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Legislative neutrality at stake in Taiwan political dispute
The Democratic Progressive Party criticizes Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu for attending a Kuomintang rally, questioning his neutrality. Tensions rise in Taiwan’s politics.
2025/04/25 19:00
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Campus democracy vital to Taiwan education, minister says
Taiwan’s education minister stresses the importance of campus democracy and free speech, urging respect for student expression and civic activities, with guidelines to ensure safety and neutrality.
2025/04/14 10:19
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NCCU clarifies stance on campus political activities
NCCU clarifies its stance on campus activities, emphasizing neutrality under the Fundamental Act of Education. Events need approval to avoid promoting political groups.
2025/04/11 13:29
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KMT legislator warns against campus recall activities
KMT legislator Wu Tsung-hsien urges respect for political expression amid campus recall debates. He emphasizes academic neutrality and criticizes DPP’s impact on democracy.
2025/04/11 11:31
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MAC suspends Strait Daobao for political interference
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council suspends Strait Daobao’s operations, citing election interference. MAC bars new reporters, echoing past media credential revocations.
2025/01/02 16:55
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Taiwan students demand democracy in cross-strait talks
Students at Taiwan’s National Tsing Hua University raised the Republic of China flag to welcome Chinese students, stressing equality and democracy. The event, linked to the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, faced skepticism over transparency and political motives.
2024/12/04 11:29
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Taiwan’s NSB warns of China’s cultural influence tactics
Taiwan’s NSB chief warns of China’s cultural tactics to spread political ideology. He differentiates cultural exchange from united front activities in a legislative session.
2024/10/16 22:00
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Taiwan’s NSB highlights China’s intense military drill
Taiwan’s NSB reports on China’s intense military exercise near Taiwan, highlighting its short duration and high aircraft mobilization. The U.S. and others express concern.
2024/10/16 12:25
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DPP win may prompt escalated activities from Beijing
Following the victory of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Taiwan’s presidential election, a report by the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) suggests that Beijing might escalate activities in gray zone areas. The report highlights Taiwan’s increased geopolitical prominence and its pivotal role in semiconductor manufacturing, making the stability of the Taiwan Strait a key concern for the U.S. and other Western nations. The report also notes that Vice President Lai Ching-te won the election by over 40% of votes, breaking the trend of switching ruling parties every eight years since direct presidential elections were implemented in 1996. The victorious DPP aims to strengthen Taiwan’s defenses and relations with like-minded nations while resisting negotiations with Beijing. Additionally, the party seeks to reduce Taiwan’s trade dependency on China and strengthen ties with significant partners such as Australia, Europe, and Japan. With no party securing a majority in the legislative assembly, the DPP faces a "minority government and majority opposition" scenario, which could hinder the government’s legislative and budgeting process and impact Taiwan-U.S. ties. Despite the election, cross-strait relations and regional tensions are unlikely to undergo fundamental changes. Taiwan’s vital position in semiconductor manufacturing and geopolitics ensures its continued rise in importance, with the U.S. and Western nations playing a crucial role in maintaining stability in the Taiwan Strait. The upcoming U.S. presidential election in November is expected to significantly impact the U.S.-China-Taiwan triangle, and a potential return of former President Trump to the White House might please Beijing, according to the report.
2024/01/18 10:27
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Cynthia Wu reveals lack of initial support in VP role
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) vice presidential candidate Cynthia Wu discusses her initial struggles in her new role, revealing that she was not provided much guidance by the party. It took her several days to figure out certain techniques and standard operating procedures (SOPs). Wu also acknowledges that the party’s resources and focus were primarily on Chairman Ko Wen-je. She addresses recent polls indicating a surge in her unpopularity, attributing it to her low media profile in her political career. Wu emphasizes her commitment to aligning with Ko Wen-je’s campaign schedule and engaging in activities like canvassing, policy announcements, and appearances on programs to better communicate with the public.
2023/12/27 17:46
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DPP’s Wang Shih-chien shrugs off vote-buying claims
Amidst escalating tensions regarding allegations of vote-buying in Taiwan’s political arena, Wang Shih-Chien, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislative candidate for Taipei City, dismissed the accusations against him as "boring" on Thursday (Dec. 7) without providing further details. The allegations surfaced when his opponent, Kuomintang (KMT) candidate Yu Shu-hui, shared a Facebook post revealing beer boxes featuring images of DPP presidential candidate Lai Ching-te and Wang at a local banquet. This incident adds to a series of controversial campaign tactics in Taipei, including KMT candidate Hsu Chiao-hsin’s alleged distribution of noodles as a form of vote-buying. Hsu criticized the DPP for distributing lunch boxes and beer with Lai’s campaign slogans, suggesting a double standard. In response, Wang presented photos demonstrating that Yu had also distributed campaign items such as small bags, dishwashing liquid, and snacks. This exchange underscores the ongoing debate over what constitutes inappropriate campaign gifts, as both major parties scrutinize each other’s activities leading up to the elections.
