosecutors involved in high profile, politically sensitive cases. US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released at 3-13-2019 pointed out that justice ministry was insufficiently independent and conducted politically motivated investigations of politicians (in <Corruption and Lack of Transparency in Government> section), ...  ● The United Daily, 1-6-2020, editorial:  Taiwanese don't trust law-enforcement because of government abusing power and playing with the law.   : ●　The United Daily, Focus, 11-30-2019: 　The prosecutors  and Taiwan's 'FBI'　were questioned a lot for years for their political investigations and conducts ...in recent years, the judiciary giving services to DPP almost became a routine...:●  UDN 10-20-2019: politics overrode justice   ● The Liberty Times,  head-line news, 3-16-2019: Taiwan PM is not satisfied with Judicial reform  ●  The Liberty Times, head-page, The China Times, head-page, 12-8-2018:   Taiwan P.M. (賴清德):  Taiwan has not made significant progress on judicial reform, which is roiling with public discontent;  ●  <The United Daily>,  06-18-2016, head page news: Taiwan's prosecutors admit usually following order to conclude legal cases.  ● <USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices>, 2016-2018,  public trust on Taiwan's judiciary system keeps falling down.  ● <United Daily>, opinion column, 12-16-2017:  Taiwan's public voice with a heavy heart  : The prosecutors should abide by the law too... don't be a political tool.    judiciary

　

●  corruption : 
● TaiwanPlus, 2023-3-6:

● China Times, 2023-6-26:  Taiwan ruling party's corruption - structural, collective and overall (結構性、集體性、全面性貪腐) ;  has already crossed the bottom line, and being out of control. chinatimes.com/opinion/20230626004425-262101?chdtv   brief  ● Voice of America, 2022-11-23:  "black gold"-"heijin." Corruption in Local Politics   ● Avios, 2022-6-28: Scandals and corruption have plagued the Taiwanese armed forces  ● Economist, 2022-8-2: Taiwan needs to do more to combat corruption and waste in its armed forces ●  US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released at 2022-4-12 :13 high-ranking officials, 79 mid-level, 93 low-level, and 18 elected officials were indicted for corruption.  the Ministry of Justice and the Judicial Yuan referred six officials to the Control Yuan for criminal investigation, including former minister of justice Tseng Yung-fu, former prosecutor general Wu Ying-chao, and two others for investigation of noncriminal misconduct... In 2020 presidential and legislative elections, President Tsai Ing-wen won re-election,...there were allegations of vote buying by candidates and supporters of both major political parties.  ● USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices,  2021-3-30:  Significant human rights issues included: the existence of criminal libel laws and serious acts of corruption. ●  Transparency International 1-29-2019: Taiwan has stagnated in the Corruption Perspective Index rankings since 2011 with its score 61~63 (dropped 2 spots this year), in contrast, South Korea improved by 3 points in 2017. ● China Times, editorial , 2022-6-1,  "The whole DPP party backups corruption, a shame of Taiwan's democracy": When the corruption scandal broke out in 2008, all DPP members gave ex-President Chen Shui-bian a cold shoulder, Chen's daughter 陳幸妤 was mad and shouted："Has anyone in DPP not taken money from my father ?? ", which shocked all fields, therefore, pan-Green Coalition has been involved in Chen's case.(綠營因此遭扁綁架事出有因)。● In platform presentation at 12-25-2019, Nationalist Party Presidential candidate Han criticized President Tsai has allowed top officials around grow very corrupt, Tsai refuted KMT was more serious, People First Party candidate Song said that speaking of corruption and unfair judiciary, KMT and DPP are about the same. ●  Apple Daily (12-7-2018) editorial :  Taiwan's corruption is off the charts by collusions between government officials and business owners,  furthermore, Taiwan's underworld going wild to assist government officials, business and some elected representatives (e.g., legislators) in corruption has been ahead of most corrupt countries, e.g., China, Indonesia, Brazil, Philippines, Vietnam, the stinky rotten food-chain crossing pan-Blue (Nationalist, KMT) and pan-Green (DPP) resurges after Taiwan's elections...●  Liberty Times, 1-12-2020, editorial: The administration's rottenness (腐壞氣息) smells already.   corruption

●

●  medical  : ● Taiwan ranks No. 249 in World's Best Hospitals by Newsweek and Statista in 2023  ●  Bloomberg's CovID ranking: Taiwan's 3-month case-fatality rate ranks the last twice in 2021 ● Lancet / Measuring universal health coverage  Taiwan is behind countries of  Asia& Pacific like Japan, Singapore, S. Korea, Australia, NZ, Kuwait, Qatar   ● Only one Taiwan's hospital was included and ranked No. 249 in Newsweek's top 250 "World's Best Hospitals" in 2023  ● Guardian (UK), 2022-5-9: The death of a two-year-old boy last month highlighted communication failures exacerbated by Taiwan’s entrenched bureaucracy.  ● al jazeera, 2022-5-30: The fatalities have notably included the sudden deaths of several very young children, which many Taiwanese attribute to failures of the healthcare system.   ●  China Times, editorial, 2021-9-8: The government ignores human lives of high-risk older populations.  Using vaccine to draw votes is "cold-blood", "losing their souls "  chinatimes.com/opinion/20210907005525-262101?chdtv ●  United Daily, editorial, 2021-9-4: Taiwan's vaccination policy is based upon government's selfishness and special purpose. ● National Taiwan University professor, King ChwanChuen, 2021-9-1: CDC should not turn into a election campaign center. ● UDN 2021-5-31, editorial: Taiwan's government fails to purchase enough CovID-19 vaccines, and stop civil org. to purchase from the west for saving its political face.  Till end May, patients are not easy to apply for and have CovID-19 medicine, which cause more deaths, Taiwan cares money more than human lives   hospitals,   CovID19

●

●  pirate :  ● USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices,  2021-3-30:  some indigenous rights advocates argued a large amount of indigenous land was seized and privatized decades ago, depriving indigenous communities of the right to participate in the development of these traditional territories. ● Green Peace, 5-2-2019:  It remains our view that Taiwanese fisheries still have many serious problems, both environmental and social, and that the need for reform is clear and urgent.  ●  Lowy Institute & <the interpreter>, 5-2-2019: Taiwan ...illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing... Taiwan has so far refused to adopt the Work in Fishing Convention. ●  EU warned in 2015 Taiwan with a yellow card for illegal fishing till  6 '19. ●  US  state government - 2019 Trafficking in persons report, Jun. 2019:   fishermen working on Taiwan-flagged and -owned fishing vessels experience non- or under-payment of wages, long working hours, physical abuse, lack of food or medical care, denial of sleep, and poor living conditions while indebted to complex, multinational brokerage networks. Migrant fishermen have reported senior crewmembers employ such coercive tactics as threats of physical violence, beatings, withholding of food and water, and pay deductions to retain their labor.    ● Freedom House, June 2019:  labor advocates report poor implementation, citing ongoing mistreatment and abuse of foreign fishermen on Taiwanese vessels.

 ○
●  privacy : ●  The China Times (中時) , editorial , 2023-5-23: 23 millions of Taiwanese household administration data and 28 millions of labor insurance data have been leaked and were sold to fraud groups - all personal data of Taiwanese were sold out, Taiwan government looked the other way as its citizens were in fraud for leakage of their personal data  ●  US Naval Institute   , May, 2022 : Taiwan has extensive networks of closed-circuit TV cameras, and issued a national health insurance smartcard that tracks medical histories. ● Amnesty International, June, 2021 :The government took several measures to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus, some of which threatened the right to privacy.  ●  People's Daily, 10-15-2020, commentary: Taiwan's Intelligence strictly monitors its own people, which is called "Green Terror". ● The China Times (中國時報), 1-6-2021:  the human rights protected by the Constitution has been in danger for a long time... The government had not admitted the "skynet - electronic fence" until law-makers questioned them a number of times... ● New York Post  4-25-2020 : Taiwan deals CovID with "a lot more authoritarian.", "almost everyone is tracked.". ● Apple Daily 11-10-2020: Taiwanese health & medical data/information was forced without agreement of the party to be opened on purpose of business and academic use. ● The United Daily News (聯合報) , editorial, 3-31-2019 :  Taiwan is a backward country on personal-data protection.   Taiwan plans to sell general public's personal data and digital human rights (e.g., people's medical health data without giving any notice ), peep at whatever on the net , and even monitor all the citizens,  nothing people would normally notice ...   (brief https://udn.com/news/story/7338/3728815) ;  ● EU General Data Protection Regulation - GDPR was given to effect at 5-25-2018, Taiwan is far behind, even is going in an opposite way  / Apple Daily 蘋果日報, 5-28-2018,  National Taiwan University Law School professor 林鈺雄    privacy

○
● secret police : ●  Law maker (2023-6-2): What an authoritarian era in Taiwan ? (「這是什麼威權時代嗎」) /  Dr. Su Hung-dah (蘇宏達), dean of the College of Social Sciences, National Taiwan University, reveals he was threatened by National Security Bureau ( state machine ) that "we can watch your LINE" (a popular online app. )   ● USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices,  2021-3-30:  Members of the security forces committed some abuses.   ● The United Daily News, editorial opinion (9-19-2018) : "secret police" (「東廠們」) have been active around us ...  ● The Liberty Times, head-page, The China Times, head-page, 12-8-2018:   Taiwan P.M. (賴清德): "Secret Police event" (「東廠事件」) has seriously damaged public trust on the government...;   ● Apple Daily 12-4-2019 editorial : All political parties and many politicians found their cyber-forces to secretly attack targets... ,  the dark force are mean, base, cruel  and dark to destroy target's image and reputation, they executed without moral bottom line and military discipline  (brief).   ● The United Daily News, editorial 11-30-2019: The state machine was abused as government's "tributaries".  ● UDN 11-3-2018,  Intel. sys. (NSB) confirmed their investigations of Facebook and other's communities on the net.  All internet platform service providers in Taiwan were requested to hand in all users' personal information/data (intel denied).   ● <Apple Daily (蘋果日報)> 11-7-2018 editorial opinion:  by whatever name ( "secret police" or "national security bureau") it is called, what "it" did secretly were always more than what it admitted.  Taiwan's Intelligence and secret-agent systems keep on governing the country ... they're true Prime Minister (行政院長), ...So many suspected political murder cases remain unsolved  (ref to 2018.7.26【政經看民視】 FTV, "政經看民視", 7-26-2018;  SET(三立電視), 9-24-2013 "Secret agents govern the nation (特務治國)" www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBdZCdYrwF4;  Era TV,   年代電視, 9-22-2013; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1b4R2m6K3g; "Secret agent systems resurgence to control the nation (特務復辟治國)"   repression, oppression

○

●  int'l fraud :  ● United Daily (聯合報), editorial, 2023-5-11 : Taiwan government got no grades on fighting fraud。In today, Taiwanese crimes of fraud have spread all over the world, the criminal methods have deteriorated to abducting people, selling human organs, defrauding money by using the name of the administration...●The China Times (中時) , editorial , 2023-5-8: The head of fraud group,「im.B借貸媒合平台」, has close connection with DPP's top ranking officials such as deputy premier   ● Reuters, DW (Germany), 12-31-2020: Chinese court sentences 29 Taiwanese deported from Spain / In recent years, hundreds of Taiwanese nationals, suspected of committing telecoms fraud overseas...   ● United Daily, 10-23-2019, editorial: Taiwanese telecom frauds run wild the entire world to damage Taiwan's image.   ● CTV evening news, 12-14-2017,  EBC TV, 4-9-2017,  UDN opinion, 12-24-2017:  Taiwan is notorious for its fraud crimes all over the world.  quora, 4-16-2016:  Taiwan largely sees these telecom frauds/phone scammers as an asset rather than liability...  ●  China Times, 11-7-2017:  It's not easy for Taiwan to clean its bad name of 'fraud-crime empire' because "Rome is not built in one day".  (Asia Association of Police Studies, secretary general)     international fraud 

○

●  torture & cruelty :  ● Global Times, 2022-12-19:  There are forces on the island who are mentally controlling the Taiwan people...   ●justsecurity.org, Focus Taiwan, Taipei Times, etc, 2022-5-13:  international human rights review panel urges to ban torture and other cruelties ● Global Times (globaltimes.cn/content/1209528.shtml), 12-9-2020: Taiwan authority ‘persecutes mainlanders, pro-reunification activists' by 'Political persecution, framing charge' .    Taiwan is far behind and keeps stalling legislating a new law against torture and other cruelty, conclusively advised by international review panel ( Philip Alston, law professor at New York University; Eibe Riedel, former member of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Jerome Cohen, law professor at New York University; and Nisuke Ando, professor emeritus at Kyoto University, etc. )  (ref. to Apple Daily, headline, 12-9-2017)  Taiwan's opposition party vice presidential candidate, NTU professor Lin Ruey-Shiung, was subject to electromagnetic wave attacks (French AFP ,Dec. 1, 2011 , Thailand's Bangkok Post,  Dec. 3, 2011, Yahoo UK & Ireland, etc. ), Taiwan gov. denied this.     ● State violence and white terror (product of state violence) return in Taiwan (United Daily, opinion, 12-21-2017, 12-27-2017).     Taiwan's Facebook "Green terror" suppressed free expression...... (Wikipedia 2017, The China Times, public opinion, 11-18-2017).   The key-point is state violence (Apple Daily, opinion, 8-16-2013).   repression, oppression

○

●  food safety  : ● United Daily (經濟日報社論),  2023-2-1: Food safety is an anxious issue for Taiwanese people ● Global Times,  2022-9-17 : DPP authority is sacrificing the people's interests for their political ends.   the Taiwan authorities detected Caesium-137 in the batch of konjaku jelly powder since the island in February relaxed a decade-long ban on imports of "nuclear food"  from Japan.   ● Scientific Reports Journal, Food Navigator Asia, 2-9-2021: Fish fraud findings: Almost 20% of fish in Taiwan found to be mislabelled - study (Taiwan food scare, including 5 star hotel restaurant foods  which the website revealed earlier in 2017).   ● The China Times, 10-20-2018  opinion (editorial)   https://opinion.chinatimes.com/20181019003889-262101 :  Taiwan's food safety failed again and again,  Dioxin, Fipronil poison-eggs in last year, Nicarbazin illegal drug residue event in this year.  Europe was very cautious about Fipronil event, in contrast, Taiwan did nothing about it.   Even worse, Taiwan officials hide Nicarbazin issue from Taiwanese people to baby related business ― indulge business to retrieve problematic eggs and then resell them as promotion goods.  Why do high-ranking officials always fudge Taiwanese people's only, and humblest request ？?   (brief)  ●  UDN, 2-17-2019: Gov. did not declared poison eggs until almost sold out...  ● The China Times (中國時報), 2-28-2019,  opinion (editorial) questions Taiwan officials are trying very hard to hide the epidemic state of Marek's virus in chicken eggs ...

 ○

● int'l drug base : ● Statista 2022-11-18: Offense against narcotics hazard prevention act ranks No.2 crime by the Number committed in Taiwan in 2021  ●

The Diplomat, 2022-5-17
:"patrols of the coast became almost nonexistent and, as a result, it was easy to smuggle guns and drugs into Taiwan.” ● Taiwan is narcotic drugs producing & selling center of Asia (The China Times <Want Weekly>, 9-18-2019).  Taiwan was already reduced to be a 'kingdom' of producing narcotic drugs. (United Daily, headline news, 11-2-2017)   Philippine President Duterte ... blaming Taiwan-based organised crime behind all this drug traffic... for using his country as a shipping hub. (Reuters, 9-27-2017, The Straits Times, 9-29-2017)   Duterte: Triad supplying illegal drugs to PH is based in Taiwan, not China (inquirer.net, 9-26-2017).    Taiwan is scandalous for being a major drug transit center & a major drug exporting country, part of Taiwanese government including Judicial sys. refused to improve this issue. (UDN Opinion, 11-6-2017, The China Times, head-page & focus, 4-4-2017, The Liberty Times, 5-12-2017)    illegal drugs

○

●  exploitation ,   children & women trafficking : ● US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released at 2023-3-20: A rise in the number of reports of child sexual exploitation cases;  The NGOs called for increased prosecutions and heavier penalties. ● USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices,  2022-4-12:  the number of male victims of child sexual exploitation was increasing and that male and female minors of indigenous heritage were targeted at higher rates than those of other ethnic groups. ● USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices,  2021-3-30:  NGOs raised concerns regarding online sexual exploitation of children and reported sex offenders increasingly used cell phones, web cameras, live streaming, apps, and other new technologies to deceive and coerce underage girls and boys into sexual activity.  ● US  state government - 2019 Trafficking in persons report, Jun. 2019:   in the last five years, human traffickers subject foreign men and women to forced labor and sex trafficking in Taiwan, and traffickers subject local men and women to forced labor and local women and children to sex trafficking. ... take advantage of Taiwan and foreign women’s and children’s drug addictions to subject them to sex trafficking. Taiwan traffickers increasingly use the internet, smartphone apps, livestreaming, and other such online technologies to conduct recruitment activities, often targeting child victims, and to mask their identities from law enforcement.  ● USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices, March 3, 2017, 4-20-2018:  Exploitation of  foreign workers,  official corruption,  some media self-censorship with regard to China, vote buying, etc.     prostitution

○

●  life protection  : ● Nature, 2023-6-22:  Despite concerns from several nations and international groups (but Taiwan goes down on its knees) , Japan is pressing ahead with plans to release water contaminated by the 2011 meltdown of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean  ● NY Times, 2021-10-15: Taiwan has a spotty record when it comes to fire safety... severe disrepair as a result of weak management and government neglect.  Skyrocketing housing costs in Taiwan’s cities — and a rapidly aging population — have exacerbated these issues in recent years and have outpaced the government’s efforts to resolve them...  ● China times, 2021-10-15:  Behind the fire sea in Kaohsiung building (城中城) is the government's discrimination and indifference to those underprivileged group who can not afford buying fire-fighting equipments ● UDN 2021-4-1: foolish energy policy kills our lungs, people in southern and middle of Taiwan increasingly got related diseases ●  Apple Daily, 2021-4-10, editorial: The bane of Taiwan- backward infrastructures, e.g., no early-warning system for railway train, pollution in stream, dam, reservoir deposition ● The government has not well taken its fundamental responsibility of protecting the safety of people's life and property - why 5/6 bridges badly in need of repair have not done ?  government even has never made public the info. and where those bridges are. (ref. to United Daily, 10-9-2019, headline news)   why are there so many tall buildings located on the fault-zone? why are poor architectures everywhere on bad geologic grounds ? why are those shit-hole politicians doing nothing and ignoring urban renewal so as to risk millions of old houses and human beings? (ps: may face death in 6 magnitude quake)    (full text: https://udn.com/news/story/11321/2974813 聯合報社論／斷層帶上何以建了那麼多高樓？  2-8-2018,  https://udn.com/news/story/7338/2977079 勿讓軟腳樓成坑殺人命陷阱 2-9-2018,  https://tw.appledaily.com/headline/daily/20180209/37928659花蓮 都更 爛政客   2-9-2018)

○

● life protection (2) : ●  BBC, Independent, 2023-6-20:  the drugging of preschool children in Taiwan have sparked widespread alarm on the island.  Some teachers at the kindergarten gave children phenobarbital to “make them more compliant”. A rally demanded transparency from the government. ● UDN, 2023-6-6: Taiwan government tries to hide the safety risk - Taiwan Power's 四接 in Keelung Port - a significant risk ● CIA Fact Book, Dec. 10, 2021: air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species ● Taiwan's CCPI (Climate Change Performance Index - GHG emissions, renewable energy, etc) rank of 2019 is reciprocal third among countries, the score/ranking is from bad to worse since 2017.  ● USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices,  2021-3-30: the total number of sexual assaults was seven to 10 times higher than the number reported to police.   ●  United Daily, 2021-4-10, editorial: The death rate of traffic accident (8+ per day) is higher than hat of many backward countries.  Large-bus structure is problematic - Jerry-built or bad safety specification. So many gods are hidden in the detail  ● UDN 1-2-2018 udn.com/news/story/7266/2908720,  The China Times. 8-6-2016, <食品不安全的年代如何自保>, 2016, etc : Taiwan failed to solve food-safety issue, professors and MDs advised eating at home.  Taiwan is dishonest and 'cruel' ― trying to hide, block, delay public-health news, e.g., poisoned eggs, PCV virus vaccine, and Bird-flu more than one time.  ref to BBC news :  www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/chinese_news/2012/03/120304_taiwan_birdflu_investigate. ●  Due to bad Income distribution, Taiwan's social security (offender rate) worsens (China Times, 2-25-2020 editorial).   ●  The China Times 5-9-2018 column : This is an EVIL state apparatus ... The China Times 5-26-2018 column : The government likes to conceal bad news, put paper over the cracks, e.g., air pollution, rupture of diplomatic relationships, ...http://www.chinatimes.com/newspapers/20180509000843-260109  ● Taiwan's CCPI (Climate Change Performance Index - GHG emissions, renewable energy, etc) rank of 2019 is reciprocal third among countries, the score/ranking is from bad to worse since 2017. ● Apple Daily 12-11-2019, headline news: Taiwan's air pollution is bad to worse, about half population were endangered by PM2.5 and PM10 from top 10 hazardous level companies (China Steel, Taichung Power plant, etc)  ● Taiwan administration's policy led to air pollution, toxic pollution in the land and sea ...   (The China Times, 1-7-2018 台灣海陸空污染毒害，山海變色 http://www.chinatimes.com/newspapers/20180107000465-260114。Daily Mail (UK) 7-14-2017 : Shocking underwater video from Taiwan shows ocean floor littered with plastic (bottles) garbage)

●

●  transportation safety ● CNN (2022-12-6): Taiwan's 'living hell' traffic is a tourism problem.  Taiwan is notorious for its dangerous roads.  ● UDN, CTN, Apple Daily editorial、2021-4-3: NY Times, CNN: train carrying 490 derails /  Serious transportation accidents repeat -  all are SOP ignoring man-made disasters, no one treats seriously the warning message behind each accident, The gov. is good at risk management and focus-shifting, instead of preventive management in advance, all these lead to tragedy again and again. The event is just a tip of a iceberg, Taiwan should establish a culture respecting human life.  Taiwan railway bureau got rigid grading system  and reform failure.  ● United Daily News 1-20-2020:  The death rate caused by traffic accidents in Taiwan is 5 times that in Japan.  ● The SUN, BBC (UK) 2-13-2017: "BUS CRASH HORROR!" , Taiwan's tour bus  "has come under fire in recent months over safety standards"...  ● MSN, Reuters, EuroNews, Mirro(UK), NewsWeek, CNN, etc (2-4-2015) :"Taiwan has had a poor aviation safety record in recent years" .   transportation   Taiwan's aviation safety

●

●  Labor rights ● Le Monde diplomatique (France),  2023-2-14: Most migrant workers to higher-income Taiwan incur substantial debt to finance their fees, which binds them to their employers’ whims and exploitation while they pay it off.  ● US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released at 2022-4-12: Large enterprises frequently made it difficult for employees to organize an enterprise union through methods such as blacklisting union organizers from promotion or relocating them to other work divisions. ● USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices,  2021-3-30: The right to strike remained highly restricted.  24 percent of foreign fishermen suffered violent physical abuse; 92 percent experienced unlawful wage withholding; 82 percent worked overtime excessively.  ●  , 3-16-2021: the U.S. Labor Department placed Taiwan on its 2020 List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor.  ● National Geographic, 11-25-2020 : Wildlife crimes and human rights abuses plague Taiwanese fishing vessels ...illegal dolphin catching, shark finning, and physical and verbal abuse ... ● USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices,  3-11-2020:  The right to strike remained highly regulated. Teachers, civil servants, and defense industry employees do not have the right to strike. Workers in industries such as utilities, hospital services, and telecommunication service providers are allowed to strike only if they maintain basic services during the strike. Authorities may prohibit, limit, or break up a strike during a disaster. For all workers, the law divides labor disputes into “rights disputes” and “adjustment disputes.” Workers are allowed to strike only in adjustment disputes, which include issues such as compensation and working schedules. The law forbids strikes in rights disputes related to violations of collective agreements and employment contracts.    foreign laborers

○

●  underworld gang & politics : ● Global Times, 2022-11-28:  black (underworld) gold politics and nepotism severely violated what the DPP had pledged to the people  ● China Times,  2022-11-27: Tsai's DPP has entangled with Mafia, has abused of power and corrupted (黑道纏身、濫權腐化)  ● United Daily, editorial, 2021-5-7: The underworld gang links with the legal syndicate, or the gangsters parasitize the political party, which certainly leads to deviation and collapse of the adm. order.  (udn.com/news/story/7338/5439377?from=udn-catehotnews_ch2)  ● Apple Daily, 2021-5-7:   the country has been ruled by "black-gold" gangsters and bureaucratic factions. The "big guys" of gangs can decide or influence which democratical representatives will reach the stage of electoral campaigns for law-makers, city-councilors, ....  President Tsai won't be able to crack down gangsters.  ( brief from  tw.appledaily.com/forum/20210507/AWDMO7WLEBCAZCIYHGO7UBA4DA/  趙少康)    democracy

○
●  social security  ● TaiwanPlus, 2023-5-4: Taiwan Police Chief Detained for Alleged Fraud Ring Ties  ● The China Times (中時) , editorial , 2023-5-5: The "Social security net" is proved to be broken -  they fail to protect citizens' personal basic data/information ● 《Yahoo Taiwan》, 2021-11-23:  all opposition parties blast the government not fulfilling its promise to patch the loophole of social security network.  ●《Next TV news 壹新聞》, 2021-11-23, 12:11: a big loophole in our social security net.  ● The China Times, 2-25-2020 editorial: Due to bad Income distribution, Taiwan's social security (offender rate) worsens.  ● World Economic Forum (WEF)  <Travel and tourism competitiveness report> released at 9-4-2019 shows Taiwan's "safety & security" got an Eastern Asia-pacific average score 6.0, and is worse than world No.5 Hong Kong, No. 6 Singapore , No. 7 UAE,  No. 10 New Zealand,  11 Qatar,  13 Japan, 19 Australia,   23 Saudi Arabia.   ●《Economist》UK , EIU 「The Safe Cities Index 2019  」  Taiwan's "personal security" dropped 14 places compared with previous yrs. report,  Taiwan is worse than neighbors Singapore, Japan, China, Korea...     police

●

●  discrimination  ● Taipei Times, 2023-6-12:  immigration authorities hand out insult after insult to people whose skins are a bit too brown... the reality of its suicidally discriminatory immigration policies is painful for those of us who live and work here.  ● USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices,  2021-3-30: The majority of sex discrimination cases reported in 2019 were forced resignations due to pregnancies. Scholars said sex discrimination remained significantly underreported.   There was reported discrimination, including employment discrimination, against persons with HIV or AIDS.  ● USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices,  3-11-2020:  Activists for LGBTI rights said due to victims’ reluctance to lodge formal complaints, discrimination against LGBTI persons was more widespread than suggested by the number of court cases.  There was reported discrimination, including employment discrimination, against persons with HIV/AIDS. ●  US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released at 3-13-2019  Foreign and PRC-born spouses were reportedly targets of social discrimination outside and, at times, inside the home.   Discrimination against LGBTI persons was more widespread than suggested by the number of court cases.  Employment discrimination against persons with HIV/AIDS continues, Taipei officials pressured a magazine reporter to drop an investigative report about the city’s breach of personal information for more than 3,000 AIDS patients.

　

　

　

★ Defending Taiwan by Taiwanese ??
some human factors ~
President Tsai I. W. youngsters the public
♣ VICE, 2022-9-28: president's prescriptions have been piecemeal, and there is no national plan to overhaul the military. (developing asymmetric warfare capabilities as US experts advise)

♣ Roll Call, 2022-9-28: ...overhaul its military reservist program — our general public, especially young parents, those people from 40 to 50 and their children, will fight against that policy... “It's hard for the ruling party to do it !" Younger voters are a critical base of support for president Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party.
　

♣ New York Times, 2022-6-19: politicians have electoral considerations ( military conscription reform)

 ♣ United Daily (Taiwan), 2022-10-6:  The policy of lengthening mandatory military service won't be decided until end of 2022 , obviously the admin. is with an eye to presidential election. udn.com/news/story/11091/6665523?from=udn_ch2cate6643sub11091_pulldownmenu_v2

 ♣ Roll Call, 2022-9-28: Most people do not want to join the military... The March opinion poll : lower levels of support (56 percent) among the 20-24 age group for lengthening Taiwan's mandatory military service to one year.

　

♣ China Times (Taiwan), 2022-9-28: 81.5% of Taiwanese youth oppose lengthening Taiwan's mandatory military service to one year.   World media wrongly report Taiwanese people are willing to be on the battlefield.   chinatimes.com/opinion/20220927005188-262101?chdtv


PS: By law, all able-bodied men in South Korea must serve 18-21 months in the military under a conscription system; In Israel - men 32 months and women 24 months, minimum.
♣ axios,2022-9-27:  ...the common belief in Taiwan that if China were to invade, Taiwan would have no choice but to surrender immediately.

 ♣ Economist, 2022-3-5: Taiwanese seem too uninterested to fight to defend their land.  Taiwan's sloth in reforming its defence capabilities ...

　

♣ Global Times, 2022-10-10: a poll shows that only 41.4 percent gave a definite "yes" to the determination to sacrifice themselves to defend the island, according to Taiwan-based media globaltimes.cn/page/202210/1276853.shtml
　

♣ Washington Examiner, 2022-9-20: It's one thing to tell a pollster that you're willing to fight and die for your country. It's a different thing to take painstaking steps to prepare for that eventuality. And the hard truth is that far too few Taiwanese are currently taking those steps

　

♣  United Daily (Taiwan, 聯合報), 2022-10-10: The great majority of polls show Taiwanese are not willing to fight for "Taiwan independence".  udn.com/news/story/121823/6674688?from=udn_ch2cate6643sub121823_pulldownmenu_v2
　

♣ Brookings, 2021-1-22: Only 23% thought that democracy was more important than economic development.  16% believed that protecting political freedom was more important than reducing economic inequality.
 ◆  full text
  ☉ S. Korean presidential candidates have never tried to win the election by shortening mandatory military service (their service days is about 5 times of Taiwan's), but Taiwan's politicians do !   for instance, a ruling party's law-maker Tsai argues what's the reason to lengthen military service !? (see udn.com/news/story/11091/6665523?from=udn_ch2cate6643sub11091_pulldownmenu_v2   2022-10-6 )
 ☉ United Daily,2022-10-10: The Defense chief told the US that the mandatory military service can be lengthen up to 2~3 years, but President Tsai decide it'll be just 1 year at present for electoral considerations.(and not to declare until end of election)    brief udn.com/news/story/121823/6674688?from=udn_ch2cate6643sub121823_pulldownmenu_v2  陳一新
榮譽教授

　

　

High-tech. persecutions in Taiwan   ( privacy is no longer sacrosanct ) 

　

★ surveillance in Europe

 An increased number of oversight bodies in EU Member States now monitors the work of intelligence services.  About one month ago, a historic vote in the European Parliament: dangerous AI surveillance (real-time remote biometric identification in public spaces, emotion recognition  ( face analysis ) ) banned.

　

★ surveillance in the U.S.
　

Freedom House (2019)  : At the very least, social media surveillance must come under greater oversight.  The use of such programs must be transparent... The survival of democracy requires vibrant public spaces, both offline and online, where individuals can... without fear of constant surveillance.

Washington DC based Epic.org: The unchecked expansion of surveillance systems is one of the greatest threats to privacy and civil liberties.  Abuses of surveillance technology are not only unjust, they're dangerous.

　

The concerns in the US or Europe are basically about people’s emails, online chats, internet browsing histories, and information about social media activity or  face analysis  in public spaces, etc

　

As for mind control, and electromagnetic attacks the civilians in Taiwan, those are not only violation of Privacy Act (Taiwan does not have a Privacy Act ), but also committing serious crimes.

　

　

However,
In Taiwan, it is sort of a "Black box"    ──   
Global Times (2022-12-19) says that - There are forces on the island of Taiwan who are mentally controlling the Taiwan people.  

Taiwan has not rebutted its "sworm enemy's" allegation for more than half years, which is nothing other than giving a tacit consent to it.

　

Till now, Taiwan Intel. still refuse to declassify and open persecution files of 50 years ago, are they willing to open the public the crimes they committed in recent years (if any) ?

　

Star War

　

★ Oversight

In the US, PRISM receives independent oversight from the federal Gov. executive, judicial and legislatives branches. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PRISM)
In EU Member States, they increased the number of oversight bodies to monitor the work of intelligence services
　

★  Can Taiwan make it ?


Each time Taiwan's Intel. or dark forces use any of high-tech. weapons (e.g., electromagnetic attacks, mind controlling, etc) to harm or repress or abuse any of Taiwanese people,  will they record their operation on files ?  Taiwan needs a mechanism for great oversight and legal actions.
　

　

♦ Executive

♦  Judicial  

♦  Legislatives

Economist (2023-5-31) says the gov. Executive Yuan  (the ruling party) has an image problem at home; they have been criticized as immoral and rotten (chinatimes.com/opinion/20230602004779-262101?chdtv   , udn.com/news/story/7338/7179278?from=udn_ch2_menu_v2_main_cate    udn.com/news/story/7338/7183270?from=udn_ch2_menu_v2_main_cate   udn.com/news/story/7338/7180885) ;  Only 32.8% of the Taiwanese people trust the judges. (National Chung-Cheng Univ., 2023-2-13) The opposition legislators have huge difficulty in asking for any files (China Times, 2021-6-18 editorial)


　

　

◆ FoxNews, 2022-7-7: Chinese diplomat says 'reunification' with Taiwan near ◆ Washington Post, 2022-7-3:  these steps (asymmetric warfare) may not be enough to repel a far more powerful opponent like China. Taiwan's mandatory military service ... spend more time doing menial labor than learning combat skills. Tactics taught are comparable to those (Gulf War or the Vietnam War) ◆ N.Y. Times, 2022-6-19: A Looming Threat /  ...Taiwan politicians have electoral considerations. Extending military conscription, for example, would probably not be very popular ◆ New York Times, 2022-6-13: Taiwan's defenses are, by many accounts, ill-equipped and understaffed...Should China invade, Taiwan's defenses will almost certainly crumble unless the United States and its allies help.  ◆ AFP, France24, 2022-6-10: China will 'not hesitate to start war' if Taiwan declares independence, Beijing says ◆ NY Times, 2022-6-10: American officials ... worry that China's leader, Xi Jinping, may be willing to go to war over Taiwan in the coming years. ◆ CNN, 2022-6-1: China has the power to take Taiwan, but it would cost an extremely bloody price ...China is more likely to emulate the "shock and awe" bombardments that preceded the US' invasions of Iraq.

　

◆ Daily Express (UK), 2022-5-30: Putin is winning his war, China Taiwan is next and that will be so much deadlier  ◆ New York Times, 2022-5-27: A 2018 congressionally-mandated assessment warned that America could face a “decisive military defeat” in a war over Taiwan ◆ NY Times, 2022-5-24: the US is trying to walk a fine line between deterrence and provocation... risk pushing President Xi Jinping of China to order an attack on Taiwan ◆ NY Times, 2022-5-24: Former presidents have hinted that the United States would fight for Taiwan but have otherwise remained studiedly vague...Taiwan's defense budget... remains scandalously low ◆ New York Times, 2022-5-7: US presses Taiwan to buy missiles and smaller arms for asymmetric warfare (Suited to Win Against China);  But some Taiwanese defense officials are resistant.

　

Contrast    Taiwan Strait Crisis in 1996 and 2022 ★
◆ New York Times, 2022-8-5 the U.S. military had ordered the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan to “remain on station” in the region but some distance from the entrance to the Taiwan Strait.，... during a crisis in 1996, when President Bill Clinton moved aircraft carriers closer to the strait.  (PS: and conducted large scale drills  zh.m.wikipedia.org/zh-hant/台灣海峽飛彈危機 ) nytimes.com/2022/08/04/world/asia/taiwan-china-military-drills.html
◆ New York Times, 2022-8-4 ... failing to move more naval forces into the region, the United States would be perceived by Mr. Xi as less committed to the region than Mr. Clinton was a quarter century ago.
◆ United Daily (Taiwan) , 2022-8-5 The drill has been conducted under US tacit permission, which shakes the policy of peaceful resolution...  udn.com/news/story/11091/6515486?from=udn_ch2cate6643sub11091_pulldownmenu_v2
◆  USA Today, 2022-8-6 National Security Council:U.S. would postpone intercontinental ballistic missile test scheduled... reducing the risks of miscalculation and misperception news.yahoo.com/china-halts-climate-military-ties-152347684.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall
◆   Global Times (China), 2022-8-5 the US Navy's Ronald Reagan carrier strike group retreated hundreds of kilometers eastward overnight, after the PLA announced live-fire exercise zones east of the island。

　

★   Taiwan  vs.  US

Taiwan VS. US's "porcupine"  weapons

The US disagrees Taiwan's requests for big-ticket weapons


◆ Financial Times, 2022-8-19: Intensified military pressure from China has reinforced Taiwan's desire to acquire large weapons platforms such as warships and fighters...widens gulf on procurement policy between Taipei and its main arms supplier

ft.com/content/0d492ad7-9346-4c9e-b186-834c6fc75e85


◆ Economist, 2022-5-10:These flashier purchases are politically popular... Some of Taiwan’s political and military leaders believe it is more important to counter such “grey zone” attacks than to prepare for an invasion. A full-scale assault has long been hypothetical, after all, while incursions have increased every year
◆WEEK (UK), 2022-5-12: Taiwan plans to “throw a thousand tanks at the beachhead” in the event of a Chinese invasion that could result in “brutal tank battles”

◆ United Daily (Taiwan), 2022-5-19 : Can the guerrillas of Stinger missiles and Javelin missiles really block the Russian main force in Ukraine?

 ◆ The China Times (Taiwan), 2021-10-26 : Urban guerrilla warfare will turn cities into ruins and cause a large number of civilian casualties。
◆ United Daily (Taiwan), 2022-10-6 : Taiwan military was forced to accept the concept of "asymmetric war", in last year $80 billions Harpoon Coastal Defense Missile systems were forcibly sent to Taiwan ... but missiles are not good for China's gray-zone war at present.  udn.com/news/story/11091/6665520?from=udn_ch2cate6643sub11091_pulldownmenu_v2
 ◆ Foreign Policy, 2020-8-20 : “Their underlying thinking is that PLA has grown to be too strong for us to fight militarily anyway... Taiwan should just focus on putting up a good show of being tough, buy enough U.S. weapons for display, and pray that Americans come to our rescue

◆ Financial Times, 2022-5-17: Washington was right to push Taipei to focus procurement more on the threat of invasion, but that forcing its hand was counterproductive.

　

　

◆ War on the Rocks, 2022-8-22: flashy F-16 sales do little to defend Taiwan from China's missile force. warontherocks.com/2022/08/the-fourth-taiwan-strait-crisis-is-just-starting/

◆ Financial Times, 2022-8-19:Washington is trying to force Taipei to prioritise “asymmetric” weapons — systems that exploit an adversary’s weakness instead of trying to match its strengths.

