Beijing, which has banned independent Chinese tourists from Taiwan since August 2019 and group travel since 2020, has shown no intention to resume cross-strait travel. Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) said that Taiwan and China must mutually show goodwill before normal cross-strait tourism could resume. The regulations on cross-strait group travel should also be negotiated through existing channels, such as the tourism associations in Taiwan and China, to ensure that cross-strait travel is reinstated reciprocally. Taiwan welcomes tourism exchanges with all nations, including China, but communication should be both ways. The government should be wary of an inappropriate reopening of travel across the Strait, which would worsen the tourism deficit, and sabotage the tourism market and quality in Taiwan.

Economic incentives needed for green powerBy Chen Yung-jen 陳詠仁The presidential candidates of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) have both announced their energy policies. Due to climate change and an energy crisis, the international community is increasingly emphasizing the development of distributed generation, renewable energy and energy flexibility. The Ministry of Economic Affairs allowed the private sector to establish independent power producers to generate electricity for sale between 1995 and 1999. Companies that need to rely on green energy can be both the manufacturer and the consumer, and hence the burden of green power generation can be distributed more equally. The government has failed to achieve its goals in terms of green energy development.

Taiwan pulls out of Central American ParliamentBy Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff reporterTaiwan has withdrawn from the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN) to safeguard its sovereignty and dignity after the parliament passed a proposal to replace Taiwan with China as an observer in the bloc, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. The plaque of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is pictured at the ministry’s building in Taipei in an undated photograph. The move not only divided the unity of the parliament and undermined democracy and harmony in the region, but also hurt the cooperation and friendship between Taiwan and Central America over the years, it said. The decision also “highlighted China’s intentions to undermine democracy in Central America and its ambitions to expand its power in the region,” it said. The ministry reiterated that Taiwan, a sovereign and independent country, and China do not belong to each other.

The Y-9 and Z-9 advanced farther than the fighters, entering Taiwan’s southwest air defense identification zone, the ministry said. “This time, the military exercises were launched on the same day that the announcement was made. Unlike previous ones, they did not announce in advance the coordinates of the areas where military exercises would be conducted and how long they would last. Long before the military exercises began, they were prepared to conduct cognitive, psychological and media warfare along with the military drills,” Chang said. Chinese warships would not be driven away unless they reached the median line.

MOFA censured over traffickingREPORT FINDINGS: The ministry’s handling of job scam trafficking cases was lax, while a victim was tortured more due to a video the Kaohsiung prosecutors’ office releasedBy Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff reporterThe Control Yuan has censured the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors’ Office over the handling of cases involving Taiwanese who were imprisoned in Cambodia after being caught up in human trafficking job scams. Control Yuan member Yeh Ta-hua presents a report during a news conference at the Control Yuan in Taipei yesterday. As for the ministry, it failed to fully grasp the human trafficking situation in Cambodia, Yeh said. In addition, 682 people in Cambodia, 194 in Thailand and 124 in Myanmar sought help from Taiwanese offices abroad, she said. The Control Yuan said that improvements should be made and asked the Cabinet to follow up with the relevant agencies.

Vice President William Lai, front right, shakes hands with Japanese Liberal Democratic Party Youth Division director Norikazu Suzuki, center, at the Presidential Office in Taipei yesterday. The relationship between Taiwan and Japan is “a true friendship” based on universal values such as democracy and human rights, Suzuki said. Photo: Lai Hsiao-tung, Taipei TimesThe Youth Division constantly thinks about what actions it can take to promote peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, he added. The delegation also met with New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜), the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) presidential candidate, at the New Taipei City Central Emergency Operations Center yesterday. The city established its Youth Department last year and hopes to engage in more exchanges with the LDP Youth Division, Hou said.

Intel cancels deal with TowerFOUNDRY DISAPPOINTMENT: An analyst said the failed deal would be ‘modestly disappointing’ for Intel’s foundry efforts, which were not going to be easy with Tower Intel Corp yesterday said that it is walking away from its attempt to acquire Tower Semiconductor Ltd, abandoning a US$5.4 billion deal after failing to win regulatory approval in time. Intel has mutually agreed with Tower Semiconductor to terminate the agreement reached in February last year, it said in a statement. The purchase of the Israeli company was the keystone of Intel chief executive officer Pat Gelsinger’s plan to get into a faster-growing part of the semiconductor industry, the foundry market dominated by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電). Tower has a relatively small presence in that area — where companies make chips

The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) yesterday also urged Beijing to stop pressuring Taiwan. Photo: EPA-EFE / Taiwan navyOn Saturday, the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Eastern Theater Command launched joint air and sea patrols, and navy and air force drills near Taiwan proper. Making a fuss about the trip “is unhelpful to cross-strait stability,” he said in the interview that was conducted during his visit overseas. Hou yesterday added that he hoped that conflict across the Taiwan Strait could be reduced through dialogues and exchanges. He called for cross-strait dialogue instead of confrontation, saying that people hope for stability in the Taiwan Strait, a safe Taiwan and peace of mind.

