Politics

Domestic and international politics of Taiwan

Taipei Mayor Gaffes Again: Rape is Cheaper than Seduction

ko wenje Taipei Mayor
Politics 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) apologized today after making controversial comments at a closed-door meeting with Democratic Progressive Party representatives yesterday. During a discussion of the city’s urban renewal program, Ko made an analogy comparing forced land acquisition for a set price per ping as being like rape, while offering market rates to land owners was a form of seduction. After making the analogy, he said “rape is cheaper than seduction.” The mayor’s comments were lambasted in the press, and

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Legislators Scuffle Over Pension Reform Bill

kmt and DPP legislators scuffle during a committee review of a draft bill
Politics 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment ,

[Cover picture: United Daily News] Conflict over amendments to the public service pension law turned physical at a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee today, when Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) member Kung Wen-chi (孔文吉) attacked Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) member Tuan Yi-kang (段宜康). New Power Party legislator Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明) posted video of the incident to Facebook, where he commented that the KMT had engaged in hooliganism and had no intention of reviewing the

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Lawmakers Run the Gauntlet to Get Inside Barricades

Protest 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

[Cover Picture: United Daily News] Legislators, staff, media, and observers struggled to get through protesters and barricades to enter the Legislative Yuan where the ruling Democratic Progressive Party will attempt to make a final review of a pension reform bill. DPP Secures the Podium DPP members made an early start and entered the conference room at around 7:00am to prevent the opposition KMT from occupying the podium. Political battles in the legislature frequently result in physical fights to control the

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Razor-wire Barricades Go Up: Government Prepares for Siege

barricades erected in Taipei ahead of expect protests over a pension reform bill
Protest 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

[Cover Picture: United Daily News] Live Broadcast of Protests April 19 A district of Taipei containing the Presidential Palace, Executive Yuan, and Legislative Yuan is surrounded by razor-wire barricades as the ruling Democratic Progressive Party prepares to bring a pension reform bill for a final reading in the legislature. The reform bill, which President Tsai Ing-wen says is necessary to prevent the pension system’s imminent financial collapse, is opposed by retired public servants including military and police, and anti-reform groups

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Political Fanpage Apologizes for Aboriginal Joke

Wu Den-yih
Politics 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

The manager of an official fan page for former Vice-President, and contender for the post of KMT chairperson, Wu Den-yih, posted an apology on Facebook, after being criticized over a joke published to the page, that many considered discriminatory towards Taiwan’s indigenous people. Critics said the joke played on ethnic stereotypes of aborigines being uneducated, and at the same time mocked their accent. Wu served as Vice-President to Ma Ying-jeou from 2012-2016. He was First Vice Chairman of the KMT

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Principal Calls Cops on Student Protestors

protest banners unfurled during an event at Taiwan Normal University High School April 9, 2017
Protest 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

[cover picture: Liberty Times Network] School administrators at a high school in Taipei City called police after students unfurled banners and cut off the microphone while the principal was making a speech at a 70th anniversary event on Sunday, April 9. Police declined to press charges, and the Ministry of Education said that calling police to the campus was inappropriate. The ministry said that school administrators should communicate with the student offenders and use the incident as an opportunity to

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Blood on the Streets of Keelung: Massacre Remembered

A provocative art installation representing blood and bodies on the streets of Keelung City March 8
Protest 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment

[Picture: Liberty Times Network] A group of activists in the port city of Keelung created some provocative street art in the early hours of the morning to commemorate a massacre of civilians by Chinese Nationalist troops March 8, 1947. Early morning commuters were confronted by streets and sidewalks around Keelung Station splattered with red paint. Transparent plastic silhouettes laid on the ground represented victims of what some books describe as ‘indiscriminate killing’. Authorities were seen before dawn hurrying to clean

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Taiwanese Australian Dumped After Anti-Gay Comments

Shan Ju Lin Taiwanese-Australian politician
Politics 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment ,

Australia’s One Nation Party revoked their endorsement of Shan Ju Lin, the party’s first Asian-Australian candidate, after the Taiwan-born candidate made controversial comments about gay people. Party leader Pauline Hanson dumped the member after Ms Lin posted a comment on her Facebook page saying that gay people engaged in “abnormal sexual behaviour” and “should be treated as patients.” Ms Lin has since allegedly deleted the comments. One Nation Party officials were unable to contact her through other means, and used

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Angry Father Smashes Toy Rabbit Who Says Taiwan is Part of China

smashed rabbit made in China
Politics 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

The father of a pre-schooler smashed a toy rabbit and posted pictures on-line after the Chinese-made educational toy said “the biggest island in China is Taiwan.” The incident drew comments from the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and legislators. The father purchased the “Showtime Rabbit story machine” on the Chinese shopping website Taobao. The toy is marketed as teaching Chinese culture, stories, songs, geography, music, and more. It was priced at 15 yuan to 30 yuan (about NT$ 69 ~ 138).

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Fight Breaks Out in Legislature: People Take to the Streets

Legislators fight in Taipei October 27, 2016
Politics 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Photo: United Daily News A member of the ruling Democratic People’s Party (DPP) tried to throttle a member of the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) this morning, after KMT members stormed the podium in an attempt to prevent the passing of a bill. The draft amendment would see the introduction of a 5 day working week, while maintaining the current number of national holidays at 12. The DPP originally promised to restore national holidays that had been rescinded by previous

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People Injured in Worker’s Protest

Business and Economy Protest 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

Sixty people, including police and reporters were injured during a protest in Changhua County when protesters clashed with police over the closing down of a chemical plant. Workers at the Formosa Plastics Group factory are facing unemployment after the Changhua County Environmental Protection Agency refused to renew the plant’s operating license. Seven people required treatment at a local hospital after the clash, including a police officer who suffered a fractured finger. A news reporter was also injured. Protesters hurled full

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