◆ Business Insider, 2022-8-21: expensive equipment such as fighter jets, helicopters, and tanks to prepare against a possible Chinese invasion, defense experts say these would easily be destroyed by an attacker, according to the Journal's report. businessinsider.com/taiwan-learns-ukraine-porcupine-strategy-defend-against-china-2022-8

　

◆ New York Times, 2022-5-7: US presses Taiwan to buy missiles and smaller arms for asymmetric warfare (Suited to Win Against China);  But some Taiwanese defense officials are resistant.
◆ FoxNews, 2022-5-12: Taiwan may not have military equipment to defend itself against Chinese invasion warns Rep. McCaul
◆ Politico, 2022-5-11: The Biden administration is rebuffing some of Taiwan’s requests for big-ticket weapons,...these expensive items, while fine for peacetime operations, would not survive an all-out assault from the mainland.
 ◆ Economist, 2022-5-10: expensive conventional equipment such as tanks, battleships and submarines — are hard to hide and easy to strike with a missile — a "porcupine" strategist would focus on agile and concealable weapons
◆ Politico, 2022-5-19: the U.S. effort to reshape Taiwan’s military has taken on new urgency since the Russian invasion...the administration would no longer support arms sales for Taiwan “outside their definition of ‘asymmetric’ defense,”
◆ WSJ , 2022-5-8: F-16s Are the Wrong Way for Taiwan to Defend Itself
◆ National Interest, 2022-5-15: One important task has been to tailor the provision of defensive weapons to the needs of Taiwan’s military—procuring Stingers and Javelins rather than Abrams tanks and Seahawk helicopters.
 ◆ Foreign Policy , 2020-10-19 : Taiwan's leaders have gravitated toward military showpieces
◆ Diplomat, 10-5-2020: Taiwan needs mobile systems,long-range surveillance armed drones...

　

　

China's Missiles over Taiwan  in 2022-8-5  ★
◆  CNN, 2022-8-4 missiles flying over the island marked a significant escalation
◆ New York Times, 2022-8-3 China's CCTV stated that one of the missiles flew over Taiwan, marking another escalation of Chinese pressure on the island and risking serious miscalculation.

　

★  China's "staging the largest-ever People's Liberation Army exercises around Taiwan" (Newsweek, 2022-8-5)     
WHY ?? 

NY Times, 2022-8-25 They were meant to intimidate Taiwan and the United States   nytimes.com/interactive/2022/08/25/world/asia/china-taiwan-conflict-blockade.html
 NY Times, 2022-8-4 Stanford scholar: “Under the guise of signaling, they’re trying to basically test their ability to conduct complex maneuvers that are necessary for an amphibious assault on Taiwan.” nytimes.com/2022/08/03/world/asia/taiwan-china-military-exercises.html    
 Business Insider, 2022-8-5  "a show of force to respond to Pelosi's visit" and "to exhibit [China's] displeasure" and "presumably to deter the US or other countries from undertaking visits like this ..."  "readiness to respond to Taiwan provocations"    news.yahoo.com/chinas-missile-launches-military-drills-211102958.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall
 AFP (France), 2022-8-6 a former CIA Asia analyst:  main purpose with its military exercises was to change that status quo.，"The Chinese want to show... that a line has been crossed by the speaker's visit."
American University Professor: Beijing's message was meant to signal that China can alter the power balance in the region if it chooses. "The Chinese seriously believe that the United States has not been respecting their interests on the Taiwan issue"   news.yahoo.com/us-china-relations-risk-long-215317757.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

 The Times (UK), 2022-8-6

 Chinese jets menace Taiwan in an end to diplomacy

Global Times (Chn), 2022-8-5

 Some Taiwan-based media hyped that the mainland's economic punishment could antagonize the public...    "If the mainland opts for economic sanctions, it may terminate the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA)"...  Taiwan had a trade surplus of more than $170 billion with the Chinese mainland in 2021.  globaltimes.cn/page/202208/1272245.shtml

　

 China published a white paper titled
"The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era"  ★
GT, 2022-8-10 the wellbeing of the people in Taiwan hinges on the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation... it will create huge opportunities for social and economic development in Taiwan and bring tangible benefits to the people of Taiwan。globaltimes.cn/page/202208/1272637.shtml
Global Times, 2022-8-24 The latest white paper actually signals an invitation to the Taiwan compatriots to participate in the future institutional arrangements,...Ironically, the DPP does not allow Taiwan people to participate in the institutional arrangements after reunification   globaltimes.cn/page/202208/1273805.shtml
NY Times, 2022-8-15  The 2000 paper said nine times that negotiations between Taiwan and China to determine that framework would be conducted on “equal footing,” or other similar language. But that pledge appeared only once in the new paper    nytimes.com/2022/08/15/world/asia/china-taiwan-us.html
 Reuters, 2022-8-10 A line in the 2000 white paper that said "anything can be negotiated" as long as Taiwan accepts that there is only one China and does not seek independence, is missing from the latest white paper.  reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/china-withdraws-promise-not-send-troops-taiwan-after-unification-2022-08-10/
Forbes, Reuters, 2022-8-10 ...in two previous white papers on Taiwan, in 1993 and 2000, that it "will not send troops or administrative personnel to be based in Taiwan" after achieving unification ... is missing from the latest white paper.
ABC news , Australia,
2022-8-11		 China says there are "profound historical and cultural ties" with Taiwan..."Its economy is highly complementary with that of the mainland."...Taiwanese citizens who would "enjoy a high degree of autonomy as a special administrative region".   msn.com/en-au/news/australia/why-does-china-want-taiwan-when-its-already-so-big-and-rich-the-answer-is-about-more-than-land-and-money/ar-AA10z5KJ
 NBC, 2022-8-10 ... reiterated its desire for “peaceful reunification.” But it did not rule out the use of force as a “last resort taken under compelling circumstances,” without specifying what those circumstances might be   nbcnews.com/news/world/is-taiwan-worried-china-threat-invasion-pelosi-visit-rcna41964
United Daily (聯合報), 2022-8-11 這是更為強硬的表態，除了對內部十四億人有所交代，也對國際社會明確堅定表達北京看法，同時也想加大對台軟、硬兩手力度 udn.com/news/story/10930/6528208?from=udn_ch2cate6638sub10930_pulldownmenu_v2
China Daily,
2022-8-12		 The white paper received a warm response and wide support from Chinese people at home and abroad, and the DPP authorities' misinterpretation cannot deny that "one country, two systems" is a peaceful, democratic, good-faith and win-win solution   chinadaily.com.cn/a/202208/12/WS62f58be5a310fd2b29e71b7a.html
full text:  https://www.scio.gov.cn/zfbps/32832/Document/1728489/1728489.htm

　

　

★   2022  Michelin stars comparisons among Asian countries

 Michelin cities

number of 3 stars

num. of 2 stars

number of 1 star

total num.
Tokyo (Japan) 12 41 150 203
Hong Kong 7 12 52 71
Kyoto (Japan) 6 19 83 108
Osaka (Japan) 3 11 82 96
Singapore 3 7 41 51
Macau 3 5 7 15
Seoul (Korea) 2 7 24 33
Shanghai (China) 2 8 37 47
Taipei (Taiwan) 1 6 24 31
TaiChung City (Taiwan) 0 1 4 5
Kaohsiung (Taiwan) 0 0 2 2
TaiNan City(Taiwan) 0 0 0 0
★  New York Times, 2022-8-18: Taiwanese cuisine — layered, distinct, multiethnic ...has been shaped by many cultural forces, including the island's Indigenous tribes,  long-established groups of Fujianese and Hakka people; Japanese ;  Chinese immigrants in 1949+...   nytimes.com/2022/08/16/dining/taiwanese-cuisine.html

　

Users/88695/Downloads/20220830_PR-MG_TTTK-2022.pdf
guide.michelin.com/th/en/article/news-and-views/michelin-guide-singapore-2022-new-starred-restaurants   2022-7-12
guide.michelin.com/en/article/news-and-views/michelin-guide-seoul-2022-eng
guide.michelin.com/hk/en/article/news-and-views/michelin-guide-hong-kong-macau-2022-unveiled-today-with-11-newly-starred-restaurants
guide.michelin.com/en/article/news-and-views/the-michelin-guide-kyoto-osaka-2022-is-unveiled-en
 michelin.com/en/press-releases/michelin-guide-2022-shanghai/
guide.michelin.com/en/article/news-and-views/michelin-guide-tokyo-2022-eng     2021-11-29

　

　

★  Taiwan's travel & tourism - 13th in Asia
　
STATISTA: Leading countries in the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI)

   Published by Statista Research Department, Feb 4, 2021

statista.com/statistics/186639/best-ranked-countries-in-the-travel-and-tourism-competetiveness-index/

Asia Rank

country

score

world Rank
1 Japan 5.4 4
2 Australia 5.1 7
3 China 4.9 13
4 Korea Rep. 4.8 15
5 Hong Kong 4.8 16
6 Singapore 4.8 17
7 New Zealand 4.7 18
8 Malaysia 4.5 25
9 Thailand 4.5 29
10 UAE 4.4 33
11 India 4.4 34
12 Indonesia 4.3 36
13 Taiwan 4.3 37

　

　

★  WEF (World Economic Forum) , May 2022
world Travel and Tourism Development Index
weforum.org/reports/travel-and-tourism-development-index-2021/digest
world rank Asia's rank economies/countries score (global average : 4.0)
1 1 Japan 5.2
2 2 USA 5.2
7 3 Australia 5.0
9 4 Singapore 5.0
12 5 China 4.9
15 6 S. Korea 4.8
19 7 Hong Kong 4.6
25 8 UAE 4.5
27 9 New Zealand 4.5
32 10 Indonesia 4.4
33 11 Saudi Arabia 4.3
36 12 Thailand 4.3
38 13 Malaysia 4.3
43 14 Qatar 4.3
52 15 Vietnam 4.1
54 16 India 4.1
74 17 Sri Lanka 3.7
75 18 Philippines 3.7
84 19 Mongolia 3.6
n/a n/a Taiwan n/a
statista.com/statistics/186639/best-ranked-countries-in-the-travel-and-tourism-competetiveness-index/#:~:text=In%202021%2C%20Japan%2C%20the%20United,a%20TTDI%20score%20of%205.1.

　

★  UNWTO  World Tourism Barometer
UNWTO Tourism Dashboard, updated 2022-9-25
Asia countries  -  tourism performance
　 Arrivals (million) Receipts (USD bn) Receipts per arrival (USD)
Macau 3.7 15.4 4169
Indonesia 1.6 0.5 334
Korea(ROK) 1.0 10.5 10814
Thai 0.4 4.8 11247
Australia 0.2 17.0 68990
Japan 0.2 4.7 19239
New Zealand 0.2 2.9 13855
Cambodia 0.2 0.2 937
Sri Lanka 0.2 0.5 2606
Philippines 0.2 0.6 3663
Vietnam 0.2 0.1 947
Nepal 0.1 0.1 801
Taiwan 0.1 0.7 5298
China 　 11.3 　
unwto.org/tourism-data/global-and-regional-tourism-performance

　

◆Wall Street Journal, 2022-5-4: Since the Chinese economy is 10 times as large as the Russian economy, effective sanctions would be virtually impossible to enforce. Taiwan's lack of preparedness is increasingly dangerous.  ◆  Economist, 2022-4-20: the main lesson that China will draw from Ukraine is the need for speed—ideally achieving victory within days; Taiwan can learn ...Fighting spirit and the right Western arms may stymie a powerful foe ◆  Japan Times, 2022-4-19: U.S. 'strategic ambiguity' over Taiwan must end! US policy of ambiguity toward Taiwan is now fostering instability in the Indo-Pacific region, by encouraging China to underestimate U.S. resolve...  ◆ Wall street Journal, 2022-4-18: Kyiv's successful use of internet to counter Moscow highlights Taiwan's reliance on undersea internet cables that China could cut ◆ Fox News, 2022-4-15: Senator Sasse wrote: Congress plays a foundational role in the interpretation of the Taiwan Relations Act...Chinese spokesman: some in the U.S. attempt to use Taiwan to contain China. ◆ Daily Mail, 2022-4-14: Taiwan remains massively outgunned against China but the mountainous island would be a formidable challenge for any military to conquer ◆ Daily Mail (UK), 2022-4-10: China accelerates work on more than one HUNDRED missile silos that could house nuclear weapons capable of reaching U.S. soil -  to deter America from intervening in conflict over Taiwan

　

◆ Fox News, 2022-4-4: "It's not if China moves into Taiwan, it's when" ◆ Wall street Journal, 2022-3-29: Moves under discussion in Taiwan are still far from the kind of major revamp that some experts in the U.S. and elsewhere say is needed to upgrade Taiwan's military ◆ New York Times, 2022-3-20: If Russia succeeds in overtaking Ukraine, it increases the danger for Taiwan  ◆  TIME, 2022-3-18: most analysts say that the island would not be able to stop a full-scale invasion on its own—and Ukraine's situation has sparked debate over whether anyone would come to Taiwan's aid  ◆ Politico, 2022-3-14: Taiwan's military may be rightly criticized for its poorly coordinated forces, and its government has been hesitant to invest in its own defense...PLA would be more motivated than the Russian forces...China’s deep integration into the global economy and the leverage of Beijing's $1,068 billion in treasury bonds would make Western sanctions more painful to implement ◆ Economist, 2022-3-5: Taiwan's sloth in reforming its defence capabilities and strengthening its deterrence. Taiwanese seem too uninterested to fight to defend their land. ◆ Washington Post, 2022-3-4: Taiwan's leaders try to calm fears over Ukraine invasion, but citizens worry their island will be next ◆ Economist, 2022-2-26:  Parallels with Taiwan colour Asian views of the war in Ukraine - Some fear a Chinese invasion has become more likely  ◆  New York Times, 2022-2-23: With some seeing parallels to Ukraine, Taiwan steps up its defenses   
　

US military would defend Taiwan ?  ★

◆ New York Times, 2022-5-23: Biden Says U.S. Military Would Defend Taiwan if China Invaded, dispensing with the “strategic ambiguity” traditionally favored by American presidents ...The White House quickly tried to deny ..., Mr. Biden’s unscripted declaration put Japan in a complicated position. 。nytimes.com/2022/05/23/world/asia/biden-taiwan-defense.html

◆ Guardian, 2022-5-23: Biden's Taiwan vow creates confusion not clarity – and raises China tensions  theguardian.com/us-news/2022/may/23/biden-taiwan-china-strategic-ambiguity-us-foreign-policy
◆ Wall Street Journal, 2022-5-23: “We agree with the One China policy and all the attendant agreements we made. But the idea that it can be taken by force, just taken by force, would just not be appropriate,” Mr. Biden said.。wsj.com/articles/biden-says-u-s-would-intervene-militarily-if-china-invaded-taiwan-11653286228
◆ New York Post, 2022-5-23:White House walks back Biden Taiwan defense claim for third time in 9 months  nypost.com/2022/05/23/white-house-walks-back-biden-taiwan-defense-claim-again/

◆ Politico, 2022-5-23:The president's “strategic ambiguity” backtrack may hasten Taiwan Strait conflict, observers say
◆ Economist, 2022-5-23: the gap between presidential statements and official policy is giving rise to a new form of ambiguity—strategic perhaps; or maybe simply incoherent 

economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/05/23/what-is-americas-policy-of-strategic-ambiguity-over-taiwan

◆ BBC, 2022-5-23:Biden vows to defend Taiwan in apparent US policy shift
◆ TIME, 2022-5-23:president Biden's Vow To Defend Taiwan Is Bold but Incredibly Risky
◆ Global Times, 2022-5-23: Biden's remarks on ‘intervening militarily’ in Taiwan question not gaffe but signals hollowing out one-China policy
◆ New York Times, 2022-5-24:  Asked if he would send in troops if China attacked Taiwan, Biden said, “The policy has not changed at all.”
　

　

　


What Should The US Do If China Invades Taiwan ?   TIPP Poll  2022-3-2 ~ 3-4, 1318 adults, online survey ★
　 come to defense of Taiwan
directly via MILITARY action		 economic sanctions combination of military action
 and economic sanctions		 allow China to take Taiwan not sure
overall 14% 27% 23% 6% 29%
Democrats 15 33 22 6 24
Republicans 16 27 27 n/a 25
Independents 11 22 24 9 34
Conservatives 17 27 28 6 21
Moderates 12 26 19 6 36
Liberals 15% 32% 25% 5% 22%
19fortyfive.com/2022/04/a-chinese-invasion-of-taiwan-what-response-would-americans-support/     TIPP Insights
　

　

 Pelosi visiting Taiwan       a CRISIS in Taiwan Strait ★

 　
NY Times, 2022-7-28 Nancy Pelosi's Trip to Taiwan Is Too Dangerous! The United States and China are on a collision course in the Taiwan Strait  nytimes.com/2022/07/28/opinion/china-us-taiwan-pelosi.html 
NY Times, 2022-7-31 Mr. Xi may feel pressure to show a tough stance — possibly including military action...ahead of an important Chinese Communist Party Congress this fall.    The Biden administration has grown increasingly worried that China’s leader, Xi Jinping, might try to move, perhaps with force, against Taiwan within the next year and a half.   nytimes.com/2022/07/31/world/asia/pelosi-taiwan-china.html
 Global Times (China), 2022-7-28  China's defense ministry issues fresh, rare warning: The US should not underestimate the crisis and possible disastrous results it will bring to the Taiwan Straits if Pelosi ultimately makes the trip... if the US does not pull back but keeps challenging the guardrail, the price will be beyond US capabilities to pay"...  The rare expressions "yanzhen yidai" (嚴陣以待),  PLA "will not sit idly by" (不會坐視) were used (in Korea war and Vietnam war).“  -  China will not sit idly by if US troops crossed the 38th parallel. globaltimes.cn/page/202207/1271693.shtml
中囯 Global Times, 2022-7-28 Those who play with fire will perish by it. It is hoped that the US will be clear-eyed about this," Xi said  via telephone,...  it is certain that if Pelosi insists on her provocative plan of visiting Taiwan, she will face serious and unbearable consequences.    globaltimes.cn/page/202207/1271696.shtml
 TIME, 2022-7-28  there's a good chance that Beijing could sanction Pelosi personally...time.com/6201447/joe-biden-xi-jinping-taiwan-china/
 NPR, 2022-7-28 President Biden looks to ease tensions with Xi over Taiwan
 npr.org/2022/07/28/1114314905/biden-and-chinas-xi-discuss-tensions-over-taiwan
 Reuters(UK),  2022-7-29 "So far, there are few indications in Chinese official statements, nor online or domestic media, which would suggest that China is considering more serious military action at this time, although that could change"  news.yahoo.com/analysis-despite-xis-fire-call-003612894.html


◆  CNN, 2022-2-3: China's leaders may be watching Ukraine with an eye on Taiwan ◆ USA Today, Yahoo, 2022-2-10, "Chinese Taipei" , the label implies a link to China... younger people have said they feel increasingly distant culturally from the other side. ◆ Brookings, 2022-2-7: why is unification so unpopular in Taiwan? It's the PRC political system; A majority of our respondents — 56% — said Taiwanese culture was similar to Chinese culture.  72% rated China's government as at least somewhat unfriendly. ◆ Washington Post, 2022-1-24: Defending Taiwan is a worthy goal. But are we ready for heavy casualties? it would be a grave mistake for the United States to promise to defend Taiwan without preparing its public — and its soldiers — for the tough fight they could face ◆ New York post, 2022-1-21: Rep. Michael McCaul predicts Chinese invasion of Taiwan after Winter Olympics ◆ New York times, 2022-1-19: China's Growing Menace Hardens Island's Identity  ◆ France24, NY Post, Daily Mail(UK), 2021-12-30: China warns US will pay 'unbearable price' for backing Taiwan ◆ Reuters, 2021-12-20: Chinese spies have penetrated Taiwan's military, Even the security detail of President Tsai Ing-wen has been compromised ◆ Hill, 2021-12-20: China could obliterate Taiwan. It could seize Taiwan's tiny islands ... impose an embargo... And it could attempt regime change... ◆ NY Times, 2021-12-10: As China has built up its military presence, the U.S. has sought to widen its alliances in the region. A major potential flash point is Taiwan ◆ Times (UK), 2021-12-10: The US won’t fight to save Taiwan or Ukraine ◆  Financial Times (UK), 2021-12-5: US defence chief warns of China ‘rehearsals’ for attack on Taiwan; Lloyd Austin cites concern over scale and frequency of Beijing’s military sorties ◆  Reuters, 2021-12-3: Blinken says any move by China to invade Taiwan would have 'terrible consequences ◆ NY Times, 2021-11-29:  China is developing advanced weapons, leading U.S. officials to push for the first nuclear talks  ◆ The Hill, 2021-11-22:  as things currently stand, the U.S. can't deter Beijing ◆ NY Times, 2021-11-15: Biden and Xi meet amid tensions in an effort to keep “communication lines open” and avoid military action — American officials remain concerned that the chances of avoiding conflict may be diminishing. ◆  CBS, 2021-11-16:  Biden's virtual summit with China's Xi focuses on "managing strategic risks" like Taiwan...while there had been no major breakthroughs ◆ The Guardian, 2021-11-16: Biden-Xi virtual summit: leaders warn each other over future of Taiwan ...the US is increasingly nervous about the rapid development of Chinese conventional and nuclear military forces. ◆  WSJ, FoxNews, 2021-10-25: the island's military is riven with internal problems...Among the most pressing concerns are poor preparation and low morale among the roughly 80,000 Taiwanese who are conscripted each year and the nearly 2.2 million reservists. ◆ New York Times, 2021-10-9 : "starting a fire" : US and China enter dangerous territory over Taiwan... with potential to ignite military conflagration and reshape the regional order ◆ New York Times, 2021-10-15: Taiwan has a spotty record when it comes to fire safety... raise questions about whether the self-governing island,... had overlooked basic safety concerns in the rush to develop ◆  BBC, 2021-10-6 :China-Taiwan military tensions 'worst in 40 years' ◆ Guardian, 2021-10-5 :The prevailing mood among Washington insiders is to fight if China attempts to conquer Taiwan. hard reality that fighting China over Taiwan risks an almost-certain military defeat – and gambles we won’t stumble into a nuclear war. ◆ Reuters, 2021-10-5 : experts say the island could likely only hold out for a few days in the event of a Chinese attack unless the United States quickly came to its aid  ◆ New York Times, 2021-10-3 : Beijing sent a record number of planes near the island, ...a display of strength that underscored Chinese demands for unification ◆ Financial Times (UK), 2021-9-16 :Taiwan is failing to reorient its military towards an asymmetric strategy, US defence experts are growing exasperated over the Taiwan military’s reluctance to decisively act on their instructions. ◆ New York Times, 2021-9-13 : if China has any hope of winning a war across the Strait, its military would have to move fast, before the United States has time to respond... the Chinese economy would suffer more  ◆  Nikkei Asia (Japan), 2021-9-10: Will Xi move on Taiwan? History warns he might ◆  Reuters, 2021-9-1 :Taiwan says China can 'paralyse' its defences, threat worsening ◆ VOA, 2021-8-28 : Survey: Most Americans Support Defending Taiwan if China Invades◆ Financial Times, 2021-8-23: Anti-Beijing sentiment is growing but the government has done little to prepare the public for war...The majority of Taiwanese do not believe there will be conflict with China...Taiwan is avoiding ‘the underlying reality...the Taiwanese public has no appetite for militarising society or even discussing defence. ◆ WSJ, 2021-8-23: Will America Fight to Save Taiwan? Will the Taiwanese?  ◆ Politico, 2021-8-19:The fundamental challenge to the U.S. commitment to Taiwan is the growing tension between maintaining bilateral strategic stability with China and fighting China over Taiwan in a violent military conflict that has every potential to escalate into an all-out major power war  ◆ CNBC, 2021-8-19: President Joe Biden will likely remain ambiguous about whether it will defend Taiwan if Beijing uses force against the island ◆ FoxBusiness, 2021-8-19: China’s Xi Jinping is forecasting he will invade Taiwan, the US better listen  

　

　

　

　

　

pic. No.1 "introduction to Taiwan" on Google, 4-19-2020; No.5 at 2022-5-14, among top ranks in 1st page, 2022-4-30, 2022-4-9, 2022-3-25, 2021-6-15

　

　

　

　

  


 ★ World Economic Forum, The Global Risks Report 2022
National Risk Perceptions
　
Economy Risk 1 Risk 2 Risk 3 Risk 4 Risk 5
Taiwan, Chn. Infectious diseases Extreme weather events Geopolitization of strategic resources Failure of cybersecurity measures Asset bubble bursts in large economies
China Extreme weather event Asset bubble bursts in large economies Infectious diseases Collapse or lack of social security systems Geopolitization of strategic resources
Hong Kong Asset bubble bursts in large economies Prolonged economic stagnation Infectious diseases Interstate conflict Erosion of social cohesion
Japan Prolonged economic stagnation Extreme weather events Interstate conflict Failure of cybersecurity measures Asset bubble bursts in large economies Infectious diseases
Korea Asset bubble bursts in large economies Employment and livelihood crises … Debt crises in large economies Human-made environmental Infectious damage diseases n/a Debt crises in large economies Human-made environmental Infectious damage
Singapore Prolonged economic stagnation Infectious diseases Asset bubble bursts in large economies Failure of cybersecurity measures Climate action failure

www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_Global_Risks_Report_2022.pdf

　

　

★  <United Daily > editorial, 2022-4-15 (udn.com/news/story/7338/6240482?from=udn_ch2cate6643sub7338_pulldownmenu_v2):

misery index, Taiwan
yr. 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
misery index 4.38 5.06 4.29 3.62 5.94 6.92 (Feb.)
★  Gallup's accompanying article, “Global Study Reveals Most Workers Enjoy What They Do”, Taiwan ranks No. 114 out of 122countries. (China ranks No.88, Singapore 82, Japan 103, Korea 112, Malaysia 58, USA 76 ) moderndiplomacy.eu/2022/11/10/122-countries-ranked-on-workplace-happiness/  2022-11-10

　

　


 ★ migrant workers in Taiwan     https://intlhumanrights.com/TaiwanForeignWorkers.htm

  The yellow card from the E.U. in 2015 eventually prompted Taiwan to make some changes
 to its fisheries regulation.
But it's far from good enough, Taiwan never wants a real change since then.
　

　

world media

foreign laborers abuses
SeaFoodSource, 2020-10-1 Taiwan had largely overlooked the rights of migrant fishers  -   immigrant workers with an average of just 2 to 3 hours sleep. If no fish were caught, they were forced to work up to 34 hours straight
The Green Peace Org., 2022-9-29 Taiwan-caught fish once again on Department of Labor's (DOL) List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor
Green Peace, 2022-4-25 The high seas fishing industry uses cost-cutting and illegal fishing tactics, forced labor, and other human rights abuses to stay profitable. greenpeace.org/international/press-release/53401/nine-indicted-abusing-crew-taiwan-fishing-vessel-dawang/
The Guardian, 2022-5-9, (theguardian.com/world/2022/may/09/once-a-zero-covid-poster-child-taiwan-learns-to-live-with-the-virus) Taiwan is now dealing with an “Omicron tsunami”. In factories, migrant workers have once again been discriminated against with unequal rule enforcement and eased restrictions  
Financial Times (UK), 2021-6-22
 ft.com/content/4269650e-7660-4b80-b294-f81b4368784c		 "It has now become extremely common for employers to lock their migrant workers up... ”
The New York Times, 2021-6-18
 nytimes.com/2021/06/18/world/asia/taiwan-migrant-labor-covid.html		 In Taiwan, some foreign tech workers are confined indoors to tackle an outbreak; Activists say that the measures discriminate against migrant laborers.
Heritage Org., 2021 Index of Economic Freedom In "Labor Freedom" index, Taiwan ranks No. 91 worldwide
 The Guardian (UK), 2021-5-16

theguardian.com/world/2021/may/16/lockdowns-and-panic-buying-in-taiwan-as-covid-cases-rise

 Many foreign laborers from Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, entered Taiwan by the name of care-taker but actually illegally worked in these porn parlors in Taipei's Wanhua district,
Brookings, 2021-6-25, brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2021/06/25/taiwans-vitality/  the harsh lockdowns in crowded dormitories of mostly Southeast Asian workers at some technology manufacturing companies have underscored the discrimination that has long been present in Taiwan against peoples of certain nationalities
Business Insider, 2021-5-20 businessinsider.com/taiwan-covid-19-paradise-health-politics-policy-cdc-2021-5 Taiwan ... double standards and stigma still found their way.
Equal Times org., 2021-7-30 (equaltimes.org/taiwan-s-foreign-factory-workers?lang=en#.YQSC6i7iu70) Taiwan’s foreign factory workers face rights violations amid latest Covid outbreak.  “We feel like prisoners. It’s like the company controls every aspect of our lives !"  
US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released at 2021-3-30 Foreign workers were often reluctant to report employer abuses for fear the employer would terminate their contract
RT TV news (Russia), UDN, 2022-1-24 Two Indonesian migrant laborers got penalty fine in the amount of NY$100,000 (about USD 3,300) for stepping out of their CovID-19 quarantine hotel room for about one minute.

　

　

★globalpropertyguide.com  

House Prices/GDP per Capita in Taiwan compared to Asia
The formula is: (Price per square metre / GDP per capita)*100
rank country ratio
1  India 627.55x
2 Cambodia 227.93x
3 China 145.62x
4 Philippines 135.02x
5 Vietnam 104.97x
6 Thailand 89.22x
7 Indonesia 72.00x
8 Hong Kong 65.59x
9 Taiwan 46.11x
10 Japan 41.98x
11 Malaysia 36.71x
12 Singapore 27.14x
globalpropertyguide.com/Asia/Taiwan/price-gdp-per-cap

　

　

　 ★  《 New York Times》 ,  2021-10-16: The Kaohsiung building (46 killed in a fire) is one of many aging structures across the island that have fallen into severe disrepair as a result of weak management and government neglect...  the lack of support for Taiwan's rapidly aging population... older buildings that had been constructed under outdated safety guidelines were often overlooked   nytimes.com/2021/10/15/world/asia/taiwan-building-fire.html
 ★  《 Bloomberg》 ,  2021-7-1 (bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-01/taiwan-s-red-hot-housing-defies-challenges-from-covid-to-china?srnd=prognosis) :  Taiwan home prices may reach new highs by the end of the year, residential and office deals in Taiwan's six largest cities surged 27.9% in April from a year earlier....The government is not bringing its ultimate game to fight the overly-hot market. 
　

　

　

★  numbeo.com/property-investment/country_result.jsp?country=Taiwan

city Price to Income ratio Price to Rent ratio, city center Affordability Index
Taipei 32.09 72.56 0.53
New Taipei City 21.48 63.59 0.77
Taichung 21.07 64.02 0.79
Kaohsiung 13.61 39.95 1.20

　

　

                                                             Num. of physicians in Taiwan from '12 to '21              https://www.statista.com/statistics/860217/taiwan-physician-number/

yr

 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

number

 40,938 41,965 42,961 44,006 44,849 46,356 47,471 49,542 51045 52175

increase

 　 1,027 996 1,045 843 1,507 1,115 2,071 1503 1130

　

　
　

avg. number of physicians ranks very low
★  CommonWealth, 2022-4-12: Taiwan has an average 21.7 physicians per 10,000 population, which lags far behind the median of 33.6 physicians for the OECD countries (only Turkey is behind Taiwan).  In terms of healthcare's share of the national budget, which stands at 11 percent, behind the OECD average of 15 percent;10- physicians per 10,000 inhabitants does not even meet the lowest standard of the World Health Organization.  english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=3198#:~:text=Taiwan%20has%20an%20average%2021.7,physicians%20for%20the%20OECD%20countries.

　

★ According to WEF<Travel and tourism competitiveness report> (released at 9-4-2019), Taiwan's Health & Hygiene (including "physicians density" ) score 6.0 is worse than that of No.16 Japan, No. 17 Korea, and Australia, Mongolia.   According to  WEF<Travel and tourism competitiveness report> (released at 4-6-2017), Taiwan's "Physician density" ranks pretty bad   ―   world No. 65 (No. 57 in 2015's report)
 According to Wikipedia (2021-5-5) and Liberty Times (2020-1-6),  Taiwan's doctor-to-population ratio almost hit lowest in Asia, behind Japan, Korea, Singapore, China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam...even Myanmar...

　

Taipei Medical University professor 楊哲銘 comments Taiwan's medical quality is no longer good.  Taiwan's former medical chief 楊志良 (chinatimes.com/opinion/20210804005734-262104?chdtv) criticizes that the health & medical system has been damaged. 
　

　

　

Doctors per 10,000 people in Taiwan  ★
　 Taipei Southern and Eastern Taiwan (Kaohsiung, PinTung, TaiTung, PonHo), remote places
physicians (內科醫師) 5.01 2.12
surgeon (外科醫師) 1.77 0.82
Pediatrics (小兒科) 1.11 0.46
Obstetrics & Gynecology (婦產) 0.86 0.42
Accident & Emergency (急診) 0.82 0.47
Liberty Times, 2020-1-6;talk.ltn.com.tw/article/paper/1343896

　

★

◆  Lancet / Measuring universal health coverage based on an index of effective coverage of health services
Taiwan and some other countries of Asia & Pacific

　

Lancet, universal health coverage

Singapore 92 77 100 98 95 93 99 99 75 100 94 99 93 89 99 77 100 100 76 95 79 94 100 100
Japan 96 60 100 92 97 98 95 99 78 92 98 100 99 97 100 99 98 100 83 96 92 89 100 98
Korea 89 78 100 78 97 97 99 100 43 96 96 99 99 92 99 100 88 66 70 95 99 76 99 96
Australia 89 88 85 92 91 96 100 99 85 99 87 98 100 86 100 100 88 78 70 92 67 67 100 98
NZ 83 83 80 76 90 95 100 100 79 100 92 99 85 89 98 83 76 72 62 83 57 64 99 99
Kuwait 82 85 66 89 95 98 100 97 83 99 73 87 74 91 81 73 85 92 66 80 69 77 100 99
Qatar 80 71 69 59 99 93 100 99 67 97 72 85 69 91 78 75 97 49 58 97 60 95 100 97
Taiwan 79 96 84 75 100 98 100 99 46 99 88 93 89 97 91 90 82 44 55 55 89 73 99 97
Chn 70 96 70 75 98 99 99 90 32 97 72 91 60 88 86 66 43 80 61 41 86 65 98 98
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30750-9/fulltext

Measuring universal health coverage based on an index of effective coverage of health services, 2020-10-17

　

　

★ Lancet / Health Access and Quality Index
 Taiwan and some other countries of Asia & Pacific
ranks country score
6 Australia 90
11 Japan 89
21 Singapore 86
21 New Zealand 86
21 South Korea 86
27 Qatar 85
32 Kuwait 82
37 Lebanon 80
40 Saudi Arabia 79
45 Taiwan 78
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(17)30818-8/fulltext   2017-7-15

　

　

　

Taiwan's COVID-19 performance ★ 

World Index

Taiwan's ranks

link
　 　 　
Statista, 2022-7-27: Coronavirus (COVID-19)  death rate, in countries with confirmed deaths and over 1,000 reported cases
as of April 26, 2022, by country		 Taiwan ranks No.143, behind NZ, Singapore, Australia, S Korea, Qatar, Mongolia, Israel, Laos, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, China, Malaysia, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, India, Nepal, etc statista.com/statistics/1105914/coronavirus-death-rates-worldwide/
Nikkei CovID-19 Recovery Index, as of Jul. 31 Taiwan ranks No. 79 , behind Cambodia, Vietnam, UAE, S. Korea,  China, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Mongolia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Australia,  etc asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/COVID-19-Recovery-Index/Japan-tumbles-in-COVID-recovery-ranking-as-infections-surge
Bloomberg's CovID Resilience Ranking, 2022-6-29 Taiwan ranks next to the last bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-resilience-ranking/
Bloomberg CovID Resilience Ranking   2022-5-27 Taiwan ranks the 3rd from the end    bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-resilience-ranking/spanish.html
Bloomberg CovID Resilience Ranking   2021-10-28 Taiwan's "3-month case fatality rate ", 7.7 %, ranks world worst bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-resilience-ranking/
Bloomberg CovID Resilience Ranking  2021-9-28 Taiwan's "3-month case fatality rate ", 13.4 %, ranks world worst bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-resilience-ranking/
Nikkei CovID-19 Recovery Index, as of Aug. 31 (released at 2022-9-9) Taiwan ranks No. 57 , behind Vietnam, Cambodia, UAE, S. Korea, Singapore, New Zealand, Mongolia, China, Australia, Malaysia, Pakistan, India, etc asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/COVID-19-Recovery-Index/China-slips-in-COVID-recovery-ranking-with-fresh-lockdowns

full details
　

　

Bloomberg, Nov. 25, 2021  

★ "Winners and Losers" from a year of ranking Covid resilience

 Pandemic MVPs - Only 7 places never fell into the bottom half of the ranking
world rank country of Asia & Pacific Asia's rank
4/53 U.A.E. 1
6 S. Korea 2
8 Mainland China 3
9 Hong Kong 4
10 Saudi Arabia 5
12 Japan 6
13 Australia 7
17 New Zealand 8
20 Singapore 9
30 Pakistan 10
31 Taiwan 11
32 Bangladesh 12

moneyweb.co.za/news/international/winners-and-losers-from-a-year-of-ranking-covid-resilience/
 Taiwan successfully eliminated and kept out Covid in the first year , now it is in the bottom half among 53 countries
 Bloomberg CovID Resilience Ranking: Taiwan's 3-month case fatality rate in 2021-9-28, 13.4%; 2021-10-28, 7.7%, both are world worst

　

　


 ★ economy

●  NDTV, 2022-8-4:  In the first half of 2022, Taiwan's exports amounted to $246.7 billion, while imports totalled $219.0 billion. The trade surplus stood at $27.7 billion. China is the biggest trading partner of Taiwan. Exports to Mainland China are 40 per cent of total exports. Electronic products comprise well over half of Taiwan's trade. Taiwan's economy is dominated by the services sector ndtv.com/business/6-facts-about-economy-of-taiwan-latest-us-china-flashpoint-3223565

●  Bloomberg, 2022-8-6: China is Taiwan’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade rising 26% on year to $328.3 billion in 2021.   finance.yahoo.com/news/taiwan-says-china-simulating-attack-035002189.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

　

　

　

★

 ★ TaiwanPlus, 2023-3-6: A poll

★ Voice of America, 2022-11-23:  "black gold"-"heijin." Corruption in Local Politics (elections)

　

　

US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released at 2022-4-12 : In 2020 presidential and legislative elections, President Tsai Ing-wen won re-election,...there were allegations of vote buying by candidates and supporters of both major political parties.

N.Y. Times, 12-1-2019: the soft underbelly of Taiwanese politics: patronage networks. 
They continue to allow
community leaders, farmers’ associations and even
 organized-crime figures to buy votes
 ( NY Times, opinion : https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/01/opinion/china-taiwan-election.html ).
　