EDITORIAL: China’s economy may prove riskyWith rising default risks from Country Garden Holdings Co to China’s leading asset management firm, Zhongzhi Enterprise Group Co, concerns are growing that a slump in the Chinese property market could trigger a wider financial crisis, creating a potential spillover effect that would impact the broader economy. Taiwanese financial firms have slashed their exposure to the world’s second-largest economy quickly and sizably. Bad news has repeatedly broken out in China’s real-estate industry in recent years with the risk of a snowballing economic downturn. However, more actions are still needed if Taiwanese financial firms aim to promptly respond to any major financial events in China. To tackle headwinds, firms must review and adjust their holdings of Chinese securities and bolster risk management after extending loans to the Chinese market.

Taipei Zoo holds public memorial serviceGHOST MONTH: This year’s special arrangement was made to offer a memorial service to fans of the zoo’s stars so that they can pay respects, Taipei Zoo saidBy Yang Hsin-hui and Jason Pan / Staff reportersTaipei Zoo has invited the public for the first time to participate in a memorial service for animals that recently passed away at the zoo. The memorial is to take place from today until Aug. 30 and coincides with Ghost Month. The Taipei Zoo’s Life Memorial Cenotaph is pictured in an undated photograph. This year people are welcome to join in the event billed “Learning from Life, Memorial to Star Animals,” it said. The deaths of several animals at Taipei Zoo in recent years included giant panda Tuan Tuan (團團), male giraffe Chu Chung (菊忠), female giant anteater Koudaisha (口袋莎) and Malayan tapir Moko (貘克), the release said.

Taiwan B players Adam Hinton, left, and Robert Hinton hold gifts at the Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasium on Thursday. Photo: CNAHowever, it is something bigger than basketball that brings the brothers back to their “second home,” Taiwan. And we love everything about the culture, especially the food,” Adam Hinton said. While the NBA is their top priority as basketball players, Robert and Adam Hinton said that they have dreams outside the sport. Making it to the NBA is still a dream, but given the uncertainties the future holds and their experience of playing in Taiwan, Robert Hinton said that he would keep his options open.

Pedestrians’ safety is the priorityBy Jeremy Wang 王英明There were 2,990 people killed in traffic accidents in 2021, a mortality rate of 0.000124, which is five times higher than in many other countries. In Taiwan, drivers and pedestrians often do not abide by traffic rules. As long as drivers are “forced” to follow the rules and stop at crosswalks to yield the right of way to pedestrians, Taiwan would no longer be a living hell for pedestrians. Vision Zero should advocate that pedestrians and drivers are not to be set against each other, promoting the idea that both are on the same side. In this sense, “return the roads to the people” is not only for the sake of the pedestrians, but for everyone.

The US’ ‘new’ China narrativeBy James K. GalbraithThree recent articles in the New York Times have signaled a “new” narrative about China. Only weeks ago, China was the US’ fearsome “peer competitor” on the world stage, but now, everyone is told, it is a wounded dragon. “The president has moved aggressively to contain China’s rise and to restrict its ability to benefit militarily from the use of technologies developed in the United States,” Shear wrote. Should China have more vehicles but worse roads and fewer gas stations, not to mention subways and high-speed trains? Chinese workers are paid for building the factories, homes, rail lines, roads and other public works that have transformed China within our lifetimes.

Stokes to play as batsman only in IndiaAFP, LONDONEngland are prepared to play Ben Stokes as a batsman only when they defend their 50-over men’s ICC World Cup title in India after the Test captain reversed his decision to retire from one-day internationals. England’s Ben Stokes celebrates taking a catch against Australia on the fourth day of the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval in London on July 31. Photo: Reuters“It wasn’t really a case of changing his [Stokes’] mind,” England national selector Luke Wright said after the squad was unveiled on Wednesday. “Once his body was in a good place and he’d had a rest, he was really keen to play. The injured Archer, the Super Over star of the 2019 World Cup final, is recovering from his latest elbow injury.

TPP to pursue legal action over ‘fabricated’ tapeBy Huang Ching-yu and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) yesterday said it would pursue legal action against people who allegedly fabricated and disseminated a recording of TPP Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) commenting on Vice President William Lai’s (賴清德) stopovers in the US. Taiwan People’s Party spokesman Adam Lee, second left, speaks to reporters in Taipei yesterday. Photo courtesy of the Taiwan People’s PartyThe e-mail said that the recording was made during an internal TPP meeting in the first week of this month. At a news conference yesterday, TPP spokesman Adam Lee (李頂立) said the voice in the recording was “clearly not Ko.”The TPP would pursue legal action, but is first investigating who made the recording, how it was made and who disseminated it, he said. If investigated through legal channels, it would show that all political parties — not just the one in power — are affected by misinformation, he said.