Published since 2019 by the Fair Winds Foundation and Association of Foreign Relations, Taiwan Weekly provides in-depth report and analysis of the major issues facing Taiwan.
The campaign to collect enough signed petitions to file a referendum to protect the algal reefs at Datan, Taoyuan, has surprisingly created a new wave of social movement after Chinese New Year and has attracted the attention of high-level officials within the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
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February 22: A thick haze occurring in the early morning of February 21 on the Yunlin section of Taiwan's Provincial Highway No. 61, also known as West Coast Expressway, contributed to serious collisions involving 21 cars and causing two deaths and eight injuries. Investigation revealed that the highway 308 kilometers long was equipped with only one fog detector, and early warming devices were seriously inadequate. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) convened and finalized a seven-point road safety improvement plan, under which 16 fog detectors would be installed on the West Coast Expressway within one year, consistent with the density on National Highways.
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In her national security remarks on February 10, the eve before Chinese New Year, President Tsai Ing-wen affirmed the freedom of navigation operation conducted by the United States Navy in the South China Sea.
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When global think tanks predict the crisis that may most likely trigger war between the United States and China, the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea are the most frequently mentioned hotspots recently.
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Leaders on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have taken the opportunity of the Chinese New Year to express their wishes to each other. Chinese President Xi Jinping's greeting is to "Taiwan compatriots," while President Tsai Ing-wen's greeting is to "people on the other side."
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February 10: The administration of President Joe Biden in the United States has called for cross-strait dialogue. In public remarks following a high-level national security meeting before Chinese New Year, President Tsai Ing-wen stressed that the key to cross-strait peace lies in China's hands. She wished people on the opposite side of the strait health and safety in the year ahead and expressed hopes to promote cross-strait peace and stability.
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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) announced on February 4 the establishment of a "Taiwan Office" in Guyana, emphasizing that it enjoys official political status. Legislators affiliated with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) even called it a diplomatic breakthrough.
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Guyana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation abruptly terminated the establishment of a "Taiwan Office" in the South American country in less than 24 hours of Taiwan's announcement under the pretext of miscommunication and adherence to the "one China" policy.
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With the successive speeches and position expressions of the new Cabinet members of the United States, the China policy of the administration of President Joe Biden is gradually becoming clearer.
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February 1: The new Judges Act and system for judge discipline took effect July last year, and courts have added two lay judges to participate in the trial process. A first case sentenced former Nantou District prosecutor Wang Chuan-chung a fine of three months pay for unlawfully serving during his tenure as his sister's criminal defense lawyer. This is the first instance in the judicial history of the Republic of China that the people (as lay judges) have participated in trying a judge, carrying special significance.
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