　

　


　

★ Transparency International, Taiwan's corruption index ranks No. 7 in Asia & Pacific in 2021

Transparency Int'l   ,  CORRUPTION PERCEPTIONS INDEX, 2021
country of Asia & Pacific score
New Zealand score 88  No.1
Singapore   No.4
Hong Kong No. 12
Australia No. 18
Japan No. 18
UAE No. 24
Bhutan No. 25
Taiwan score 68 No. 25
transparency.org/en/cpi/2021

US  Country Reports on Human Rights Practices , 2021-3-30

        state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/taiwan/   Significant human rights issues included: the existence of criminal libel laws and serious acts of corruption.  Authorities prosecuted officials including incumbent and former legislators involved in a high-profile bribery case.
　

　

　

Taiwan's press freedom ★
RSF 2022-5-3  rsf.org/en/index
Sociocultural context Reuters Institute survey in 2021: The Taiwanese have one of the lowest levels of trust in media amongst democracies
Political context The media landscape, although free, is impaired by a strong political polarisation, undeclared advertising, sensationalism, and the pursuit of profit which hinders the work of journalists and can prevent citizens from accessing objective information.
Legal framework Over the past decades, few concrete measures have been taken by consecutive Taiwanese governments to improve journalists’ editorial independence and encourage media to raise the quality of public debate.
Economic Indicator  No .49,  Social  Indicator No 57,  Legislative  Indicator  No 40,   Political  Indicator No33, No. 38 Press Freedom Index

　

　

★ Reuters Report 2022
　 proportion that trusts
 most news
most of the time		 proportion who
mostly read news
 in text		 proportion who
think news org.s
in their market
are politically
 far apart		 proportion who
accessed news
via email in
the last week
Thailand 53 56 48 16
Japan 44 67 26 13
Singapore 43 65 16 16
Australia 41 61 29 17
Hong Kong 41 60 36 14
India 41 58 33 　
Indonesia 39 69 18 13
Philippines 37 47 32 18
Malaysia 36 63 23 15
S. Korea 30 58 15 10
Taiwan 27 54 38 12
reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2022-06/Digital_News-Report_2022.pdf

　

　

★ worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/freedom-index-by-country

Personal Freedom Score, Freedom Index 2022 / World Population Review
No.1 score 9.62 No.4 No.15 No.23 No.30 No.38 No.46 No.55 No.59 No.123 No.140 No.147
Vietnam Qatar Philippines Australia Malaysia Thai. New Zealand Hong Kong China S. Korea Japan Taiwan
Economic Freedom Score, Freedom Index 2022 / World Population Review
- No.9 No.17 No.17 60 63 65 72 No.75, score 6.97 114
Singapore Vietnam India Philippines Indonesia Malaysia Australia Japan Taiwan China
Human Freedom Score, Freedom Index 2022 / World Population Review
No.1 score 7.13 No.2 No.8 No.15 No.16 No.19 score8.68
Swiss New Zealand Australia USA Japan Taiwan

　

　

worldjusticeproject.org/sites/default/files/documents/WJP-INDEX-21.pdf

★ Rule of Law, Adherence to the rule of law 2021 / World Justice Project
No.7 No.13 No.15 No.17 19 20
New Zealand Australia Japan Singapore Hong Kong S. Korea
Liberty Times, 2021-1-27: Public trust on Taiwan's judges is 26.7%, about 10% lower than that in previous year
news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/3450901


　

 US News & World Report 2022,  Asian countries ★
world influence - top  rankings  
Cultural Influence No.4  Japan   No. 7  S Korea   10.  Australia  11. China  14. UAE   18. Singapore  20. NZ  24. Thailand    29. Qatar  34. India   36. Saudi Arabia   40. Malaysia Cutting-edge centers of art, entertainment and fashion
Quality of Life 9. Australia   10. NZ   14. Japan  23. Singapore  24. S Korea   25. China   26. UAE    30. Qatar   31. Malaysia   34. Saudi Arabia   35. Thailand   36.Indonesia   37.Philippines  38. India  40.  Vietnam Through all phases of life, these countries treat their citizens well
Heritage 8. India      9. Japan   10. Thailand    13. China   19. Australia  25. NZ     27. Indonesia   29. Singapore   30. S. Korea    A deep vein of history courses through these countries
Adventure 5. Thailand   6. NZ   8. Australia  20. Singapore  25. Philippines  28. Japan    30. Malaysia  popular travel destinations to fulfill your wanderlust
Agility 4. Japan    5. Australia   8. NZ    11. China    13. S Korea    15. Singapore    18. UAE    25. Qatar  adaptable, dynamic, modern, progressive, responsive
Social
Purpose		 7. NZ     9. Australia    23. Japan   26. Singapore   human rights, the environment and religious freedom, most progressive, inclusive and committed to social justice
usnews.com/news/best-countries/rankings    www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/influence-rankings

　

Bloomberg, Nov. 25, 2021  

★ "Winners and Losers" from a year of ranking Covid resilience

 Pandemic MVPs - Only 7 places never fell into the bottom half of the ranking
world rank country of Asia & Pacific Asia's rank
4/53 U.A.E. 1
6 S. Korea 2
8 Mainland China 3
9 Hong Kong 4
10 Saudi Arabia 5
12 Japan 6
13 Australia 7
17 New Zealand 8
20 Singapore 9
30 Pakistan 10
31 Taiwan 11
32 Bangladesh 12

moneyweb.co.za/news/international/winners-and-losers-from-a-year-of-ranking-covid-resilience/
 Taiwan successfully eliminated and kept out Covid in the first year , now it is in the bottom half among 53 countries

　

　
　

●

　

　

Times Higher Education ,  World University Rank 2023  ★

　

　

timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2023/world-ranking#!/page/7/length/25/sort_by/rank/sort_order/asc/cols/stats
Rank Taiwan China Korea Hong Kong, Macau Singapore Japan
1~70 　
　

　

　

16   Tsinghua University Beijing

　

17  Peking University Beijing

　

51   Fudan University Shanghai

52   Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai

67   Zhejiang University Zhejiang
 56  Seoul National University Seoul


　

 
　

31  University of Hong Kong

　

45  Chinese University of Hong Kong

　

58  The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

　
19   National University of Singapore

　


　

36   Nanyang Technological University

　

39  University of Tokyo
　

　

　

68  Kyoto

University

　
70~100 　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

74   University of Science and Technology of China

　

95  Nanjing Univ.

　
78 Yonsei Univ. (Seoul campus)

　

91  Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) Daejeon

　
79  Hong Kong Polytechnic Univ. 

　

99 City Univ. of Hong Kong
　

　

 　 　
PS:    National Taiwan University (台灣大學) only got No. 187  (No. 113 in previous year) , number of students per staff  11.4,  female/male  42: 58, int'l students 11%

　
　

　

　

    Taiwan's travel & tourism  - 10th in Asia  ★
　

World Economic Forum (WEF)  <Travel and tourism competitiveness report> released at 9-4-2019 shows Taiwan had the sub-region's largest decline in competitiveness from 30th down to 37th.    Taiwan ranks No.10 among Asian countries.   for details : click tourism
　

WEF travel & tourism category Taiwan's rankings and/or score comparison
prioritization of travel and tourism   No75  Singapore No.6 ,  Hong Kong No. 11
Natural & cultural resources No.58  score 2.6 China  No.1, score 6.0 , France No.2,  5.0,  Spain  No.3, 5.7,   Japan No.7, 5.3,   Indonesia No.18,  Thailand No.21,  Korea No.24,  Vietnam No.26,  Malaysia No.31,  HK No.40,  Philippines No.46,  Sri Lanka No.52,  Nepal No.56
Natural resources  No. 87 Hong Kong No. 42, Singapore No.120
　
cultural resources & business travel No. 36  score 2.6 China No1, score 7.0
price competitiveness No. 78 China 5.7
Health & Hygiene  No.43,  score 6 score worse than Korea, Japan, Mongolia
international openness No. 60 only better than China, Mongolia
Safety & security No. 26 human resource & labor market: Taiwan No.18
 ps: Compared to the report of 2017,  Taiwan significantly tightened visa requirements (37th down to 119th), waning cultural resources and business travel (26th to 36th) and recalibrated figures showing a drastic reduction in protected areas (20th to 118th).

For full details :  http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_TTCR_2019.pdf
　

According to  World Economic Forum (WEF)  <Travel and tourism competitiveness report> (released at 4-6-2017), Taiwan's most important indexes for promoting tourism, like "Attractiveness of Natural Assets" (parks, beaches, mountains, wildlife, etc) ranks world No.87, "Natural Resources" ranks No.55,   "Environmental Sustainability" ranks No.75 (No.69 in 2015), "Price Competitiveness" ranks No. 46, "Hotel Price Index" ranks No. 89 (82 in 2015), Taiwan got "n/a" on China's world top 5 indexes such as "World heritage natural sites" as well as "World heritage cultural sites".
comment Taiwan travel and tourism, No.1 on internet, pls. click for details

　

　

　

Economist, EIU, THE GLOBAL LIVEABILITY INDEX 2022

Biggest movers down the ranking in the past 12 month

Taipei (Taiwan) ranks world No. 53 

　 City Location Rank Index Rank Move Index Move
1 Wellington New Zealand 50  85.7  -46  -8.0
2 Auckland New Zealand   34  89.2 -33  -6.8
3 Adelaide Australia 30  90.7 -27 -3.3
8 Taipei Taiwan  53 85.1 -20  1.2
　

　

　

　

　

★  world's most livable cities  ... i

 top ranking list of the world's most livable cities

　
world best surveys Taiwan's rankings
in top list		 comparison with
other Asia & Pacific countries
EIU's Global Liveability Ranking 2022 Taipei - No. 53 1. Vienna 2. Copenhagen 3. Zurich 4. Calgary 5. Vancouver 6. Geneva 7. Frankfurt 8. Toronto 9. Amsterdam 10. Osaka
The World's Best Cities to Live In 2022 failed top 10 1. London, 2. Tokyo, 3. Shanghai, 4. Singapore, 5. Melbourne, 6. Sydney, 7. Paris, 8. Beijing, 9. NY, 10. Amsterdam
The EIU's Global Livability Index Ranking   2021 failed top 10 　
The World's Best Cities to Live In 2020 failed top 10 1. Tokyo Japan, 3. Singapore, 5. Melbourne Australia, 8 Seoul Korea, 10. Sydney Australia
Monocle's Quality of Life survey 2021 9 Taipei 1. Denmark, 2. Swiss, 3. Helsinki, Finland, 4. Stockholm Sweden, 5. Tokyo, Japan, 6. Vienna  7 Lisbon, 8. Auckland, 9 Taipei, 10. Sydney
 The EIU's Global Livability Index Ranking   2019  failed in the top 50 No.2  Melbourne,  No.3  Sydney,  No.4 Osaka (Japan), No. 7 Tokyo,  No.10  Adelaide,  No.12 Auckland (NZ),   No.15 Wellington (NZ),   18 Brisbane  (Aus) ,    No. 38 Hong Kong,  No. 40 Singapore,   No.57  Seoul (Korea),  Taipei behind   
Monocle's Quality of Life survey 2019 failed in the top list

https://monocle.com/film/affairs/quality-of-life-survey-top-25-cities-2019/

 No.2 Tokyo (Japan),  No.11 Melbourne (Australia), No.13 Sydney,  No.16 Hong Kong,  No.17 Kyoto (Japan),  No.21 Auckland (NZ), No.22 Fukuoka (Japan),  23 Brisbane  25 Singapore
Deutsche Bank Liveability Survey 　

failed in the list https://www.dbresearch.com/PROD/RPS_EN-PROD/PROD0000000000494405/Mapping_the_world%27s_prices_2019.pdf
　

 No. 2 Wellington (NZ),    No. 7 Melbourne ( Australia ),  No.10 Sydney,   No.14 Tokyo  No.16 Auckland (NZ),  No.17 Dubai (UAE), No. 23 Singapore,   No. 26 Saudi Arabia Riyadh,  No. 29 Seoul (Korea),  No. 33 India Bangalore,  No. 39 Malaysia  Kuala Lumpur,   44 Hong Kong,   46 India Delhi,  No. 48   Shanghai (China), No. 55 Beijing
Safe Cities Index (SCI)  2019,   EIU (Economist UK), NEC failed in the top 20 No.1  Tokyo, No.2  Singapore, No.3 Osaka (Japan),  No.5 Sydney (Aus), No. 8 Seoul (Korea), No10 Melbourne, No. 20 Hong Kong 　
ArchDaily / The World's Most Livable Cities in 2019 failed in the top 20 No. 3. Auckland, New Zealand, 11. Sydney, Australia,  No.15. Wellington, New Zealand , No.17. Melbourne, Australia  
 The EIU's Global Livability Index Ranking   2018  failed in the top 50 No.2 Melbourne (Australia),  No.3  Osaka (Japan),  No. 7  Tokyo (Japan) ,  No.10       Adelaide  (Australia),   No.12 Auckland (NZ)    Wellington (NZ) ... ... (omitted),  Taipei 58
 The EIU's Global Liveability Index Ranking   2017  failed in the top 50  No.1  Melbourne,  No. 5  Adelaide,  No. 7  Perth,
No. 8 Auckland (NZ),  No.11 Sydney,  No.13  Tokyo,  No.  14  Osaka,  No.16 Brisbane,   No. 20 Wellington (NZ),  No. 35 Singapore,  No.45  Hong Kong,  No.58  Seoul (Korea),  No.60   Taipei  

EIU (Economist UK)'s  Global Liveability Index evaluates stability, healthcare, culture&environment,  education,   Infrastructure

　

　

　
　 　

　

　

　

　

　

 
 ★   Taiwan's soft power  vs.  Asia's soft power
　
world best surveys Taiwan's rankings
in top 25~30 list		 comparison with
other Asia & Pacific countries
Brand Finance -  Global soft power Index 2022 failed top 10 1. US, 2. UK, 3. Germany, 4. China, 5. Japan, 6. France, 7. Canada, 8. Swiss, 9. Russia, 10. Italy
ISSF's World Soft Power 2022 failed top 10 1. US 2. France, 3. Germany, 4. Japan, 5. UK, 6. Swiss, 7. Italy, 8. S. Korea, 9. Spain, 10. China,11.India,12. Sweden, 13. Canada, 14. Australia, 15. Denmark
Brand Finance -  Global soft power Index 2021 failed 1. Germany,  2. Japan, 3. UK, 4. Canada, 5. Swiss, 6. US, 7 France, 8. China, 9. Sweden, 10. Australia, 11. Korea, 12 Holland, 13.  Russia, 14. Norway, 15. Denmark, 16 NZ, 17. UAE, 18. Iceland,    19. Italia, 20. Singapore
US News: 2021 Best Countries Overall failed top 10 2. Japan,  5. Australia   7. New Zealand
2020 Brand Finance -  Global soft power Index ,
 top 60		 n/c https://brandirectory.com  No. 4 Japan, 5 China, 13 Aus,  14 Korea,  18 UAE,  20 Singapore,  22 NZ,  26 SA 27 India
2021 Monocle's
Soft Power survey		 included 1. Germany, 2. S Korea, 3. France, 4. Japan, 5. Taiwan, 6. Swiss, 7. New Zealand 8. Sweden, 9. Greece, 10. Canada
2020 Monocle's Soft Power survey listed No.1 Germany, No. 2. Korea, 3. France, 4. Japan, 5. TW, 6 Swiss, 7. NZ, 8 Sweden, 9 Greece, 10 Canada
 2019/2020 
Top 30 SOFT POWER by Portland		 failed No. 8 Japan, No.9  Australia, No. 17 New Zealand,  No. 19  S Korea, No. 21 Singapore, No. 27 China
2020 Best Countries Overall
 The Best Countries in the World		 n/c No.3 Japan, No.5  Australia, No. 11 New Zealand,
No. 15 China, No. 16 Singapore , No. 20  Korea,
No.22 UAE , No.25  India,  No. 26  Thailand,
No. 30  Qatar
2018/2019 Monocle's Soft Power survey failed No. 3 Japan, No.8  Australia, No. 11 New Zealand, No.15 Korea, No. 19 China,  No. 21  Singapore,  No. 25 India
2018/2019 Soft Power 30 Study by USC Center on Public Diplomacy failed No.5 Japan, No. 10 Australia, No. 18 NZ, No. 20 S. Korea, No. 21 Singapore, No. 27 China
2017/2018 Monocle's Soft Power survey failed No. 4 Japan, No.9 Australia, No. 13 New Zealand, No.17 Korea, No. 19 China,  No. 22 Singapore, No. 24 India
2017/2018 Soft Power 30 Study by USC Center on Public Diplomacy failed No.6. Japan,  No. 8. Australia,  18. NZ,  No. 20 Singapore, No. 21 S. Korea,  No. 25.  China
2016/2017 Monocle's
Soft Power survey		 failed No. 3 Japan, No.6 Australia, No. 13 New Zealand, No.17 Korea, No. 20 China,  No. 23 Singapore, No. 24 India
2015/2016 Monocle's
 Soft Power survey		 failed No. 4 Japan, No.6 Australia, No. 13 New Zealand, No.15 Korea, No. 21 China,  No. 23 Singapore
　

　


　

★  According to a survey of 2020, Singapore ranks No.1, Japan No.7, Korea No. 9 on "enterprise",  Japan ranks No. 5, China No.10 on "engagement", Korea ranks No. 5 on "digital", Japan ranks No.6, China No. 8 on "culture", No any Asian country ranks top 10 on "education" and "govt."
　

★ Best Countries overall in 2020:  1 Swiss 2 Canada 3 Japan  4 Germany  5  Australia  6  UK  7 USA  8 Sweden  9 Nederland  10  Norway  11 NZ  12 France  13 Denmark  14  Finland  15 China  16 Singapore  17  Italy  18  Austria  19 Spain  20  Korea  21  Luxembourg   22 UAE  23  Russia  24 Portugal  25  India  26  Thailand  27  Greece  28  Brazil  29  Israel  30  Qatar  31  Saudi Arabia   32 Malaysia   33 Mexico  34  Poland  35  Turkey


　

　
　 　

　

　

○

　

　

Trump takes Taiwan as leverage , one-China policy as bargaining chips

 ◆ Foreign Policy, 1-22-2021 :  Taiwan seeks assurances from Biden admin., but Biden and his team
 are likely to resist using Taiwan as a cudgel against China the way Trump did. 
◆  Foreign Policy, 12-14-2016 named Taiwan President Tsai as
one of leading thinkers of 2016 for "Poking the bear" .

　

　

  

Salmon is poking the bear ?  Taiwan suffers in danger !

　

●  The Interpreter , The LOWY Institute ( Australia ), 6-16-2020 :
treating Taiwan as a conduit to frustrate Beijing imperils Taiwan’s security.
 Already many in China’s party-state suspect that the US intends to promote Taiwan independence, ...
The risk here is that U.S. policy encourages an overreaction from China, upsetting the
cross-straits status quo or whatever remains of it, and
then the United States abandons Taiwan to deal with the consequences.　
　

　

◆ DW (Germany) ,11-10-2020:The Biden administration will have to make it quite clear
from the outset whether it is ready to go to war for Taiwan's sake


◆ Japan Sankei Shimbun ( 產經新聞),10-29-2020:Japan's DM 岸信夫: Given military imbalance of
both sides, anything can happen, Taiwan must be very cautious
　

◆ WSJ,10-13-2020:  continued ambiguity in the face of Xi's escalating rhetoric and provocative movements by his armed forces
in the Taiwan Strait presents the greater risk of a confrontation as dangerous  as the Cuban Missile Crisis
　

  ◆ Bloomberg news 3-14-2018: In the future, Taiwan will suffer even more, as it

gets caught  in the middle between a stronger China and a inward-looking US...

　

◆ Chicago Tribune, Yahoo News,10-12-2020: We should defend Taiwan... Yet, to be effective as a deterrent, Beijing has to see it as
 a defensive move by Washington, aimed at preserving the status quo, and not as part of a new offensive against China
 ◆ Economist,10-9-2020:  China could wipe out Taiwan’s navy and air force ...  Taiwan’s preparedness and its will to fight both look shaky. 
Many insiders are accordingly pessimistic about its ability to hold out.


◆ New York Times at  4-18-2018: The U.S. and Taiwan are seen

as heading in a direction that is getting perilously close to

 Chinese red lines...... (Taiwan president Tsai  stated)

" Many  people say we are pawns of other people ......"   
　

　

◆  VOAnews, 3-23-2018 : John Bolton (Trump's new National Security Adviser) has long argued

 that Washington can play a "Taiwan card" to compel Beijing's attention for its potentially

destabilizing actions in East Asia and the South China Sea.

　

◆ USA Today 5-18-2018: Xi JinPing has signaled that China will seek to reclaim its historical properties by 2049.   Freebeacon 5-17-2018 :   2020—the deadline that [Chinese supreme leader] Xi Jinping has given the  [People's Liberation Army] to be ready to invade Taiwan

　

◆ Taiwan Defense Secretary: can resist Chinese army for about 1+ week (CTV 12-18-2016) 

　

◆   CNN 2-19-2020:  TW president: "What we are expecting is, after withstanding the first wave of
Chinese attacks ourselves, the rest of the world would stand up to exert strong pressure on China" ....
"Taiwan as an underdog facing down the growing might of Beijing" ...    Taiwan military

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

        

　

　

　

◆ Financial Times (UK), 2021-10-7 : US special forces secretly training Taiwan’s military; rotations had been occurring for at least a decade... the disclosure could further raise tensions. “Making this public will compel the Chinese to react   ◆ Global Times, 2021-11-9: The US are aware that there is a red line - US troops and combat equipment must not land on the island. So they sent a small number of soldiers there to train Taiwan military forces globaltimes.cn/page/202111/1238576.shtml

　

 Taiwan is :

◆ "Washington's lapdog", "tool"  /  Global Times, Sept., 2021 globaltimes.cn/page/202109/1234662.shtml

◆  Eurasian Times  7-9-2020: The Tsai authority ... turns to Washington and is willing to be used.  Taiwan Now Under ‘Deep Control’ Of The US.

◆ "a conduit (tool)"  /    The LOWY Institute( think tank in Australia ) , 6-16-2020 : treating Taiwan as a conduit to frustrate Beijing imperils Taiwan’s security... and then the United States abandons Taiwan to deal with the consequences.

　

○

　

　

　

★ ★★ ★ ★

　

pic.: No.1 "introduction to Taiwan" on DuckDuckGo, 2022-4-9, 8-5-2020, 7-6-2020; No.3 at 10-25-2020

　

　

     pic. : No.1 "introduction to Taiwan" on US Yahoo search engine, 2021-8-5, 1-22-2021, 1-1-2021, No.2 at 2022-4-9, 2022-2-25, No.3 at 2022-2-22, 2021-10-21, 2021-9-21   

　

　


pic.: No.1 "introduction to Taiwan" on ekoru (New Zealand), 2021-10-21, 2021-9-21, 2021-8-5, 2021-6-15, 2021-6-2, 2021-5-13, 2021-4-18, 3-3-2021, 1-29-2021, 10-25-2020,  8-9-2020; No.2 at 2022-2-25


　

　

pic. : This websites group was ranked No.1 by keyword "introduction to Taiwan"
on Lycos at 2021-10-21, 2021-9-21, 2021-8-5, 2021-6-15, 2021-6-2,  2021-5-13, 2021-4-18, 3-3-2021,1-29-2021, 10-25-2020, 8-5-2020, 7-6-2020, 6-11-2020,  5-8-2020, 4-20-2020, 12-5-2019; No.2 at 2022-2-25

No.1 "introduction to Taiwan" on Excite, 2021-10-21, 2021-9-21, 2021-8-5, 2021-6-15, 2021-6-2, 2021-5-13, 2021-4-18, 3-3-2021, 1-29-2021, 10-25-2020, 8-5-2020, 7-6-2020; No.2 at 2022-2-25

This websites group was ranked No.1 by keyword "introduction to Taiwan" on Dogpile, 2021-10-21, 2021-9-21, 2021-8-5, 2021-6-15, 2021-6-2,  2021-5-13, 2021-4-18, 3-3-2021, 1-29-2021, 10-25-2020,  8-5-2020, 7-6-2020, 6-11-2020, 5-8-2020, 4-22-2020

　

pic.: No.1 "introduction to Taiwan" on SwissCows, 2021-8-5, 2021-6-15, 2021-6-2, 2021-5-13, 2021-4-18, 3-3-2021,1-29-2021, 10-25-2020,  8-5-2020, 7-6-2020, 6-21-2020

 No.1 "introduction to Taiwan" on EntireWeb (Sweden), 2021-10-21, 2021-9-21, 2021-8-1, 2021-6-15, 2021-6-2, 2021-5-13, 2021-4-18, 3-6-2021

　

　

　

pic. :  No.1 by keyword "introduction to Taiwan" on Qwant (most well-known French engine) at  8-5-2020, 7-6-2020

　

　

pic. : This websites group was ranked No.1 by keyword "intro to Taiwan" on Yandex of Russia at  2021-6-2

This websites group was ranked No.2 by keyword "introduction to Taiwan"
 on Yandex of Russia  2021-6-2

　

　

　

pic. No.1 "introduction to Taiwan" on Google, 4-11-2020

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　
　

○

●

　

　

　

● USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices,  3-11-2020:  Some political commentators and academics, 
 publicly questioned the impartiality of judges and prosecutors involved in high profile, politically sensitive cases 
 ● US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released at 3-13-2019 pointed out that justice ministry
was insufficiently independent   ● <The United Daily>,  06-18-2016, head page news: Taiwan's prosecutors
admit following order to conclude legal cases, usually.  

　

　

●

　

Harvard professor Dr. Joseph Nye advised in 2010 that hard and soft power enable Taiwan to deal with China and expand its international space. Brookings at 1-22-2018 commented that Increasing “soft power” is a low-cost, high-return strategy for Taiwan.  However, Taiwan's soft power was behind that of some other Asian's countries, Japan and China, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, India, UAE.  Taiwan failed to be included in UK based Monocle's Soft Power list 2010 ~ 2019 and Soft Power 30 by USC Center on Public Diplomacy, 2017 ~ 2019/2020.    Besides, according to Washington Post, 5-20-2020: There's a limit to what this soft power can achieve ...  Taiwan was unable to compete with China's economic and political clout ...  As for Taiwan's military power, Taiwan's administration made a core defense strategy to resist Chinese PLA for 2 weeks, and made assumption that then Americans will always risk their lives to protect home.  for details, pls.  click Taiwan soft power, Taiwan military.

　

　


ugly Taiwanese in CovID-19

 CTV, 2021-6-23: Emperor of Japan (aged 60+) was waiting on the queue for vaccination, by contrast,   Taiwanese officials and big guys are really ugly !  
　

  politics on purchasing vaccines

● The Guardian, 2021-6-14:  Drew Thompson (a former US Defense officer) said if the Fosun offer is legitimate, refusing it is “entirely political”. “Pfizer and BioNTech have a huge incentive to ensure that the Fosun product is equivalent, so I would think there is no concern,”  “There’s no reason not to take it.” Lev Nachman, a visiting scholar at the National Taiwan University, said “It would be foolish to say no,".  theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/14/how-taiwan-struggle-for-covid-vaccines-is-inflaming-tensions-with-china
Why has Taiwan rejected Fosun's Germany BioNTech vaccine doses ?   Nachman says:  it still seemed “in the DPP’s electoral interest not to get any China vaccines”.   In brief, Taiwan government cares its political benefits more than human lives.

　

● Taiwan's government only got limited vaccine doses, but deliberately to place obstacles (Foxconn says "invisible power") on civil organizations, such as Foxconn founder Gou, Buddhist groups, etc , purchasing and donating western vaccines to feller nationals.  United Daily, editorial, 2021-6-4 criticizes the gov. ignoring increasing deaths could be entitled "state enemy"   udn.com/news/story/7338/5507706?from=udn-catehotnews_ch2 UDN, editorial 2021-6-11 and China Times, editorial, 2021-6-11

　

● Global Times, 2021-6-12: Taiwan scholar, former official sue Taiwan president Tsai and other DPP officials for politicalizing pandemic ― misconduct, desire of profiting themselves and "killing people with policies."  Taiwan's regional authority has rejected 30 million doses of BioNTech-Fosun vaccine preordered by Taiwan pharmacopolists in 2020. At the same time, it fooled its people by saying the importation of vaccines  was obstructed by Chinese mainland intervention.
    an immoral country - ignoring high death rate

● Johns Hopkins University: Taiwan has 8th highest case fatality rate on earth (July 2021).   Taiwan's CDC says 90 per cent of those who died of Covid-19 were over 60 (TTV news, 2021-7-4), The CDC (USA) noted (Jun. 9, 2021) that The risk increases for people in their 50s and increases in 60s, 70s, and 80s... However, Taiwan once eliminated elders aged 65-75 from vaccination list, and later gave those aged 60+  and with chronic disease 10th ~ 6th low priorities to get vaccinated, instead, gov. officers (a huge number, and is expanding "unlimitedly") got 2nd priority, and is getting their 2nd jab, despite most of Taiwanese have not inoculated any, despite WHO's advice : government leaders and admin. personnel should be narrowly interpreted to "a very small number of individuals".  UDN, editorial, 2021-7-18: It's an unique case in democratic countries ! CTV news, 2021-6-23: by contrast, Emperor of Japan now is still waiting on the queue for vaccination ! (CTV : till July 6, '21)  

●  Taiwan plans to move Pfizer vaccine for elders and people with chronic diseases to kids aged 12-18, Taiwan president even intends to move elders' vaccine to those aged 18-23.  Taiwan obviously is an immoral country, by contrast, Associated Press, 2021-7-20 reports many public health experts have raised questions about the morality of inoculating low-risk children at a time when many of the world’s most vulnerable people still lack access to vaccines. the British government thinks health benefits of universal vaccination don’t outweigh the risks for most young people, who typically suffer only mild symptoms of the virus.

   abusing power & privilege

Lots of top tables using connections to sneak into vaccination, e.g., higher positions of Taiwan's largest telecom company, and largest electric power industry (state-own) did it without punishment. The China Times (chinatimes.com/realtimenews/20210613004215-260402?chdtv ), Next TV news, 2021-6-14: National Police Agency (police headquarter) and Taiwanese central government abuse power to cover Taiwan Police College students jumping the long queue to get vaccinated.  Taiwan unfairly allocated lots more vaccine doses to Kaohsiung city (a low risk area, a ruling party's city, only 61 confirmed cases ) than Taipei or New Taipei city (high risk area).

●   The order of vaccination Taiwan's government set has some gray zone, which results in politicians (VIPs including county mayor, tycoon on fields of media, industries, business, ranking officials, celebrity, etc) and staffs of all political parties were on the privileged black-list, which triggered public angers, and an open fight among political parties is ongoing.    Next TV, 2021-6-11: Air-force hospital inoculates privileged people.  CTV news (中視), 2021-6-9 : Lawmaker slammed abusing power to vaccination, just like Taiwan's lousy judiciary ("有錢判生 沒錢判死"  ―  "有錢免排  沒錢等埋" ) .   FTV news, 2021-6-9 (8:00pm ~) criticizes Taipei government for vaccination privilege. 

 

top hospitals like Chen Hsin General Hospital abuse their privilege to inoculate certain people, Taipei mayor reveals a best-known law-maker was "illegally" lobbying vaccine doses again and again for a clinic, etc. CTV news 2021-6-23 16:00~: chaos, cheating ... Taiwan is creating a class contradiction, those have good connection can get vaccinated, others just ......  
●  Not only ruling party abuses its power, pan-blue politicians, such as former premier & vice president Lien Chan, 8 times law maker Huang Chao-shun, former law maker Chang Hsien-yao, Ting Shou-chung, sneaked into vaccination. Taipei city mayor at 2021-7-4 criticizes the country is making "vaccination priority" and declared he hold the list of privileged people in Presidential Office secretly getting vaccinated.

  cared money more than human lives

● United Daily, editorial, Jun. 2021:Taiwanese patients in serious situation waiting for one week but failed to get Remdesivir, a specific remedy for cure coronavirus, in spite of that CDC declaring adequate Remdesivir medication for patients.   In short, the stock is always enough because severe patients can't get it in time.  (udn.com/news/story/7339/5513808?from=udn-catehotnews_ch2  楊哲銘). 

● CTV news, 2021-6-9: In 2020, only one hospital, National Taiwan University Hospital, can use Remdesivir, in earlier this year, all hospitals need CDC's approval (was rejected quite often) and usually take 8 ~ 12 hours to run procedure before patients can have it, sometimes it's too late.
 Taiwan national insurance system, cares money more than feller nationals'  lives.

   cheating
● World media pointed out a relaxation of quarantine rules is a loophole to CovID-19 flare-up.  e.g., New York Times, 2021-5-25: the emergence of more contagious variants in recent months, a relaxation of quarantine rules and a vaccine shortage gave the virus an opening ...nytimes.com/2021/05/25/arts/music/taiwan-covid-shutdown-music.html  France24, 2021-6-13: A sudden surge in cases was traced back to a group of airline pilots who unknowingly brought the Alpha (British) variant of the vgirus into the country just as the government had eased quarantine measures. Quartz, 2021-6-12 has similar sayings.  But the government still passed the buck on WanHua tea houses, according to United Daily, 2021-6-12   https://udn.com/news/story/122173/5527854?from=udn-catelistnews_ch2    United Daily, 2021-6-3, editorial:  How ugly Taiwanese government shift the blames to the China Airline's internal control for coronavirus loophole, ... In addition, they shifted blames about Taiwanese diplomat's suicide in Japan, imported poison pork, train crashed incident, and so on...   (從駐大阪辦事處長自殺、萊豬進口、太魯閣號等一連串事件，人們看到執政當局對錯誤政策皆推託了事 ，政府已因循成風 udn.com/news/story/7338/5504882?from=udn-catehotnews_ch2  )　

●  United Daily, 2021-6-14, editorial: Taiwan president and prime minister made some wrong CovID-19 policy, they should take much more responsibilities ...  (總統和閣揆均知自己才是若干錯誤防疫決策的拍板者，他們要負更大責任) udn.com/news/story/7338/5530668

● Taiwan gov. denied placing obstacles on civil org's purchasing Pfizer vaccine, but law maker 高虹安 said they gave lots of unreasonable requirements, besides, the opposition party said their vaccine purchasing application was turned down by the gov.


  
authoritarian
 ● New York Post  4-25-2020 : Taiwan deals with CovID-19 with "a lot more authoritarian.", "almost everyone is tracked.".  Taiwanese govt. responded at 4-28-2020 that Taiwanese would like to cooperate with our policy.  But the truth is Taiwan's "Big Brother" already sneaked into numerous families in the name of  Epidemic Prevention, by an injunction violating Tort Law and domineering over Constitution (凌駕憲法的侵權禁令) , without having noticed all nationals, in accordance with United Daily, editorial at 5-7-2020.    United Daily 7-16-2020: To keep good record,  Taiwan takes 'ostrich' strategy (avoid mass testing).
 ● China Times, editorial, 2021-6-17:  However, before the outbreak in May 2021, Taiwanese experts already reminded Taiwan's government all those world experts' critiques on today's world media, but local's voices only resulted in internet army's violent attacks therefore everybody kept silent chinatimes.com/opinion/20210616005523-262101?chdtv
●  Next TV news (壹電視), 3-10-2020<年代向錢看>: The president of nurse association (護理師工會理事長): "our freedom of speech" was restricted!! some nurses complained on the net about only having one face mask per day, the internet army came and shouted "you can quit your job if not happy !"  ("網軍:"不爽不要做!"). The fact behind is Doctors did not forward face masks to them.
●  United Daily, 2021-6-18, editorial opinion: ruling party's law-makers and top officials meddled with a deal to purchase Pfizer & BioNTech vaccines therefore now "It’s like we’re waiting (for vaccines ) in the glue or mud" as N.Y. Times (2021-6-15) said.  udn.com/news/story/7338/5540274?from=udn-catehotnews_ch2   Many internet army had already been trained to be "killing machine" to "eliminate" all those not on their side (網軍已經被訓練成殺人機器，看到非我族類一律出草「殺無赦」) udn.com/news/story/7338/5540265?from=udn-catehotnews_ch2
 ●  United Daily (聯合報), 2-5-2020: The online army of government conducts investigation in everywhere to attack all complaints (brief)
 ●  United Daily (聯合報), 2021-6-3: Taiwan gov. and ruling party shift the blame by saying "not remember" then  "there's no any meeting record about relaxing quarantine".   Soon later,  internet army and media hitters manipulated the public opinions (網軍、寫手的各種輿論操作傾巢而出，四處帶風向)。
 ●  China Times , 2021-6-10: online army manipulates populism and outflank the "enemy" - this time to mock civil organization's efforts on purchasing & donating western vaccines.
chinatimes.com/opinion/20210610006123-262101?chdtv
●  Guardian, 2021-6-7: Taiwan authorities hadn’t kept up with new scientific knowledge around virulent new strains,  theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/07/a-victim-of-its-own-success-how-taiwan-failed-to-plan-for-a-major-covid-outbreak
 
Taiwan did not give importance to ventilation , mass testing, or locking down hard and early, instead, they work on police investigation, tracing sys. and precision testings, etc.

   vaccines - firstly - making money

● China Times, 2021-6-13, opinion:   Taiwan's vaccine policy first of all considers top officials' benefit, the company without offering rebate/commission was eliminated, as for fellow citizens' risk of infection or death are not their prime concern    chinatimes.com/opinion/20210612003338-262104?chdtv  (國產的3家疫苗廠中，沒有回扣操弄空間的1家已經先行以「莫須有」的罪名予以排除 ，剩下兩家樂於分享利潤。所以台灣疫苗政策，都是優先考量官員的利潤，至於老百姓感染或死亡風險，已經都不是最重要的。)
 ●  Reuters, 2021-7-19:  The vaccine candidate has yet to finish clinical trials and no efficacy data is available, but Taiwan approves Medigen's COVID-19 vaccine candidate and said studies so far have shown that antibodies created by the shot have been "no worse than" those created by AstraZeneca's (AZN.L - UK) vaccine.

