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.

President Lai's Emphasis on Real Strength Could Signal Path to Militarism

President Lai's Emphasis on Real Strength Could Signal Path to Militarism

President Lai Ching-te made a bold statement that Taiwan must “achieve peace through strength” and should never sign a peace agreement with Communist China. But how high is military spending to be considered as having “strength?” Taiwan’s defense budget for next year is estimated to be 2.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Also advocating for “strength,” Former U.S. President Donald Trump recently strongly asserted that Taiwan’s military budget should be increased to 10 percent of GDP. No wonder some scholars criticize that Mr. Trump is pushing Taiwan towards “militarism.”

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This Week in Taiwan 0929-1005

This Week in Taiwan 0929-1005

September 29: Joseph Cella, former United States ambassador to the South Pacific and founder of the Michigan China Economic Security and Review Group, recently confirmed in Congress that Taiwanese troops are being trained at the national All-Domain Warfighting Center of the Michigan National Guard. According to the website of the Michigan National Guard, this center focuses on five major operational domains: land, air, sea, space, and cyber. It provides realistic combat training through a joint live-fire environment. According to Cella, Camp Grayling is the hub of this center, responsible for providing strategic and tactical combat training to U.S. forces and allied troops.

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U.S. Will Not Withdraw Missiles, China Test Fires Missiles: U.S.-China Arms Race Quietly Begins

U.S. Will Not Withdraw Missiles, China Test Fires Missiles: U.S.-China Arms Race Quietly Begins

At 8:44 AM on September 25, People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force test fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) carrying a dummy warhead into the high seas of the Pacific Ocean. The warhead accurately fell into expected sea area. Contrary to the statement from China’s Ministry of Defense that the test firing was a routine annual exercise, it was actually the first launch of an ICBM into the Pacific Ocean in 44 years.

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Hastily Organizing 400,000-Man Militia Will Only End in Tragedy

Hastily Organizing 400,000-Man Militia Will Only End in Tragedy

Recently, President Lai Ching-te announced his ambitious plan for 400,000 militias, which evokes disbelief and frustration.

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For Hitting China's Sore Points？ Why ICEF Became First Case to Be ''Punished'' for Taiwan Independence

For Hitting China's Sore Points？ Why ICEF Became First Case to Be ''Punished'' for Taiwan Independence

On June 21 this year, after mainland China issued an opinion on legally punishing Taiwan independence separatists for secession and incitement of secession, observers anticipated that this would not be taken as a mere declaration but that Beijing  would definitely take follow-up action.

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This Week in Taiwan 0922-0928

This Week in Taiwan 0922-0928

September 22: Led by the United States Department of Commerce, 26 American drone and counter-drone system manufacturers and Pentagon innovation unit officials visited Taiwan, seeking to integrate local manufacturers into the American drone industry chain. Sources indicate that in addition to contract manufacturers, mass production by Taiwanese companies with American branding for sales is also a possibility. The United States has expressed high interest in the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology's "Chien Hsiang" anti-radiation drone system, which targets enemy radars.

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Death Penalty ''Conditionally Constitutional'' But Essentially Abolished

Death Penalty ''Conditionally Constitutional'' But Essentially Abolished

Thirty-seven (37) death row inmates claimed that the death penalty system in the criminal law was unconstitutional and petitioned for a constitutional review. On August 20, the Constitutional Court declared that the death penalty was constitutional, but strictly limited the types of crimes and requirements applicable to it. Although the death penalty still exists on the surface, it can be said to have been “substantially abolished.” How to appease the public opinion of more than 80 percent who are opposed to abolishing death penalty will test the administration of President Lai Ching-te.

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Constitutional Court Ruling on Death Penalty Deceitful Like a Scam

Constitutional Court Ruling on Death Penalty Deceitful Like a Scam

On the first day of  new session in the Legislative Yuan, the Supreme Court declared the death penalty "conditionally constitutional," effectively abolishing it. This ruling reflects the grand justices' populist tendencies, aiming to pursue abolition while gaining political favor. They packaged eight unconstitutional elements as constitutional, akin to the emperor's new clothes. This not only misleads the public but also disrupts the constitutional order.

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U.S. Military Aid and Arms Sales Unreliable, Lai Administration Should Wake Up

U.S. Military Aid and Arms Sales Unreliable, Lai Administration Should Wake Up

Since it severed diplomatic relations with the Republic of China in 1979, the United States in 2023 provided military aid to Taiwan for the first time. However, the equipment sent has been described by American personnel as "discarded junk." Additionally, the delivery of F-16V fighter jets to Taiwan has been delayed again. The repeated mishaps in Anerucab arms sales and military aid to Taiwan not only embarrass the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration, which has long believed in the firmness of American security promises, but also negatively impact Taiwan’s national security and defense strategies. If it weren’t for the Department of Defense publicly acknowledged that it had shipped "unusable and poorly packaged equipment" to Taiwan, the public would still be unaware of the facts. Meanwhile, the security team, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of National Defense in the administration of President Lai Ching-te have remained silent, unwilling to face up to the reality.

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This Week in Taiwan 0915-0921

This Week in Taiwan 0915-0921

September 15: After President Lai Ching-te took the initiative to provoke a territorial dispute between China and Russia, Taiwan has been frequently attacked by pro-Russian hacker groups. The Ministry of Digital Affairs confirmed 45 incidents in a single week, covering government units overseeing as tax, military, and financial securities, as well as private institutions like banks and telecommunication operators. Two-thirds of these attacks successfully caused service disruptions. The main method was distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack, which uses large amounts of Internet traffic to overwhelm target servers, causing them to crash without invading the system to steal or alter data.

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