Young Indians’ views on China
Young Indians’ views on ChinaBy Gurjit SinghIndia uses multilateral and bilateral vehicles as it sails through the choppy waters of today’s geopolitical waves. In terms of countries, China is the biggest challenge for India’s foreign policy, the ORF Foreign Policy Survey 2023, which polled young Indians, showed. Young people felt that Indian foreign policy was performing well, last year’s survey showed. This shows that young Indians are more satisfied with the manner in which India’s foreign policy is conducted. Despite the distrust in China, 44 percent of respondents felt that India should stay neutral in the US-China rivalry.
Source:Taipei Times
February 22, 2024 03:43 UTC
Operations canceled as doctors’ strike in South Korea grows
Operations canceled as doctors’ strike in South Korea growsAFP and AP, SEOULThe South Korean government yesterday warned thousands of striking doctors to return to work immediately or face legal action after their collective walkouts caused cancelations of surgeries and disrupted other hospital operations. Doctors and medical workers participate in a protest against a plan to admit more students to medical schools in front of the Presidential Office in Seoul yesterday. “A collective action holding the lives and safety of the people cannot be justified for whatever reason,” South Korean Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min told a news conference with other top officials. South Korea’s medical law allows the government to issue such back-to-work orders to doctors and other medical personnel when there are grave concerns about public health. South Korea’s general hospitals rely heavily on trainees for emergency operations and surgeries, and local reports said cancer patients and expectant mothers needing caesarean sections had seen procedures canceled or delayed, with scores of cases causing “damage,” he said.
Source:Taipei Times
February 21, 2024 20:09 UTC
Fubon Bank secures approval for branch in India
Fubon Bank secures approval for branch in IndiaStaff writer, with CNATaipei Fubon Bank Co (台北富邦銀行) has secured approval from the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) to open a branch in Mumbai, India. The signage of Taipei Fubon Commercial Bank, a subsidiary of Fubon Financial Holdings Co, is pictured in Taipei in an undated photograph. Photo: Kelson Wang, Taipei TimesThe commission therefore issued the green light to Taipei Fubon Bank to seek approval from financial authorities in India to open a branch in the Indian financial hub. As of the end of last month, Taipei Fubon Bank had overseas branches in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Binh Duong, as well as in Hong Kong and Singapore, the FSC said, adding that the bank owns a subsidiary — Fubon Bank — in China. Taipei Fubon Bank also posted a new monthly high of almost NT$3.5 billion in net profit that month.
Source:Taipei Times
February 21, 2024 20:09 UTC
Premier urges rationality amid dispute
The Ministry of National Defense established the boundaries of “prohibited” and “restricted” waters around Kinmen in 1992 to better protect fishers, with relevant law enforcement well understood by both sides, Chen said. On Monday, the China Coast Guard boarded a Kinmen sightseeing boat to conduct a surprise inspection. 8209 ship was intercepted by a coast guard vessel after radar detected it entering restricted waters near Kinmen. The coast guard told the Chinese ship that it was barred from entering restricted waters without authorization and shadowed it for nearly an hour before it left Kinmen waters. Although Chinese authorities refused to sign the formal repatriation form, the coast guard said it was a formality and the two men would be sent back regardless.
Source:Taipei Times
February 21, 2024 06:58 UTC
The Liberty Times Editorial: China’s new ‘Cultural Revolution’
Last year marked a turning point in the course of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) growing power. The Chinese Ministry of State Security has even threatened those who spread pessimism about China’s economy. China’s property market, stock market, employment and consumption all show signs that people are having a hard time. However, Xi’s world view is still focused on the Indo-Pacific region. Meanwhile, there are those in Taiwan who echo China’s Taiwan Affairs Office by saying that only when there is peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait can Taiwanese live and work in peace and contentment.
Source:Taipei Times
February 21, 2024 03:42 UTC
Taiwan women remain undefeated in Doha
Taiwan women remain undefeated in DohaBy Benjamin Bowser / Staff writerThe Taiwan women’s team yesterday dominated Chile to remain undefeated in Group 4 at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals in Busan, South Korea, while the men’s team forced Japan into a showdown of their top players. 131 Cheng Hsien-tzu beating Lynda Loghraibi 11-3, 11-6, 11-6, followed by world No. Meanwhile, the Taiwan men’s team yesterday lost their second match of the tournament to seven-time champions Japan, who dominated Taiwan 3-0 in 2018 in Sweden. 9 Tomokazu Harimoto, who both played in that team match six years ago. 8 Lin defeated Bode Abiodun 11-5, 11-3, 11-3 and Chuang beat Quadri Aruna 11-0, 11-0, 11-0.
Source:Taipei Times
February 18, 2024 18:42 UTC
Ukraine’s military reset is doomed without more US aid and more US aid
Ukraine’s military reset is doomed without more US aid and more US aidGrowing skepticism about aid to Ukraine threatens the US and the EUBy James Stavridis / BloombergIt has been a tough week for Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy replaced the popular leader of his military, General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, with the current army commander, General Oleksandr Syrskyi. The Ukrainian war effort needs a reset. About half of the Republican Party is now of the erroneous opinion that the Ukraine war is not a US problem, recent polling showed. Yes, any reset must include changes by the Ukrainian military command and new technologies.
Source:Taipei Times
February 18, 2024 16:40 UTC
US tells China’s top envoy peace in Strait crucial
Blinken emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Wang called on the US to remove sanctions against Chinese companies and individuals. Chinese state media recently published reports of Chinese citizens being searched at the US border. Both sides also discussed the Israel-Hamas war and the war in Ukraine. Blinken “reiterated that the United States will stand up for our interests and values and those of our allies and partners,” Miller said.