● United Daily, editorial, 2021-6-27: We must remind Taiwan president Tsai and former vice president Chen (陳建仁) of the things - human lives and health are more important than local vaccine industry, specialty and scientific knowledge are more important than scholars' speculation and calculations.  (我們要再度提醒蔡總統與陳建仁前副總統：人民的生命健康比疫苗產業重要、政策的科學佐證比政客的主觀期待重要、疫苗的病毒專業比流行病學者投機算計重要  。udn.com/news/story/7338/5560529?from=udn-catehotnews_ch2)  CTV news, 2021-7-5: lawmaker 費鴻泰 slammed "they" put stock benefit above human lives.
 ● CTV news, 2021-6-29: Taiwan has not worked hard to purchase Novavax in that the gov. intends to harbor two local vaccines using same tech. as Novavax which finished trial phase III already therefore is much better. (以免高端聯亞破局)
    Government's experts
 ● United Daily, editorial, 2021-6-18,  "terrible & fake experts" / CDC's guest medical experts only function as "endorsement" and "execution". (「偽專業」可怕 / 指揮中心及其聘請的一些專家卻扮演「背書」及「執行」的角色，防疫部署如何具有堅實的科學基礎？udn.com/news/story/7338/5540274?from=udn-catehotnews_ch2)

   fake, phony

● GT, 2021-5-23: The public criticize Taiwan's authorities for their suspected concealment of COVID-19 data   globaltimes.cn/page/202105/1224250.shtml  

Global Times 2021-6-4, etc :  "Taiwan authorities have no intention or power to fight the epidemic at all."  "Taiwan's COVID-19 fight has been a mess and the Taiwan authorities can only play tricks to make up for their mistakes"  globaltimes.cn/page/202106/1225426.shtml

●  Guardian (UK), 10-31-2020: Now, Taipei's people browse, busk and greet each other with handshakes and hugs. It feels normal.  However, Taiwan has already "exported" dozens COVID-19 infected cases to a number of foreign countries, not sure yet who should be responsible for this, according to United Daily, editorial, 10-31-2020. https://udn.com/news/story/7338/4977422?from=udn-catehotnews_ch2, and United Daily, editorial, 12-24-2020 : Taiwan's longest Covid-free streak was questioned to be a myth.
 ●  China Times, editorial, 2021-5-18: With an eye to keeping a success story intact, Taiwanese government ignored local experts' advices for mass/full-scale corona-virus tests, otherwise today's flare-up won't happen.  ( Chinese: 最令人憤怒的是，從去年至今，專家不斷呼籲要增加篩檢才能掌控病毒動態，但蔡政府寧願抱著防疫佳績進行大內宣，生怕多篩多出包 ...如果我們之前對高風險人員定期篩檢，進行廣篩及入境普篩，眼前的危機可能根本不會發生。   chinatimes.com/opinion/20210517004162-262101?chdtv   )    

   sad diplomacy

● China Times, 3-18-2021, editorial: Taiwan's vaccine diplomacy is sad -  expert analysis, Taiwan is planning to donate about NT$ 2 hundred million to Paraguay ( last holdout in South America) to get COVID vaccines, therefore, the covering in Paraguay will be 28.6%, in contrast, that in Taiwan is only 0.5%. chinatimes.com/opinion/20210318004639-262103?chdtv

   major business's selfishness

● CTV  2021-6-12: a desk clerk girl in Mitsukoshi dept store, largest Japanese mall in Taiwan,  had CovID-19 symptom ― disorder and coughed for 20 days, the company ignored it, afterwards, she became a confirmed CovID-19 case.  youtube.com/watch?v=uddB_K7B60M  Next TV news, 2021-6-14: some employee said they had not been arranged to take rapid test yet.

● CTV  2021-6-12, 7:34 am: a major TV station ordered its employee (took rapid test, but not yet PCR test) to work under table (without formal clock-in record),  probably therefore some of his colleagues were infected.  The TV station was blasted as "human lives are not its concern (草菅人命)".

　

further detals: http://intlhumanrights.com/CovID19inTaiwan.htm

　

　

　

　    In world media's eyes, Taiwan is  ~ 　
　 　


◆ "conduit (tool)"  /    The LOWY Institute( think tank in Australia ) , 6-16-2020 : treating Taiwan as a conduit to frustrate Beijing imperils Taiwan’s security... and then the United States abandons Taiwan to deal with the consequences.

◆ "meat on chopping blocks" /  New York Times , 9-18-2020: Taiwan has become completely dependent on the United States,... Many people are saying that Taiwan has become the meat on others’ chopping blocks”

◆  "human bomb"  /  Global Times, 9-8-2020: US sets Taiwan up as a 'human bomb'  ( drive the little to poke the big  )

◆  "food on the menu"  /  SCMP, 10-7-2020: "If you are not at the table, you are on the menu,” When the great powers sit at the geopolitical table, Taiwan has long been on the menu."

◆  "a dog under control"  /  Eurasian Times  7-9-2020: The Tsai authority ... turns to Washington and is willing to be used.  Taiwan Now Under ‘Deep Control’ Of The US.

◆  "a bargaining chip"  /  Forbes, 10-5-2020:  It would be a mistake for the U.S. to pursue an FTA as part of its China policy or to use Taiwan as a bargaining chip, and Taiwan has reasons to be wary as well.

◆  " a tradable pawn", "a useful chess piece"  /  Global Times, 8-23-2020: Taiwan is a useful chess piece for the US only because of the US strategy to suppress the Chinese mainland. On the one hand, Washington exploits the Taiwan question to contain China, on the other hand it is inciting tensions and making money by selling arms to Taiwan...Taiwan is a tradable pawn.  Taiwan for the US is only a tradable chess piece, but for the mainland, reunification of the mainland and Taiwan is priceless.

◆   "dispensable  irritant"  /   Asia Times, 11-16-2020;   Washington Post 1-18-2019: Trump abandoned the Kurds in Syria. Could Taiwan be next ?  WP, 7-14-2020: Trump's policies are undermining the security of Taiwan's democracy ...

　

 

 　
　 　

　

 　

　

　

　


 ★ Free Press:  Taiwan Shuts Pro-China TV Channel in Battle over Press Freedom
　
media

  Cti TV side

NCC side
Reuters 11-18-2020 ...citing evidence of interference from a Beijing-friendly tycoon amid fears over China's campaign to win support on the island.
there was no evidence that CTi had received Chinese government funding.  and key shareholder Tsai has previously rejected accusations of newroom interference.

Taiwan's main opposition party, said it opposed the decision, as it could have a "chilling effect, strongly impacting press freedom"

 CTi had been fined for several violations such as failure to check facts and endangering the public interest
Bloomberg 11-18-2020 Taiwan Shuts Pro-China TV Channel in Battle over Press Freedom
TV station says its closure is politically motivated
the latest example of the often fraught relationship between press freedom and concerns over Chinese influence in Taiwan’s fiercely competitive media landscape.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-18/f-16-disappears-off-taiwan-s-eastern-coast-fate-still-unclear		 NCC says Chung T’ien News violated broadcast regulations     The key issue is its largest shareholder Tsai Eng-meng is directly and indirectly involved in the production of news programs
　
Guardian, 11-18-2020 “Today is the darkest day for freedom of the press and freedom of speech in the 30 years since Taiwan’s liberation,”
CTi has been accused of acting as a mouthpiece for Beijing and lobbying against the Democratic Progressive party (DPP) government, led by Tsai Ing-wen, and in favour of the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/18/pro-china-tv-station-in-taiwan-ordered-off-air-over-disinformation		 Pro-China TV station in Taiwan ordered off air  after Taiwan’s media regulator found it had failed to address serious and frequent findings of bias and disinformation.
CTi had devoted 70% of its airtime to the KMT mayor of Kaohsiung, Han Kuo-yu, who unsuccessfully challenged Tsai in the presidential election. In January, CTi was fined  for airing false statements by a KMT politician without factchecking or interrogating the claims before broadcast
AFP, Yahoo News Australia, 11-18-2020 Many of the large media outlets are openly partisan, backing Beijing-friendly politicians or their opponents
"It is completely and utterly hypocritical for governments to invoke press freedom only when it fits their agenda," tweeted KMT chairman Johnny Chiang.
　
It called for NCC to make public all the evidence it examined and apply the same standards to all future license reviews regardless of their political orientation.https://au.news.yahoo.com/taiwan-pulls-plug-china-friendly-100647362.html 
He has sparked criticism in the past for being overtly pro-Beijing and imposing his political preferences on the media outlets he owns.
The NCC accused Tsai of making direct and indirect interventions in news coverage by CTi.

One example was a false report that local farmers had to dump massive quantities of pomelo fruit last year because they were unable to sell their produce to mainland China as relations soured.
Times of India, 11-18-2020 The channel, which vowed to fight the decision in court, says the government is seeking to silence those who do not support its policies. Taiwan's government has repeatedly said China has stepped up efforts, including a media campaign, to infiltrate and gain influence on the democratic island
SCMP, 11-18-2020 CTI: The Tsai government has closed CTi; press freedom is dead! CTi is seen as pro-China and the decision marks the first time the regulator has effectively shut down a television news station  It cited evidence of editorial interference from major shareholder Tsai Eng-meng
The Straits Times, 11-18-2020
The rejection of CTi cable's request is the first time Taiwan has shut, even though indirectly, a television news station since the regulator, the National Communications Commission was set up in 2006.
The decision provoked immediate anger from CTi and Taiwan's main opposition party, which called it an attack on media freedom.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/taiwan-cti-cable-shut-down-china-tycoon-tsai-eng-meng-13585436
 CTi had been fined for several violations such as failure to check facts and endangering the public interest
Focus on Taiwan, 11-18-2020 at the time of the hearing that the Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) government was looking to close the station, effectively threatening Taiwan's media freedom
CTiTV called the day "the darkest" for the freedom of press and speech since martial law was lifted over 30 years ago.
In denying the license renewal based on two reasons -- the number of complaints that led to fines imposed on the station and the interference of a major shareholder -- the NCC "ignored the issue of political manipulation and disregarded communication theory and practice," CTiTV said.
"Under the NCC's current standards, every news stations in Taiwan should be shut down,"
 Though CTi News submitted eight measures during the review process to improve the situation, Chen contended that none of them would have eliminated the interference of major shareholders in its news.
China Times, editorial 11-19-2020
Freedom of the press is dead! ! !
The ruling authorities ignored the Constitution's guarantees for freedom of speech. The National Communications Commission (NCC) betrayed the establishment purpose of the Constitutional Freedom of Speech stipulated in Article 1 of its Organic Law and decided to shut down the CTI News Channel. This was a naked, a blatant political ruling.  NCC finished the assignment Taiwan president Tsai gave.

In the 2018 elections, CTI TV stood on the opposite side of the ruling party. As a result, the DPP suffered a fiasco, the authorities grew enmity and decided to revenge CTI.

The reasons NCC claimed for shutting down the CTI  are completely ignorant of media practice and even violate the basic principles of communication. If the same standards are used,  should all news stations in Taiwan be shut down?  The gov, wants to kill one to scare many, and forces all media to follow the authorities, otherwise the same would be the case.

   United Daily, China Times, Apple Daily, Liberty Times are four major news in Taiwan.
UDN, editorial, 11-19-2020 NCC  passed the elimination of CTi News with "no objection" . Another symbolic meaning is: this is a "beheading" of Taiwan's freedom of speech, because the DPP government no longer allows "objection."   From today on, NCC is no longer an independent institution !
Apple Daily, editorial, 11-19-2020
We express our regret for NCC's Shutting Cti TV Channel
The National Communications Commission (NCC) rejected the Zhongtian News Channel’s renewal case results in a harm to the image of Taiwan’s press freedom, We express our regret for this.
LTN no comment

　
　

　
     Taiwan  in full aspects 
      ★   this site's world No. 1      ★   Top rankings since 1998     ★             

　
 home 
●

Taiwan

        Taiwan travel & tour

●

 need higher standards !

　

★ World Economic Forum (WEF)  <Travel and tourism competitiveness report> released at 9-4-2019 shows Taiwan had the sub-region's largest decline in competitiveness from 30th down to 37th.  Taiwan's prioritization of travel & tourism ranks world No.75.   In the overall ranking list, Asian country Japan got No.4,  China No.13,  Hong Kong No.14,  Korea No.16, Singapore No.17,  Malaysia No.29,  Thailand No.31,  UAE  No.33,  India No. 34,...
　

category Taiwan's rankings
 and/or score		 comparisons
prioritization of travel and tourism   No75  Singapore No.6 ,  Hong Kong No. 11
Natural & cultural resources No.58  score 2.6 China  No.1, score 6.0 , France No.2,  5.0,  Spain  No.3, 5.7,   Japan No.7, 5.3,   Indonesia No.18,  Thailand No.21,  Korea No.24,  Vietnam No.26,  Malaysia No.31,  HK No.40,  Philippines No.46,  Sri Lanka No.52,  Nepal No.56
Natural resources  No. 87 Hong Kong No. 42, Singapore No.120
　
cultural resources & business travel No. 36  score 2.6 China No1, score 7.0
price competitiveness No. 78 China 5.7
Health & Hygiene  No.43,  score 6 score worse than Korea, Japan, Mongolia
international openness No. 60 only better than China, Mongolia
Safety & security No. 26 human resource & labor market: Taiwan No.18
 ps: Compared to the report of 2017,  Taiwan significantly tightened visa requirements (37th down to 119th), waning cultural resources and business travel (26th to 36th) and recalibrated figures showing a drastic reduction in protected areas (20th to 118th).

For full details :  http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_TTCR_2019.pdf

　


　

　★ Economist, E.I.U. Safe City Index 2021
 Asian cities' ranking

   https://www.eiu.com/n/campaigns/global-liveability-index-2021/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_name=liveability21&utm_term=liveability_definition&utm_content=general&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6aq_iY3V8gIVwtaWCh15cwBrEAAYASAAEgJaRPD_BwE
● Infrastructure security :  No.1 Hong Kong  2. Singapore 5. Tokyo   7. Osaka  9. Sydney 
 12. Wellington   15. Melbourne  20. Seoul   25. Taipei

● Digital security:

 No.1 Sydney     2 Singapore   8.  Melbourne   9. Wellington  20. Tokyo   
  21 HK  24. Dubai   27. Osaka   30. Taipei   31.  Seoul 

● Health security:

  No.1  Tokyo  2.  Singapore  3. Hong Kong  4.  Melbourne  5. Osaka  6. Seoul  10. Sydney 
13. Dubai   19. Beijing   19. Shanghai   21. Taipei  22. Bangkok

● personal security :

 No.7. Wellington   11. Sydney   13  Singapore  16. Tokyo   
 17. Osaka  19. Taipei 

　

　
 ★ US News & World Report 2020,  Asian countries' world influence rankings  
Cultural Influence No. 6 Japan,  No. 8 Australia,  No. 9 Singapore,  No. 16 China,  17. NZ,  18. Thailand,   20. Korea,  22. UAE,   30. India,   35. Qatar,  39. Malaysia,  40. Saudi Arabia,   41. Phil Cutting-edge centers of art, entertainment and fashion
Quality of Life No.5 Australia,   No. 8 NZ(New Zealand),   14. Japan,  15. US,  19. China, 20. Singapore,  23. Korea,    25. UAE, 27. Malaysia,  28. Thai.,  30. India,  31. Philippines,  32. Indonesia,  33. Vietnam,   36. Qatar Through all phases of life, these countries treat their citizens well
Heritage No.6 India,  No. 9 Thailand, 10. Japan,  11. China, 18. USA,  21. Vietnam,  22. Singapore,  27. Australia,  29.  Indonesia,  30. Korea,  32. Malaysia,   37. NZ A deep vein of history courses through these countries
Adventure No.5 Thailand  No.7 New Zealand,  10. Australia,  17. Philippines,   25. Singapore,   29. Malaysia,   33. USA,  34. Japan,   38. Vietnam,   40. India The best countries to fulfill your wanderlust
www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/influence-rankings


　

★ Bloomberg, 2021-8-26, Quality of Life
bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-resilience-ranking/
country community mobility 2021 GDP growth forecast universal health care human development index
Singapore -24.5% 6.5% 92 0.94
UAE -14.6 2.5 63 0.89
Hong Kong -4.7 6.7 - 0.95
Saudi Arabia -3.6 2.3 64 0.85
China -16.4 8.5 70 0.76
S Korea -5.2 4.1 89 0.92
New Zealand 9 5.5 83 0.93
Australia -22.2 4.8 89 0.94
Japan -16.6 2.5 96 0.92
Taiwan -25.6 5.7 79 0.92


　

 ★   UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage  /    https://ich.unesco.org/en/lists
Taiwan is almost the last one

ranks

 Asian country heritage items selected
1 China 40
2 Korea 24
3 Japan 20
4 Mongolia 15
5 India 13
6 Indonesia 10
7 Saudi Arabia 8
8 Cambodia 5
9 Philippines 4
10 Qatar 3
10 Malaysia 3
10 Pakistan 3
13  Thai 2
14 Singapore 1
14 Sri Lanka 1
14 Vietnam 1
14 UAE 1

18~2X

 Myanmar, Laos, Nepal 0
　 Taiwan 0
◆  Taiwan is doing De-sinicization (getting rid of Chinese culture) for political reason.

◆  sg.news.yahoo.com/singapore-hawker-culture-gets-nod-included-unesco-intangible-cultural-heritage-list-140941296.html  12-16-2020: Singapore’s hawker culture was officially approved on Wednesday (16 December) to be inscribed into UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity.  The biggest thanks must go to the generations of hawkers for nourishing a nation’s stomach and spirits.   Taiwan is proud of its night market culture, but was not selected.

　

　

　★Economist, E.I.U. Safe City Index 2021
 The CovID-19 pandemic and the understanding of health security
The need to focus better on what works
Asian cities' ranking
　 1. Tokyo (87.7)   2. Singapore (84.1)   3. Hong Kong (84.0)   4. Melbourne (81.9)    5. Osaka (81.8)    6. Seoul (81.1) 

  10. Sydney   12. Abu Dhabi   13. Dubai   19. Beijing  19  Shanghai    21. Taipei (73.5)    22. Bangkok

　

　

　

　

★ Average consumption (USD) daily of foreign tourists
 (Japan, Korea, China, HK&Macau, USA, Singapore, Malaysia)  from 2015 till 2017

pic.: source from TW gov., Apple Daily, Aug., 2019

★ BBC, UK, 7-31-2019: the number of Chinese tourists (in time) in 2015 is about 4.18 million, dropped to 2.7 million on 2018 (https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/chinese-news-49178224 7-31-2019)
 ★ Telegraph, UK, 7-31-2019: China remains the top source of tourists, with close to 2.5 million visiting last year

　


Chinese visitors and tourists to Taiwan (in millions) ,  Direct flights  between Chn and TW began at 2008, 

 DPP (Green) in power from 2016
source:  Asia Nikkei 4-30-2019, Taiwanese government

　
　
data 2018
area population number of tourists (person in time) times
Hong Kong 7.3 million 65.1 million 1:9
Macau 0.65 million 35.9 million 1 : 55
Singapore 5.6 million 18.5 million 1 : 2.3
Taiwan 23 million 11.25 million 1 : 0.5

　

　

● ● New York Times, 7-31-2019, CNN 8-1-2019: China, an Eye on Elections, rising cross-strait tensions,  bans solo tourists from heading to Taiwan.    L.A. Times, 8-1-2019: The indefinite suspension is likely to prove a major economic hit to Taiwan, as well as a blow to cultural interplay.   Independent UK  8-1-2019:  It is a blow for Taiwan’s tourism industry. Liberty Times 8-28-2019: Taiwan may loss 35,400 million dollars from the gross annual value of tourism in the second half of 2019.   United Daily (8-17-2019, editorial) : Very most part of Taiwan's current tourism difficult situation is caused by cross-Taiwan-Strait policy.   United Daily (8-22-2019, editorial) : Pension reform might be among key issues in Taiwan's tourism, because public servants, military and education field no longer support domestic travel as much as before.    United Daily (8-28-2019, Focus) :  Visa-free and allowance can save tourism?  Lots of allowances were given to domestic tourists, but the number of Taiwanese traveling overseas hit new high again and again.     United Daily (8-23-2019) :  Taiwan president Tsai: tourism won't go old route, current policy is to balance tourists flow, stimulate domestic demand, increase consumption-amount, satisfy tourist's appetite by bubble tea and local cuisine.     The United Daily, editorial opinion,  7-15-2019 : An American economist Tyler Cowen was surprised at that Taipei was spinning its wheels, remains 85% unchanged (making smallest differences among Asian cities), motorcycles, small lanes ... everywhere, in contrast, GuangZhou city (廣州) has changed 90%, HK, Seoul, Singapore made huge differences only within 10 years ...

　

●   China remaining the top source of tourists to Taiwan is because,  LA Times at 8-1-2019 said that (1) satisfying a curiosity, an important channel for knowing Taiwan (2) flights of no more than 2~3 hours (3) strong cultural and deep historic connection (4) religious, architectural and cultural similarities, the result of migration from China to Taiwan that began hundreds of years ago (5) take home new information from Taiwan’s newspapers, news websites and television channels, all free of censorship unlike on the mainland (6) stoking business.   How about the current status of Taiwan's tourism industries?  Apple Daily (8-3-2019) commented that in these years Taiwan's travel and tourism still rely on old low strategies like price-cutting competition, cut-throat competition, or even ripping-tourists-off frauds....  United Daily (8-2-2019) said Taiwanese government's allowances given to citizens only cure the symptom not the disease, the budget should be used to improve tourism environment and to build up tourism body, e.g.,  facilities & infrastructure - we only have very little South-East Asian tourists friendly stuffs for them...    

　

　

● Asia Nikkei (Japan), 4-30-2019: Since 2016, China has attempted to punish Tsai (DPP) by reducing tour groups to Taiwan, but inbound tourists have steadily set records surpassing 11 millions for the first time last year...  ● The United Daily 3-7-2019: Taiwan's tourism output value is suffering wallet homicide ! the deficit of foreign exchange is NT1728 billions, the deficit of the number of tourists is 5570 thousands.

　

● Apple Daily, opinion, 2-12-2018: lacking of monument elements, mature cultural creativity, and inexpensive tour-site hotels ...  shallow, careless, low-end quality led to an extremely low return visitor rate to Taiwan.    Apple Daily, Headline news 1-15-2018:  Taiwan tourism collapsed like a snow-slide, the number of tourists to Kenting National Park(墾丁貓鼻頭) dropped 59%,  to Taroko National Gorge (太魯閣) dropped 43%, etc, because of the number of Chinese tourists declined a lot and local people don't like those sites -  Apple Daily opinion 1-17-2018: expensive hotels, crowded traffic, getting ripped-off by greedy shops' ...

●

● According to  World Economic Forum (WEF)  <Travel and tourism competitiveness report> (released at 4-6-2017), Taiwan's most important indexes for promoting tourism, like "Attractiveness of Natural Assets" (parks, beaches, mountains, wildlife, etc) ranks world No.87, "Natural Resources" ranks No.55,   "Environmental Sustainability" ranks No.75 (No.69 in 2015), "Price Competitiveness" ranks No. 46, "Hotel Price Index" ranks No. 89 (82 in 2015), Taiwan got "n/a" on China's strong indexes such as "World heritage natural sites" as well as "World heritage cultural sites" (world top 5).  Taipei mayor Ko just mocked tourism of Hong Kong and Singapore, however, they are very ahead in "Business Environment" and "Ground & Port infrastructure" (world top 2), "Airport  infrastructure" (world No.5 & 6 vs Taiwan no. 42 ), "Safety & security" ( No.5 and No.6 ) 。 Taiwan has excellent scores on "Mobile Network coverage", "ATM", etc, but those least likely are main attractiveness to international sightseers that Taiwan needs most.  According to government statistics "visitor arrivals by purpose in 2016",  only 7.61% foreigners came for business, conference, exhibition, most visitors are for pleasure, so we should not focus on WEF's overall score and ranking for Taiwan. 

●

● BBC UK, The SUN (2-13-2017):  "Bus Crash Horror !" -  Taiwan's "safety standards need to be improved".   A few days later another fatal tour-bus accident occurred.   Apple Daily, Opinion (2-15-2017): Such a high casualty rate most likely was ranked No.1 among all civilized states in the world.    Taiwan's aviation safety - MSN, Reuters, EuroNews, Mirro(UK), NewsWeek, CNN, etc (2-4-2015) :"Taiwan has had a poor aviation safety record in recent years"

●

● People's Daily, the major official newspaper of the ruling Chinese Communist Party,   ( Opinion/editorial  8-4-2016):  <Chinese tourists do not dare to visit Taiwan in the future without safety assurance>  / Taiwan tour disasters are sort of man-made disasters , Taiwan tourism's major problems  include loopholes in law and regulation 、careless mistakes in administration or not-good-enough system of organization, other malpractices are traveling load-bearing capacity 、road-traffic safety 、aviation safety 、road maintenance 、safety standard for tour bus 、Modified Automobiles/Fix-up tour bus、Low-end tour groups … tragic accidents happening again and again open Pandora's box, too many tourist victims reveal Taiwan tourism's problems, Taiwan authority tried to do something (亡羊補牢) each time a tragic accident occurred, but it seemed late and same kind of tragedies never cease.  (《人民日報》8-4-2016 社論:  很多意外事故都存在著人禍 的影子，或是法規漏洞、管理疏失、或是體制不足。旅遊承載能力、道路安全、飛行安全、道路養護 、遊覽車安全標準、改裝車、低價團…一起起事故猶如打開了潘朵拉的盒子... )

　

　


 ★《Economist》UK , EIU 「The Safe Cities Index 2019  」
 https://safecities.economist.com/safe-cities-index-2019/ 
 Taiwan is worse than its neighbors Singapore, Japan, China, Korea, Australia, NZ ...

   Taiwan's "personal security" dropped 14 places compared with the previous report
　
● personal security : No.1 Singapore  3 HK  4 Tokyo  5 Wellington  7 Osaka  10 Sydney  12 Dubai  15 Seoul  16 Melbourne 20 Taipei 
● Infrastructure security :  No.1 Singapore 2 Osaka 4 Tokyo  7 Sydney  7 Melbourne  9 Wellington 14 Seoul  18 HK  24 Taipei

● Digital security:

 No.1 Tokyo  2 Singapore 11 Osaka 11 Sydney  11 Melbourne 17  Seoul  22 HK  23 Taipei

● Health security:

 No.1  Osaka  2 Tokyo  3 Seoul  8  Singapore  10 Taipei 

★ World Economic Forum (WEF)  <Travel and tourism competitiveness report> released at 9-4-2019 shows Taiwan's "safety & security" got an Eastern Asia-pacific average score 6.0, and is worse than Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and Singapore.
 ★ 《 China Times 》, 11-11-2020 , editorial:  Malaysian newspaper thinks Taiwan apparently an extremely unsafe place because two Malaysian ladies were murdered (one was cut-to-pieces) in Taiwan within one year.   A poll by KMT shows 48.9% Taiwanese thinks social security is worse than before.
 ★ 《Liberty Times 》, 11-12-2020:  Crimes of violence kept worsening  ―  in recent 5 years, the number of four major crimes（恐嚇取財、傷害、妨害自由、刀械槍枝）gradually increases from 20732 in 2015 to 24638 in 2019 in all six major cities, according to statistics.
　

　

●

● Fatal train accidents
    ref. to  <New York Times>: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/21/world/asia/taiwan-train-crash.html

    ● 2018 : Taiwan Train Accident in biggest curve in Taiwan Kills at Least 18 and Injures about 187 Others ( ps: CTV (中視新聞) 19:45pm, 10-22-2018, Prosecutor: over-speed might be the cause of accident,  other suspicious points under investigation include "Automatic Train Protection (ATP)" being turned off,  abnormal track, etc;  ps2: CTV 20:30pm, 10-22-2018 : speed 140km, should be 80km or 65 km)
   

● Business Insider (6-2015) introduced some places for tourists:

    ◎  Hehuan Mountain and Ali Mountain are two top-rated scenic spots on TripAdvisor. (阿里山等)    ◎  Sun Moon Lake(日月潭) 

    ◎ Kenting National Park(墾丁).   9 nationall. parks, which make up 8.6% of its land.  Taroko National Gorge (太魯閣) alone is worth spending at least two days hiking its numerous scenic trails.

    ◎ hot springs Beitou outside of Taipei, and Jiaoxi in Yilan (北投宜蘭等溫泉)

◎◎

ps:  [ Climate ]   tropical and subtropical climate zones,  Average temperature for northern Taiwan : 21.7°C;  southern Taiwan:  24.1°C.   Jan. ~ Mar : may downto 10°C.   June ~ August, may up to 38°C

  tour & travel

　

●●

●●

 Taiwan

        Taiwan food

○

Better eat at home !

　

●  Bloomberg, Yahoo Finance, 2022-2-7: Taiwan Set to Lift Ban on Fukushima Food to Boost Japan Ties.  finance.yahoo.com/news/taiwan-set-lift-ban-fukushima-140007509.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

　

★ 2021  Michelin stars comparisons among Asian countries

 Michelin cities

number of 3 stars

num. of 2 stars

number of 1 star

total num.
Tokyo (Japan) 12 42 158 212
Hong Kong 10 18 59 87
Kyoto (Japan) 7 19 84 110
Osaka (Japan) 3 12 81 96
Singapore 3 5 41 49
Seoul (Korea) 2 7 34 43
Shanghai (China) 1 10 32 43
Taipei (Taiwan) 1 7 21 29

○

　

★  Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2021,   2021-3-25

 rankings     theworlds50best.com/stories/News/asias-50-best-restaurants-2021-the-list-in-pictures.html
● top 10 restaurants :  No. 1.  The Chairman, HK, China   2. Odette, Singapore  3. Den, Japan  4. Le Du, Thailand  5. Gaggan A. , Thailand 6. Suhring, Thailand   7.  Florilege , Japan   8. La Cime, Japan   9.  Narisawa, Japan   10. Mingles, S. Korea

●  number of top 40
in each Asian country:

  China  9,    Japan  9,      Singapore  6,   Thailand  5,   Taiwan 4,   S.  Korea 3,   India 2

　

★

pic.: In World's Best Restaurants list, In Asia area, Australia, Singapore, Japan, India, Thailand, China, Korea are winners 

　

★

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

pic.: In Asia's 50 Best Restaurants, Singapore, China, Japan, Thailand are big winners 

　

　

　

   ★ Michelin Stars (2020) comparison among Asian cities
Michelin Guide cities

number of starred restaurants

number of 3-stars restaurants

number of 2 stars

1 star
Tokyo (Japan) 226 11 48 167
Hong Kong,
Macau		 85 10 19 56
Kyoto (Japan) 100 8 21 77
Osaka (Japan) 111 3 16 79
Seoul (Korea) 31 2 7 22
Singapore 44 2 5 37
Taipei  (TW) 26 1 6 19
Shanghai (China) 23 1 2 20

　

　

  ★ Comparison:  3 Michelin starred restaurants of Asia  - Tokyo (Japan) 13, HK 7, Kyoto (Japan) 7, Osaka (Japan) 4, Macau 3, Seoul (Korea) 2, Shanghai (Chn) 1, Taipei (TW) 1

Number of Restaurants in Asia with 3 Michelin Stars   /    ref to Bloomberg 4-11-2019,  Michelin Guide 
Michelin Guide City

number of 3 starred restaurants (3星數)
Tokyo (日本東京)                                                    
Hong Kong, Macau
 (港澳)		                                               
Kyoto (日本京都)

                                   

Osaka (日本大阪)

                  

Seoul (韓國首爾)

        

Shanghai (上海)

    

Taipei  (台北)

　

　

● Michelin GuideTaipei  was released at 4-10-2019, Taiwanese cuisine was not valued very high, only 4 restaurants won 1 star each,   3 starred chefs are from Hong Kong (Canton) and Macau.    The total number of stars and starred restaurants of Taiwan are much less than those of Shanghai, HK, Macao, and Singapore, in both 2019 and 2018.   Furthermore, unlike those in Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Taiwan's night-market, street food failed to won any Michelin star.

　

●  The China Times, 10-20-2018  opinion (editorial)   https://opinion.chinatimes.com/20181019003889-262101 :

Taiwan's food safety failed again and again,  Dioxin, Fipronil poison-eggs in last year, Nicarbazin illegal drug residue event in this year.  Europe was very cautious about Fipronil event, in contrast, Taiwan did nothing about it.   Even worse, Taiwan officials hide Nicarbazin issue from Taiwanese people to baby related business ― indulge business to retrieve problematic eggs and then resell them as promotion goods..

Why do high-ranking officials always fudge Taiwanese people's only, and humblest request ？?   (brief)

 ○

● Food safety is one of biggest challenges to Taiwan / The China Times. 8-6-2016,  an interview to Taiwan president Tsai I. W.

○

● Chang Gung Mem. Hospital Toxicology expert & professor Yin M.D. (殷宗海, Doctor, Univ. of London ): Minimize the times of dining out to protect your health !  ref to book <食品不安全的年代如何自保>, 2016.

○

● MicroPlastics were found in 44% tap water samples, medical circle believes it's a very serious environmental pollution, since something bad, e.g., Dioxin, Bisphenol A (BPA), PAHs, heavy metal elements, may be brought into food chain, and then are/were accumulated in human body...... we better use purified water by RO machine for safety.  Furthermore, mussels, oysters, clams (扇貝與蛤) were also found some microplastics......  brief -  headlines of Apple Daily, United Daily, 9-26-2018.   

○

●  The China Times, 5-21-2018 : Taiwan food safety became nothing but a slogan for the government's relaxation of pesticide residue standards in these 2 years.   TVBS, 9-12-2017 : Scholar (中興univ. professor 曾德賜) expressed the amount ( per hectare ) of application of pesticide in Taiwan was ranked world No.1, according to India's study.

○○

● 5 star hotel restaurants scandals one after one - A book (by 江守山 M.D.'s "食在安心" (10-2014)) said many 5 star hotel restaurants don't wash vegetables ...  some 5 star hotels made sashimi raw fish slices by using fresh-water fishes, this may increase the probability of getting cancer  (for details 台灣餐廳  or  台灣美食Taiwan Night Markets ) ; Epoch Times (大紀元, 3-14-2017):Okura Prestige Tpe (大倉久和, a 5 star hotel) sold expired frozen shrimps, molded taro (vegetable 芋) etc;   SETN news ( 三立新聞 5-16-2016): Some 5 star hotels in northern Taiwan sold black-hearted expired seafoods ;  LTN (5-17-2016): 5 star hotels Ambassador and Howard (國賓、福華) clarified this news;   Apple Daily (蘋果日報 6-7-2016): Sheraton (喜來登) 's white shrimps contained bleaching agent (漂白劑)，4 times higher than the legal standard，Ranina (Spanner crabs 旭蟹) contained heavy medal Cadmium poisoning (重金屬镉) 14% higher than the standard...;  Apple Daily (蘋果日報 7-2-'13): Taiwan's tourist hotels' food ingredients expired 2 years,  only 3 out of 21 hotels passed the security check and sanitary examination etc conducting by Taiwan Administration, e.g., Shangri-La's (tnn) did not separate their cutting tools for cooked foods and raw foods;   Chang Gung Mem. Hospital professor Yin M.D. (殷宗海, Doctor, Univ. of London ): Minimize the times of dining out to protect your health ! ( ref. to book <食品不安全的年代如何自保>("how to survive in this bad food-security time", April 2016))   FTV news, 5-18-2017: 13 ingredients / materials expired in a 5 star hotel in Taiwan;  CTI TV news (5-17-2017, 19:33): What can we eat in Taiwan? people are uneasy for food here...   

○

● A big gas-cylinder LPG-explosion in Fengjia (逢甲) night market (known as largest night-market business district in Taiwan) proved again man-made disasters never cease, the China Times (7-19-2017) lashed out all this sort of night-market districts across Taiwan have similar safety problem, enforcement officials even don't know which is more important - grass-roots'  making money or public security.

○

● Taiwan is not included in EIU's Global Food Security Index of 2017, China ranks No. 45 among 113 nations.

○

restaurants ,   night markets

●●

●

Taiwan

         Taiwan Economy

○

　

● NDTV, 2022-8-4:  In the first half of 2022, Taiwan's exports amounted to $246.7 billion, while imports totalled $219.0 billion. The trade surplus stood at $27.7 billion. China is the biggest trading partner of Taiwan. Exports to Mainland China are 40 per cent of total exports. Electronic products comprise well over half of Taiwan's trade. Taiwan's economy is dominated by the services sector ndtv.com/business/6-facts-about-economy-of-taiwan-latest-us-china-flashpoint-3223565

　

●  The Tribune, 2022-9-25: The mainland is now Taiwan's largest trading partner, and Taiwan the mainland's eighth largest trading partner and third largest source of imports.
　

★GDP per capita (Norminal) Ranking
Taiwan - No.10 in Asia & pacific
country/economy (Asia) 2021 rank 2020 rank
Singapore 66263 ($) 8 59795 ($) 7
Australia 62619 9 52905 10
Qatar 61791 10 54185 9
Hong Kong 49485 20 46657 15
New Zealand 48349 21 41165 21
UAE 43538 24 38661 25
Macau 42107 25 35621 27
Japan 40704 26 40089 24
Korea 35196 29 31638 29
Taiwan 33402 32 28358 32

statisticstimes.com/economy/projected-world-gdp-capita-ranking.php

　

●  Finance Yahoo, 2021-11-20:  Taiwan - a GDP of $760 billion (21st biggest) and GDP per capita of $32,000, (29th). a critical supplier of semiconductors, (20% global market share),   in 2020, Taiwan’s exports to China hit an all-time high. And “China and Hong Kong combined now represent 34% of Taiwan’s overall trade, compared with 13% with the United States,” according to Brookings. (The U.S. Trade Representative notes that Taiwan is currently our 9th largest goods trading partner with $90.6 billion in two-way goods trade — during 2020.)  finance.yahoo.com/news/why-you-should-care-about-taiwan-103511885.html

●  War On The Rocks, 2022-1-27  (warontherocks.com/2022/01/taiwan-is-not-ukraine-stop-linking-their-fates-together/): Taiwan is an economic powerhouse that punches well above its weight in global commerce, and its economy is closely intertwined with the rest of East Asia and North America. In 2020, it was America’s 9th-largest trading partner, with $106 billion in two-way trade in goods and services.  It is also the home of the world’s most strategically important company, TSMC, which has built a daunting lead in semiconductor technology and now accounts for more than half of global foundry revenues...... its per-capita gross domestic product level with Germany’s, adjusted for purchasing power.
　

●  Global Times, 2021-9-20: Taiwan has a trade surplus of more than $100 billion a year with the Chinese mainland ... Mainland stops importing two Taiwan fruits, and DPP authority is howling.    globaltimes.cn/page/202109/1234662.shtml

　

●  Economist, 11-19-2020:  Annual investment flows from Taiwan to China mainland have fallen by more than half since 2015. This growing reticence can be explained by 3 considerations.
(1)  geopolitical :  China's goal of discouraging formal independence by strengthening business ties is increasingly transparent to many Taiwanese.  Tariffs imposed by America on a long list of Chinese exports have prompted many Taiwanese producers to shift operations out of China.
(2)  competition:  the capabilities of homegrown Chinese rivals, are becoming more competitive and innovative.
(3)  generational change: the impending “leadership vacuum” has made them cautious

　

●  Bloomberg, 11-21-2020: https://www.bloombergquint.com/china/taiwanese-businesses-boost-investment-into-china-during-pandemic

Total approved investment from Taiwan to China rose to $4.7 billion in the first 10 months of this year, an increase of 47% over the same period in 2019...China is retaining its appeal for many Taiwanese businesses, even as President Tsai Ing-wen’s government offers incentives to bring investment back home.

