Gray zone activities refer to provocative actions that are not so egregious they would demand a warlike response, but neither are they of a peaceful nature. Bringing clarity to China’s gray zone activities would dispel the “ambiguity” around the term itself, Australian think tank the Lowy Institute says. The phrase “gray zone” is open to misinterpretation, and allows for a degree of doubt regarding Beijing’s original intentions, it says. It is not just the Philippines that has been the target of China’s coercive behavior. Manila, sensing the power of the name game, also decided to use its own for the parts of the South China Sea it claims.

China an ‘important interlocutor,’ Meloni tells XiAFP, BEIJINGItalian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni yesterday hailed China as an “important interlocutor” in managing global tensions as she met Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, walks into a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, front left, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing yesterday. Photo: EPA-EFE“There is growing insecurity at an international level and I think that China is inevitably a very important interlocutor to address all these dynamics,” Meloni told Xi. Meloni’s administration withdrew from the Belt and Road Initiative in December last year, having been the only G7 nation to sign up. Meloni’s administration has since sought to mend Italy’s ties with China, Italy’s second-largest non-EU trading partner after the US.

Bangladesh youth uprising echoes the Arab Spring protestsBy M. Niaz AsadullahIn recent weeks, the Bangladeshi government has cracked down violently on students demanding equitable access to coveted government jobs amid an unemployment crisis. Bangladesh’s youth uprising, with its echoes of the Arab Spring, illustrates how corruption, cronyism and inequality tend to accompany GDP growth, especially under an increasingly authoritarian regime. However, Bangladesh’s High Court in June reinstated the controversial job quota system, sparking widespread protests. Despite being temporarily quelled, the youth protests could still expand into a wider anti-government movement. Bangladesh has a rich history of youth protests, which played a crucial role in laying the foundation for the country’s independence in 1971.

EDITORIAL: Lessons from alleged abuse caseA preschool teacher in Taipei’s Xinyi District (信義) was indicted in August last year on charges of alleged sexual assault and offenses of forced obscenity against six girls. Parents reported the first suspected case to the authorities in July 2022. After more parents accused him of sexual abuse, prosecutors indicted and detained Mao in July last year — a year after the first case was reported. There has been a public outcry, because the Taipei City Government seemed to have quickly dismissed the case in 2022, while prosecutors were still investigating it, allowing Mao to continue teaching. Moreover, the case is also a reminder for parents and schools to reconsider when they should start teaching children about the difference between appropriate and inappropriate touching to prevent sexual abuse.

Farming losses from typhoon reach NT$1.8bnTHE AFTERMATH: Typhoon Gaemi had stranded eight cargo ships, halted Alishan railway operations, and left 10 people dead, two missing and 895 injured in its wakeStaff Writer, with CNAAgricultural losses in Taiwan caused by Typhoon Gaemi totaled approximately NT$1.8 billion (US$54.83 million) as of 11am yesterday, Ministry of Agriculture statistics showed. The three administrative areas that sustained the greatest losses were Pingtung County at NT$386 million, Chiayi County at NT$384 million and Yunlin County at NT$368 million, the data showed. A taro field devastated by Typhoon Gaemi is pictured in Hualien County yesterday. The cargo ships ran aground along Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung County coastlines, the CGA’s Southern Branch said. A chicken farm in Tainan flooded from torrential rain brought by Typhoon Gaemi is pictured in an undated photograph.

Gasoline and diesel prices to rise NT$0.3 per literBy Chen Cheng-hui / Staff reporterDomestic fuel prices are to increase for a fourth consecutive week this week, with the retail price of 95-octane unleaded gasoline reaching the highest level in nine months. Gasoline and diesel prices are to rise NT$0.3 per liter this week, CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 台灣中油) and Formosa Petrochemical Corp (台塑石化) said in separate statements yesterday. Effective today, gasoline prices at CPC and Formosa stations are to rise to NT$29.8, NT$31.3 and NT$33.3 per liter for 92, 95 and 98-octane unleaded gasoline respectively. Meanwhile, premium diesel is to cost NT$27.3 per liter at CPC stations and NT$27.1 at Formosa pumps, the companies said. International oil prices fell earlier last week as investors expected geopolitical tensions to diminish in the Middle East, Formosa said.

KMT, TPP and the old party-state ideologiesBy Lee Min-yung 李敏勇Cursing, biting, blocking, kicking and grabbing... What has the Legislative Yuan become? The KMT and TPP seem to be intent on creating chaos. The TPP is also failing to live up to public expectations as a young upstart party and echoes the KMT, which has been haunted by the party-state ideology and has failed to reform itself. If we look at the forms and rituals of Taiwan’s political system, the Executive Yuan and Legislative Yuan are counterparts: The Executive Yuan proposes policy and budget plans to the Legislative Yuan, while the Legislative Yuan questions the Executive Yuan’s officials and reviews the budgets, thus forming a “ritual relationship” in politics. Regarding national governance, the Legislative Yuan’s counterpart is the Executive Yuan, in accordance with the constitution of the ROC since its establishment in China.