2023/12/07 19:51
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TAO spokesperson denies Beijing election meddling claims
The spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO), Chen Binhua, denied allegations of Beijing interfering in Taiwan’s elections during a press conference. Chen dismissed the claims made by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as baseless rumors and accused the ruling party in Taiwan of misleading the electorate. Taiwan’s national security agencies have repeatedly warned about interference from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as the country prepares for the 2024 presidential election. In recent investigations, members of the "Union of Chinese Nationalists" in Kaohsiung were accused of accepting funds from the TAO for political activities in mainland China. The association is suspected of promoting specific political views and pan-blue support during their travels. The Ciaotou District Prosecutors Office has summoned 22 members for investigation, including individuals named Cheng and Ye, who are accused of violating Taiwan’s Anti-Infiltration Act and Public Officials Election and Recall Act. They have been released on bail with travel restrictions pending further investigation.
2023/11/29 14:12
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DPP’s Lai narrowly leads KMT’s Hou in latest Taiwan poll
In a closely contested presidential race in Taiwan, a recent poll by Formosa Magazine shows that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate, Lai Ching-te, holds a slim lead over his Kuomintang (KMT) rival, Hou Yu-ih. Lai stands at 31.4%, while Hou is close behind at 31.1%, and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) contender, Ko Wen-je, trails at 25.2%. The razor-thin margin of just 0.3 percentage points between Lai and Hou highlights the intense competition as Taiwan enters the final stage of the election. This election also presents the possibility of a shift in political power, with 27.8% supporting the continuation of the DPP government, 26.8% backing the KMT, and 16.5% siding with the TPP. Approximately 2.9% of the population supports an independent candidate. DPP sources claim that recent unusual polling activities are due to vigorous mobilization by the pan-blue and white camps (KMT and TPP), which have anomalously driven declared rates from about 50% to a staggering 90%. The poll was conducted over three days, from Nov. 21-23, using Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) and had a valid sample size of 1,331 respondents. The poll paints a picture of a fiercely contested election, with an electorate divided on its future leadership.
2023/11/24 18:18
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Taiwanese NGOs form alliance to uphold media ethics
A civil alliance of local NGOs in Taiwan has launched a new moral code for reporting on Taiwanese elections. The code emphasizes fairness, accuracy, professional tones, respect for privacy, and media transparency. The initiative aims to enhance public trust in the media as elections approach. The alliance, consisting of Reporters Without Borders, Citizen Media Watch, and the Taiwan Media Watch Foundation, received widespread support from labor unions in the new media industry. The director of RSF Taipei Bureau highlighted the challenges faced by Taiwanese media, including political polarization and excessive commercialization. As the presidential campaigns intensify, more media organizations are expected to participate. The director of the Taiwan Media Watch Foundation emphasized the importance of press freedom in Taiwan’s democracy, warning of the negative impact manipulative activities could have on the democratic environment.
2023/11/10 21:58
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NSB watching Chinese spouses closely as election nears
The National Security Bureau (NSB) chief Tsai Ming-yen has announced that Mainland Chinese spouses who accept funding from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will be handed over to judicial authorities. Tsai stated that while he respects the activities of Mainland Chinese spouses in Taiwan as long as they are legal, he urged vigilance in monitoring collaborations with united front work operations, activities with political objectives, and accepting funding from the CCP and its organizations in Taiwan. He emphasized that if there is concrete evidence, individuals will be handed over to judicial authorities. The potential inclusion of mainland China-born Xu Chunying in the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) at-large legislative candidate list has raised national security concerns. Xu claims to no longer carry any Chinese status and therefore believes she is not obligated to observe its laws. Tsai did not publicly comment on Xu’s case. In other news, Tsai stated that the case involving Democratic Progressive Party legislator Chao Tien-lin’s alleged extramarital affair partner being a spy is now in the courts for examination. Tsai respects the outcome of the investigation and refrained from further commenting as the case has entered judicial proceedings.
2023/11/06 17:54