Taiwan Weekly is a newsletter released every week by Fair Winds Foundation, Association of Foreign Relations and Taipei Forum that provides coverage and perspectives into the latest developments in Taiwan.
This Week in Taiwan 0813-0819
August 14: Hsinchu Mayor Kao Hung-an, who is affiliated with the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), was reported last year for allegedly fraudulently receiving office expenses while serving as legislator. The Taipei District Prosecutor's Office concluded its investigation and indicted Kao and five assistants in accordance with the Anti-Corruption Act and Criminal Code. Kao's indictment may affect the TPP's electoral performance in Hsinchu and even impact whether her former boss, Terry Gou, founder of Hon Hai Precision Industry Company (Foxconn), runs independently for president.
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Hou's Plan to Reduce Carbon Emissions Embraces Nuclear, Renewable Energy
Under the anti-nuclear movement, the Kuomintang's (KMT) energy policy has been a target of public scrutiny.
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Aso's "War Readiness" Comments Should Not be Misread
Taro Aso, vice president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and former prime minister of Japan, arrived in Taiwan for a three-day visit on August 7.
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Mainland Chinese Tourists Still Not Allowed to Visit Taiwan：Tourism Industry Struggling, but Tsai Administration Won't Relent
On August 10, mainland China announced that mainland Chinese can travel in groups to an additional 78 countries and regions.
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This Week in Taiwan 0806-0812
August 6: In an exclusive interview with the New York Times, Chairman Mark Liu of the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company refuted the idea of the company being a "silicon shield." He stated that China will not invade Taiwan because of semiconductors and will not decide against invading Taiwan due to semiconductors. The decision rests entirely upon the United States and China on how they will maintain the status quo that both sides would like to keep.
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Presidential Race：Lai versus Hou on the Diplomatic Battleground
The presidential election has turned into a diplomatic battleground.
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Analysis of the Taiwan International Solidarity Act
Not long ago, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Taiwan International Solidarity Act, which indicates that Resolution 2758 adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1971 does not address Taiwan's legal status in the organization, and this Act is now on the floor of the U.S. Senate for consideration.
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Defense Budget Sustains Tsai Administration's Cross-Strait Policy
An initial draft of the Cabinet's Fiscal Year 2024 Central Government Budget has earmarked NT$440 billion (US$13 billion) for national defense, an increase of NT$30 billion (US$ 944 million) from this year's budget.
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This Week in Taiwan 0730-0805
July 30: Speaker Hsieh Tien-lin of the Changhua County Council, the most prominent local speaker supporting Terry Gou, announced his departure from the Kuomintang (KMT), becoming the second speaker to quit the party after Speaker He Sheng-feng of the Nantou County Council. Gou left a message on Hsieh's Facebook to pay his respects. According to Gou, while Hsieh's party membership may no longer exist, his party spirit will last forever. Only when the opposition unites and integrates successfully will it win the presidential and legislative elections and bring the Republic of China from the brink of war to the right track of peace.
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Mystery Behind "Grand Coalition" Proposal
After the Kuomintang's (KMT) National Congress successfully eliminated internal dissents that demanded replacing the party candidate for the next presidential elections, Chairman Eric Chu for the first time shouted out the campaign slogan of forming a "grand coalition for governing."
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