MAC condemns China for suppressing free speechBy Chen Yu-fu and Esme Yeh / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday condemned Beijing for suppressing freedom of speech and the press after a Chinese National People’s Congress (NPC) said that Gusa Press (八旗文化) editor-in-chief Li Yanhe’s (李延賀) sentencing was a “punishment for Taiwanese independence die-hards.”Li, commonly known by his pen name Fucha (富察), was arrested and detained by Chinese national security authorities when he was visiting relatives in China in March 2023. Gusa Press editor-in-chief Li Yanhe is pictured in an undated screen grab from his Facebook page under his pen name, Fucha. The NPC yesterday delivered a work report on the Chinese Supreme People’s Court and the Chinese Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP). The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) sentenced Li simply to suppress freedom of speech and publication, the MAC said. Such suppression reflected the CCP’s autocratic nature, which reminds Taiwanese of their democratic way of life, it said.

Sharp drop in Chinese military aircraft near Taiwan raises questionsAFP, TAIPEITaiwan has not detected a single Chinese military aircraft around the island for nine of the past 10 days, leaving experts puzzling over the reasons for the dramatic reduction in sorties. But since February 28, only two Chinese aircraft have been recorded in a single 24-hour period near Taiwan, according to an AFP tally of figures released daily by the defence ministry. An average of six Chinese warships have been spotted on a daily basis around the island in the past 10 days, which was the same as last year. Chinese military sorties around Taiwan also fell around 42 percent in January and February compared with the same period last year. Another longtime observer of the Chinese military said it was “not clear at all how to read it”.

Xi unsure of PLA’s loyalty, MAC saysMASSIVE PURGES: Xi Jinping’s remarks reflected Beijing’s ‘deep unease’ about its control of the military, MAC Deputy Minister Shen Yu-chung saidBy Chen Yu-fu and Esme Yeh / Staff reporter, with staff writerChinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) remarks that he would not tolerate partial loyalty from the Chinese military toward the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) reflected the Chinese state leadership’s unease about its control, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. Annual meetings of the 14th Chinese National People’s Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference commenced last week. Photo: Lin Cheng-kun, Taipei TimesXi said in his address that anyone in the Chinese military harboring incomplete loyalty to the party is intolerable. Xi has been using “political army building” and “anti-corruption reform” as excuses to purge dissent while escalating military intimidation against Taiwan, he said. The NPC Standing Committee made the decision based on the Chinese constitution to demonstrate its “unwavering determination” in upholding the “one China” principle and defending Chinese national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, Zhao said.

Two women arrested on suspicion of drug smugglingBy Wu Sheng-ju and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writerTwo women have been arrested on suspicion of drug smuggling after authorities allegedly found them carrying packets of heroin upon their arrival at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in December, police said yesterday. The women, surnamed Huang (黃) and Yao (姚), arrived from Cambodia on Dec. 3 and 4 respectively, the police said in a statement. Three months earlier, the National Police Agency received information that a drug trafficking group was recruiting people to smuggle drugs while abroad, it said. Yao admitted to smuggling, removing three packets of heroin from her anus and one from her vagina, totaling 180g, it said. Police estimated that more than NT$1 million of heroin was seizedThe trafficking group exploited vulnerable people, the police said, adding that the authorities would continue investigating to track down the center of the drug trafficking network.

IN FOCUS: DPP voices concerns over opposition-sponsored billsBy Lin Che-yuan and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writerDemocratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers have voiced concerns, saying that several controversial bills are expected to be fast-tracked in the legislature, including a draft absentee voting act, referendum reforms, changes to nationality rules and outlying island development, sparking debate over election integrity, local autonomy and national security. Bills expected to advance include the proposed absentee voting act, amendments to the Referendum Act (公民投票法), the Nationality Act (國籍法), and the Offshore Islands Development Act (離島建設條例). The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) caucus proposed a draft absentee voting act that would allow domestic voters to cast ballots via transferred votes or at designated polling stations. Separately, KMT Legislator Fu Kun-chi’s proposed amendment to the Nationality Act would allow Chinese citizens to run for public office in Taiwan without renouncing their nationality. Separately, KMT Legislator Chen Yu-jen’s (陳玉珍) proposed amendment to the Offshore Islands Development Act would allow “free trade demonstration zones” on outlying islands.

Taiwan launches gender equality week in New YorkStaff writer, with CNATaiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and various non-governmental groups on Sunday launched a series of gender equality events in New York to coincide with the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70). “Taiwan Gender Equality Week” (TGEW) was launched in New York’s Times Square on International Women’s Day, a day before the start of CSW70, which runs from March 9-19. Lee Chih-chiang (李志強), head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, said the TGEW aims to promote Taiwan’s achievements in women’s empowerment. The TGEW is being held in collaboration with various Taiwan-based groups, including the Alliance for Women’s Rights and Sustainable Development, and the Taiwan Equality Campaign. To promote the event, which has been held annually since 2020 to highlight Taiwan’s efforts to advance gender equality, Taiwan’s representative office in New York is running an ad campaign featuring animated displays atop yellow taxis during CSW70.

Australian lawmaker posts photo with Lin Chia-lungUNUSUAL MEETING: It is rare for a Taiwanese minister of foreign affairs to openly get together with Australian politicians, even if they make a stopover in the countryStaff writer, with CNAMinister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) met with an Australian lawmaker during a stopover in Australia on his way home from Tuvalu, the lawmaker said in a social media post. In social media posts early yesterday, New South Wales Parliament for Prospect member Hugh McDermott posted a photo of himself shaking hands with Lin in Australia on Friday. Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung, center, poses with Australian lawmaker Hugh McDermott, left, in Australia on Friday. Neither the lawmaker or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs specified where in Australia Lin made his transit stop. Lin on Saturday morning returned to Taiwan after making the stopover in Australia, the ministry said.