　

●  Bloomberg 1-9-2020: Slow income growth and aging society post challenge ahead, Taiwanese income-per-person, income per capita, lowest of Four Tigers .   NY Times 1-11-2020:  lowest unemployment rate in two decades ...  The Guardian, 1-9-2020: The economy is improving, with wage growth and high employment.

　

●  The China Times, 6-13-2020 editorial: 41.5% exports from Taiwan to China,  No.2 is 14.5% to the US.

　

●  Credit Suisse
　

★  the Global wealth reports and Global wealth databook of 2020

　

ranks country millionaires  % of the world total, at end of 2019
No.1 US 39%
No.2 China 11%
No.3 Japan 6%
No.4 UK 5%
No.5 France 4%
No.5 Germany 4%
No.7 Canada 3%
No.7 Australia 3%
No.7 Italy 3%
No.10 Spain 2%
No.10 India
No.10 Korea
No.10 Swiss
No.10 Nederland
No.15 Hong Kong 1%
No.15 Taiwan 1%
　 rest of the world 11%
1% =  about 1,330,769

　

while most countries suffered adversely from the pandemic during the first half of 2020, some countries escaped the negative consequences for household wealth.
In terms of wealth per adult. Change in wealth per adult (USD) in January–June 2020, biggest gains are :
 Hong Kong SAR (up USD 5,880), Taiwan (Chinese Taipei, up USD 8,330), the Netherlands (up USD 16,430) and Switzerland (up USD 23,430) were the main beneficiaries during the first half of 2020
In percentage terms,  China did relatively well with gains near 4%, bit lower than Philippines, Nederland.
Change in GDP  ―   
2020 forcast : China 1.7,  Korea -1.8 , TW -2 ,  HK -4.2 ,   Aus -4.4 ,  US -5.3 , Japan -5.4 ,  Singapore -6

　

www.credit-suisse.com/about-us/en/reports-research/global-wealth-report.html

　

　

　

●  United Daily, editorial, 11-5-2019: Taiwan's economy is really back to top of Four Asian Tigers (HK, Singapore, Korea, TW)? https://udn.com/news/story/11321/4144692

○

Taiwan economy & wealth

●●

　

　

　

Taiwan

        Taiwan diplomatic isolation

○

a tiny whale still in golden-fish glass-ware !?

　

● NY Times, 2022-8-2: Wary of provoking Beijing, most European nations have long kept Taiwan at arm's length.   
● CBS News,2022-9-18: Biden tells <60 Minutes> U.S. forces, U.S. men and women would defend Taiwan, but White House says this is not official U.S. policy
 ● China blames the U.S. government is “salami slicing” and “hollowing out” the One China policy;  US also blames China's salami-slicing behaviors against Taiwan

○

●  New York Times, 2021-9-30:  Lithuania has enraged China by cozying up to Taiwan...Chinese state media assailed Lithuania and accused it of being the “anti-China vanguard” in Europe.

　

●  CNN 2-19-2020:  The US has been careful, at least publicly, to adhere to a so-called "one China" policy, acknowledging Beijing's assertion that Taiwan is part of China, as well as the People's Republic's status as the sole legitimate government of China. It is this policy that sees the US base its embassy in Beijing, but not in Taipei.  But Washington has also maintained deliberate ambiguity on the status of Taiwan, only encouraging both sides to engage in dialogue to settle their long-running disputes.

　

　

　

              


　

　

　

　
 

 

　

　

  pic. left: ROC (Taiwan) national flag can not be used in most places in the world,
since China's "one China" policy keeps suppressing Taiwan's international space;      
pic. right: Chinese Taipei flag for participating in int'l events, e.g., Olympics Games.

 
　

 

 pic.: Taiwan ( the white color island on the map)

Population：23.54 million
  Area：36,194 square kilometers
  Peoples：Han Chinese (97%), Aborigines (2%)
  Languages : mainly Mandarin, Taiwanese

　

　

　

　

 

　

　

UDN 7-28-2017, 11-20-2017,

Global times, 12-12-2017,

CTV 12-17-2017: China's military terrorized

Taiwan by 

aircraft-fighters routinely

  flying around ("patrol circling") Taiwan and
 passing through 1st Island Chain..

.China fighters only
take 14 minutes to reach Taiwan from mainland

https://udn.com/news/story/10930/2610183

　

　

　

　

● WSJ (Wall Street Journal) 9-20-2019: It’s clearly a big win for China having the two largest allies of Taiwan in the Pacific drop so quickly...  Washington Post 9-25-2019: China’s growing dominance in the South Pacific is a defeat for an America in retreat.    New York Times 9-20-2019:  As Taiwan Loses Influence, China Gains Ground in Race With U.S.

　

● New York Times 4-1-2019: Taiwan protests China jets crossing center of Taiwan Strait, a provocation that seeks to alter the status quo ...  an intentional act.    Taiwan News, 6-28-2019: U.S. Senate passes pro-Taiwan defense bill calling for more patrols in Taiwan Strait.   Reuters 6-27-2019: Canadian navy ships sailed through Taiwan strait amid tension with China  (Such passages upset China ... In April, Beijing condemned a French decision to send a frigate through the Strait as illegal)

　

● Daily Mail (UK)  4-1-2019: Taiwan blasts China for "reckless and provocative" incursion by 2 fighter jets across a largely respected line dividing the 2 sides in the Taiwan Straits.      Japan Times, 4-1-2019: China's move also comes less than a week after the U.S. sent ships through the strait ( mission was unusual) — the third time in as many months...those sailings have likely been interpreted by China as implicit support for self-ruled Taiwan.     Reuters 2-25-2019: US Navy ships ... riling China.   ABC.net Australia: Chinese fighter jets cross Taiwan Strait after Tsai urges Pacific pushback against Beijing.

○

　

　

  pic.: Germany Foreign Ministry suddenly and unceremoniously replaced Taiwan's flag with a white banner on its official website.    

　

Is white banner or flag the international symbol for surrender?  A reporter asks, "Germany thinks Taiwan surrendered?"

 

Germany's official answer is
 "One China Policy" ,
same as the US official website.

 

7-13-2020

　

 ●  Under pressure from China, all 44 int'l airlines (including four US airlines) drop Taiwan in name (world rpts 7-30-2018: NY Times, etc)

　

 ●  Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan, Opinion, 6-22-2017 (読売新聞「社説」) :  中国が台湾を孤立させる動きを強め、波風を立てている。軍事、経済両面での優位を背景にした圧力は、中台間の緊張を高めるだけだ。...中国の一連の外交攻勢は、台湾を自国の一部とする「一つの中国」原則を、台湾の蔡英文政権に認めさせる狙いだろう。...台湾の住民の間では、中国に政治的、経済的にのみ込まれることへの警戒感が強く、「中国離れ」が加速しているためだ。...米国は台湾の防衛力強化を担っており、台湾海峡の平和と安定のカギを握る。(The US is the key to keep the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait)

○

 ● Le Monde diplomatique, France, mai 2016:  "politiL’Amérique centrale lâche Taipei" /  Les deux rivaux du détroit de Formose ne luttent pas à armes égales et, pour Taipei, l’isolement diplomatique menace.  (The two rivals of the Taiwan Straits do not fight on equal terms , the diplomatic isolation threatens Taiwan  )

○○

 ●  Washington Post, 1-2-2017:

     The United States “acknowledges” that there is one China and that Taiwan is part of China. But the United States has never officially “recognized” Taiwan as part of China. This strategic ambiguity leaves the United States room for a de facto relationship with Taiwan and leaves the Taiwan-China relation an open-ended question.  /  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/01/02/yes-taiwan-wants-one-china-but-which-china-does-it-want/?utm_term=.8d999292eabd

○

 ●  New York times,  12-13-2016: In Presidential inaugural speech, Tsai referred to the Constitution of the Republic of China and the legislation governing cross-strait relations, both imply the acceptance of a “one China” framework. 
 ● Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan, Opinion, 5-22-2016 (読売新聞) : 「台湾独立」志向の強い民進党の蔡英文主席が総統に就任した。台湾蔡新総統対中「現状維持」の意思示した http://editorial.x-winz.net/ed-13620 (Tsia I. W. with strong tendency toward "Taiwan Independence" expressed "maintain status quo" in her Presidential inaugural speech )

 ● Le Monde diplomatique, France, "Taïwan en quête de souveraineté économique", mai 2016:  selon laquelle il n’est pas nécessaire de proclamer l’indépendance car Taïwan est déjà un Etat indépendant et souverain. C’est certainement le sens qu’elle donne au « statu quo » ( 'it is not necessary to proclaim independence because Taiwan is already an independent and sovereign state.  This is certainly the meaning it gives to  <status quo>'  )

 ○

 ●  United daily News, opinion 10-11-12017 :   In Fact, President Tsai one-sided abandoned in 2016 "The 1992 Consensus" (「九二共識」), which violates her promise to "maintain the cross-strait  status quo"
https://udn.com/news/story/7338/2749610?from=udn-catelistnews_ch2    UDN 10-11-2017 : China officially responded Tsai's speech at Taiwan's National Day that “Only by adhering to the one-China principle and opposing Taiwan independence can relations between the sides develop with peace and stability”.   UDN opinion, 10-20-2017: Chinese leader Xi's "China dream" can't come true without retaking Taiwan.  

○○

 ●  Spiegel Germany, 1-9-2017,  <Donald Trump: Chinesische Staatszeitung warnt USA wegen Umgang> 

        Die staatliche chinesische Zeitung "Global Times" hat den künftigen US-Präsidenten Donald Trump gewarnt, von der "Ein-China-Politik" abzurücken. "Das chinesische Volk würde die Regierung auffordern, sich zu rächen", hieß es im Leitartikel des Blattes, das zum Zentralorgan der Kommunistischen Partei "Renmin Ribao" gehört. "Es gibt keinen Raum für Verhandlungen" /  if "US President Donald Trump to abandon the one-China policy."  "The Chinese people would call on the government to take revenge,"  "There is no room for negotiations" ... (Global Times, China)

 ○

    diplomacy  外交

●

●

Taiwan

        Taiwan military power
      VS Chn

○

Taiwan military in name only ...     full text Taiwanese military

　

● Washington Post, 2022-1-24: Defending Taiwan is a worthy goal. But are we ready for heavy casualties? it would be a grave mistake for the United States to promise to defend Taiwan without preparing its public — and its soldiers — for the tough fight they could face
● WarOnTheRocks, 2021-11-18:  Taiwan's military seems to be taking its defense preparations less and less seriously;Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense has abandoned asymmetric defense reform, Washington ought to step in to get Taiwanese defense reform back on track
 ● FT(UK), 2021-9-16 :Washington keeps scolding Taipei over its supposed lack of preparation against an ever mightier Beijing, Taiwan is failing to reorient its military towards an asymmetric strategy, US defence experts are growing exasperated over the Taiwan military’s reluctance to decisively act on their instructions.

　

　

★  Global Fire Power  /   globalfirepower.com/country-military-strength-detail.php?country_id=taiwan
For 2022 China Taiwan
world rank 3 of 140 21 of 140

◆ L.A. Times, 2022-3-20: over much of the last decade, Taiwan moved in the opposite direction: It cut the size of its regular army and reduced the training of its reserves.
 ◆ Breaking Defense, 2022-3-11: Until recently, President Tsai has appeared reluctant to discuss how Taiwanese citizens can help defend their country... the Taiwanese people must understand that a US-led coalition can only come to their aid if Taiwan can hold out for an extended period of time
 ◆ Economist, 2022-3-5: Taiwanese, seem too uninterested to fight to defend their land.... Taiwan's sloth in reforming its defence capabilities...(brief)
◆ Washington Post, 2022-1-25:   Taiwanese military has limited-to-no experience.

◆ Brookings, 2021-11-1 :  the asymmetric approach has been stretched beyond recognition in recent years by a recalcitrant MND  

◆ WSJ, FoxNews, 2021-10-25 :  the island's military is riven with internal problems...Among the most pressing concerns are poor preparation and low morale among the roughly 80,000 Taiwanese who are conscripted each year and the nearly 2.2 million reservists.
 ◆ WarOnTheRocks, 2021-12-6: Taiwan claims it must expend significant political capital and effort to convince its population to fight a prolonged war of attrition.  Asking the Taiwanese people to prepare for a long and bloody war of attrition — one that might become a fool's errand if the US ultimately decides to stay on the sidelines.
 ◆ Global Times, 2021-12-28:  Survey: more than 52.1 percent of people believe the Taiwan authorities are not ready for a war with the Chinese mainland, and 51.3 percent said they do not want to personally or let family members go to the battlefield,  globaltimes.cn/page/202112/1243629.shtml
◆Foreign Policy, 2020-10-19 :  Given these electoral realities, Taiwan's leaders have gravitated toward military showpieces — while hoping that the United States will save the day if China ever attacks.   It could take a decade to retool the Taiwanese and U.S. militaries to mount an effective defense of the island.... With China's rapid military buildup, that may be time that Taiwan does not have.  ☉ full text cyber-links 

　

　

　

★  Chinese and Taiwanese armed forces / BBC, 2022-1-12, source: TrendForce 2021
　 China Taiwan
Active duty personnel 2,035,000 163,000
Ground Force 965,000 88,000
Navy 260,000 40,000
Air Force 395,000 35,000
Strategic missile Forces 120,000 0
Strategic Support Force 145,000 0
Other Forces 150,000 0

news.yahoo.com/china-taiwan-really-simple-guide-142542268.html

　

　

★ Taiwanese people were asked if they agreed that "There will be war between China and Taiwan eventually"
 / BBC, 2022-1-12, source: Taiwan Public Opinion Foundation, research at Oct. 2021
strongly agree 7% strongly disagree 23.7%
partly agree 21.1% don't know/no opinion 7.6%
partly disagree 40.6%

news.yahoo.com/china-taiwan-really-simple-guide-142542268.html


　

Defending Taiwan by Taiwanese ??
some human factors ~
President Tsai I. W. youngsters the public
♣ VICE, 2022-9-28: president's prescriptions have been piecemeal, and there is no national plan to overhaul the military. (developing asymmetric warfare capabilities as US experts advise)

♣ Roll Call, 2022-9-28: ...overhaul its military reservist program — our general public, especially young parents, those people from 40 to 50 and their children, will fight against that policy... “It's hard for the ruling party to do it !" Younger voters are a critical base of support for president Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party.

♣ New York Times, 2022-6-19: politicians have electoral considerations ( military conscription reform)

 ♣ Roll Call, 2022-9-28: Most people do not want to join the military... The March opinion poll : lower levels of support  among the 20-24 age group for lengthening Taiwan's mandatory military service to one year.

♣ China Times (Taiwan), 2022-9-28: 81.5% of Taiwanese youth oppose lengthening Taiwan's mandatory military service to one year.   World media wrongly report Taiwanese people are willing to be on the battlefield.   chinatimes.com/opinion/20220927005188-262101?chdtv


PS: By law, all able-bodied men in South Korea must serve 18-21 months in the military under a conscription system; In Israel - men 32 months and women 24 months, minimum.

 ♣ axios,2022-9-27:  ...the common belief in Taiwan that if China were to invade, Taiwan would have no choice but to surrender immediately.

♣ Washington Examiner, 2022-9-20: It's one thing to tell a pollster that you're willing to fight and die for your country. It's a different thing to take painstaking steps to prepare for that eventuality. And the hard truth is that far too few Taiwanese are currently taking those steps

♣ Brookings, 2021-1-22: Only 23% thought that democracy was more important than economic development.  16% believed that protecting political freedom was more important than reducing economic inequality.

★
TW
Defense		 TAIWAN’S DEFENSIVE CAPABILITIES 

◆(1)  China’s multi-decademilitary modernization effort has eroded or negated many of the military advantages that Taiwan has historically enjoyed the context of a cross-Strait conflict.

◆(2)  Taiwan is taking important steps to compensate for the growing disparities – building its war reserve stocks, growing its defense-industrial base, improving joint operations and crisis response capabilities,and strengthening its officer and noncommissioned officer corps – these improvements only partially address Taiwan’s declining defensive advantages.

◆(3)  The modified strategy stresses enhanced asymmetric capabilities, as well as suggesting greater reliance on Taiwan’s Air Force and Navy.

◆(4)  The transition (active duty forces to all-volunteer force ) has slowed due to severe difficulties recruiting volunteers.

◆(5)  Taiwan has stated that it is working to develop new concepts and capabilities for asymmetric warfare. Some specific areas of emphasis include offensive and defensive information & EW，high-speed stealth vessels ，shore-based mobile missiles  rapid mining and minesweeping  unmanned aerial systems and critical infrastructure protection.
PLA
attacks		 CHINA’S COURSES OF ACTION AGAINST TAIWAN

These circumstances PLA would use forces have included:
1. Formal declaration of Taiwan independence; 2. Undefined moves toward Taiwan independence; 3. Internal unrest in Taiwan; 4. Taiwan’s acquisition of nuclear weapons; 5. Indefinite delays in the resumption of cross-Strait dialogue on unification; 6. Foreign intervention in Taiwan’s internal affairs;  7. Foreign forces stationed on Taiwan.
　

◆(1) China could pursue a measured approach by signaling its readiness to use force or conduct punitive actions against Taiwan. The PLA could also conduct a more comprehensive campaign designed to force Taiwan to capitulate to unification, or unification dialogue under China’s terms.
◆(2) China would attempt to delay and defeat intervention in an asymmetric, limited war of short duration. In the event of a protracted conflict, China might choose to escalate cyberspace, space, or nuclear activities in an attempt to end the conflict, or it might choose to fight to a stalemate and pursue a political settlement.
◆(3) China has a range of options for military campaigns against Taiwan, from an air and maritime blockade to a full-scale amphibious invasion to seize and occupy some or all of Taiwan or its offshore islands.

   ●   kinetic blockades of maritime and air traffic, including a cut-off of Taiwan’s vital imports, to force Taiwan’s capitulation. Large-scale missile strikes and possible seizures of Taiwan’s offshore islands would accompany a Joint Blockade in an attempt to achieve a rapid Taiwan surrender, while at the same time, posturing air and naval forces to conduct weeks or months of blockade operations if necessary. China will also likely complement its air and maritime blockade operations with concurrent electronic warfare (EW), network attacks, and information operations (IO) to further isolate Taiwan’s authorities and populace and to control the international narrative of the conflict.

   ●  a variety of disruptive, punitive, or lethal military actions in a limited campaign against Taiwan, probably in conjunction with overt and clandestine economic and political activities supported by a variety of IO to shape perceptions or undercut the effectiveness or legitimacy of the Taiwan authorities. Such a campaign could include computer network or limited kinetic attacks against Taiwan’s political, military, and economic infrastructure to induce fear in Taiwan and degrade the Taiwan population’s confidence in their leaders.
   ●  Air and Missile Campaign. China could use missile attacks and precision air strikes against air defense systems, including air bases, radar sites, missiles, space assets, and communications facilities to degrade Taiwan’s defenses, neutralize Taiwan’s leadership, or break the Taiwan people’s resolve.
   ●  The most prominent of these, the Joint Island Landing Campaign, envisions a complex operation relying on coordinated, interlocking campaigns for logistics, air, and naval support, and EW. The objective would be to break through or circumvent shore defenses, establish and build a beachhead, transport personnel and materiel to designated landing sites in the north or south of Taiwan’s western coastline, and launch attacks to seize and occupy key targets or the entire island.

　

◆

　

 ●  Financial Times  5-19-2020 : Taiwan fears uptick in military threat from China in wake of coronavirus epidemic, with increasingly frequent incursions into airspace traditionally respected as a safety buffer zone.   Taipei was at additional risk from the escalating dispute between the US and China.

　
　

　

★  Taiwan's hard power

　

● L.A. Times, 2022-3-20: over much of the last decade, Taiwan moved in the opposite direction: It cut the size of its regular army and reduced the training of its reserves.
 ● Breaking Defense, 2022-3-11: Until recently, President Tsai has appeared reluctant to discuss how Taiwanese citizens can help defend their country... the Taiwanese people must understand that a US-led coalition can only come to their aid if Taiwan can hold out for an extended period of time
 ● Economist, 2022-3-5: Taiwanese, seem too uninterested to fight to defend their land.... Taiwan's sloth in reforming its defence capabilities...(brief)
 ● Washington Post, 2022-1-25:   Taiwanese military has limited-to-no experience.

● WSJ, FoxNews, 2021-10-25: the island's military is riven with internal problems...Among the most pressing concerns are poor preparation and low morale among the roughly 80,000 Taiwanese who are conscripted each year and the nearly 2.2 million reservists.  foxnews.com/world/taiwans-military-against-china-us-military

●  Financial Times, 2021-8-23: Anti-Beijing sentiment is growing but the government has done little to prepare the public for war...
●  Defense One, 2021-8-18: Taiwan proposed sale is stark proof that far from undertaking long overdue defense reforms with a sense of existential urgency, Taiwan is acting like it is business as usual. American analysts and think tanks have instead tried to get Taiwan to adopt an asymmetric force posture —weapons like drones, coastal defense missiles, naval mines, portable air defenses, and mobile ground forces
 ● Foreign Policy, 2021-4-5: the state of Taiwan’s own forces does not bode well. If Chinese forces actually land, ... This would require well-trained conscripts and a reserve force—both major problems for Taiwan right now . The government has adamantly refused to expand the length of conscription, which is only four months, or to draft women foreignpolicy.com/2021/04/05/taiwan-covid-19-success-china-military-threat/
● DW (Germany), 2021-4-5: Taiwan's army 'ill-prepared' for potential Chinese attack   dw.com/en/taiwans-army-ill-prepared-for-potential-chinese-attack/a-57102659

●  Diplomat, 3-20-2021:Taiwan’s government, however, has met entrenched opposition to these reforms from some senior commanders. Moreover, military effectiveness is limited by unmet recruiting targets, insufficient training of both conscripts and reserves, and ammunition and spare parts shortages thediplomat.com/2021/03/rumors-of-war-in-the-taiwan-strait/

● Economist, 2021-5-1:Taiwan must start to devote fewer resources to big, expensive weapons systems that are vulnerable to Chinese missiles and more to tactics and technologies that would frustrate an invasion. economist.com/leaders/2021/05/01/the-most-dangerous-place-on-earth
　

● Bloomberg, 3-14-2021: Taipei’s current capabilities do not offer a credible deterrent to a surprise assault from the mainland
● Forbes, 3-8-2021:Taiwan Aims To Sink Half Of A Chinese Invasion Fleet—It Could Take Years To Buy Enough Missiles

●  DefenseNewss , 3-1-2021: Taiwan’s military is not yet “optimally manned, trained, equipped and motivated to defend against an attack” by China...efforts at defense reform face obstacles from institutional opposition from senior officers ( symmetric response, expensive and high-end platforms are limited utility in an actual conflict, they also against full conscription ) and a lack of time (weapons acquisition and development plans years away from delivery).  the current administration seemingly “unwilling or unable” to compel the ministry to implement it, partly due  politically sensitive moves, such as full conscription.
 defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2021/03/01/whats-preventing-taiwan-from-preparing-for-potential-war/

●  Diplomat , 2-26-2021: evolution of Taiwan’s military was being hindered by bureaucracy and inefficient procedures.
The army’s military preparedness has come into question from both domestic and international experts

　

● Foreign Policy, 10-19-2020: Taiwan needs huge arsenals of mobile missile launchers, armed drones, and mines; developing an army that can surge
tens of thousands of troops to any beach in an hour backed by a million-strong reserve force trained to fight guerrilla-style in Taiwan’s cities and jungles.
 it could take a decade to retool the Taiwanese and U.S. militaries to mount an effective defense of the island. 
With China’s rapid military buildup, that may be time that Taiwan does not have
 ● Reuters , 12-10-2020:Taiwan is suffering a serious and worsening decay in the readiness and training of its troops, particularly its army units...
crucial element is dramatic reform of the reserves and civil defense units, creating urban and guerrilla warfare units... but " It is almost as if fighting
to defend the country is somebody else’s responsibility,” expert says
● New York times,  8-30-2020:  Taiwan's Lawmaker said Taiwan’s military needs to improve a lot
 ● Forbes, 8-30-2020: Taiwan simply does not have enough firepower to  defeat a Chinese invasion without the help of the U.S. military
　
　

　
　  
Taiwanese military

opinions
　  personnel ( soldiers, officials ) ◆  Taiwan’s Military Is a Hollow Shell.  US Defense Department officials have privately expressed dismal assessments regarding Taiwan's current force level and reserve system.

◆  armor, mechanized infantry, and artillery units are always in desperate shortage of enlisted soldiers

◆  few front-line units have more than 80 percent of their positions filled  /  Foreign Policy, 2-15-2020

◆  Taiwan began to phase out mandatory conscription for all young men, which was deeply unpopular, in favor of an all-volunteer force; 4 months of compulsory service ... training is "insufficient to meet the challenges posed by the increasing threat (RAND, '17)  /  New York times,  8-30-2020  https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/30/world/asia/taiwan-china-military.html
◆ Politicians in our country are afraid to discuss these issues with the public because they believe our people are not willing to sacrifice...  / Financial Times (UK), 7-12-2020  Full text:  www.ft.com/content/92029f49-3e9a-47b7-b967-2af823f185cd

◆ Taiwan's active force down to under 200,000 (the exact number is classified). The nearly two million reservists exist in name only... /  New York times,  5-18-2017

◆  The ROC (Taiwan) Armed Forces number approximately 300,000, and reserves reportedly total 3,870,000.   /  Wikipedia, May 2020
　 strategy ◆  To against the threats of cyber warfare, cognitive warfare, and ‘unrestricted’ warfare from China , Taiwan we work to bolster our defense capabilities, future combat capacity development will also emphasize mobility, countermeasures, and non-traditional, asymmetrical capabilities (unconventional arms)” /  Taiwan president inauguration speech, Voice of American, 5-20-2020
 ◆  so called asymmetrical capabilities in Taiwan is only skin-deep    /   United Daily , editorial,  6-6-2020
 ◆  Taiwan's weird strategy:  Facing PLA's attacks, Taiwan's warplanes stay inside tunnels, warships leave Taiwan, once the US military comes to rescue, they will return and join the war  / Apple Daily, 8-14-2020 tw.appledaily.com/headline/20200814/KDQ5JJAYQUR5JLE6EIIXK5VJM4/
　

firepower

 ◆ France forced Taiwan to withdraw its request to upgrade 20-year-old Mirage fighters ...  F-16 A/B and  F-CK-1 fighters are  growing tired; 60 or 70 new fighters and a few missiles won’t really change the balance of power. And heavy tanks – especially if they lack trained crews – won’t do much to stop a Chinese invasion / Forbes, 8-30-2020

◆  Today China has more and better conventional forces than Taiwan.   /  Forbes, 6-3-2020    China has ｎｕｃｌｅａｒ　ｂｏｍｂ ，Neutron bomb， hydrogen bomb, Taiwan has none of those. / Next TV news, 5-8-2020
 ◆   Three Taiwanese presidents Lee (李登輝後期)、Chen(陳水扁)、Tsai(蔡英文)  squandering those "bonus for peace" military budget and underestimating the demand of national defense, lead to shortage of arms-deal budget.  /   United Daily , editorial,  6-6-2020
◆  A major obstacle is that countries that might sell it the most sophisticated weaponry are increasingly reluctant to do so for fear of provoking China, ... /  New York times,  11-4-2017
 ◆  Taiwan military strength is ranked No. 26 ,  China PLA No. 3  /  Global FirePower, 2020   

　

military logistics system

 ◆   The logistics inside the military remain so abysmal ... The army likely has no clue how many tanks or guns actually mission-capable ...      /  Foreign Policy, 8-20-2020 
◆  Taiwan  lacks enough supplement of all items of military equipments /   United Daily (聯合報 社評), opinion,   5- 7- 2020
　

 morale

 ◆  “Their underlying thinking is that PLA has grown to be too strong for us to fight militarily anyway... Taiwan should just focus on putting up a good show of being tough, buy enough U.S. weapons for display, and pray that Americans come to our rescue /  Foreign Policy, 8-20-2020  https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/08/20/taiwan-military-flashy-american-weapons-no-ammo/
◆  Policies put forward by the Kuomintang and the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party have left the military understaffed and in a state of low morale... /  New York times,  5-18-2017
 ◆ Taiwan fears uptick in military threat from China in wake of coronavirus epidemic ... / Financial Times  5-19-2020

　
　

discipline

 ◆  The practice of judicial system has proved not as good as military criminal code to educate and train the military discipline.  A soldier's 洪仲丘 'torture to death" sparks massive protest around 2013,  the military court was hence no longer to judge the troops .   /  The China Times, 7-17-2020, editorial
　

budget

 ◆  High personnel expense pushes aside the logistics and maintenance budget,   the govt. needs to plan special budge to purchase arms. /  The China Times, 7-17-2020, editorial

◆ Taiwan would increase Taiwan’s defense budget by 10 percent, on top of a 5 percent increase the year before. That would raise military spending to more than 2 percent of gross domestic product   /  New York times,  8-30-2020
　   For full text click Taiwan military

　

     Taiwan's military reform        ★    'Five minutes to midnight' !!?
聯合報, 10-22-2020

　

嚴德發：若總統下動員令 第一時間作戰主力45萬人
 
國軍後備改革，有立委關切台灣後備戰力動員與召集情況。國防部長嚴德發今天表示，若總統動員令一下，約26萬名後備軍人就要報到，加上18.5萬名的現役軍職人員，約45萬人將是第一時間防衛作戰主力
　

　

https://udn.com/news
/story/10930/4954777

 募兵

 徵兵
　

◆ Taiwan's military reform (10-22-2020) : active force 185 thousands  +  reservists 260 thousands (call-up training 14 days per year )   ―   enough ?
      Foreign Policy, 10-28-2020: Taiwan needs to do more in boosting Taiwan’s defense capabilities, especially some serious deficiencies - increasing the existing four-month conscription and improving reservist systems are another.  This also means preparing the public for conflict...   foreignpolicy.com/2020/10/28/taiwan-threat-invasion-china/
　

Western experts'
advices:
 number of reservists

western analysts

 advices

a million

  Daily Express (UK), 10-11-2020 ￭ Daily Express (UK), 10-11-2020: PLA troops which did make it ashore would face roughly 175,000 full-time soldiers and one million reservists
a million  Foreign Policy, 10-19-2020 ￭ Taiwan needs ... developing an army that can surge tens of thousands of troops to any beach in an hour backed by a million-strong reserve force trained to fight guerrilla-style in Taiwan’s cities and jungles
 more than a million ＵＳArmy University Press
Military Review,
Sept-Oct, 2020		 ￭ Taiwan has a significant advantage in sheer numbers if it can create a more active, capable reserve element. The U.S. Army can serve as a useful partner in the effort to strengthen Taiwan’s reserve capacity
2.3 million  Financial Times (UK), 7-12-2020   ￭ 2.3m reservists the country has on paper, 780,000 were demobilised ... — the military’s metric for whether men are worth mobilising. Of those, only 84,000 are demobilised volunteer force soldiers, the best-trained and most motivated group...a force that is large on paper but seen as unfit for the task because of a lack of training.  Easton’s study declared “insufficient to meet the challenges posed by the increasing threat from the PLA
2~3.8 million New York times,  5-18-2017 ￭ The nearly two million reservists exist in name only...   (ps: Baidu , 10-15-2017: 3 million reservists 。  Wikipedia, May 2020:  reserves reportedly total 3,870,000.  )
　 　 　

 

 Financial Times (UK, 10-1-2020) reported the number of Chinese military personnel is about 2m,  Taiwanese military is only 163,000.  Guardian UK (6-27-2020) 、Financial Times UK (10-6-2020、10-19-2020) reported that if Beijing wanted to invade Taiwan it has been estimated that it would need up to one million soldiers or about 50% of total PLA strength ( Global Times 6-8-2020 : Chinese reservists can be up to 616 millions )  ―   therefore, Taiwanese military needs more than a million reservists with strict trainings.  Taiwan's latest military reform plan (10-22-2020) starting from 2022 obviously is not good enough !

　

◆  Combat skills and will-power  

Voice of America (Chinese version), 8-26-2020: After PLA's landing, Taiwanese military should move to the mountain to fight a Chinese style "Vietnam war’;  But some best-known politicians and experts said the war is about to end once PLA landing Taiwan.  Economist,10-9-2020: Taiwan’s preparedness and its will to fight both look shaky...  Washington Post,10-26-2020 : expert of National Defense University opposes US's shift from a policy of “strategic ambiguity” to “strategic clarity” in that Taiwan might use the American pledge as an excuse to “neglect its own defense”。This is exactly Taiwan's image, being not independent and always want to rely on American help , hawkish to its own weak nationals, but being chicken toward foreign powers .

　

◆  SOL:  Taiwan needs to attract more volunteer soldiers or shift to mandatory military service with same training period as Singapore's or Korea's as soon as possible    ――   Foreign Policy (10-19-2020) : It could take a decade to retool the Taiwanese and U.S. militaries to mount an effective defense of the island.... With China’s rapid military buildup, that may be time that Taiwan does not have.

　

◆  Core problem
       Taiwan's politicians like to win an election rather than win a war !!
       Diplomat, 10-3-2020:  Taiwan should lengthen its period of mandatory service to two years.  Such a policy, however, could be deeply unpopular among the young voters courted by the ruling Party (DPP).   Financial Times (UK), 7-12-2020 : Politicians in Taiwan are even afraid to discuss these issues with the public because they believe Taiwanese are not willing to sacrifice...  Foreign Policy (10-19-2020) :  Given these electoral realities, Taiwan’s leaders have gravitated toward military showpieces — while hoping that the United States will save the day if China ever attacks.  however, the United States may not be up to the task. https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/10/19/china-keeps-inching-closer-to-taiwan/

      

　

　

　

　

The People’s Daily, 10-15-2020 , Global Times, 10-15-2020:  ★“Don’t say we didn’t warn you"  (「勿謂言之不預」)...  

http://www.nexttv.com.tw/NextTV/News/Home/LatestNews/2020-10-17/275597.html

Taiwan,  Next TV, 壹新聞, 10-17-2020

The People’s Daily《告台灣情治部門書》full text : http://js.people.com.cn/BIG5/n2/2020/1015/c359574-34350271.html

 　

● Economist,10-22-2020: The People’s Daily, (CCP’s mouthpiece《人民日報》), carried a commentary... using a phrase—“Don’t say we didn’t warn you (ps: Taiwan intelligence)” — that has preceded Chinese military action against other countries in the past
●  Washington Post, 10-26-2020: ... jingoistic editorials in China's state-run press — have raised concerns in the West that Xi is readying China for a new war. The target in this case would be Taiwan
●  After China's mouthpiece, People's Daily or XinHua editorial issued a severe warning "Don’t say we didn’t warn you" in 1962、1967、1978，Chinese PLA started military operations against Indian and Vietnamese troops respectively.
●  The People's Daily in Nov. 2019 sent a warning  "Don’t say we didn’t warn you" to Hong Kongers, in the next year China cracked down HK, and passed a national security law on Hong Kong.
●  This time the People’s Daily put its warning to Taiwan's intelligence in "opinion/commentary" , instead of "editorial" column as before, and on "7th edition" instead of 1st~4th edition as before, ...  therefore, it's serious but not as severe as before, probably a warning for coercion or "gray zone" actions such as blockage or economic intervenes, or pressuring Taiwan into giving up ... those sort of psychological war.
●  SCMP (HK), 10-20-2020: ... unusually strong language in a recent commentary in People's Daily invoking the phrase “don’t say we didn’t warn you”, serves as a reminder, which was targeting a big rise in the number of Taiwanese intelligence agents active on the mainland, but was aimed at a much wider audience.

●  Washington Post (7-22-2020) :  In 2019, Xi (Chinese president) offered an ultimatum to Taiwan to come to the table for unification talks or face annexation by force.  Soon later PLA's warplanes crossed the Taiwan Strait "median line" ( "the de facto cease-fire line") first time ever since 1949, according to Newsweek 8-12-2020, and the PRC deliberately ratcheted up tensions till now. 

　

 　

　

★

China's Military Power Report /  annual Report to US Congress (2020)

                Military and Security Developments involving P.R.C. 2020 
　

 

US Defense Gov. 2020 report, 9-1-2020 /  Chinese military VS. Taiwanese military

　

https://media.defense.gov/2020/Sep/01/2002488689/-1/-1/1/2020-DOD-CHINA-MILITARY-POWER-REPORT-FINAL.PDF
台軍

共軍

對比

　

Taiwanese military vs. Chinese military

   pic. left :   Ground Forces - Taiwan vs. China ;      pic. right :   Naval Forces - Taiwan vs. China 

　

　

   pic. left :   Air Forces - Taiwan vs. China ;      pic. right :  China's Rocket Forces

　
　 　

　

full text : Taiwanese military

●

●

Taiwan

        Taiwanese human rights
　

skin-deep democracy !

○

 ●  USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices,  2021-3-30:  There were allegations of vote buying by candidates and supporters of both major political parties (KMT and DPP) in  Presidential election in 2020. 

 ● USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices,  3-11-2020:  Some political commentators and academics,  publicly questioned the impartiality of judges and prosecutors involved in high profile, politically sensitive cases. Judicial reform advocates pressed for greater public accountability, reforms of the personnel system, and other procedural improvements ;  Labor laws do not cover domestic household workers, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation.  Foreign workers were most susceptible to forced labor, especially when serving as crew members on Taiwan-flagged fishing vessels. Some labor brokers charged foreign workers exorbitant recruitment fees and used debts incurred from these fees in the source country as tools of coercion to subject the workers to debt bondage.  The Ministry of Labor may also permit foreign workers to transfer to new employers in cases of exploitation or abuse.  foreign workers often were reluctant to report employer abuses for fear the employer would terminate the contract and deport them, leaving them unable to reimburse debt accrued during the recruitment process.  The approximately 703,000 foreign workers, primarily from Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, were vulnerable to exploitation. Foreign workers generally incurred significant debt burdens during the recruitment process due to excessive brokerage fees, guarantee deposits, and higher charges for flights and accommodations. Brokerage agencies.   Abuse was common in domestic service; there were several reports of employers raping foreign domestic helpers.  Mistreatment and poor working conditions for foreign fishermen remained common. Foreign fishermen recruited offshore were not entitled to the same labor rights, wages. 

Concerns about censorship were limited to efforts by the authorities in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to censor Taiwan media outlets based on the business interests of their parent companies in the PRC.  In May senior PRC officials used the fourth Beijing-Taiwan Media Forum to call on Taiwan media outlets to shape their coverage to promote PRC political priorities.  PRC authorities reinforced corporate pressure on media by using access denial to punish Taiwan media outlets whose coverage they deemed to be insufficiently consistent with PRC policies. Journalists said they faced pressure from management to submit news stories to complement or support the content of paid advertisements. Critics said product placement under the guise of news reporting undercut objective journalism, restricted journalists’ freedom, and undermined public trust in the media.   There were reports of official corruption during the year.  nine ranking officials, 72 mid-level, 115 low-level, and 11 elected people’s deputies had been indicted for corruption.。 The right to strike remained highly regulated. Teachers, civil servants, and defense industry employees do not have the right to strike. Workers in industries such as utilities, hospital services, and telecommunication service providers are allowed to strike only if they maintain basic services during the strike. Authorities may prohibit, limit, or break up a strike during a disaster. For all workers, the law divides labor disputes into “rights disputes” and “adjustment disputes.” Workers are allowed to strike only in adjustment disputes, which include issues such as compensation and working schedules. The law forbids strikes in rights disputes related to violations of collective agreements and employment contracts.  Activists for LGBTI rights said due to victims’ reluctance to lodge formal complaints, discrimination against LGBTI persons was more widespread than suggested by the number of court cases.  There was reported discrimination, including employment discrimination, against persons with HIV/AIDS.