Source:Taipei Times
February 18, 2024 02:10 UTC
Officials reject negative views about Indian workers
Officials reject negative views about Indian workersStaff writer, with CNAOfficials yesterday rejected negative perceptions about Indian migrant workers that arose after the two countries on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding on the issue. Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) called on the public not to stigmatize Indian workers, saying that migrant labor is necessary because local workers are not inclined to do the so-called “3K” — difficult, dirty or dangerous — jobs, including those in long-term care and construction. Separately, Workforce Development Agency Director-General Tsai Meng-liang (蔡孟良) said that negative stereotypes of migrant workers should be rejected, adding that there are many talented Indian workers around the world. Taiwanese tend to wrongly assume that migrant workers are a source of social issues, but the crime rate among migrant workers in Taiwan is less than half of that among Taiwanese, Tsai said. Many countries have talked with India about bringing workers to their countries, including Japan and South Korea, Tsai said.
Source:Taipei Times
February 18, 2024 02:08 UTC
Taiwan, India ink MOU on workers
Taiwan, India ink MOU on workersDISTRIBUTION OF LABOR: Taiwan would decide on the number of workers and types of industries, while India would handle recruitment and training, the labor ministry saidBy Lee Ching-hui and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writerTaiwan and India yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on migrant workers, the Ministry of Labor confirmed in a news release. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India, Taiwan’s de facto embassy, inked the agreement with its Indian counterpart, the India Taipei Association (ITA). The ministry’s comments came hours after Chinese-language media reported that a labor agreement had been reached. Negotiations on opening Taiwan to migrant workers from India began in 2020, but were shelved because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it said. Employer groups and lawmakers have urged labor officials to open new sources of migrant workers, it said.
Source:Taipei Times
February 16, 2024 21:44 UTC
Taiwan to invest NT$5.77bn in cycling paths
Taiwan to invest NT$5.77bn in cycling pathsBy Cheng Wei-chi and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe government is to allocate about NT$5.77 billion (US$184 million) over three years to build bicycle paths nationwide to boost Taiwan’s profile as an international destination for cycling enthusiasts, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai gestures beside tourism mascot Bravo the Bear yesterday as he embarks from Taipei on an nationwide bike tour to survey the state of the nation’s cycle paths. Photo: Cheng Wei-chi, Taipei TimesThe bike routes must appeal to Taiwanese as well as cyclists from abroad, he said. Railways, footpaths and cycling paths are all key facets to encourage low-carbon tourism, Tourism Administration Director-General Chou Yung-hui (周永暉) said. Chou said he hoped that cyclists visiting Taiwan would not only take a round-the-island tour, but also visit other cycling routes such as Sun Moon Lake, Dapengwan (大鵬灣) and Penghu County.
Source:Taipei Times
February 16, 2024 21:42 UTC
Japanese economy overtaken by Germany
Japanese economy overtaken by GermanyAP, TOKYOThe Japanese economy is now the world’s fourth-largest after it contracted in the fourth quarter of last year and fell behind Germany. The Japanese economy contracted 2.9 percent from July to September last year. Photo: AFPJapanese economy was the second-largest until 2010, when it was overtaken by Chinise economy. Japan’s nominal GDP totaled US$4.2 trillion last year, while Germany’s was US$4.4 trillion or US$4.5 trillion, depending on the currency conversion. Japan was historically touted as “an economic miracle,” rising from the ashes of World War II to become the second-largest economy after the US.
Source:Taipei Times
February 16, 2024 03:45 UTC
Human rights group holds ‘Free Tibet’ cycle event
Human rights group holds ‘Free Tibet’ cycle eventStaff writer, with CNAThe Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan (HRNTT) held a “Cycling for a Free Tibet” event in Taipei on Wednesday ahead of the March 10 Uprising Day to raise public awareness of the Tibetan desire for freedom. Given the situation in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region and Hong Kong, Taiwan has to defend itself against tyranny in any way necessary, Shen said, adding that he would continue to voice support for freedom, democracy and human rights in the legislature. Fung said people should not take freedom for granted, and that Taiwan could be China’s next target. Everybody should come together in the fight for freedom and human rights, he said. For the Kaohsiung event, cyclists are to meet at 1:30pm on March 2 at Exit 3 of the Kaohsiung MRT Cultural Center, it said.
Source:Taipei Times
February 15, 2024 18:42 UTC
Democracy should be cherished
To a good extent, the US election in November would also be the decision time for defending democracy. When people lose their ability to judge, society would forever lose its democracy and freedom. In this election, people have spoken and chosen democracy and freedom, as well as checks and balances. They want the ruling party to be more disciplined, a wise choice for a mature democracy. We must treasure and protect our democracy and freedom as if we could lose it at any moment.
Source:Taipei Times
February 15, 2024 16:38 UTC
Asian equities sink as rate cut hopes diminish
Asian equities sink as rate cut hopes diminishAFP, HONG KONGMost Asian equities sank yesterday, tracking a sell-off on Wall Street, as a forecast-topping US inflation report dealt a hefty blow to hopes for an early interest rate cut. Expectations for a rate cut have been doused in recent weeks by a series of strong indicators — particularly on the economy and jobs — while several monetary policymakers warned they want to see more data before shifting. A pedestrian walks past an electronic board showing Nikkei 225 index and the rate of yen against US dollar in Tokyo yesterday. The “CPI report caught a lot of people off guard”, Chris Zaccarelli of Independent Advisor Alliance said. In that case, it’s unlikely that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates in May,” Innes said.
Source:Taipei Times
February 15, 2024 03:33 UTC