Cross-party dialogue is crucial to restore trust
In spite of the widespread anger, the KMT and the TPP still voted to pass the second reading of the amendments. Many still condemn the opposition for refusing to publish the details of the amendments on the Legislative Yuan Web site, undermining the democratic system. President William Lai (賴清德) also called on the Legislative Yuan to function properly in his inaugural address on Monday. He said that while competition among political parties is inevitable, cross-party cooperation is needed to avoid unnecessary conflict. Hopefully, with continued public supervision, the three parties would eventually opt for cooperation over competition, and work out solutions that can minimize public discontent.
Source:Taipei Times
May 24, 2024 21:45 UTC
The Hindu-Muslim split is not the most dangerous divide in India
The Hindu-Muslim split is not the most dangerous divide in IndiaBy Mihir Sharma / Bloomberg OpinionIndia’s weeks-long election is drawing to a close. In fact, tensions between Indian states might be even more dangerous. The message to Bengalis: The BJP is a north Indian party with no respect for our culture, and they would bring violent ways of life from other Indian states to our door. The southern state of Kerala has a human development index approaching that of China, Brazil or Mexico, while many north Indian states score closer to the poorer parts of sub-Saharan Africa. For decades, multiethnic India has enjoyed healthy political competition at the state and federal levels, as well as messy political alliances between north, west, south and east.
Source:Taipei Times
May 24, 2024 17:54 UTC
President Lai vows to safeguard Taiwan
President William Lai, front, center, gestures as he visited a military camp in Taoyuan yesterday. Photo: Ann Wang, ReutersOf the Chinese coast guard ships, four were detected off the east coast of Taiwan, three were off the southeast coast and nine were in waters near Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties, he said. “Unlike China’s previous military exercises around Taiwan, it did not give precise longitudes and latitudes in which military exercises would be held, nor did it announce no-fly zones,” he said. President William Lai, third right, is shown a FIM-92 Stinger dual mount system while inspecting a military base in Taoyuan yesterday. The Coast Guard Administration said that it dispatched seven ships and 16 boats to help dispel Chinese coast guard ships off the north and east coasts.
Source:Taipei Times
May 24, 2024 12:09 UTC
Guatemala affirms support for Taiwan on Japan visit
Guatemala affirms support for Taiwan on Japan visitBy Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff reporterGuatemala reaffirmed its support for Taiwan during a meeting between Guatemalan Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Ramiro Martinez and Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Yoko Kamikawa on Wednesday. After attending President William Lai’s (賴清德) inauguration ceremony in Taiwan on Monday, Martinez’s delegation left for Japan on Wednesday. Photo courtesy of the Presidential OfficeArevalo told Lai that he looked forward to further strengthening the friendship between Taiwan and Guatemala, he added. Martinez made particular mention of Taiwan, saying that “Guatemala’s support for Taiwan remains unchanged” and that next year would mark the 90th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two sides, it said. A decline in Taiwan’s international presence could have an impact on Japan’s security, which is why Japan attaches great importance to Guatemala, it said.
Source:Taipei Times
May 24, 2024 03:34 UTC
Google picks southern Indian state for smartphone production
Google picks southern Indian state for smartphone productionBloombergGoogle plans to invest billions of dollars in India’s Tamil Nadu state to set up smartphone production, picking the southern industrial province for its manufacturing push in the country. Its Wing subsidiary will also assemble drones in Tamil Nadu, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the information is private. Photo: AFPA team from the Tamil Nadu government, comprising Minister for Industries T.R.B. Indian news Web site Moneycontrol earlier reported Google’s plan to manufacture in Tamil Nadu. Google said last year it will begin production of its Pixel 8 smartphones in India, without disclosing a location.
Source:Taipei Times
May 23, 2024 18:07 UTC
India determined to end title drought at T20 event
India determined to end title drought at T20 eventAP, NEW DELHIIn the ever-growing T20 cricket landscape, India boasts the richest and most-watched league in the world. Rohit Sharma’s India squad travel to the T20 World Cup in the US and the Caribbean in search of a second title to end a long drought. Photo: AFPHowever, since the advent of the IPL, India have not lifted the World Cup trophy. After winning the inaugural T20 World Cup in South Africa in 2007, India have only reached one more final — losing to Sri Lanka in 2014. Sharma has been a part of every India squad at the T20 World Cup.
Source:Taipei Times
May 23, 2024 17:55 UTC
Holding the legislature in contempt
One proposal would allow the legislature to punish government officials, legal persons and private citizens that fail to hand over documents by finding them in “contempt of the legislature” and/or imposing exorbitant fines. Ironically, the placards of many protesters read: “I hold the legislature in contempt” as KMT and TPP legislators were poised to pass their “contempt of the legislature” bills. Taiwanese must indeed express their anger at the Legislative Yuan, as KMT and TPP legislators have abandoned their civic duties. This is the path onto which KMT and TPP legislators are pushing Taiwan. That is why the people of Taiwan must hold the legislature in contempt until further notice.
Source:Taipei Times
May 22, 2024 21:45 UTC
EDITORIAL: Thousands protesting cannot be wrong
EDITORIAL: Thousands protesting cannot be wrongThe scuffles on the legislative floor on Friday last week over the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) forcing controversial legislation through to the next reading were embarrassing for the nation, but they were hardly unprecedented, and it is important not to fixate on them. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislative caucus was fiercely opposed to the KMT’s and TPP’s antics. Objections and concerns have been expressed in many quarters, including international academics, the Taiwan Bar Association, local legal academics and the public. They might be right in saying that the DPP is sore now that the boot is on the other foot. That in no way means that the concerns are unfounded, and it is not the DPP alone that is protesting.