★

 ●  Global Times, 12-9-2020  https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1209528.shtml 

Chiu Yi, a former "lawmaker" in Taiwan said the DPP authority has already made the island extremely hostile to the people who support reunification, and the persecution and stigmatization toward mainlanders, pro-reunification activists won't stop.  He said his family members have also been impacted.  The persecution against mainland compatriots in Taiwan is actually against the "human rights and freedom" that the DPP has always crowed about.  (brief)

★

 ● US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released at 3-13-2019 pointed out that justice ministry was insufficiently independent and conducted politically motivated investigations of politicians (in <Corruption and Lack of Transparency in Government> section), the impact of the concentration of media ownership on freedom of the press, particularly among companies with People’s Republic of China (PRC) investment, self-censorship continued.  Journalists said they faced pressure from management to submit news stories to complement or support the content of paid advertisements. Critics said product placement under the guise of news reporting undercut objective journalism, restricted journalists’ freedom, and undermined public trust in the media.  Victims of rape and domestic violence did not report the crime for fear of social stigmatization, and various nongovernmental organization (NGO) and academic studies estimated the total number of sexual assaults was seven to 10 times higher than the number reported to police. Some abused women chose not to report incidents to police due to social pressure not to disgrace their families.  NGOs raised concerns about online sexual exploitation of children.  Foreign and PRC-born spouses were reportedly targets of social discrimination outside and, at times, inside the home.   Discrimination against LGBTI persons was more widespread than suggested by the number of court cases.  Employment discrimination against persons with HIV/AIDS continues, Taipei officials pressured a magazine reporter to drop an investigative report about the city’s breach of personal information for more than 3,000 AIDS patients.  Labor laws do not cover domestic household workers, leaving them vulnerable to labor exploitation.   Foreign workers were most susceptible to forced labor, especially when serving as crew members on Taiwan-flagged fishing vessels.   Mistreatment and poor working conditions for foreign fishermen remained common.   Foreign fishermen recruited offshore were not entitled to the same labor rights, wages, insurance, and pensions as those recruited locally.  Some labor brokers charged foreign workers exorbitant recruitment fees and used debts incurred from these fees in the source country as tools of coercion to subject the workers to debt bondage.  

 
  human rights in Taiwan  

  ○

  ○

  ○

Taiwan

        Free expression in Taiwan

  ○
 ●  RSF, <Reporters Sans Frontieres>, France, 2021-4-20 :  2021 World Press Freedom Index -  Taiwan No. 43

　

●  New York Times, 1-10-2020: Scholars say that Taiwan has been the target of a Russian-style social media disinformation campaign by China, designed to exploit social divisions and undermine democracy.  A study by the V-Dem Institute at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden found that Taiwan was the territory most exposed to foreign disinformation, based on weighted ratings by experts.     <United daily 聯合報> 1-8-2020 editorial: The ruling party gradually normalizes (make it a routine work) 『cyber assassination (網路暗殺)』,  even Taiwanese army, police, national security systems (國安軍警體系) have to participate in "cyber warrior" to infiltrate in internet communities to monitor public opinions (brief).   <United Daily 聯合報> 1-6-2020 : Cyber force ('楊蕙如們') still are doing media-framing by fake messages, getting along with the authorities to do all kinds of cyber-bully, verbal-bully ... trying to make a white by lots of blacks, damage judicial systems, democracy, and degrade nice social morality ... (brief / 聯合筆記陳言喬)   <United Daily> headline news, 1-8-2020 :  KMT presidential candidate Han: The chief of cyber troops is Taiwan president.   

　

● New York Times,  12-3-2019:  Social media platforms are another key battleground (Chn-TW): Nearly 90 percent of Taiwan’s population is active on them, and traditional news outlets have been known to republish fake posts without fact-checking. According to Reuters, Chinese government agencies have paid Taiwanese news outlets to publish pro-Beijing content. 

 ●  <Reporters Sans Frontieres> (RSF, France) , 4-18-2019:  Taiwan’s journalists are suffering from a very polarized media environment dominated by sensationalism and the pursuit of profit. Although President Tsai Ing-wen has said she wants to continue developing press freedom in Taiwan, few concrete measures have been taken to improve journalists’ editorial independence and encourage media to raise the quality of the public debate. Beijing is exploiting this weakness by putting pressure on Taiwanese media owners, who often have business interests on the mainland.   Beijing is also suspected of orchestrating online disinformation campaigns – a threat that could lead to questionable retaliatory measures by Taiwan such as refusing visas to Chinese journalists regarded as hostile.    Taiwan ranks No. 42 in the 2019 World Press Freedom Index. 

　

  ● US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released at 3-13-2019 : the impact of the concentration of media ownership on freedom of the press, particularly among companies with People’s Republic of China (PRC) investment, self-censorship continued.  Journalists said they faced pressure from management to submit news stories to complement or support the content of paid advertisements.  Critics said product placement under the guise of news reporting undercut objective journalism, restricted journalists’ freedom, and undermined public trust in the media.  Taipei officials pressured a magazine reporter to drop an investigative report about the city’s breach of personal information for more than 3,000 AIDS patients.

　

★

 ●   RSF, <Reporters Sans Frontieres> (France ) , 12-16-2019, <無 疆界記者致總統候選人的公開信>: 
　

　

pic.: part of the article
"an open letter to Taiwan's presidential election
candidates"

　

Apple Daily (蘋果日報) 12-16-2019,  brief

　

Taiwan media have been polluted by sensual and embedded advertising ( fake news on the surface, ads. to the bone) for long run, furthermore, political power pan-blue and pan-green polarize the media field and impede the check-and-balance system, some media workers can not expect legal protection while
 facing their boss's orders violating press ethics

　

For full text pls. read Apple Daily

　
　 by Cedrie Alviani , RSF president of Taiwan branch (台灣分會理事長)

　

　

  ●  China Times 3-29-2019 headline news: Defend 100% freedom of speech!  Democracy on the surface, anti-democracy to the bone is not allowed.    Apple Daily 3-29-2019 editorial opinion: Democracy & Freedom of speech is the bottom line which should never be lost, the government should not create chilling effect by fishing in trouble water. 

　

  ● United States Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2016, released at March 3, 2017 (report of 4-20-2018 is about same)  :       Human rights concerns during the year included some media self-censorship with regard to China.

　

  ●  <United Daily (聯合報)> 11-2-2018, headline news : National Security Bureau confirmed their investigation of Facebook and other communities on the net, for monitoring, controlling and collecting "controversial information" including those "influence national security",  "blacken ("詆譭", a term of Martial Law period / UDN, 11-3-2018) president", "disrupt social stability", "distort policy" and "disturb national mechanism", "fight governmental prestige", "influence public mind and morale";  UDN 11-3-2018: all internet service providers in Taiwan were requested to hand in all users' personal information.  UDN critiques pointed out  "Big Brother is watching you" almost for sure lead to "Chilling Effect".   ps: Intel. sys. suspectedly controls free expression of some websites not related to China.

 

台灣國安局監控


　

pic. left: KMT legislator : all internet service providers in Taiwan were invited by the government and requested to hand in all users' personal information. 


　

Taiwan's intelligence "National Security Bureau"
has been doing overall monitors on all Taiwanese.

　

The head of NSB expressed that investigations
and monitoring will be used to those criticizing and blackening Taiwan president.   KMT press conference criticized NSB was infringing
Taiwanese rights and interests. 
Where is freedom of
expression ?

　

　

UDN 11-3-2018 headline news :
Top target media communities that
 Taiwan's FBI has been monitoring are
 (1) Facebook ,  (2) Youtube  (3) LINE

　

　

pic. left: Taiwan president Tsai I. W.
clarified that democratic Taiwan
would no way go back to
Martial Law Period , my Facebook
is a best example, where is filled with encouragements, critiques, and free
discussions concerning public issues.....

        ○

  ●   Reporter without Borders,  France,  https://rsf.org/en/taiwan

           The main threat to media freedom comes from China, which has been exerting growing economic and political pressure on the Taiwanese media. The editorial line of some privately-owned media has changed radically and it is no longer rare to find media outlets taking a line similar to the Chinese Communist Party’s propaganda. Journalistic independence has also been threatened by Taiwanese officials who have interfered directly in the editorial policies of the state-owned media.

 

   ●  The China Times,  opinion, 6-19-2018

        Taiwanese media should not be "hit-men" for bad political struggles between KMT (pan-blue) and DDP (pan-green) ...
        媒體不應該當藍綠惡鬥的打手   (http://www.chinatimes.com/newspapers/20180619000632-260109)

   

  freedom of  speech in Taiwan  

●

●

Taiwan

        Taiwan soft power

○
　

★   Taiwan's soft power  vs.  Asia's soft power
world best surveys Taiwan's rankings
in top 25~30 list		 comparison with
other Asia & Pacific countries
Brand Finance -  Global soft power Index 2022 failed top 10 1. US, 2. UK, 3. Germany, 4. China, 5. Japan, 6. France, 7. Canada, 8. Swiss, 9. Russia, 10. Italy
ISSF's World Soft Power 2022 failed top 10 1. US 2. France, 3. Germany, 4. Japan, 5. UK, 6. Swiss, 7. Italy, 8. S. Korea, 9. Spain, 10. China,11.India,12. Sweden, 13. Canada, 14. Australia, 15. Denmark
Brand Finance -  Global soft power Index 2021 failed 1. Germany,  2. Japan, 3. UK, 4. Canada, 5. Swiss, 6. US, 7 France, 8. China, 9. Sweden, 10. Australia, 11. Korea, 12 Holland, 13.  Russia, 14. Norway, 15. Denmark, 16 NZ, 17. UAE, 18. Iceland,    19. Italia, 20. Singapore
US News: 2021 Best Countries Overall failed top 10 2. Japan,  5. Australia   7. New Zealand
2020 Brand Finance -  Global soft power Index ,
 top 60		 n/c https://brandirectory.com  No. 4 Japan, 5 China, 13 Aus,  14 Korea,  18 UAE,  20 Singapore,  22 NZ,  26 SA 27 India
2021 Monocle's
Soft Power survey		 included 1. Germany, 2. S Korea, 3. France, 4. Japan, 5. Taiwan, 6. Swiss, 7. New Zealand 8. Sweden, 9. Greece, 10. Canada
2020 Monocle's Soft Power survey listed No.1 Germany, No. 2. Korea, 3. France, 4. Japan, 5. TW, 6 Swiss, 7. NZ, 8 Sweden, 9 Greece, 10 Canada
 2019/2020 
Top 30 SOFT POWER by Portland		 failed No. 8 Japan, No.9  Australia, No. 17 New Zealand,  No. 19  S Korea, No. 21 Singapore, No. 27 China
2020 Best Countries Overall
 The Best Countries in the World		 n/c No.3 Japan, No.5  Australia, No. 11 New Zealand,
No. 15 China, No. 16 Singapore , No. 20  Korea,
No.22 UAE , No.25  India,  No. 26  Thailand,
No. 30  Qatar

　

　

★ Bloomberg CovID Resilience Ranking    2021-9-28

Quality of Life
Economy Rank community mobility% GDP growth forecast% universal health care
UAE 6 -6.3 2.6 63
Saudi Arabia 17 5 2.2 64
Singapore 19 -15.4 6.5 92
Hong Kong 20 -1.1 6.6 -
mainland China 23 -14.7 8.4 70
S. Korea 26 -0.8 4 89
Japan 29 -15.4 2.4 96
Australia 34 -22.2 4 89
New Zealand 38 -45.5 5.4 83
Taiwan 42 -16.6% 6 79

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-resilience-ranking/

○
　

★  2019/2020  THE SOFT POWER by Portland

　
1  France 16 Austria
2 UK 17 New Zealand
3 Germany 18 Belgium
4 Sweden 19 Korea
5 USA 20 Ireland
6 Swiss 21 Singapore
7 Canada 22 Portugal
8 Japan 23 Poland 
9 Australia 24 Czech
10 Nederland 25 Greece
11 Italia 26    Brazil
12 Norway 27    China
13 Spain 28    Hungary
14 Denmark 29    Turkey
15 Finland 30    Russia

  Dr. Joseph Nye advised that hard & soft power enable Taiwan to deal with China and expand its international space. (Dec. 8, 2010)

  However,

  ● Till 2020, Taiwan has not been included in Monocle's Soft Power survey ranking list, so Taiwan's soft power is behind Asian's "world top 20" nations , including Japan, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, China, India, UAE.    Japan ranks No.3, Korea No.15, China No.19 in 2019.   Korea ranks 19、14、11 in 2010, 2011, 2012,  and No.17 in 2017/2018.   China is No.19 , Japan No. 4, Singapore No.22, India 24, in 2017/2018.   Taiwan keeps failing to enter top 25 ranking status in 2013~2019.

  ● The China Times,  headline news  at 12-24-2017:  The total value of Taiwan's cultural & creative production was far behind of that of Korea, Korea's value in publication is about 6 times larger than Taiwan's,  Film industry 6 times, TV 3.5 times, Advertising 3 times, Pop-music 6 times bigger than Taiwan's,  Taiwan lacks of updated related laws and policy ― no focus, no direction, no institute, original creativity is not encouraged, the industry field is divided, without integrated marketing...... 

  ● The China Times, 8-15-2017 : The output value of Taiwan's cultural & creative production in '12 - '13 declined 9.28%, in contrast, Taiwan's neighbor countries increased, China 14.27%, Malaysia, Philippines 8+%, Korea 0.65% ... Taiwan's cultural & creative industry even failed to create a "bubble", the reason is lacking of original creativity. 

  ●  UK based Monocle's Soft Power Survey 2010 ~ 2017/2018: Taiwan has not been included in this global ranking list,  Taiwan's soft power is behind Asian's countries Japan, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, China, India, UAE, all of them reached "world top 20" at least once.  

  ●  Taiwan failed to be listed in 2018's Soft Power 30 Study by USC Center on Public Diplomacy in July 2018 and  2017's Soft Power 30 Study, compiled by PR company Portand Communication and University of Southern California.   Asian countries,  Japan(No.5), S. Korea(20), Singapore(21), China(27) are top 30.
 The top 30 nations of 2018 are 1. UK, 2. France, 3. Germany, 4. US, 5. Japan, 6~30 are Canada, Swiss, Sweden, Nederlands, Australia, Denmark, Italy,
Norway, Spain, Finland, Belgium, Austria, NZ, Ireland, S Korea, Singapore,   Portugal, Greece, Poland, Hungary, Czech, China, Russia, Brazil, Argentina, 2017's Soft Power 30 Study, compiled by PR company Portland Communication and University of Southern California:  Taiwan also failed to be in the list.  The top 30 nations are 1  France  2 UK  3 USA  4 Germany  5  Canada   6 Japan  7  Swiss  8 Australia   9 Sweden  10  Holland  11 Denmark  12 Norway  13  Italy  14  Austria  15  Spain   16  Belgium  17 Finland  18 NZ   19 Ireland  20  Singapore   21 S. Korea   22  Portugal  23  Greece   24  Poland   25  China  26  Russia  27 Czech  28  Hungary   29  Brazil  30  Turkey.

 

●

  ★ Although Telegraph (Jan. 2017) mentioned Taipei's  "pioneering creative scene",  however, in fact ...... Taiwan's creativity is poor in film, advertising,   architectures, graphic designs ... e.g.,  Taiwan usually lost in Cannes Ads Festivals, the logo of Taiwan's Economic government is quite similar to an old Canadian logo ... The Liberty Times at 4-6-2016 pointed out Taiwan's government took the lead to plagiarize, and ignored copy-rights, Taiwan becomes "an island of Plagiarism" .    It's a big shame again that Taiwan government used the photo of Washington Dulles int'l airport (old Taiwan airport is a cheap-copy, very similar to Dulles) on Taiwan's new passport.  12-27-2017 Apple Daily headlines.
　
  
  


● Taiwan government logo

　

       

● Western (Canadian) logo appeared earlier
　

 　         

    ● pic. left: Taiwan state-owned enterprise logo
    ● pic. right:  Western logo

　

　


Taiwan's soft power

　

●

●

Taiwan

        Taiwanese Identity

Conditional independence or Conditional unification ...
　

 ● Economist, 2022-10-10: When asked about their identity, 63.7% of islanders call themselves Taiwanese, up from 17.6% in 1992.  economist.com/special-report/2022/10/10/china-has-chilling-plans-for-governing-taiwan
 ● Brookings, 2022-2-7: why is unification so unpopular in Taiwan? It’s the PRC political system; A majority of our respondents — 56% — said Taiwanese culture was similar to Chinese culture.  72% rated China’s government as at least somewhat unfriendly.  brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2022/02/07/why-is-unification-so-unpopular-in-taiwan-its-the-prc-political-system-not-just-culture/

 ● New York times, 2022-1-19: China's Growing Menace Hardens Island's Identity  nytimes.com/2022/01/19/world/asia/taiwan-china-identity.html     According to surveys by the Election Study Center at National Chengchi University in Taipei:  more than 60 percent people identify as solely Taiwanese, three times the proportion in 1992, Only two percent identified as Chinese, down from 25 percent three decades ago.
 ● In 2020, a Pew Research poll found that 66 per cent of Taiwan’s 23 million people solely identified as “Taiwanese” while 28 per cent identified as both Chinese and Taiwanese.

 ● New York times, 2022-1-19: China's Growing Menace Hardens Island's Identity  nytimes.com/2022/01/19/world/asia/taiwan-china-identity.html     According to surveys by the Election Study Center at National Chengchi University in Taipei:  more than 60 percent people identify as solely Taiwanese, three times the proportion in 1992, Only two percent identified as Chinese, down from 25 percent three decades ago.

● N.Y. Times 5-12-2020: The U.S.-based Pew Research Center found that 66% view themselves as Taiwanese, about 52% of Taiwanese support closer economic ties with China, only 36% favor closer political ties.  more than two-thirds have a favorable view of the U.S., with 79% supporting closer political ties...

　

　

● National Interest (USA)   6-16-2020   https://nationalinterest.org/feature/why-taiwan-continues-fear-chinese-invasion-162879

      Why Taiwan Continues to Fear a Chinese Invasion

      even when support for the independence movement is highest in history now, “maintaining the status quo forever” and “decide later” still has over 50 percent of the support among the public. Another survey results also showed that the public understands that the status quo is a choice of convenience, in which more than 60.3 percent of the respondents opposed Taiwan's independence if it is followed by China’s military invasion. The number drops to 26.6 percent if China will not use armed force to attack in a hypothetical scenario.

　

● N.Y. Times 12-3-2019: Trade between China and Taiwan exceeded $181 billion in 2017, up from about $35.5 billion in 1999, but only about one in 10 Taiwanese people support unification with China sooner or later,  the number of people who identified as Taiwanese increased from 48+ percent to about 60 percent between 2008 and late 2015.

○

 ●  New York Times, 5-1-2018:  Tsai declined to endorse the so-called "1992 Consensus" that both side are part of “one China,” allowing each side its own interpretation of what that means.    

 ●  Washington Post,    1-5-2018, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-opinions/wp/2018/01/05/can-china-really-take-over-taiwan/?utm_term=.e66214694331
       Can China really take over Taiwan?
        A poll last year revealed that three quarters of people in Taiwan think that the island and China are two separate countries, with only 14 percent believing that they are parts of one nation. That’s a significant change from two decades ago when more than half of Taiwan’s population said they considered themselves Chinese.

○

  ●  New York times,  12-13-2016:   As Taiwanese identity has consolidated, with more than 90 percent of Taiwanese believing they are in some way “Taiwanese”  /  https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/13

○

   ●  BBC, 12-3-2016  http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34729538
          Officially, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) still favours eventual independence for Taiwan, while the KMT favours eventual re-unification. Opinion polls show only a small minority of Taiwanese support pursuing one or the other at the moment, with most preferring to stick with the current middle ground.

○

    ●  Apple Daily, opinion, 10-11-2017: Only 5- % Taiwanese favour independence or unification, about 70% in total are for conditional independence and conditional unification.

○

  ● Washington Post,   1-2-2017, The Taiwanese see themselves as Taiwanese, not as Chinese :

        the Taiwanese are not willing to pursue independence at all costs. Many are concerned with the economy. When asked to choose between formal independence or maintaining economic ties with China, 83 percent chose bread over romance. /  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/01/02/yes-taiwan-wants-one-china-but-which-china-does-it-want/?utm_term=.8d999292eabd

●

  Some significant polls: 
　

Percentage of Taiwanese residents who consider themselves ?

Survey

 Taiwanese Chinese Both Taiwanese and Chinese
NCCU, Jan. 2015 60.6% 3.5% 32.5%
TVBS poll centre, Oct. 2012 75% 15% not an option here
TVBS poll centre, Oct. 2012 55% 3% 37%
Common Wealth Magazine, Dec. 2009 62% 8% 22%
Executive Yuan, Taiwan Admin., April, 2008 67.1% 13.6% 15.2%
source : Wikipedia

(59%: TWese, 34%: both)
Washington Post,  1-2-2017, The Taiwanese see themselves as Taiwanese, not as Chinese

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/01/02/yes-taiwan-wants-one-china-but-which-china-does-it-want/?utm_term=.8d999292eabd

●

  Some significant polls: 

https://sites.duke.edu/austinwang/2015/11/06/monkey-cage-article-how-taiwanese-view-the-future-of-the-cross-strait/
Austin Horng-En Wang,  Monkey Cage article: How Taiwanese view the future of the Cross-strait, PhD Candidate, Department of Political Science, Duke University

　

　

　

https://sites.duke.edu/austinwang/2015/11/06/monkey-cage-article-how-taiwanese-view-the-future-of-the-cross-strait/
Austin Horng-En Wang,  Monkey Cage article: How Taiwanese view the future of the Cross-strait, PhD Candidate, Department of Political Science, Duke University

　

　
● 　

　

　

               

　

　

　

pic. left: Washington Post,  1-2-2017, The Taiwanese see themselves as Taiwanese, not as Chinese

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/01/02/yes-taiwan-wants-one-china-but-which-china-does-it-want/?utm_term=.8d999292eabd

　

pic. right: United Daily News survey/poll at 11-20-2017 found "the table has turned" - The percentage of Taiwanese making good impression on Chinese people increased to 49%, on communist Chinese gov. increased to 40%.    UDN opinion 11-20-2017:  The % of Taiwanese are willing to work in China increased to 40%.
ps: at the same time, China terrorized Taiwan with military force (aircrafts etc) routinely flying around Taiwan in entire year of 2017 (UDN, 11-20-2017)

　

  PS: Apple Daily News, opinion, 3-22-2018: according to latest survey by <台灣民意基金會>, 38.3% Taiwanese people are for Taiwan independence, 20.1% for unification with mainland China, 24.1% for current status, 75% regard themselves as Taiwanese, 9.7% Chinese, 10.4% both.  As for China's latest policy - 31 items to benefit Taiwanese ("惠(對)台31項措施"),  41.9% think it as a trick for unification, 30.1% China's nice move. 

　

　

                           

　

◆  pic. left: Apple Daily, 4-20-2018, headline news : a Survey poll by 台灣民主基金會
☉ Taiwanese youth fight for independence - 55% yes, 35.9 % no, 9.1% others

 ☉ Taiwanese youth fight against  Chinese military force for unification - 67.7% yes, 24.9 % no, 7.4 % others

　

　

◆  pic. right: China Times, 4-21-2018, Opinion: Taiwan National Security Survey conducted by Duke University and NCCU of Taiwan
 at about the same time found that once China-Taiwan war happens ...
☉ more than 60% Taiwanese yield or give up & run away (逆來順受或投降逃跑)
☉ The highest percentage of giving up & escaping goes to youth group (age < 39), about 30+ %, aged 40+ is about 10%.
☉ 80% Taiwanese assumed the US army will come to rescue, otherwise the percentage of fighting people will drop, however, according to a seminar in Washington DC in 2017,
only 18% American people support US military force getting involved in the war.  

　

◆  Apple Daily, 4-24-2018: survey shows 65% Taiwanese are not confident at Taiwan's military force 

　

　
　
　
　

●

●

Taiwan

        Taiwanese women
○

Should be much worse than reports.

○

● CIA , The World Fact Book (cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/total-fertility-rate/country-comparison), Japan Times, 2021-4-21: CIA estimates Taiwan's "Fertility Rate" in 2021 to be world's lowest.  Taiwan ranks No. 227, probably caused by many house-wives being busy in work as well as in household duties,

　

● NBC, Associated Press, 10-30-2020: Taiwan is the only place in Asia to have legalized same-sex marriage, since the legislation passed in May 2019  more than 4,000 such couples have married, with 69 percent of them lesbian couples, according to the most recent government data.  DW (Germany), 10-31-2020: One restriction is that a foreign partner must come from a country with gay law. And, on same-sex parenting, Taiwanese remains divided.   France 24, 10-31-2020: the issue has caused deep divisions on the island, especially among conservative religious groups and older generations.  Taiwan's gay marriage law still contains restrictions not faced by heterosexual couples, including on adoption and foreign marriages.   United Daily, 11-1-2020: DPP: Taiwan still has a distance to equal-rights.

◎

● US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released at 3-11-2020 : In the new legislature, a record 38 percent of lawmakers were women.    In the November 2018 local elections, voters elected women to seven of the 22 mayoral and county magistrate seats.   The number of women elected to local councils also continued to grow: women won 307 of the 912 city and county council seats–an increase from 30.7 percent in 2014 to 33.8 percent in 2018.  Many victims did not report the crime for fear of social stigmatization, and various nongovernmental organizations (NGO) and academic studies estimated the total number of sexual assaults was seven to 10 times higher than the number reported to police. Some abused women chose not to report incidents to police due to social pressure not to disgrace their families.

　

●  US  state government - 2019 Trafficking in persons report, Jun. 2019

As reported in the last five years, human traffickers subject foreign men and women to forced labor and sex trafficking in Taiwan, and traffickers subject local men and women to forced labor and local women and children to sex trafficking. Taiwan women and children are subjected to domestic sex trafficking, including as part of an increasing trend in which traffickers induce and take advantage of Taiwan and foreign women’s and children’s drug addictions to subject them to sex trafficking. Taiwan traffickers increasingly use the internet, smartphone apps, livestreaming, and other such online technologies to conduct recruitment activities, often targeting child victims, and to mask their identities from law enforcement.

Traffickers lure women from China and Southeast Asian countries to Taiwan through fraudulent marriages and deceptive employment offers for purposes of sex trafficking. Many trafficking victims are migrant workers from Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and to a lesser extent, individuals from China, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka.

Some traffickers use Indonesian-owned stores in Taiwan as illegal remittance channels, confining Indonesian workers and subjecting them to sex trafficking. Traffickers reportedly take advantage of Taiwan’s “New Southbound Policy” visa-simplification program to lure Southeast Asian students and tourists to Taiwan and subject them to forced labor and sex trafficking.

　

● US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released at 3-13-2019 pointed out that Victims of rape and domestic violence did not report the crime for fear of social stigmatization, and various nongovernmental organization (NGO) and academic studies estimated the total number of sexual assaults was seven to 10 times higher than the number reported to police.   Some abused women chose not to report incidents to police due to social pressure not to disgrace their families.    <The United Daily >,  3-16-2018: Taiwan's gender equality - A long long way to go !

　

●The US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices , released at 3-3-2017 (report of 4-20-2018 is about same):  Rape and Domestic Violence ( spousal rape, and domestic violence).  Many victims did not report the crime for fear of social stigmatization, and various nongovernmental organization (NGO) and academic studies estimated that the total number of sexual assaults was seven to 10 times the number reported to police.  Women were promoted less frequently, occupied fewer management positions, and worked for lower pay than men, earning on average 83 percent of their male counterparts’ income...

○

● Amnesty International (The London-based organization), 2.25.2015: The organization concerns Taiwan's gender discrimination.   Taiwan’s passage of the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the enactment of laws to implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by 2017 were important starts, but still have to be fully implemented.
women in Taiwan

●

●

　

Taiwan

        Taiwan universities

○

Too many fake papers, fake degrees !    

　

Taiwan's high education was ranked around No. 8 ~ No. 11 among Asian & Pacific countries, Taiwan is behind Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and in Quacquarelli Symonds，QS  2021、Nature Index, Taiwan also lost Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and India.  If considering the number of selected universities, Taiwan is even far behind, e.g., in Nature Index, there are more than 30 Chinese academic institutions ranked higher than Taiwan's.

　

Times Higher Education ,  World University Rank 2023

timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2023/world-ranking#!/page/7/length/25/sort_by/rank/sort_order/asc/cols/stats
Rank Taiwan China Korea Hong Kong, Macau Singapore Japan
1~70 　
　

　

　

16   Tsinghua University Beijing

　

17  Peking University Beijing

　

51   Fudan University Shanghai

52   Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai

67   Zhejiang University Zhejiang
 56  Seoul National University Seoul


　

 
　

31  University of Hong Kong

　

45  Chinese University of Hong Kong

　

58  The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

　
19   National University of Singapore

　


　

36   Nanyang Technological University

　

39  University of Tokyo
　

　

　

68  Kyoto

University

　
70~100 　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

74   University of Science and Technology of China

　

95  Nanjing Univ.

　
78 Yonsei Univ. (Seoul campus)

　

91  Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) Daejeon

　
79  Hong Kong Polytechnic Univ. 

　

99 City Univ. of Hong Kong
　

　

 　 　
PS:    National Taiwan University (台灣大學) only got No. 187  (No. 113 in previous year) , number of students per staff  11.4,  female/male  42: 58, int'l students 11%

　

　

★   Times Higher Education ,  World University Rank 2022
Rank Taiwan China Korea Hong Kong, Macau Singapore Japan
1~70 　
　

　

16  Peking University Beijing

　

　

　

16   Tsinghua University Beijing
　

　

　

60   Fudan University Shanghai

　

　
 54  Seoul National University Seoul


　

 
　

30  University of Hong Kong

　

49  Chinese University of Hong Kong

　

　

66  The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

　
21   National University of Singapore

　


　

46   Nanyang Technological University

　

35  University of Tokyo
　

　

　

 61 Kyoto

University

　
70~100 　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

75   Zhejiang University Zhejiang


　
84   Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai

　

　

88  University of Science and Technology of China Anhui

　

　
　

99  Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) Daejeon

　
91  Hong Kong Polytechnic Univ. 
　

　

 　 　
PS:    National Taiwan University (台灣大學) only got No. 113
Times Higher Education ,  World University Rank 2022 

timeshighereducation.com

　

　

However, Taiwan's education system has serious problems as below:

●  The Liberty Times (自由時報),  5-25-2020: 

   ◆  University's endowment fund lacks being controlled, Univ. presidents' graft or malfeasance was heard frequently   /   NTU prof. 賴飛羆、林宗男、鄭秀玲

   ◆  Structured problems include: Impact of having few children as a new tendency (少子化)、The limitation of internal operations ( govt. budget, complicated regulation & laws to prevent malfeasance on conservative campus  ) 、teachers'  salary structure becoming  rigid ( college teachers were protected as civil servant, hence less competitive on world stage)、 Bias and errors on encourage & reward,  assessment mechanism、outflow of talents quickening、 number of PhDs in Science & Tech. field decreasing like an avalanche ... 吳誠文  https://talk.ltn.com.tw/article/paper/1375036

   ◆  Flexible tuition fees, scholarships and coop jobs for foreign students, mutual benefits with SouthEast Asian countries   /  高雄大學校長王學亮

   ◆  Education govt. expressed that since 2019, New South-bound policy will focus on accepting students by principle of "quality" instead of  "quantity"，G2G module to avoid foreign students doing illegal jobs 

　

●

Taiwan

        Taiwan's medical services
○

                             ★Statista: Num. of physicians in Taiwan from '12 to '21           
    https://www.statista.com/statistics/860217/taiwan-physician-number/

yr

 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

number

 40,938 41,965 42,961 44,006 44,849 46,356 47,471 49,542 51045 52175

increase

 　 1,027 996 1,045 843 1,507 1,115 2,071 1503 1130
Wikipedia (2021-5-5) and Liberty Times (2020-1-6),  Taiwan's doctor-to-population ratio (see pic. below) almost hit lowest in Asia.  WEF<Travel and tourism competitiveness report> (released at 9-4-2019): Taiwan's Health & Hygiene (including "physicians density" ) score 6.0 is worse than that of  Japan,  Korea, and Australia, Mongolia.   According to  WEF <Travel and tourism competitiveness report> (released at 4-6-2017), Taiwan's "Physician density" ranks world No. 65 (No. 57 in 2015's report).  
CommonWealth, 2022-4-12: Taiwan has an average 21.7 physicians per 10,000 population, which lags far behind the median of 33.6 physicians for the OECD countries (only Turkey is behind Taiwan).  In terms of healthcare's share of the national budget, which stands at 11 percent, behind the OECD average of 15 percent, which constricts the industry's growth potential...10- physicians per 10,000 inhabitantsdoes not even meet the lowest standard of the World Health Organization.  english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=3198#:~:text=Taiwan%20has%20an%20average%2021.7,physicians%20for%20the%20OECD%20countries.

　

● Bloomberg, 2021-7-25: Taiwan’s medical care system is run on a tight budget to keep costs affordable.  Taipei Medical University professor 楊哲銘 comments Taiwan's medical quality is no longer good.  Taiwan's former medical chief 楊志良 (chinatimes.com/opinion/20210804005734-262104?chdtv) criticizes that the health & medical system has been damaged.  full text: CovID-19 in Taiwan   There's no any Taiwan's hospitals selected in "World's Best Hospitals - Newsweek" in 2020 and 2021.

　

　

　

★ Wikipedia : physicians density in Asia 

Asia's rankings country  physicians
per 10,000 people
1 Qatar 77.4
2 N Korea 33
3 Australia 32.7
4 Lebanon 32
5 Mongolia 28.4
6 New Zealand 27.4
7 Jordan 25.6
8 UAE 25.3
9 Saudi Arabia 24.9
10 Japan 23
11 Korea 21.4
12 Singapore 19.5
13 China 14.9
14 Malaysia 12
15 Philippines 12 
16 Vietnam 11.9 
17 Iran 9
18 Pakistan 8.3
19 Indonesia 8 
20 India 7
21 Myanmar 6.1
22 Iraq 6.1
23 Thai. 3.9
24 Laos 1.8
25 Cambodia 1.7

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

● Next TV news (5-25-2019, 20:44, 壹新聞  壹電視 ) reported that Taiwan government kept adjusting the price of more and more drugs to cover the deficit of medical insurance system, which resulted in more and more brand drugs withdrawing from Taiwan (e.g., TIENAM) , because cheap-price generic drugs made in Taiwan are not as curative effective as brand drugs, Physicians worry there's no good medicines for patients ....  Besides, ● Apple Daily (6-4-2017): Taiwan medical service's critical problem ―― Preventive Health-Care service is behind.   ● The China Times, (7-4-2017) : "patients centered" is nothing but a slogan.  

　

● Taiwan only ranks world 45th position in Lancet's Healthcare Access and Quality Index released in 2017 (based on mortality from causes amenable to personal health care in 195 countries and territories, 1990–2015: a novel analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study   2015),  some chronic disease items got very low or failure scores, e.g.,   Leukemia score 49,  Kidney disease 50, Gallbladder & biliary 57, Hypertensive Heart Disease 60,   diabetes mellitus 58, etc.  http://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(17)30818-8.pdf

○

　


 ★ Bloomberg's CovID Resilience Ranking, 2022-6-29
comparison - Taiwan with some other main countries in Asia & Pacific
 They’ve been unable to outrun Omicron: Taiwan saw deaths spike as more virus circulated ...
　
country 1-month cases per 100,000 resilience rank 3-month case fatality rate pandemic MVPs
Taiwan 7826 next to last 0.2% No.37
mainland China 0 No.51 0.1% 　
Hong Kong 376 No.49 1.9% 　
Malaysia 169 No.37 0.2% 　
New Zealand 3383 No.35 0.2% No.21
Bangladesh 8 No.34 0.1% No.27
Japan 373 No.30 0.1% No.15
Vietnam 28 No.18 0% 　
Singapore 2255 No.14 0% No.13
Australia 3216 No.9 0.1% No.24
UAE 336 No.2 0% No.1
S. Korea 502 No.1 0.2% No.4
bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-resilience-ranking/
PS: Taiwan's scores on "Flight Capacity", "vaccinated travel routes" are last but one

　

　

 ★ Bloomberg CovID Resilience Ranking   2022-5-27
Taiwan ranks the 3rd from the end   

 ranks of
 countries (Asia & Pacific)

CovID cases per 100,000 people over the past month (JHU) The Strength of
health-care system		 CovID deaths as a share of cases over the past 3months (%)
 No. 6.  S Korea 1955 89 0.1
12.  Singapore 1760 92 0.1
23.  Australia 5074 89 0.1
  34.  Malaysia  185 67 0.3
35.  Thai. 328 72 0.4
41.  Japan 786 96 0.2
  44.  New Zealand  4389 83 0.1
  48.  Hong Kong 115 - 0.8
 51. Taiwan (drop 19 positions )  6031 79 0
52.  Chn 9 70 0.1
53 countries in total; bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-resilience-ranking/spanish.html

　

　

★ Bloomberg CovID Resilience Ranking    2022-1-27

Quality of Life (Asia & Pacific )
Economy human development community mobility% GDP growth forecast% universal health care
Singapore 0.94 -11.2 4 92
Hong Kong 0.95 -5.3 3 -
mainland China 0.76 -2.7 5.2 70
S. Korea 0.92 -2.6 3 89
Japan 0.92 -13.4 2.9 96
Australia 0.94 -24.9 3.9 89
New Zealand 0.93 -13.5 3.6 83
Taiwan 0.92 -4.2% 3.3 79

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-resilience-ranking/

　

Bloomberg CovID Resilience Ranking: Taiwan's 3-month case fatality rate in 2021-9-28, 13.4%; 2021-10-28, 7.7%, both are world worst

　

Taiwan's medical service (hospitals, physicians)

●

●

Taiwan

        Taiwanese personality

○

Obedient !  choose bread over romance ...

○

● The Liberty Times, 1-4-2016/  Taipei City mayor Dr. Ko: Taiwanese have been patient sufferance of so many politically bullies and toying (and killings), hence lost confidence and passion, Taiwan only has obedient, docile citizens who surrendered to their "lord",  those some of Taiwanese revolted, resisted or rebelled were all killed by their rulers, the rest of Taiwanese are docile citizens, their children or descendants are even more docile.

