Taiwan’s former Vice-President Lu on hunger strike as political tensions mount

Special to WorldTribune.com by Parris H. Chang Former vice president Annette Lu began a hunger strike on Dec. 28 in support of former president Chen Shui-bian, who has been in prison since 2008 and suffers from multiple mental and physical disorders. Speaking at a news conference before the hunger strike began, Lu accused the government […]

Student protestors warn China would do to Taiwan,what Russia did to Crimea

Student protestors warn China would do to Taiwan,what Russia did to Crimea

Special to WorldTribune.com By Parris H. Chang TAIPEI, Taiwan — Hundreds of thousands of “black-clad army” members rallied for democracy at Ketagalan Blvd. in front of the presidential office and streets nearby here on March 30. They wore black to symbolize what they call the “black box” (no transparency and no due process) decision-making of […]

With unofficial start of Beijing-Taipei talks, Xi Jinping launches campaign for Taiwan hearts and minds

With unofficial start of Beijing-Taipei talks, Xi Jinping launches campaign for Taiwan hearts and minds

Special to WorldTribune.com By Willy Lam, East-Asia-Intel.com President Xi Jinping has made progress in his long-cherished goal of starting political or “reunification” talks with Taiwan, which would eventually lead to some form of political union between the two political entities on either side of the Taiwan Strait. Xi earlier this week met in Beijing with […]

Beijing’s strategy to ‘buy’ Taiwan: Coerced unification without firing a shot

Beijing’s strategy to ‘buy’ Taiwan: Coerced unification without firing a shot

Special to WorldTribune.com Parris H. Chang It is no secret that Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou anxiously seeks to attend the APEC summit in Beijing in October and facilitate a historic meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, hoping to extricate himself from deep political woes at home and salvage his presidency. For this reason, Taiwan’s Mainland […]

Taiwan’s pro-China policies under Ma have benefitted neither its economy nor its people

Taiwan’s pro-China policies under Ma have benefitted neither its economy nor its people

Special to WorldTribune.com By Parris Chang On July 20, Taiwan’s ruling party (Kuomintang or KMT) elected its chairman, and tens of thousands of its members were mobilized to vote for the incumbent — President Ma Ying-jeou. Pundits likened the election to a mid-summer festival political farce, as Ma was the only candidate on the ballot, […]

As U.S. ‘pivots’ to East Asia, Taiwan is drifting into Beijing’s orbit

As U.S. ‘pivots’ to East Asia, Taiwan is drifting into Beijing’s orbit

Sol W. Sanders   TAIPEI – The U.S.’ 50-year-old alliance with [Formosa] Taiwan is eroding slowly but surely in the face of Beijing’s siren call and growing indifference of the Obama administration. Yet at a moment when U.S. strategy ostensibly calls for a “pivot” toward Asia, the de facto alliance could never have been more […]

A modest solution to the China-Japan dispute over islands: They belong to Taiwan

A modest solution to the China-Japan dispute over islands: They belong to Taiwan

Special to WorldTribune.com By Sol W. Sanders TAIPEI – Annette Lu Hsiu-lien, former Taiwan vice president, proposes a demilitarized settlement of the East China islands flash point between China and Japan. In an interview with WorldTribune, Lu claimed Taiwan actually has the best claim to the Diaoyutai/Senkaku chain of uninhabited islands. Although China seems to […]

Newly re-elected Taiwan president already under pressure to begin reunificiation talks

Newly re-elected Taiwan president already under pressure to begin reunificiation talks

Special to WorldTribune.com By Willy Lam, East-Asia-Intel.com After Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou was re-elected to a second four-year term last weekend, he faces intensifying pressure from Beijing to start “reunification talks.” Immediately after defeating Tsai Ing-wen, the moderate leader of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Ma told the media that he was in no […]