Source:Taipei Times
May 22, 2024 21:45 UTC
Foreign academics slam KMT, TPP legislative reforms
Foreign academics slam KMT, TPP legislative reformsBy Kayleigh Madjar / Staff writerA group of 30 foreign academics yesterday released a statement condemning legislative reforms proposed by opposition lawmakers, saying they are unconstitutional and undermine the objective of good governance. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) have put forward a set of legislative reforms that would introduce “contempt of legislature” charges, require the president to answer lawmakers’ questions and expand the legislature’s investigative powers. In the statement, the academics expressed “strong concern and disappointment” about the proposed reforms. They fail to take into consideration Taiwan’s constitutional framework and go beyond the scope of legislative powers exercised in other countries, the signatories said. “More importantly, the citizens of Taiwan deserve a government that is responsible, accountable and transparent, all of which this reform bill undermines.”
Source:Taipei Times
May 20, 2024 18:44 UTC
Could South Korea’s US$73,500 baby bonus solve its fertility crisis?
Could South Korea’s US$73,500 baby bonus solve its fertility crisis? South Korea, which has the world’s lowest total fertility rate — just above 0.7, far below the replacement level of 2.1 — is pondering a radical solution: baby bonuses of 100 million won (US$73,500) each. For perspective, that is about twice South Korea’s annual per capita income. It should not be a huge surprise that the smaller subsidies do not work. In any case, the South Korean and Hungarian birth subsidy experiments deserve both praise and scrutiny.
Source:Taipei Times
May 20, 2024 16:49 UTC
TPP holds protest in front of DPP headquarters
TPP holds protest in front of DPP headquartersBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterThousands of people yesterday attended the Taiwan People’s Party’s (TPP) protest in front of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) headquarters in Taipei, calling for legislative, judicial, media and constitutional reforms. It is not us who betrayed them.”As president-elect William Lai (賴清德) is about to take office and his party is entering its ninth year as the ruling party, the DPP has become arrogant, the TPP said. The DPP has already broken its four reforms promise and Lai should not shirk his responsibility, the TPP said. When Tsai won the 2016 presidential election, in her victory speech, she told DPP members to be “humble and more humble,” Ko said. “We are here to remind the DPP to remember its words and restore its humbleness,” Ko said.
Source:Taipei Times
May 19, 2024 23:08 UTC
Lai to express ‘concrete’ goodwill toward China in inauguration speech, source says
Lai to express ‘concrete’ goodwill toward China in inauguration speech, source saysSEAFOOD DIPLOMACY: Lai and incoming vice president Hsiao hosted leaders of diplomatic allies in a traditional shrimp-fishing eventBy Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff reporter, with Reuters and CNAPresident-elect William Lai (賴清德) would express “concrete” goodwill toward China in his inauguration speech today, and call for both sides of the Taiwan Strait to pursue peace, a senior official briefed on the matter said. Lai, 64, is detested by Beijing as a “separatist.”Eswatini’s King Mswati III, left, president-elect William Lai, center, and vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim, right, fish at the Zhishan Shrimp Fishing Farm in Taipei yesterday. Earlier in the day, Lai and vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) took visiting leaders of diplomatic allies to experience traditional shrimp fishing and enjoy local cuisine in Taipei. They were also joined by Belizean Prime Minister John Briceno, Saint Lucian Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, Tuvaluan Prime Minister Feleti Teo, Saint Kitts and Nevis Deputy Prime Minister Geoffrey Hanley and Guatemalan Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Ramiro Martinez. A source said the shrimping event was the second Lai has hosted since taking office as vice president in May 2020.
Source:Taipei Times
May 19, 2024 21:43 UTC
Space data fuels India’s farming innovation drive
“We are on a surer footing when it comes to agricultural practices; [using satellite data] safeguards us from climate change, pest and disease, problems with irrigation scheduling,” he said. The Indian government, which just relaxed foreign investment rules for the space sector, is leaning heavily into the use of satellite data to solve problems on the ground, with agriculture a key focus. Cropin, founded in 2010 and backed by Google and the Gates Foundation, recently signed a deal with Amazon Web Services to crunch satellite data to solve for global food insecurity. India has 2,743 agricultural tech start-ups, many of which incorporate satellite data or other space technology. However, there are barriers to large-scale adoption of space technology in agriculture.
Source:Taipei Times
May 19, 2024 03:33 UTC
DPP should work with some TPP lawmakers
DPP should work with some TPP lawmakersBy Paul lin 林保華President-elect William Lai (賴清德) and vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) take up their official positions tomorrow. Many of the new Cabinet members are not members of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Meanwhile, the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) serves most of the time as little more than a small pro-blue party. Although there has been no recent cooperation between the DPP and TPP, perhaps the former can make friends with TPP legislators who seek common ground while reserving differences, especially after Ko recently ordered TPP lawmakers not to vote on a KMT proposal. After he criticized Vivian Huang as “a female version of [Legislative Speaker] Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜)” during the speakership election, DPP lawmakers remained silent.
Source:Taipei Times
May 18, 2024 17:16 UTC
Fertilizers will not fix the food crisis in Africa
Fertilizers will not fix the food crisis in AfricaBy Silke Bollmohr and Harun WaruiThe world is confronting an unprecedented food crisis, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s war against Ukraine and worsening climate conditions. Specifically, synthetic nitrogen fertilizers disrupt the delicate balance of the soil ecosystem — the very foundation of sustainable agriculture. Perhaps most worryingly, research indicates that the production and application of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers accounts for roughly 2 percent of total global greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions. This month, the AU’s Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit in Nairobi addressed soil degradation and food insecurity. Productivity can be maintained without industrial nitrogen fertilizers, as shown in long-term trials across Africa.
Source:Taipei Times
May 17, 2024 16:58 UTC