Taiwan’s Tang wins gold in BakuStaff writer, with CNATaiwanese Olympic bronze medalist Tang Chia-hung on Sunday made a golden season debut, winning the horizontal bar title at the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan. Tang, who won a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Games, secured top spot with 15.366 points. The gold medal capped a dominant weekend for Tang, who also finished first in the preliminary round with a 14.800-point routine at a 6.2 difficulty level. Taiwan’s Tang Chia-hung wears his gold medal on the podium after winning the men’s horizontal bar at the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Baku on Sunday. Tang said he plans to compete in the floor exercise, still rings and horizontal bar in Baku and an upcoming event in Turkey.

India crush New Zealand to win T20 World CupAFP, AHMEDABAD, IndiaIndia on Sunday won a record third Men’s T20 World Cup title and became the first team to defend their crown with a 96-run thumping of New Zealand in a lop-sided final. Suryakumar Yadav’s India were also the first team to lift the trophy on home soil as more than 86,000 fans celebrated at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. India’s Sanju Samson plays a shot against New Zealand in the Men’s T20 World Cup final in Ahmedabad, India, on Sunday. Skipper Mitchell Santner hit 43, but was never going to be able to prevent New Zealand from slipping to their second Men’s T20 World Cup final loss after they went down to Australia in 2021. Jimmy Neesham pulled things back for New Zealand with three wickets in one over to give them hope of keeping India to a gettable total.

Taiwan’s Lin claims singles titleALL ENGLAND SUCCESS: Upon clinching victory in the men’s singles final, Lin Chun-yi flopped on the court and clenched his fists, before letting out a celebratory roarStaff writer, with CNALin Chun-yi on Sunday made history when he won the men’s singles competition at the All England Open Badminton Championships in Birmingham, becoming the first Taiwanese to secure the title in the annual tournament. Taiwan’s Lin Chun-yi returns to Lakshya Sen of India in the All England Open Badminton Championships men’s singles final in Birmingham on Sunday. Upon clinching the victory, which earned him the men’s singles title and US$101,500, Lin flopped on the court and clenched his fists, letting out a celebratory roar. It also gave Lin a place in history as the first Taiwanese male shuttler to top the podium in the men’s singles event in Birmingham. In mid-January, he claimed the India Open title, securing his first championship at a BWF Super 750 tournament.

Taiwan eliminated from WBC following South Korea’s 7-2 win over AustraliaStaff Writer, with CNATeam Taiwan’s 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) journey ended Monday night when South Korea beat Australia 7-2 and won the tiebreaker with Australia and Taiwan to advance to the tournament’s quarterfinals in Miami. South Korea earned its spot by scoring a run in the top of the ninth to do just enough under the tiebreaker rules to advance. The result saw Taiwan, South Korea, and Australia tied for second in WBC Pool C behind undefeated Japan with 2-2 records. Team Taiwan congratulate each other on the team’s win against South Korea inside the Tokyo Dome on Sunday. Taiwan will rue its ugly start to the WBC, when it could muster only three hits in a 3-0 loss to Australia.

Samsung workers mull late-May strikeBloombergSamsung Electronics Co’s unionized workers began voting yesterday on whether to stage an 18-day strike in demand of higher pay. Voting by three unions continues through March 18 on the proposal, according to a statement by Samsung Electronics Labor Union (SELU). SELU, together with National Samsung Electronics Union and Samsung Electronics Union Donghaeng, has been in wage negotiations with the electronics giant for more than three months, the statement said. A man walks past the logo of Samsung Electronics displayed on a glass door at the company’s Seocho building in Seoul on Jan. 29. Samsung Electronics didn’t respond to a Bloomberg News request for comment.

UAE and Kuwait start oil output cutsHORMUZ ISSUE: The US president said he expected crude prices to drop at the end of the war, which he called a ‘minor excursion’ that could continue ‘for a little while’ The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait started reducing oil production, as the near-closure of the crucial Strait of Hormuz ripples through energy markets and affects global supply. Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC) is “managing offshore production levels to address storage requirements,” the company said in a statement, without giving details. Kuwait Petroleum Corp said it was lowering production at its oil fields and refineries after “Iranian threats against safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.” The war in the Middle East has all but closed Hormuz, the narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf to the open seas,

It is forcing the Emiratis — and other Gulf states — into a dilemma: Should they respond in kind, in effect joining the US-Israeli attack on Iran? Although there have been some warnings from Riyadh, so far it does not look as though the Gulf states are keen to join the war. For the UAE and other Gulf states to join a US-Israeli attack on a fellow Muslim — albeit Shiite — country is not a straightforward choice. The Gulf states want a return to stability. Marc Champion is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Europe, Russia and the Middle East.

Illustration: YushaWhat the survey also reveals is a gap between Gen Z men and women. Fewer than one-fifth — 18 percent — of Gen Z women surveyed agree that women should obey their husbands, suggesting a substantial mismatch between the sexes in this age group. The views of Gen Z women and baby boomer women seem more closely aligned, with the vast majority of both groups rejecting the bizarre notion that women should not seem too self-sufficient. Reactionary attitudes are shared by a minority of Gen Z men, for the moment, but they show a worrying sense of direction. Always calling them out and giving young women the confidence to challenge damaging stereotypes is more important than ever.