India needs to face up to its worrying junk food crisisBy Mihir Sharma / Bloomberg OpinionIndia is not the world’s healthiest country. That is a crisis — one that is set to grow worse as India becomes richer and more urban. At the same time, there is data suggesting junk food in India is worse than in many other countries, with higher levels of salt, sugar and saturated fats. More importantly, packaged food can be regulated, so people at least know what they are eating. As scientists said, that merely “helps the consumer choose the least unhealthy option among a host of unhealthy options.”Critics worry that India’s food regulators respond more readily to big food companies than to doctors.

TPP says ruling against Kao not proportionateBy Lee Wen-hsin and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Taipei District Court’s ruling against Hsinchu Mayor Anne Kao (高虹安) was regrettable and highlighted the lack of proportionality in the justice system’s meting out of punishments for similar crimes, the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) said yesterday. Kao was found guilty of contravening the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例) and sentenced to seven years and four months in prison for corruption that involved misuse of public funds. Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Ko Wen-je, center, speaks to reporters in Taipei yesterday. Photo courtesy of the Taiwan People’s PartyFormerly an aide to business tycoon Terry Gou (郭台銘), Kao joined the TPP and served as a legislator at-large from 2020 to 2022 before running for Hsinchu mayor. The judiciary should not have double standards and should investigate the other case to uphold the integrity of the law, the TPP said.

Pakistan using ‘terrorism’ to stay relevant, Modi saysReuters, NEW DELHIPakistan is trying to stay relevant through “terrorism” and “proxy war,” but its “unholy plans” would never succeed, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said yesterday. Pakistan denies the accusations, saying it only provides diplomatic and moral support to Kashmiris seeking self-determination in the Muslim-majority region. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks at a ceremony at the Kargil War Memorial in Drass, India, yesterday. Photo: AFP / Indian Press Information BureauModi’s comments came at an event to mark the 25th anniversary of India’s short military conflict with Pakistan in the Himalayan region of Kargil. Earlier this year, Pakistan said there was credible evidence linking Indian agents to the killing of people on its soil — accusations that India termed “fake.”

Closer Taiwan-India ties neededBy Sana Hashmi 胡莎娜The return to power of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Taiwan and the Bharatiya Janata Party in India marked a pivotal moment for advancing India-Taiwan relations. Economic ties between Taiwan and India show promise, but remain underdeveloped relative to their global trade capacities. Revitalizing and expanding such exchanges could deepen mutual understanding and cooperation across sectors, thereby strengthening bilateral ties. In the absence of formal diplomatic ties, think tanks and political party dialogues play a crucial role. Initiatives such as the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation-led India-Taiwan dialogue demonstrate the potential of non-governmental engagements in deepening bilateral understanding and collaboration.

EDITORIAL: Lai needs nimbler defense teamWhen it comes to national security and foreign affairs, President William Lai (賴清德) has said he wants to maintain the same policies as his predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文). The loss of a legislative majority aside, the regional geopolitical situation is in a continuous state of flux. Even if he says he would retain Tsai’s strategies, Lai must acknowledge that the geopolitical ground has shifted under his feet. Lai needs to address this situation both internationally and at home, and for this he requires a nimble foreign affairs and national security team with the ability to adjust policy and strategy to meet the ever-changing circumstances. This is why Lai needs to re-evaluate the strategy and sense of urgency in Taiwan’s war preparedness, in both the military and civil spheres.

TIER raises 2024 GDP forecast to 3.85%GROWTH: TSMC increased its projected revenue growth for this year to more than 25 percent, citing stronger-than-expected demand for AI devices and smartphonesBy Crystal Hsu / Staff reporterThe Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER, 台灣經濟研究院) yesterday raised its forecast for Taiwan’s GDP growth this year from 3.29 percent to 3.85 percent, as exports and private investment recovered faster than it predicted three months ago. The Taiwan Institute of Economic Research yesterday raised its forecast for Taiwan’s GDP growth this year from 3.29 percent to 3.85 percent. Photo: CNATaiwan is home to major suppliers of high-end chips, servers, storage, memory and other devices used in AI tools and solutions. Imports, a critical gauge of capital equipment and input material purchases to meet export needs, might rise by 7.29 percent, up from 6.64 percent, the TIER said. The sense of wealth inflation would likely have evaporated this month as a result of rapid and deep share price corrections.

What China expects from Kamala Harris presidencyBloombergChina officially avoided commenting on US Vice President Kamala Harris’ late entry into the US presidential race. “And at the level of whether it’s Biden or Trump or Harris, it’s really just a matter of style,” Mahoney said. Harris has only met Xi on the sidelines of a summit in Thailand and has not visited Beijing in her current role. “Harris does not have a track record on China, and it is not an area she is particularly comfortable,” added the former Pentagon official. Harris also visited Palawan, the Philippines, an island close to an area that is in heavy dispute between China and neighboring countries.

The institute forecast GDP growth of 4.5 percent for last month and said it expects that momentum to continue for the rest of this year. People walk toward electricity meters on a wall in Taipei on April 30. In contrast, the service sector consumes 18 to 19 percent of the power supply, while average households use about 18 percent, the researcher said. TSMC’s electricity use grew 5.8 percent from a year earlier and firms in its supply chain, such as providers of silicon wafers and printed circuit boards, also used more power, the TRI said. Electricity consumption by makers of chemical and steel products rose 5.4 percent and 1.5 percent respectively, as improved inventory demand pushed up production and selling prices, it said.