○

●  The China Times, 3-24-2018, public opinion: Li Ao (李敖) in 1999 wrote that Taiwan already became a shadow, very realistic ( profit oriented, snobbish ), short-sight society (淺碟, 現實, 短視).

○

● Forbes (3-5-2017) : Taiwanese "People are ominously courteous".

○

●  UDN 4-7-2018 opinion : Taiwan delivered huge amount of drugs to Philippines, and taught terrorists how to fight the gov. by using drugs ...    Taiwan was already reduced to be a 'kingdom' of producing narcotic drugs.  (United Daily, headline news, 11-2-2017) 

○

Taiwanese character/personality

●

●

Taiwan

        Taiwan judiciary
○

incurable !  most likely...

　

●  National ChungCheng University, 2022-2-14: study found 2/3 Taiwanese are not satisfied with the quality of judgment of criminal cases  deptcrc.ccu.edu.tw/index.php?option=module&lang=cht&task=pageinfo&id=432&index=1

　

● US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released at 2022-4-12 (state.gov/reports/2021-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/taiwan/):


nthe Ministry of Justice and the Judicial Yuan referred six officials to the Control Yuan for criminal investigation, including former minister of justice Tseng Yung-fu, former prosecutor general Wu Ying-chao, and two others for investigation of noncriminal misconduct, including Supreme Administrative Court judge..., the Judicial Yuan referred six former judges to the Control Yuan for investigation of noncriminal misconduct.  the Ministry of Justice investigated 77 other incumbent and former judicial and law enforcement officials implicated in similar behavior with the same businessperson.
na senior investigator of the Ministry of Justice's Investigation Bureau was indicted for corruption for allegedly profiting from the sale of narcotics worth more than 168 million New Taiwan dollars ($5.6 million) seized in law enforcement investigations over eight years.
nIn 2020 presidential and legislative elections, President Tsai Ing-wen won re-election,...there were allegations of vote buying by candidates and supporters of both major political parties.

　

　

　

Horrible prosecutor system in Taiwan !  Taiwan presidents should be ashamed ... !!

　
　

　

● Amnesty International, June, 2021:  The government took several measures to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus, some of which threatened the right to privacy.

　

● USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices,  3-11-2020:  Some political commentators and academics,  publicly questioned the impartiality of judges and prosecutors involved in high profile, politically sensitive cases.   USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices at 3-13-2019 and 4-20-2018 both pointed out that Taiwan's justice ministry was insufficiently independent and conducted politically motivated investigations of politicians.

　

　

 pic.: Taiwan's big rotten case in justice system ― "Formosa TV news, 1-19-2021: Taiwan's biggest judiciary scandal of the century", 
 "Apple Daily, 1-19-2021: rotten & stinky judiciary shakes Taiwan to the core"
　

●

Index of judiciary

Asian countries
2020 Economic Freedom Index Judicial Effectiveness, Asian countries scores: Singapore 92.9,  Australia 86.1,  UAE 84.6,  New Zealand 79.1,   Hong Kong 76.8,   China 76.3,    Malaysia 74.6,   Saudi Arabia  72.3 ,    Japan 71.4  ,  Taiwan  70.1,   
Rule of Law Index 2020

　

 No. 7  New Zealand,  No. 11  Australia,  No. 12 Singapore,  15. Japan,  16. Gong Kong,  17. R.Korea,   21. USA,  47. Malaysia,   59.  Indonesia,   69. India
worldjusticeproject.org/sites/default/files/documents/WJP-ROLI-2020-Online_0.pdf

　

　

　

● Taiwan "judicial Independence" was ranked No. 13 among Asia & Pacific countries

　 WEF (World Economic Forum)  Judicial independence 2019 rankings ,  The Global Competitiveness Report
Asian country rankings No.1 New Zealand  89.2(score)  2(world rank),  No.2 Japan  86.5  5,  No.3  Hong Kong  84.1  8, No.4  Australia  82.9  10,  No.5  Singapore  77.4  14,  No.6  Saudi Arabia  77.1  16,
No. 7  UAE  75.4  20,  No.8  Qatar  73.3  23,  No.9   US  70.4  25,  No.10  Jordan  69,  No. 11  Malaysia  68.7,  No. 12 Kuwait  59.5 , No.13  Taiwan 59.4 ,  No. 14 China 58.2
link www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_TheGlobalCompetitivenessReport2019.pdf
ps WEF Judicial independence 2017/2018 rankings : China's rank was better than Taiwan's, both are at about same level

　

　

　

　

　

●  Public trust on Taiwan's judges is about the lowest, compared with OECD member countries
　

● The Liberty Times, 2-23-2019 : National Chung-Cheng University survey shows about 80% Taiwanese people do not trust judges, only 32% are satisfied with Taiwanese prosecutors. (https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/focus/paper/1269488) The percentage is about as low as that of Korea
 ― the worst judicial system country in OECD ( Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ) in 2019.
 ●  Korea Times, 7-2-2020 (www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2020/07/162_292043.html): OECD surveyed 37 member countries by asking how many of every
 1,000 people trust their own court systems. The result shows Korea had the lowest numbers of all countries surveyed. 
Various surveys in Korea also show that two out of three Koreans do not trust the courts.
 ●  Taiwan Judicial Reform Committee (司改會) survey 7-18-2020:  64% Taiwanese people do not trust judges.  (https://www.storm.mg/article/2861744)   

●  National Chung-Cheng University survey 3-4-2020 shows only  36.4% Taiwanese people trust judges (deptcrc.ccu.edu.tw/index.php?option=module&lang=cht&task=pageinfo&id=132&index=1 )
　

　

　

　

● The United Daily, 10-31-2020, https://udn.com/news/story/7321/4977543 
      Taiwan's judiciary spends lots of money on advertising themselves, but, the truth us Taiwan's justice always made a detour whenever encountering the power and the rich people. (司法砸錢宣傳 遇權貴卻轉彎)   The Supreme Court (最高法院大法庭) has many cases to solve, but no one wants to touch sensitive issues.

　

●  The United Daily, 7-14-2020,  udn.com/news/story/7339/4699302
     Taiwan's president has never talked about anti-corruption, in recent years, the prosecutors and investigation gov. have not solved any big corruption cases, unlike lots of crack-downs in old days, instead, they focus on New National Security cases.  No wonder Taiwan president insists abolishing Special Investigation Division (SPD) .

　

●  The Liberty Times,  7-1-2020  ( Avoid judicial monsters )  :  The main reason that the public do not trust the justice is lacking of external supervision (外部監督力量) and hence quite many controversial legal judgments were out there。https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/society/paper/1383385

　

●  The China Times, 5-27-2020 : The public trust on Taiwan's prosecutors was suffered severe injuries from the Minister's "guides" and "leads"  (部長下指導棋重傷檢察公信力)   
       https://www.chinatimes.com/newspapers/20200527000524-260118

　

●  The United Daily, 5-16-2020, https://udn.com/news/story/121092/4567513   (從人權到新威權 變調的司法正義)

       The ruling party DPP has been more "authoritarian" than the way "authoritarian" government in old days was, no wonder the first thing the public have not satisfied with is the judicial reform.  Many question the judicial system was reduced to be the government's tool ― to strengthen monitoring the public, and many worries, their political opponents   (過去四年許多作為卻比過去威權更威權，立法、執法上不斷加強對人民的監控，司法不斷被質疑淪為掌權者工具， 司法改革卻是人民最不滿意的重中之重 )

 

emocracy

● USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices at 3-13-2019 and 4-20-2018 both pointed out that Taiwan's justice ministry was insufficiently independent and conducted politically motivated investigations of politicians.

　

● The United Daily,  06-18-2016  head page: Taiwan's prosecutors admitted they usually follow their commanding officer's order to access legal cases ... " He is bigger than I am, what can I say??" ( 檢察，，「」)

★

● National Chung Cheng university's survey (head-page of the Liberty Times, 2-23-2016) found: more than 84% Taiwanese people don't believe judges, nearly 80% Taiwanese don't believe the impartiality of Taiwan's prosecutors, and public trust on Taiwan judiciary system keeps falling down in the past 8 years.  

○

● USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices, March 3, 2017 (report of 4-20-2018 is about same) : the justice ministry was insufficiently independent and conducted politically motivated investigations of politicians.

○

● FTV (Formosa Television) News, 7-26-2018
　 　

　
　 　

　

pic.: FTV (Formosa Television) News, 7-26-2018: By expertise and team work, core members of former president Ma's Faction (clique) did 'dig' money in the amount more than ten times, or even more than 100 times that of another former president Chen Shui-bian got, Chen was sentenced to 20 years.  Ma himself did not touch the money-digging matter.   Establishing lots of foundations for donations is the culture of KMT (Nationalist Party).   Major people of DPP (political party in power since 2016) already knew about this issue,  the intel. systems can but don't (till present) stop the cash flow making a detour through many places including Inner Mongolia and Outer Mongolia.   In other words, the gov. intentionally opened a 'gap'  for their "convenience"......   For further details:  2018.7.26【政經看民視】

　

　


Taiwan judiciary

●

●

Taiwan

        political persecution in Taiwan

○

Back to the future !

○

● Liberty Times 6-7-2019  : Control Yuan's new mission - against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment / Pavel Doubek  ●  United Daily, editorial, 5-6-2019: Control Yuan should work for underprivileged people, not only cover their own politicians.

　

●  Taiwan is far behind to against torture and other cruel.
     Apple Daily, headline, 12-9-2017:
     ◆  At end of 2017, a review found all conclusive advises by international review panel to against Taiwan's torture have not put into practice at all.   (ps: if Taiwan government plans to cover those criminals will or might be an accomplice !)

      ◆  In 2013, an international review panel ( human rights experts and scholars) visited Taiwan and concluded :

          (1) "The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment" should be added to Taiwan Criminal Law, and should be put into force AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
          (2)  The best method to root out torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in Taiwan is that any person or officials who commits torture, those sort of crimes, should NOT have free liability of what they did.
    
     ps:  In 1984, The United Nations adopted the text of the convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.   Most major countries including USA and China are signatories and ratifications.    In 2009, Taiwan adopted ICCPR and ICESCR as an alternative criminal law, in name " law of application" ('施行法'), to against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
        PS2:The members of the review panel visiting Taiwan in 2013 include Philip Alston, law professor at New York University; Eibe Riedel, former member of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Jerome Cohen, law professor at New York University; and Nisuke Ando, professor emeritus at Kyoto University. 
        ps3:  United Nations Treaty Collection:   https://treaties.un.org/pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=IND&mtdsg_no=IV-9&chapter=4&lang=en .   ps4: https://tw.appledaily.com/headline/daily/20171209/37869068

○

○

　

●  Taiwan's Intelligence and secret-agent systems keep on governing the country ... they're true Prime Minister (行政院長), ...So many suspected political murder cases remain unsolved  (ref to 2018.7.26【政經看民視】 FTV, "政經看民視", 7-26-2018;  SET(三立電視), 9-24-2013 "Secret agents govern the nation (特務治國)" www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBdZCdYrwF4;  Era TV,   年代電視, 9-22-2013; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1b4R2m6K3g; "Secret agent systems resurgence to control the nation (特務復辟治國)"

　

Taipei Times, 7-20-2018, Liberty Times of Taiwan, headline news :The Transitional Justice Commission is reportedly targeting five cases for investigation: the murder of former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman Lin I-hsiung’s (林義雄) mother and twin daughters, the death of democracy advocate Chen Wen-chen (陳文成), the Lei Chen (雷震) incident, the Wuhan Hotel (武漢旅社) incident and the self-immolation of democracy advocate Deng Nan-jung (鄭南榕).   ps: some of cases below are bigger than 3 of those above.

　

 The murder and suspected political repression cases in Taiwan remain unsolved

●  Chen Wen-chen incident (陳文成事件) : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chen_Wen-chen; 陳文成命案，需要勇敢的證人站出來！https://opinion.cw.com.tw/blog/profile/195/article/4587
●  Lin Yi-hsiungLin Family Massacre (林義雄) : Feb. 28, 1980. (intentionally pick the sate 228 ?)  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lin_Yi-hsiung

●  the Lei Chen incident  (雷震事件) : https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%9B%B7%E9%9C%87%E4%BA%8B%E4%BB%B6

●   WuHan Hotel  (武漢大旅社) : http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2018/07/21/2003697080

●   Liu Pang-yu  (劉邦友)  Liu Mayor Office Massacre: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liu_Pang-yu

●   yin qingfeng murder case (尹清楓命案) : https://web.archive.org/web/20100421111208/http://forums.chinatimes.com.tw/special/oldman/main.html

●   the self-immolation of democracy advocate Deng Nan-jung (鄭南榕): Taipei Times, 7-20-2018  "Justice commission looks into suspect political cases"

●  and so on

○

●  wikipedia: The Chinese Civil War resumed, with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) led by Mao Zedong defeating the Nationalists and declaring the People's Republic of China in 1949. Chiang's government and army retreated to Taiwan, where Chiang imposed martial law and persecuted critics in a period known as the "White Terror".  

○

● Taiwanese government still involving political persecutions had been questioned.   French AFP (Dec. 1, 2011) , Thailand's Bangkok Post (Dec. 3, 2011), Yahoo UK & Ireland, and all local media reported ( Dec. 2011)  Taiwan's opposition party vice presidential candidate and NTU professor Lin Ruey-Shiung (PhD., Johns Hopkins University, USA, Ruprecht-Karls-Universitat Heidelberg Germany.) was subject to electromagnetic wave attacks.   Dr Lin thinks it's launched by a Taiwanese intelligence government, but that unit denied, some media reported these weapons most likely were imported from USA.   Many similar reports and sayings concerning this sort of political persecutions can be found on the net. 

○

●  FTV: 9-25-2013  20:01pm   To much monitoring in Taiwan, every body is risky  (監聽氾濫人人自危).   The Liberty Times, 9.25.2013, Apple Daily, 2006: Human rights in Taiwan is not good or lousy!  1/4 Taiwanese were being listened by the government per year.

　

    Stop Human Cruelty in Taiwan too !!!  make a law now !!

click links to view :
☉see animal cruelty, report it :  https://www.pinterest.com/pin/406098091375381067/?lp=true
☉Dogs Speak out: https://www.pinterest.com/margom14/stop-animal-cruelty/?lp=true
☉stop animal cruelty: https://prowlnewspaper.com/2017/08/20/sunday-is-the-day-of-rest-and-monday-is-the-day-for-protest/
☉all animals have rights: https://ukhrb.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/court-rules-on-injunctions-against-animal-rights-protesters/
　

●

●
           Taiwan    in full aspects       
          ★   this site's world No. 1 in  2020~22,  2017~19,  2016,  2015,  2014,  2013,  2010~12     ★   Top rankings since 1998             
  home  brief  Taiwan TW  FB  tour  personality  food  medical  restaurants night markets buffet women  speech  massage  prostitution  watching  judiciary  police  corruption  foreign labor  prosecutors  soft power  death penalty  happiness  housing  avia  image  creativity  human rights  US cartoons  US Design  intl Human rights  judicial persecution  repression&oppression  bully  univ   fraud  military  drugs  democracy

●

　 Different views on Taiwan
　  Media/ Institutions websites
　  The Spiegel http://www.spiegel.de/thema/taiwan/  
　  The Economist http://www.economist.com/topics/taiwan
　  Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/world/taiwan
　  BBC Taiwan Country Profile http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-16164639
　  Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan
　  The Diplomat https://thediplomat.com/countries/taiwan/ 
　  USA https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/265586.pdf
https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35855.htm
　  The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/topic/destination/taiwan
　  Taiwan,  ROC  Presidential Office http://english.president.gov.tw/
　  China's People Daily, 人民網 http://tw.people.com.cn/  
　  Taiwan,  The Liberty Times http://news.ltn.com.tw/topic/%E5%8F%B0%E7%81%A3
　  China, Baidu https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%8F%B0%E6%B9%BE/122340
　 　 　

●

●

Taiwan

      Taiwan in cartoons

                   ☉ below each visual parody, cartoon on The dark side of Tw. are related or relevant reports or comments

◆

　 　

　

Taiwan, a soft chicken

　

Taiwan weakness

　

　

　

●  NewsWeek, 10-28-2020: As China Threatens War, Nearly Everyone in Taiwan Wants Peace: Poll

　

●  “Their underlying thinking is that PLA has grown to be too strong for us to fight militarily anyway... Taiwan should just focus on putting up a good show of being tough, buy enough U.S. weapons for display, and pray that Americans come to our rescue /  Foreign Policy, 8-20-2020  https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/08/20/taiwan-military-flashy-american-weapons-no-ammo/

●  Taiwan’s preparedness and its will to fight both look shaky
/  Economist,10-9-2020

　

● USA Today  5-18-2018:   Freebeacon 5-17-2018 :   2020—the deadline that [Chinese supreme leader] Xi Jinping has given the

 [People's Liberation Army] to be ready to invade Taiwan

　

●  New York Times at  11-4-2017, the Pentagon report, May 2017: China’s military modernization has “eroded or negated many of Taiwan’s historical advantages (geography and the US support) ” in deterring a potential attack.

　

● New York times,  5-18-2017: Taiwan's leaders have gutted the military and continued to base defense planning on the assumption that the United States would always come to the rescue.  Policies ... have left the military understaffed and in a state of low morale...

　

● Le Monde diplomatic of France, Mai 2016, depicted Taiwan as a trembling sweating rat , turning its back on an approaching huge cat (China), lifting high the banner "$O$"  .  
　

● FreeBeacon at 10-19-2017 : "China’s Xi Jinping Slams the Door on Taiwanese Appeals for Independence.".   Washington Post at 10-18-2017: "Mr. Xi’s biggest applause line was a vow to 'never allow anyone. . . to separate any part of Chinese territory from China.'  That would include...Taiwan."(19th CPC national Congress).   Spiegel Germany, 1-9-2017, Global Times of China: "There is no room for negotiations" ("Es gibt keinen Raum für Verhandlungen").

　

● Taiwan president beset by low approval rate because of weakness against foreign countries, even including Philippines, a backward country dared to hurt Taiwan, not to mention military strong ones, China, Japan, etc
ref. to Forbes, 5-21-2013

　

　

ps: The Philippines is little & weak, but not soft   / Independent UK, etc, 10-11-2016,
Philippines refused to be "a dog with leash" / CNBC 10-25-2016

　
　 　

◆

★

　

　

　

License to rape ? for  sicko raper

　

Taiwan state apparatus 'fully' support
freedom of expression  !

You can scream as loud as you want

  The louder you scream, the more I enjoy ...

 

　

◆ Taiwan's Apple Daily, editorial, 6-16-2020: Taiwan's politics still intervene or meddle media. 
 ◆ Apple Daily, editorial, 12-14-2019 : Since DPP took office in 2016,  political culture of authoritarianism (威權式政治文化) gradually showed up in Taiwan.  ◆ United Daily, editorial, 6-23-2019: mega-data became politician's instrument to control public opinions

　

◆  China Times, editorial  3-9-2020  The gov. suppressed freedom of speech by 4 layers:
1、 Political power forms threats (penalty fine and suspending the license) to certain media。
2、 Secretly bullying by internet army, cyber force ... and so on

　

 ◆ State violence and white terror (product of state violence) return in Taiwan (United Daily, opinion, 12-21-2017, 12-27-2017).

◆ This is an EVIL state apparatus (column, CTN, 5-9-2018): Taiwan has shown a general tendency toward pandering state apparatus, surrendering in mind control ... http://www.chinatimes.com/newspapers/20180509000843-260109

◆ Abusing power to invade citizen's rights, going old route of anti-democracy are their nature  (United Daily, opinion, 12-20-2017).  https://udn.com/news/story/11321/2886710

ref to https://udn.com/news/story/11321/2897025。http://udn.com/news/story/7338/2179800。

◆ Now it seems hard to keep Taiwan's skin-deep democracy ... the people's "livelihood" was sacrificed for politics ...

The United Daily - Opinion, 3-7-2017

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

( a violent, penetrative scientific power)
 "You called Discovery,  I called the Rape ..." 
/  Jurassic Park ,  1990

　

★★

★

　

　

Hitler resurgence ...  Nazi returns !? 

　

　

pic.: This cartoon of Zola Zu was printed in the United Daily News group,
Ming-Sen Daily about 20 years ago

 　

　

　

　

 

　

　

 †   Secret police have already been active around us...  
　

　

◆ People's Daily, 10-25-2020: Taiwan Intelligence strictly monitors Taiwanese people by so called "Green Terror"

◆  United Daily (聯合報), editorial opinion ,  9-19-2018
ps: 「東廠」meaning : imperial secret police serving the emperors of Ming Dynasty,
or the espionge agency under the leadership of the eunuch in Ming Dynasty, China

◆ UDN 11-3-2018: NSB is watching FB and other communities, and requested them to hand in users' data.

   ◆ <Apple Daily (蘋果日報)> 11-7-2018 editorial opinion:  by whatever name ( "secret police" or "national security bureau") it is called, what "it" did secretly were always more than what it admitted 

◆ <UDN> editorial (聯合報社論) 11-14-2019／Taiwan's democracy turns into grave 。 (民主設計的良意，如今變成私欲墳場 https://udn.com/news/story/11321/4163629)

　

　

　

 　

★

★

Taiwan - an 'empire' of int'l fraud

　

　

★◆

　

 ◆

　

●  BBC 4-22-2016: Taiwanese massive international telecoms frauds lead to diplomatic row between Taiwan and China, and cost Chinese victims billions of Yuan and to have driven some to suicidehttp://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36108762

●  CTV evening news, 12-14-2017  19:19pm: Taiwanese fraud crimes are really all over the world.

   

●UDN opinion 12-24-2017: Taiwan became international nuisances & social harms 

● EBC  TV news 4-9-2017 6:54am: Taiwan is notorious for its fraud crimes all over the world, damaging the image of Taiwan

　

●    Taiwan largely sees these telecom frauds/phone scammers as an asset rather than liability... / quora

　

● Taiwan's legal system is extremely tolerant of the scammers. Not matter how much money was involved in a scamming case  /  https://www.quora.com/Does-Taiwan-rely-on-the-fraud-industry-heavily,  /4-16-2016

　

●  Taiwan's legislators and judicial system don't have a sense of shame on int'l telecomm scammers issue  /  ref to United Daily News (聯合報), Opinion, 8-2016 

 

●  Crime liability in China, or Japan, Germany is much more serious than that in Taiwan, China may give it  life imprisonment , Taiwan treats it  minor offense, converting Imprisonment into Fine.   Taiwan is a "low risk, high profit" country for fraud crimes ... / EBC TV news 4-9-2017 6:54am ps14

　

　
†         international nuisances & social harms 　 　

★

★★

Taiwan - an 'empire' of  illegal drugs 

　

　

◆

　

 ◆

●Taiwan's image  ―  notorious for being a major drug transit center & a major drug exporting country ("drug" - amphetamine, etc, ps13 )   Taiwan is narcotic drugs producing & selling center of Asia (The China Times <Want Weekly>, 9-18-2019). 

　

● Police of Japan and Australia already labelled Taiwan as "High Risk" illegal drug-exporting country

　

● Based on Japan's statistics,  Taiwan is its No.3 drug resource country ...... ref to The China Times, headline news, 4-4-2017

　

●   Taiwan was already reduced to be a kingdom of producing narcotic drugs.  (United Daily, headline news, 11-2-2017)  Taiwan's anti-drug is a phony show / CTN, 7-2017

　

● Drug-abuse in Taiwan is too serious to stop / Apple Daily, Opinion, 5-15-2017;   

　

●Philippines President Duterte (9-26-2017) : Triad supplying illegal drugs to PH is based in Taiwan, not China / inquirer.net  , UDN, opinion, 10-20-2017

　

●  Taiwan got bad records in The Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG)  for the law and law-enforcement problems / UDN 4-11-2017

　

　

†   international nuisances & social harms

       ps: Taiwan government sponsored an int'l cartoon contest under the theme of "anti-drugs", now we have reason to doubt whether or not  this probable propaganda event using world artists to fool the world.

　
　

　

◆

　

　

　

　

　

Taiwan,  welcome both humans and rats

　

  illegal foreign workers

　

Formosa TV (民視英語新聞) English News at 3-25-2019:  All workers from Southeast Asia know that
in Taiwan there are no consequences for getting caught, so why not run for it? 
 Even on social media, they openly say that Taiwan is the perfect place to run away (flee).  

　

What a shame of Taiwan  !  

　

†

     

　

　

　

　

◆

　

Taiwan illegal fishing

Taiwan, a pirate boat  !?

　

● <The Diplomat> (4-14-2016) :  Taiwan's illegal fishing is 'out of control' -  EU warned in 2015 Taiwan with a yellow card for illegal fishing.  GreenPeace criticized Taiwan gov. for knowing this issue but does little. ● Green Peace, 5-2-2019:  It remains our view that Taiwanese fisheries still have many serious problems, both environmental and social, and that the need for reform is clear and urgent.)

● Washington Post 2-22-2018: Taiwan is No.2 fishing nation as measured by Global fishing Watch's Automatic Identification Sys., 2016.  ps: eu lifted yellow card, 6 '19
● US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released at 3-13-2019: Labor laws do not cover domestic household workers, leaving them vulnerable to labor exploitation.   Foreign workers were most susceptible to forced labor, especially when serving as crew members on Taiwan-flagged fishing vessels.   Mistreatment and poor working conditions for foreign fishermen remained common.   Foreign fishermen recruited offshore were not entitled to the same labor rights, wages, insurance, and pensions as those recruited locally.  Some labor brokers charged foreign workers exorbitant recruitment fees and used debts incurred from these fees in the source country as tools of coercion to subject the workers to debt bondage.  

　

　

●   More than 100 foreign laborers were raped each year  / BBC 1-24-2017

　

　

●  Taiwanese endured foreign household caregivers who prefer an easy job and are picky about patients and severe disabilities...,  Economic Daily News ( 經濟日報, 2015-11-28)
ps: Many laborers are 'good' at committing crimes (running away, malicious destroy/damage, guilty of burglary, etc ), something wrong with TW system.

　

　

● Taiwan's principal human rights problems reported : exploitation of foreign workers, including foreign crewmembers on long-haul fishing vessels  / USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices,   3-3-2017

　

　

 　

●●    <Reporters Sans Frontieres> (RSF, France) , 4-18-2019:  Taiwan’s journalists are suffering from a very polarized media environment dominated by sensationalism and the pursuit of profit. Although President Tsai Ing-wen has said she wants to continue developing press freedom in Taiwan, few concrete measures have been taken to improve journalists’ editorial independence and encourage media to raise the quality of the public debate.

　

●●  <Reporters Sans Frontieres> (RSF, Reporters without Borders),  France,  4-27-2017 :   Local government officials are also directly interfering in the editorial policies of state-owned media;  Taiwan's press freedom is at 45th place.

　

●●  USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices,   3-3-2017 :  some media self-censorship with regard to China...... 3-13-2019: self-censorship continued.  Journalists said they faced pressure from management to submit news stories to complement or support the content of paid advertisements.


 ●●  RSF: “the main threat to media freedom comes from China, which has been exerting growing economic and political pressure on the Taiwanese media.”

　

●●   Those faceless coward-hackers tried to damage speech-freedom and stop my modifying this and some other web-pages.  6-10-2017

　

★  ★★

Taiwan travel★

　

　

Does Taiwan
Have democracy?
　

 Taiwan democracy

　

　

　

Taiwan food

 †

● WEF <Travel and tourism competitiveness report> of 2019 shows Taiwan had the sub-region's largest decline in competitiveness,  Taiwan ranks 10th in Asia

　

●   BBC UK, The SUN (2-13-2017): "BUS CRASH HORROR !" Taiwan's "safety standards need to be improved".

●  China - People's Daily's Global Times (7-19-2016) Opinion-editorial: Tourists're gambling their lives in Taiwan  ...
 click Taiwan travel  for details

 ● Taiwan has had a poor aviation safety record/
CNN, Newsweek, 2-4-2015


 ● People's Daily (8-4-2016) Opinion-editorial: Chinese not dare to visit Taiwan without safety assurance,  there's loopholes in law and regulation, careless mistakes in administration, not-good-enough system, etc

★

●  All night-market districts across Taiwan have safety problem similar to the big gas-cylinder LPG-explosion in Fengjia (逢甲) night market (known as largest night-market business district in Taiwan) / The China Times, 7-19-2017

　

● Economist EIU Democracy Index 2019 shows Taiwan is "Flawed democracy", 2019's overall score is lower than 2015's and 2016's, the scores of "political culture", "political participation" are low (5.63, 6.11). 

　

● Apple Daily, editorial, 12-7-2019:  in this bad election morality age, Taiwan president becomes a low threshold, min. qualification criteria position, and a laughingstock.

　

● Taiwan politics belongs to corporations (not the people) and is controlled by the political parties <Foerign Policy> 2015.

●

　

　

● Now it seems hard to keep Taiwan's skin-deep democracy ... the people's "livelihood" was sacrificed for politics ...The United Daily - Opinion, 3-7-2017
　

　

　

● Taiwan's financial system is rotten ... / FTV news, 5-29-2017

　

●  Food scandals never end, the officials hide  news from consumers /   CTN editorial, 10-20-2018

● Food safety is one of biggest challenges to Taiwan / The China Times. 8-6-2016,
 an interview to Taiwan president Tsai

●  Government's food-safety budget is too little, only USD0.03 for each Taiwanese, according to 前瞻plan / China Times, 7-9-2017
 ● Professor Yin M.D. (殷宗海, Doctor, Univ. of London ): Minimize the times of dining out to protect your health !
● The  limit-amount  (ppm, part per million) of pesticide  residue are restricted to in Taiwan is 1000 times that in Europe / The China Times, Opinion <短評 "Taiwan is more toxic than before>, 4-21-2017
　

　

Beaviss : dummy ! the re's no poison, addictives, MSG, lard oil, gutter oil,  added in these Chinese heritage arts - pork stone and cabbage jade
 Butter-Head: so, we can eat these healthy foods now?!  ps4
 a visual parody by Zola Zu　


●

　

　

　

●

★  ps: The incidence rate of Taiwanese people suffering colon/rectal cancer was ranked world No.1,  many black-heart tainted foods containing Carcinogen (cancer producer)...../ 8-28-2015 apple daily.

★  

★★◆

　

　

Taiwan politicians buried people alive 

　

　

in quakes of magnitude 6.0

　

 　

Taiwan government (including local gov.) has not well taken its fundamental responsibility of protecting the safety of people's life and property -

　

● why 5/6 bridges badly in need of repair have not been done ?  government even has never made public the info. , where are those fatal bridges' locations ?   (ref. to United Daily, 10-9-2019, headline news)

● why are there so many tall buildings located on the fault-zone?

● why are poor architectures everywhere on bad geologic grounds ?

● why are those shit-hole politicians doing nothing and ignoring urban renewal so as to risk millions of old houses and human beings ?? 

　

　

  (full text: https://udn.com/news/story/11321/2974813 聯合報社論／斷層帶上何以建了那麼多高樓？  2-8-2018,  https://udn.com/news/story/7338/2977079 勿讓軟腳樓成坑殺人命陷阱 2-9-2018,  https://tw.appledaily.com/headline/daily/20180209/37928659花蓮 都更 爛政客   2-9-2018)

 †  

　

★

★

★　

★　

★　

 †  Taiwan, a "kingdom" of mask  ― 
　

● Taiwan's CCPI (Climate Change Performance Index - GHG emissions, renewable energy, etc) rank of 2019 is reciprocal third among countries, the score/ranking is from bad to worse since 2017.


● Apple Daily 12-11-2019, headline news: Taiwan's air pollution is bad to worse, about half population were endangered by PM2.5 and PM10 from top 10 hazardous level companies (China Steel, Taichung Power plant, etc) 


● Taiwan administration's policy led to air pollution, toxic pollution in the land and sea ...   (The China Times, 1-7-2018 台灣海陸空污染毒害，山海變色 http://www.chinatimes.com/newspapers/20180107000465-260114。Daily Mail (UK) 7-14-2017 : Shocking underwater video from Taiwan shows ocean floor littered with plastic (bottles) garbage)

　

● Lancet Planetary Health (April 10, '19):

"The 4th worst for rate of kids getting Asthma from traffic air pollution" 

●《 China Times》, Taiwan,  4-12-2019 :
the government was criticized that lacking intention to improve air pollution.

　

● Taiwan's environmental quality (serious air pollution, bad water) was ranked almost the last
in all OECD countries  / 9-21-2015 China Times

　

●  Taiwan built an environment to kill legally , for its PM2.5 air-pollution-control standard
15 years behind  / dean, College of Public health, National Taiwan University,  UDN headpage, 10-16-2017;   Liberty Times 1-4-2016 (http://news.ltn.com.tw/news/life/paper/945998).

　

● Taiwan,  in the lower ranks, placing 54th out of 57 nations in the CCPI with regards to cutting down carbon emissions

and other greenhouse gases. / Taipei Times, 11-23-2017★taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2017/11/23/2003682785
 　●  United Daily, Opinion, 12-2-2017: 2/3 of Taiwan's air pollutions came from local, the "culprit" is too many
coal-fired power generation - Taiwan government's policy.

　

　

　

★  ★

★★


 Justice's raped  !

Taiwan justice dead


Taiwan Justice sys. is ruler's tool, judiciary is controlled by politics - Liberty Times, 6-19-2016
　

Nearly 80% Taiwanese don't believe

justice...   United daily 2-26-2019

　

Nearly 80% Taiwanese are not satisfied with gov. measures against corruption  - Liberty Times 2-23-2016  †

★

　

　

　

 Taiwan, a rotten country

One of Taiwan's Principal
human rights problems :
rotten (corruption)

　

　

ref. to US Country Report on Human Rights, 2015-2017, and PERC 2009, etc.

　

In platform presentation at 12-25-2019, Nationalist Party Presidential candidate Han criticized President Tsai has allowed top officials around grow very corrupt, Tsai refuted KMT was more serious, People First Party candidate Song said that speaking of corruption and unfair judiciary, KMT and DPP are about the same.

　

　

cyber-link:
 Corruption in Taiwan
 Prosecutors in Taiwan
 Justice in Taiwan

　

DEMOcrazy?  vs   democracy
　

Taiwan torture★

   

Torture on Taiwan's own people - a major difference

from what CIA did (ps2)
also violate Nuremberg Code (ps12)

Professor Lin R.S. was subject to electromagnetic

wave attacks / French AFP, Bangkok Post,  Dec. 2011,

 Yahoo UK & Ireland, etc  †

　

★  

★  ★

★　

★　

　

　

　

★

Taiwanese


have been patient sufferance of so many politically bullies and toying (and killings),
hence turned into obedient, docile people   †

★

Washington Post, 1-2-2017 : 83 percent chose "bread" over "romance"...

　

　

　

 　
★

   

Hawks at home, chicken abroad,
sharp spikes pointing

to its own hoi polloi


 ◆

in Presidential inaugural speech, Tsai referred to the Constitution of the Republic of China and the legislation governing cross-strait relations, both imply the acceptance of a “one China” framework.

　

◆

★  

★  ★

　

　

Taiwan air force●●

　

 ●

　

●  Express UK, 6-17-2020:  World War 3: China preparing for 'military struggle' as Taiwan row intensifies ●   CNN, 8-11-2020 : Beijing's warplanes have only crossed  the Taiwan Strait "median line" ( "the de facto cease-fire line") intentionally three times since 1999 (ps: Newsweek 8-12-2020: since 1949)-- once in March 2019, in February of this year, and again on Monday (Azar met with Taiwan President Tsai) ps: In 2020, PLA fighters crossed median line more than 40 times

　

VS

 

●Taiwan declared no other air forces are allowed to flex their muscle in Taiwan air space/ Apple Daily 5-30-2016,...

●

†   Taiwan's sky, our air-space ?     

●

　

★  

　

   

    ◆ United Daily, 9-6-2018, headlines : Any solution to our ocean crisis  ??  a bowl of plastic trash soup still trouble Taiwan 
     ◆ Apple Daily, 9-6-2018: serious pollutions in many locations around Taiwan, Phenol may harm human health ...
     ◆ MicroPlastics were found in 44% tap water samples, medical circle believes it's a very serious environmental pollution, since something bad, e.g., Dioxin, Bisphenol A (BPA), PAHs, heavy metal elements, may be brought into food chain, and then are/were accumulated in human body...... we better use purified water by RO machine for safety.  Furthermore, mussels, oysters, clams (扇貝與蛤) were also found some microplastics......  brief -  headlines of Apple Daily, United Daily, 9-26-2018.

　

　

　

　

 　

†  

        Taiwan  ―   a piss boy polluting the environment 

      

　

     ●   Asian's biggest sewage treatment plant in Taiwan's New Taipei,  skipped the process of removing contaminants from wastewater and disposed dirty and disgusting water into the sea for probably 4-5 years, witnesses confirmed. / Next, front-page, 4-6-2017
     ●  Taiwan administration's Dioxin ("poison of the century") control system crashed completely / FTV news, 4-22-2017
     ●   NO justice !  The courthouse judged enterprise's disposing 5000 ton cancer-producer strong acid and waste water into the river-creek (color changed to dark yellow ) and endangering the natural environment  is no guilty !  / headline news of Apply Daily, 9-30-2015  http://www.appledaily.com.tw/appledaily/article/headline/20150930/36807420/
     ●  Taiwan ignores environmental protection (ocean garbage clean-up) of 90% coast-line of Taiwan island for large garbage-distributions... / UDN, 5-30-2017
     ●  "Wanna murder people?"  Official certification  for food (CAS) includes not Dioxin.    Pollution for12 yrs never end, Dioxin inside many people already over the limit probably, TW government has never done source-control, never stop contaminants (pollutant, e.g., plastic, inks from industry, fly-ash from incinerator, etc) going to our environment  / Apple Daily, head-page, 4-22-2017 

     ●  Taiwan is reduced to a world dumping ground  -  one million ton of stinky trash were delivered to Taiwan between Jan. 2018 ~ July 2018 / Apple Daily, headline news, 8-30-2018

　

　

　

　

　

★

★

★★
　

　

　

Taiwan weakness

　

Taiwan, a soft chicken

　

◆

NY Times, 5-18-2017:  Taiwan has left the military
understaffed and in a state of low morale...

　

◆

　

 Taiwan president beset by low approval rate because of

weakness against foreign countries, even including

Philippines, a backward country dared to hurt Taiwan,

not to mention military strong ones, China, Japan, etc
ref. to Forbes, 5-21-2013
　

ps: The Philippines is little & weak, but not soft   / Independent UK, etc, 10-11-2016,
Philippines refused to be "a dog with leash" / CNBC 10-25-2016

　

　

　

 　

　

 　

　


lay the blame to an innocent one

Major crimes fled easily,
The little or innocent took the rap


. ◆Taiwan's legislators and judicial system don't have a sense of shame on releasing many int'l telecomm scammers and fraud groups (United Daily, 8-24-2016 editorial ).   In the past 8 years, ◆about 100 major crimes escaped overseas easily and happily (Next magazine, Liberty Times, 12-31-2015), including Legislators leader Liu 劉松藩 (apple daily 12-8-2016) ps3;

ps15

　

 　 　  †
★  ★

  ★  ★
privacy toilet 
　

   pic. : political dig-dirt...ps1

　

◆ watch the people, or listen to the people?

◆ keyhole or loophole ?

Taiwanese privacy

　

　

　

   pic. : 
murder the image, firstly

　

　

　

　

Wanted Poster

　

pic. :  Looking for the guilty?
need only look into a mirror

 on WANTED poster  /
TTaiwan's political culture & ecology can't cultivate citizens knowing and obeying the law ...
/ <United Daily> 8-24-2016 editorial

TW Taiwan government logo
 Taiwan lacks creativity, not cold calculations
  The logo (pic. above) of Taiwan gov. / Ministry of Economic Affairs (pic. above) is similar to Canadian logos (pic.below) appeared earlier       click for Taiwanese creativity


       logo Canada    
★    ps: The China Times, 3-29-2017: Taiwan lacks key tech. to make a  coach (L  bus).

★  ★  

★  
                  
         
 

 ◆  Hypocritical government / Taiwan declared crackdown on prostitution, only to turn into a country with world No.1 percentage of  sex-related business consumers of all the adults. (Apple Daily 12-25-2014 )  ◆Taiwan is hard to stop sex transactions, a 9 yrs old girl as prostitute (Next Magazine, no. 1887) ◆ Prostitution is violence against women / ref to <Prostitution : violence with no name>, "Prostitution et Societe", 2010, "Int'l Day for the Elimination of Violence against women", 11-25-2016 France.   ◆Taiwan government is the main criminal  to harm women's rights in large scale.  †

★  
　

  

　

　

Taiwan diplomacy

　

'comfort women' style kowtow diplomacy,
Taiwan served 2 powers, USA and/or China

　

◆

　

Taiwan's economy is highly reliant on China,
Taiwan needs the US for national defense

　

ps: "serving dicks" ("捧L.P.") is a widely-known political slang in Taiwan

　

　
★  
★  
white

 terror
　

 　

Taiwanese privacy   / Leaking patients' medical records is a normal social protocol in Taiwan     UDN  1-3-2017

In Taiwan, journalists are not used to respect patients' privacy... our hospital members do not get (cognosis) very clearly on the principle of protecting patients' privacy...
 <<快速看診、洩露病歷淪常態 醫療倫理何在？>> https://udn.com/news/story/7266/2205935  by  president of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center  †

★

★

 　
Potential 'suicide bomber' !?

undergound das explosion disaster Taiwan


  †

●   It triggered public anger that Taiwan gov. never

 and refuse to go public residential-area locations

with potential explosion risks,

●   Hidden underground pipelines with dangerous Ethylene,

Propylene, liquefied petroleum gas, etc may pass

 through your home  / apple daily,  8-2-2014  (ps15)

  ps: the little whale is Taiwan-island shape.

　

　

 　

★

★


★★Land slide disaster in Taiwan★★

   

　

●  Taiwan has never gone public via media
those area with landslide disaster risks,

lots of houses with potential fatal dangers in Taiwan.

　

●  <CTS HD>, 5-23-2016 :

<遠見>study found Taiwanese people

gave a "failure" score (53.5)

on "living safety".   †

★

　

　

　

　

　

★ 

　

　

　

　

　

 USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices,
   3-19-2019, 3-3-2017 & 2016, 2015 /

One of Taiwan's principal human rights
problems -domestic violence, Taiwanese
Women suffered being raped (spousal rape).
  Many victims did not report the crime for fear of social stigmatization.  Various nongovernmental

organization (NGO) and academic studies
 estimated that the total number of sexual assaults

was seven to 10 times the number

 reported to police. 

†

　

　

　

 

 　

where's Birds Flu ...?

　

　

 

　

Taiwan (TW) is dishonest and 'cruel' ―
trying to hide, block, delay public-health news,
e.g., poisoned eggs, PCV virus vaccine,
and Bird-flu more than one time


(1-2-2018 UDN udn.com/news/story/7266/2908720, 2012 BBC news :  www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/chinese_news
/2012/03/120304_taiwan_birdflu_investigate)

　

　

★  

★  

　

　

Taiwan ! Save the ocean !


 save the ocean

　


 ●  Daily Mail  (newspaper UK),  7-14-2017
comments it as "selfish" human beings ,
"Taiwan was once called 'Garbage island'
and more conversation is needed" ......

    ● Taiwan ignores environmental protection (ocean garbage clean-up) of 90% Taiwan's coast
 with large garbage-distributions...
/ UDN, 5-30-2017

　

pic above: Daily Mail (UK) :
Shocking underwater video from Taiwan
shows ocean floor littered with plastic (bottles) garbage
　

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4690526/The-bottom-ocean-filled-plastic-bottles.html  (news & video)

★  

　

                                         Free speech in Taiwan   

　  

 Nov. 18, 2017  The China Times : Taiwan president gave tacit (secretly) permission to Facebook (Taiwan) to restrict or block certain contents  ... brief http://opinion.chinatimes.com/20171118000516-262114;  Taiwan government did not deny or respond this.   

　

free expression on FB Taiwan ,  Freedom of speech in Taiwan

◆

★  

　

　

　

Trump in polygraph test (Trump Russia tie)

　

　

 　

　

　

Mona Lisa in danger

pic.: Mona Lisa encounters Taiwan state apparatus

　
　

pic.: Trump in polygraph test

likes Taiwan prosecutor's inner conviction better


　

　

ps : The Control Yuan (Dept. of Monitor) warned to impeach
Taiwanese prosecutors' abuse of inner conviction ("not free" beweiswurdigung)
　

★

　
　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

Too many fake scholarly papers

　

●  Fake papers again  -

Taiwan's image worsens for top scholar Chen (陳慶士) 's eight papers were found fake in the US.  / UDN 4-1-2018

● There's neither democracy on campus (colleges) nor university autonomy, / Apple Daily, opinion, 5-1-2018

●  UDN 5-5-2018 opinion: Associations of national and private universities criticized this is the darkest ever moment in Taiwan's history of university autonomy.

●  Lousy conducts and bad ethics in Taiwan's academic circle happened again and again, but never be handled seriously,
some careless-done fake papers are either ignorant or extremely audacious, some are even fraud-crimes,
only legal punishments can stop these, Taiwan government should take hard line now, even resulting in "corpses lie all over the country "  / UDN 1-11-2017  ps11

●   Lousy students with totally 38 score in entrance examination are good enough to be freshmen of Taiwan's university,
 it's an international joke ! / The China Times, 7-20-2017

　

　

　

　

★   ★  

　

★  

　

　

　

Taiwan

　

　

Deposit room safety box

 †  Taiwan's society,
 laughs the poor instead of the prostitute

 †    

　

Organs harvest  2.0 / unbloody version 

Some people's compliance with the powerful  (ps: In the past, government encouraged its people to struggle and sell out each other for self-preservation or benefits which may degenerate humanity and make a decadent society. ) this cartoon was prt. in The China Times.

　

　

★  

★  

　

Taiwan prosecutor

　

　

　

　

Taiwan justice

　

　

　

†   Lack of  judicial independence  
     United Daily 6-18-2016 head page: Taiwan prosecutors admitted they usually took compliant & subordinate manner to follow their commanding officer's order to access legal cases  Prosecutors in Taiwan
 Also ref to "USA Country Reports on Human Rights practices", the US State Department, 3-3-2017.

　

 † Taiwan's justice dodged the celebrity
       ps: The official hat has 2 flies-swappers - implying they only deal with
             tiny little ones instead of major crimes    Justice in Taiwan

　

★  

★

　

　

　

　

　

　

 †   Taiwan Police fired strong water cannon
against unarmed students and compatriots

courtesy news photos by Apple Daily and Liberty Times

　

　

 †  Japan fired strong water cannon
        toward Taiwan's official ship and fishing boat,
        Taiwan's very weak water cannon was mocked by Japanese media  (ps5)

　

　

★  

★

　

　

　

fire dragon

　

　

　

　

old man, sea, remote island★

　

　

†   Taiwan has enough laws, but lax management (administration)

 hurt too many people, e.g., traffic accidents killed too

many people - local and international tourists.

 / ref. to The Sun, BBC, People's Daily, Washington Post,

CNN, etc 2015 ~ 2017.
The SUN 2-13-2017: : BUS CRASH HORROR !

 it has come under fire in recent months over safety standards.
BBC 2-13-2017 :

　

　

 †  

Cart before the horse


Be blind to fundamental issues - democracy,

human rights,

food safety, judiciary, etc, 

But put efforts on political propaganda 'show' !? 


ps: this cartoon was exhibited in Bulgaria, Cyprus, etc

　

　

　

　

★  

★

　

　

Taiwan legal system

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

 †    Big muzzle on law enforcement officers
          money-talks working fine in Judicial system -
         a deep-rooted perspective in Taiwanese mind

　

. 

 †  Lady Justice turns into Venus

　

　

　

★

★

 ♦ 2.    suspect within reason
　
　

　


Has Taiwan been doing something
so base

to its own national(s)
―  treat 'em like enemies or traitors ??

　

(state-violence drama - flunkies and opportunists  humiliating or persecuting the innocent targets)
 ★

public shaming show
sort of "dancing-monkey-parade", dusty old political theatrics

like what happened in world war II, Chinese cultural revolution, and Chinese civil war
(ROC fooled int'l reporters by a fake show of big military victory in Yan 'an starring by fake prisoners of war )

 return in new forms  †

　

★

public punishment
Public shaming showbiz returns ? ps10
  like those kinds happened in world war II and cultural revolution in chn.  †


★

waterboarding
left: CIA waterboarding
right: The "suspect" poisons the little by painting a picture of "state enemy"   †

★

 Electrocution  method 2.0
torture, electric shock, electrocution
　

 freedom of expression is re-defined
"pls. feel free to express(scream) when I  'rape' u !"   †

　

★
　


 more readings :

ps: UDN 12-20-2016 chief editorial <Be careful the "state violence" ghost camouflaged themselves in new forms >:
New-form state violence never end (brief;  full text http://udn.com/news/story/7338/2179800)

　

ps 2: We should not let "public trial" by media (being misled by fake news offered by TW prosecutors & police) happen again / Apple Daily, Opinion, 4-22-2017

　

　


　

 political  ◆  circus  ◆  show

　

　

　


　

　

　

　

　

　

 　

†  

     ◆ "Is it progress if a cannibal uses knife and fork?"/ Stanisław Jerzy Lec
　

 ◆In a State of the Union Address, US President R. Reagan quoted Chinese  philosopher Lao-Tzu's
(<道德經>, <the book of morals & ethics>)
  "Governing a great country is like 'cooking a small fish'" (治大國如烹小鮮).
How did the state machines... do "small fishes" in the past years ??  political oppression

　

　

★      ps:  Should any of cartoons above is opaque to you, pls. read remarks (whole story) below each cartoon for the whole story, or click http://intlHumanRights.com/TaiwanTruly.htm for further ref.

.★★    ★  ★    

♦    Understand truly Taiwan in all aspects

◆

    Understand Taiwan    台湾の体験    
       ★   this site's world No. 1 in  2020~22,  2017~19,  2016,  2015,  2014,  2013,  2010~12     ★    Top rankings since 1998
　
 home  brief  Taiwan  TW  diplomacy  tour personality  food  medical  CovID-19  restaurants  night markets  buffet  market  women  speech  massage  watching u  fraud  judiciary  police  corruption  foreign labor  illegal migrants  prosecutors  soft power  death penalty  love  happiness  housing  transportation  avia  image  creativity  human rights  FB  US cartoons  US Design  intl Human rights  judicial persecution  repression&oppression  T. justice  bully  univ  drugs  news  love  military(Chn-war)  democracy

★  

   ps: contrast the commercial version of 'introduction to Taiwan': click  https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=yfp-t&p=introduction+to+Taiwan#id=1&vid=cab8af2a8df06974ac43b90171811944&action=click

◆

News brief :  2021
　

◆ Reuters, 2021-8-19: President Joe Biden appeared to suggest the United States would defend the island if it were attacked  ◆ New York Times, 2021-8-4: “independence” or “unification.” Most Taiwanese, however, fell somewhere in between.  Xi declared China would “strive to achieve the Chinese dream of great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.  It would undo the hundred years of national humiliation China had been subjected to by foreign powers.  “Hong Kong today, Taiwan tomorrow” had turned from a chant to a harbinger ◆  New York Times, 2021-7-13: Japan, while still wary of being drawn into the rivalry between the United States and China, ...as Washington and Beijing have ramped up both their rhetoric and military presence around Taiwan, Japanese white paper warned that China’s rapid expansion of its military threatened to ... undermine peace in the region ◆ Washington Examiner, Yahoo, 2021-7-7: China's Taiwan ambitions could drag Japan and US into war with Asian power ◆ Reuters, CNN, 2021-7-13: Japan warns of crisis over Taiwan, growing risks from U.S.-China rivalry ◆ Nikkei Asia, 2021-7-7: Kurt Campbell: US does not support Taiwan independence ◆ CNN, 2021-7-5: As Beijing steps up its military propaganda and warns Taiwan to "prepare for war," experts say the bigger threat to the island and western democracies is the large-scale cyberattacks that could potentially paralyze physical infrastructure and business simultaneously ◆ Washington Post, 2021-7-2: ‘Strategic ambiguity’ is no longer a prudent U.S. policy on Taiwan ◆ Foxnews, 2021-7-1: China’s Xi warns Taiwan on independence, sends message to West  ◆ Washington Post, 2021-6-17: the world’s top democracies were less vocal about the ever-increasing Chinese threats to Taiwan...Lawmakers increasingly believe, he said, that Beijing is moving toward compelling reunification, perhaps not through military invasion, but through various other coercive and covert means ◆ New York Times, 2021-6-16: how deeply entrenched the long-running conflict across the Taiwan Strait has become, with a degree of mutual distrust that not even a global medical emergency can allay ◆ Sunday Guardian (UK), 2021-6-19: Instead of invasion, China is trying soft power action, including cyber warfare, psychological warfare, media warfare by penetrating Taiwan to influence, mislead and divide the population ◆ Foreign Affairs, 2021-6-3: Washington would need to persuade a large coalition of allies to commit to a coordinated economic, political, and military response to any Chinese aggression. And that, unfortunately, remains a remote possibility ◆ New York Times, 2021-5-5: The more the United States and Taiwan formally close the door on reunification, the more likely Beijing is to seek reunification by force ◆ NBC, 2021-5-5:Taiwan fears quieter Chinese threat as U.S. warns of invasion ◆  Economist, 2021-5-1: Taiwan - The most dangerous place on Earth.  America and China must work harder to avoid war over the future of Taiwan ◆ Le Monde (France), 2021-4-16: parmi leurs nombreux différends, la question taïwanaise est la plus sensible. C’est celle qui présente le plus grand risque de déboucher sur un conflit armé ◆ New York Times, 2021-4-9: "military conflicts often seem unlikely until the moment they begin", The Atlantic : a Chinese invasion “could happen at any moment” and that Biden should be prepared ◆ New York Times, 2021-4-8: the Biden administration might manage to deter China without provoking it through more forceful warnings  that stop short of an explicit promise to defend Taiwan  ◆ for full text, pls. click cyber-link

 ◆ Washington Post, 2021-3-26: Xi might be in favor of a risky push for reunification — especially if China continues to believe that a weakened America isn’t ready to fight back ◆  NBC, 2021-3-27: A war over Taiwan remains a worst-case scenario that officials say is not imminent. China's growing firepower casts doubt on whether U.S. could defend Taiwan ;  Taiwan needs lower-tech weapons (mines, drones and mobile anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles) to fend off a potential Chinese invasion, and that big-ticket items like fighter jets and Patriot missiles (they've invested a lot of money in) are going to die in the first few hours of the war ◆  Forbes, 2021-3-26: Many observers believe the moment when the option “reunite”Taiwan by force is exercised is fast approaching  ◆ Bloomberg, 3-21-2021:  ... a very dangerous situation. The U.S. commitment to Taiwan has grown verbally stronger even as it has become militarily weaker... the reluctance of the Taiwanese themselves to treat their national security with the same seriousness that Israelis take the survival of their state ◆ Australian, 3-22-2021: Unfortunately for Taiwan, its future grows increasingly uncertain as Beijing’s military expansionism continues unabated...  ◆ Seafood Source, 3-16-2021: the U.S. Labor Department placed Taiwan on its 2020 List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor  ◆ BBC, 2-10-2021, "Why Taiwan has 'luck-improvement services' ": There’s a pervasive idea running through Chinese culture that things aren’t random  ◆  NBC news, 3-8-2021: CCP has threatened to invade if Taiwan declares formal independence or delays talks on uniting with the mainland ◆ News (Australia) , 3-6-2021, NZ Herald (New Zealand), 3-7-2021:  Taiwan is in ‘imminent danger’ of being forced to unify with China ◆ Economist , 2-20-2021: In reality America’s ability to deter an invasion over Taiwan is crumbling... the hardest part of deterring China involves building robust coalitions that are ready to challenge Chinese aggression...If China ever believes it can complete the task at a bearable cost, it will act ◆  New York Times, 2-12-2021: Analysts warned : Beijing may resort to war if the Kuomintang is unable to reclaim power or if the Communist Party feels it no longer has a dialogue partner on the island ◆ Guardian, 2-9-2021: the Taiwan Strait could become a flashpoint ..the pivotal reason peace had endured for 70 years had disappeared ◆  Washington Post, 1-28-2021: Taiwan Is the Biggest Risk for a U.S.-China Clash ◆  Reuters, FoxNews, 1-28-2021: China warns Taiwan independence ‘means war’ ◆  NY Times, 1-24-2021: China sent warplanes into the Taiwan Strait over the weekend, a show of force to the Biden administration that signals Beijing’s plans to maintain pressure on Taiwan even as it calls for a reset with the US  ◆  Wall Street Journal, 1-21-2021 :  Biden Sends Important Foreign-Policy Signal With Taiwan Inauguration Invite ◆ Reuters, 1-20-2021: Blinken : US would uphold its commitment to ensure that self-ruled Taiwan has the ability to defend itself ◆ WSJ, 1-11-2021: China has launched one of the greatest military buildups in the history of the world across the straits from Taiwan. Coupled with the artificial islands and military buildup in the South China Sea, it’s clear Beijing has been systematically seeking to create the conditions for a successful invasion of Taiwan.  ◆ Newsweek, 1-6-2021:  China Wages Cognitive Warfare To Topple Taiwan Government   ◆ for full text, pls. click cyber-link

　

News brief :  2020

　

◆ WSJ, 12-28-2020: The loss of democratic Taiwan’s independence against its will would be a geopolitical earthquake. The Pacific balance of power would shift decisively in China’s favor ◆ NY Times, 12-14-2020: Pound for Pound, Taiwan at the center of the battle for global technological supremacy is the most important place in the world, As the Cold War between China and the United States intensifies, that importance will only continue to grow  ◆ Reuters , 12-10-2020: Taiwan is suffering a serious and worsening decay in the readiness and training of its troops, particularly its army units... ◆ New York Times, 11-24-2020: Biden Faces Pressure from Democrats and Republicans to Stand Up to China by Embracing Taiwan... He will continue to support a peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues ... won't use Taiwan to poke Xi Jinping in the eye and make him look weak  ◆  Economist, 11-19-2020: :  Why commercial ties between Taiwan and China are beginning to fray?   geopolitical, competition, and generational change  ◆  Washington Examiner, 11-18-2020: China will race to expand 'empire' and attack Taiwan during window of opportunity (~2022), experts fear  ◆  WSJ, 11-15-2020: An attack on Taiwan, the top chips manufacturer, would roil industry and the world  ◆  DW (Germany) ,11-10-2020:The Biden administration will have to make it quite clear from the outset whether it is ready to go to war for Taiwan's sake ◆  New York Times, 10-1-2020 :  As China and the U.S. vie for tech dominance, Taiwan’s chip companies are feeling the heat. They are forced to heed American tech policy, but many of their customers — and their customers’ customers — are in China. ◆  Hudson.org, 9-23-2020:  Senator Marco Rubio : Helping Taiwan to win an all-out conflict against China would not be a way to reach that goal,  “That’s not possible.” Instead, Washington should assist Taipei “to have the capability to raise the cost of military adventurism there to a level that China’s not willing to pay...". ◆ VOA news, 9-21-2020:  The increasing number of air force incursions from China is starting to fray nerves among ordinary Taiwanese,  A Yahoo poll, as of early September, had found that 64% of Taiwanese worry about a conflict,  but a lot of people’s fears are muted by perceptions that China is just sending a political signal, a big proportion of Taiwanese who think  United States would defend Taiwan  ◆  France 24, 9-16-2020: Taiwanese FM on China: 'After Hong Kong, Taiwan might be next'  ◆  National Interest , 9-12-2020:  Washington would establish “a new bilateral economic dialogue” with Taipei to “explore the full spectrum of our economic relationship—semiconductors, healthcare, energy, and beyond, with technology at the core.” ◆ US Defense Gov., annual Report to US Congress, 9-1-2020: The PRC appears willing to defer the use of military force as long as it considers that unification with Taiwan could be negotiated over the long-term and the costs of conflict outweigh the benefits ◆ NY Times, 8-30-2020:  Taiwan has moved to revamp Taiwan’s military doctrine and strengthen its reserves...Taiwan cannot count on US as a matter of strategy. ◆ Economist, 8-30-2020:  The island cannot rely on American help, but armed conflict remains unlikely ◆ Forbes, 8-30-2020: Taiwan simply does not have enough firepower to  defeat a Chinese invasion without the help of the U.S. military ◆ National Interest, 8-28-2020: Could China Successfully Blockade Taiwan?  China hopes direct action will yield clean and swift results, letting it present Asia, America, and the world a fait accompli — a done deal  ◆  Wall Street Journal 8-30-2020: Fearing Hong Kong’s Fate, Taiwan Moves to Bolster Its Military Against China. ◆ Financial Times (UK), 8-28-2020: Taiwan eases restrictions on US pork and beef imports. The Hill, 8-25-2020: Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) ... does not say the president must wait to consult Congress until a Chinese attack actually occurs or is imminent — only that the threat to Taiwan’s democratic security and the danger to U.S. interests be identified...Yet, Biden... consultation with Congress prior to responding would cause disastrous delay.  ◆ for full text, pls. click cyber-link

◆

　

some more Top rankings of this sites-group in  2017~19

　

◆◆ ◆

　

　

　

　

　

 ★

◆

　
　

 pic: This websites-group was ranked No.1 by keyword
"comment Taiwan" on Google, 3-8-2019,
 4-13-2018, 1-11-2018, 11-29-2017,
9-30-2017, 8-1-2017, 6-3-2017,
5-27-2017, 12-4-2016, 11-25-2016
    TAIWAN

　

 　

　

　

pic: This websites-group was ranked No.1 by keyword
  "understand Taiwan" on Google, 3-8-2019,
4-13-2018,1-11-2018,
11-29-2017, 9-30-2017, 6-3-2017,
5-27-2017, 1-6-2017, 4-25-2017

●  review Taiwan ranks top 1 on US Bing, US Google,
 3-8-2019, 8-3-2017, 9-30-2017, 11-29-2017, 1-1-2018, 4-11-2018

     TAIWAN

　

　

　

◆

　

　


　

　

　

　

　


　

　

　

pic: This websites-group was ranked No.1

by keyword  "Understand Taiwan" and "review Taiwan" on US Bing ,
 tested at 9-27-2017,  5-19-2017, 11-29-2017, 1-11-2018, 3-8-2019

　

 　

　

pic: This websites-group was ranked No.1, 2, 3

on Bing by keyword
by "comment Taiwan" ,
 tested at 9-27-2017, 5-19-2017, 11-29-2017,
1-11-2018, 3-8-2019

　

　

◆

　

　

　

　


　

　

　

　

　

　

　

This sites-group was ranked No.1,
by "comment Taiwan",  "Understand Taiwan"  and "review Taiwan" on US Yahoo,
 tested at  3-8-2019, 5-19-2017, 1-11-2018,  2-18-2018, 4-13-2018

　

★

　 　

　

This websites-group was ranked No.1
by keyword  "review Taiwan" 
on US Google and English Bing, 9-8-2017, 4-11-2018, 3-8-2019

　

　

 

　

pic: This websites-group was ranked No.1
by keyword  "review Taiwan" 
on US Google, 9-27-2017

214,000,000 results
　

　

　

　

 
　

　

pic: This websites-group was ranked No.1
by keyword "review Taiwan" 
on US Google , 9-19-2017

　

★

　 　

　

      

　

This websites-group was ranked No.1

by keyword "comment Taiwan" on China's baidu, 4-11-2018,  2-20-2018

　

　

　

　

　

　
　

　

This websites-group was ranked No.1

by keyword "comment Taiwan" in English and Chinese
on China's baidu, 2-20-2018

　

★

★

　

　

　

　

                    

　

　

　

　

　

 　

　

★ pic left: No. 3 "Introduction to Taiwan" in Chinese 

on Google , 3-21-2018

　

pic. right: This website was ranked No. 1 on Yandex of Russia
         by keyword  "Introduction of Taiwan",

 2-14-2018, 3-3-2018　

　

★

　

This websites group was ranked No.1 by keyword "introduction to Taiwan"
on Yippy (powered by IBM) at  8-5-2020, 7-6-2020, 6-11-2020, 5-8-2020, 4-20-2020, 1-27-2020, 11-6-2019, 10-4-2019, No.3 at 3-3-2021

　

　

pic. : This websites group was ranked No.1 by keyword "introduction to Taiwan"
on Baidu of China at 10-6-2019, 8-6-2019, 8-3-2019

　

No.2 "intro to Taiwan" on Yahoo Japan, 7-6-2020

　

This websites group was ranked No.1 by keyword "introduction to Taiwan"
on Yahoo search engine  at  6-11-2020, 5-12-2020, 5-8-2020, 4-20-2020,  4-10-2020, 3-21-2020, 1-15-2020,
12-31-2019, 12-25-2019, 12-16-2019, 11-27-2019, 11-6-2019, 10-6-2019  (the 1st item is Ad.)   No.2 at 10-25-2020, 7-11-2020, 8-2-2020

This websites group was ranked No.1 by keyword "introduction to Taiwan"
on Bing at  7-6-2020, 6-21-2020, 6-11-2020, 6-5-2020, 5-21-2020, 5-12-2020, 5-8-2020, 4-20-2020,
4-10-2020, 3-20-2020, 2-24-2020,1-27-2020, 1-15-2020, 12-25-2019,
12-16-2019,11-6-2019, 10-6-2019, 9-17-2019, 8-3-2019,  7-29-2019, 6-27-2019,  4-29-2019

　

This websites group was ranked No.1 by keyword "introduction to Taiwan"
on AOL at  6-11-2020, 5-12-2020, 5-8-2020, 4-20-2020, 4-10-2020, 12-5-2019  (item above is ad.); No.2 at 10-25-2020, 8-2-2020

　

　

pic. : This websites group was ranked No.1 by keyword "introduction of Taiwan"
on Bing at  11-11-2020, No.2 at 1-29-2021

　

　

　

pic.: No.1 "introduction to Taiwan" on Yandex of Russia, 8-5-2020, 7-6-2020, 6-11-2020, 6-5-2020, 5-21-2020; No.2 at 10-25-2020

　

This websites group was ranked No.1 by keyword "introduction to Taiwan"
on Euro. MetaGER.de (Germany) at  8-5-2020, 6-11-2020, 4-20-2020, 4-10-2020, 1-27-2020, 12-31-2019, 12-25-2019,
 11-26-2019, 11-6-2019, 10-24-2019, 10-6-2019, 9-17-2019, 8-5-2019; No.2 at 10-25-2020

　

　

No.2 "introduction to Taiwan" on Yandex of Russia, 5-12-2020, 4-20-2020

　

　

This websites group was ranked No.1 by keyword "introduction to Taiwan"
on Yahoo search engine  at   8-5-2019, 4-28-2019

　

This websites group was ranked No.1 by keyword "introduction to Taiwan"
on Yippy  at 4-29-2019, 3-8-2019

This websites group was ranked No.1 by keyword "introduction to Taiwan"
on Euro.  MetaGer.de  at 4-29-2019,  1-22-2019,  8-29-2018, 6-18-2018

　

This websites group was ranked No.1 by keyword "introduction to Taiwan"
on AOL  at  4-29-2019, 8-29-2018, 4-13-2018, 3-30-2018, 2-20-2018, 1-30-2018

This websites group was ranked top3 by keyword "introduction to Taiwan"
on Google Taiwan  at  4-29-2019

　

This websites group was ranked No.1 by keyword "introduction to Taiwan"
on Webcrawler at  5-3-2019 (3 items above are Ads.)

 This websites group was ranked top 2 by keyword "introduction to Taiwan"
on Lycos  at  5-3-2019

　

This websites group was ranked No.1 by keyword "introduction to Taiwan"
on Excite at  5-3-2019  (3 items above are Ads.)

　

This website was ranked No.1 on search.Yahoo.com
 by keyword "Introduction to Taiwan" at  8-29-2018, 5-24-2018, 4-13-2018, 3-30-2018, 2-25-2018, 1-28-2018, 2-20-2018;
among top ranks at 3-8-2019

　

 

 This websites group was ranked No.1 "introduction to Taiwan" on Hotbot, 3-8-2019, 7-21-2018;
No.2 "introduction to Taiwan" on Yahoo, 3-8-2019
　

　

　

        

 This websites group was ranked No.1 "introduction of Taiwan" on US WebCrawler 
at 2-25-2018, 12-11-2017;
(the upper 3 are ads.);  No.2 "introduction to Taiwan" at 3-8-2019, 6-18-2018
　

　
　

　

           

 This website was ranked No.2 on Lycos
 by keyword "Introduction to Taiwan" at  3-8-2019

　

　
　

　

　

　

　

　

pic.:  This website was ranked No.1 by "introduction of Taiwan" in Chinese ( "台灣簡介")
on Yahoo search at 2-25-2018

　

　

pic.:  This website was ranked No.1 by "introduction of Taiwan" in Chinese on AOL at 2-25-2018

　

　

　

pic.:  This website was ranked No.1 by "introduction of Taiwan" in Chinese on MetaGER of Germany at 3-3-2018; No.2 at 3-8-2019

This webpage was ranked No.1 on US Bing
         by keyword "Introduction of Taiwan" at 12-5-2017, No.2 "introduction to Taiwan", 3-8-2019, 5-24-2018 　

　

　
　

　

　

　

               

This websites group was ranked No.2 "introduction of Taiwan" and "introduction to Taiwan"on Google  at 6-18-2018; No.3 at 3-8-2019;

This websites group was ranked top3 by keyword "introduction to Taiwan"
on Google Taiwan  at  4-29-2019;

This websites group was ranked No.2 by keyword "intro Taiwan"
on Google at 7-30-2019

　

　

　

　

PS 1  ● FTV: 9-25-2013  20:01pm    To much monitoring in Taiwan, every body is risky  (監聽氾濫人人自危)
          The Liberty Times, 9.25.2013, Apple Daily, 2006    Human rights in Taiwan is not good or lousy!  1/4 Taiwanese were being listened by the government per year
         ●  About 2/3 (74.03%) proportion of Taiwanese are aged 15 ~ 64, according to Statista.com of 2014.   Working age 16-64 for men, 16-59 for women, according to nomisweb.co.uk.

PS 2
        ★ World media like French AFP (Dec. 1, 2011), Thailand's Bangkok Post (Dec. 3, 2011), and Yahoo UK & Ireland etc reported  Taiwan's opposition party vice presidential candidate,  professor Lin R.S., was subjected to "electromagnetic wave" attacks, Dr Lin thinks it's launched by a Taiwanese intelligence unit, but that unit denied, some media reported these weapons were researched & developed and  imported from USA. 
        ★ The China Times (Dec. 11, 2011) reported that professor Lin R.S. thought those high tech. 'weapons' most likely were imported from USA.
       ★ Lin Ruey-Shiung, professor, PhD., Johns Hopkins University, USA, Ruprecht-Karls-Universitat Heidelberg Germany.

★  

PS 3  Next Magazine, The Liberty Times, 12-31-2015    <Lots of major crimes escaped overseas easily>
           ... most of them are big financial crimes ...

PS 4

Too many problems Taiwan 're facing

　 ★ About 80% Taiwanese don't believe judiciary / The Liberty Times, 2-23-2016
 ★ Taiwan air pollution  -  environmental quality was ranked nearly the last in OECD countries.  / The China Times, 9-21-2015
 ★ Taiwan president Tsai : Food safety is one of biggest challenges to Taiwan / The China Times, 8-6-2016
　

●The New York Times and The Economist (11.29.2014) comment a series of food safety scandals is one of few main factors causing the KMT, Taiwan's ruling party, has suffered one of its worst electoral defeats since Chiang Kai-shek and his forces fled to the island at the end of Chinese civil war in 1949.

　

●The New York Times (9.8.2014): the new scandal  (Taiwan food-safety scare) shows that there is still not enough being done to eliminate lawbreaking production lines.

　

●Apple Daily News (蘋果日報) 8-28-2015,  A2 Prime News Edition:

The incidence rate of Taiwanese people suffering colon/rectal cancer was ranked world No.1 , Taipei Medical University Hospital's director of surgeons expressed Taiwan's food scandals constantly happened in recent years, many black-heart tainted foods containing Carcinogen (cancer producer) is a factor causing high incidence rate.

　

●TIME  ( 9.8.2014): Gutter Oil' Scandal Raises Food-Safety Fears Once Again in Greater China.

　

●Bloomberg BusinessWeek  (9.8.2014): Tainted Lard: China's Latest Food-Safety Scare Comes From Taiwan.  

　

●BBC news (Nov. 19, 2013): A series of food safety scandals in Taiwan has hurt consumer confidence, and now there are worries they could dent the island's economic growth and damage tourism.  

　

●The Economist (UK) commented :  Taiwan's former reputation as a reliable and safe food manufacturing country has been damaged... 

　

●The China Times (Taiwan, Nov. 30, 2013) stated black-heart food, risks and traps are everywhere, and comments Taiwan government is short of will-power, ability, and resolution to combat illegal targets ...

　

 ●   BBC , 6-6-2013 Taiwan is the only country in the world to import GM soy for eating ,
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/taiwan_letters/2013/06/130606_twletter_food_safety.shtml  (Chinese version 危机四伏的饮食)

　

 ●The China Times 6.23.2013
Taiwan imports pigs' food for human kinds in Taiwan

 ● WikiLeaks 2010 : Taiwanese people are friendly for Bio. tech. and are intend to buy GM label food, so the "Embassy" of a strong nation is planning to build a  Genetic Modification (GM) zone in Taiwan.
 In fact, it's a so called "national scandal" (the China Times, Mar. 29, 2013) that Taiwanese consumers generally do not fully know or don't care  the controversy of health risks caused by GM food.  Taiwanese government should urge everyone refusing to buy GM food. 
 About 99.5% of soy food products in Taiwan are imported, 90% of them are GM soy beans. 

　

pen books

★  
 PS5
 Japan's major TV media NHK mocks that the WEAK water cannon in Taiwan's patrol boats defending Taiwanese fishing boats in Diaoyu Islands, and fighting back Japan's STRONG (heavy) water artillery in Japanese coast patrol ships.

ps: Japan, Taiwan, and China all insist Diaoyu Islands are belong to them.

★  

PS6 According to Hong Kong's MinPao (明報) and Singapore's ZaoBao (聯合早報 9-16-2014), "You're being monitored, if residing in New Zealand", based on Western media (11-20-2013), US-UK deal allows USA surveillance of UK citizens not suspected of any wrongdoings.   Without oversights, the possibility that some suspected force did something much worse than UK, NZ did can not be excluded.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-33730758

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/20/us-uk-secret-deal-surveillance-personal-data

https://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/wikileaks-says-us-spied-on-japanese-government-companies

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/06/04/national/nsa-whistleblower-snowden-says-u-s-government-carrying-out-mass-surveillance-in-japan/#.V-dDUSzr2Uk

 ★  

PS 7   others

http://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/paper/1001956

　

http://www.appledaily.com.tw/appledaily/article/headline/20160720/37314963/

　

http://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/1748960

　

http://www.appledaily.com.tw/appledaily/article/headline/20160830/37364648/雄三誤射3官兵起訴

　

http://udn.com/news/story/7338/1915115

★  

★  

PS 8,,9 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-33730758

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/20/us-uk-secret-deal-surveillance-personal-data

https://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/wikileaks-says-us-spied-on-japanese-government-companies

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/06/04/national/nsa-whistleblower-snowden-says-u-s-government-carrying-out-mass-surveillance-in-japan/#.V-dDUSzr2Uk

 

★  

PS 10

It did happened in some universities, e.g., National Taiwan Ocean University (ref to MirrowMedia.mg,10-19-2016), Fu-Jen Catholic University, how about the government? any new forms?

　

　

PS 11

Academic circle lacks ethics /  UDN  1-11-2017   http://udn.com/news/story/7338/2222591

Accomplice structure to fake scholarly papers / China Times 11-19-2016   http://www.chinatimes.com/newspapers/20161119000399-260109

NTU should not be too snobby /  The Liberty Times  11-25-2016   http://talk.ltn.com.tw/article/paper/1055359

Scholar : Only heavy punishment stops fake papers / UDN 11-19-2016   https://udn.com/news/story/10586/2115844

Strange phenomenon in academic circle /11-19-2016 UDN  https://udn.com/news/story/10586/2115842

Faking papers is a long-time malpractice / UDN  11-21-2016 https://udn.com/news/story/6885/2118616

★  ★  

★  

PS 12

 Nuremberg Code :  a set of research ethics principles for human experimentation set as a result of the subsequent Nuremberg trials at the end of the Second World War

  1.       Required is the voluntary, well-informed, understanding consent of the human subject in a full legal capacity.
  2.       The experiment should aim at positive results for society that cannot be procured in some other way.
  3.        It should be based on previous knowledge (like, an expectation derived from animal experiments) that justifies the experiment.
  4.        The experiment should be set up in a way that avoids unnecessary physical and mental suffering and injuries.
  5.        It should not be conducted when there is any reason to believe that it implies a risk of death or disabling injury.
  6.        The risks of the experiment should be in proportion to (that is, not exceed) the expected humanitarian benefits.
  7.        Preparations and facilities must be provided that adequately protect the subjects against the experiment’s risks.
  8.        The staff who conduct or take part in the experiment must be fully trained and scientifically qualified. 
  9.        The human subjects must be free to immediately quit the experiment at any point when they feel physically or mentally unable to go on.
  10.         Likewise, the medical staff must stop the experiment at any point when they observe that continuation would be dangerous.

★ 

★ 

PS 13

   ● definition of "drugs" - amphetamine, Cocaine, cannabis，marijuana, Morphine, Ketamine, heroin, diacetylmorphine, opium, etc.

★ 

PS 14

★ http://news.ebc.net.tw/news.php?nid=58590

★ ★ 

PS 15

       http://www.appledaily.com.tw/appledaily/article/headline/20140802/35996992/; apple daily 5-12-2018

　

a survey to find political persecutions in Taiwan