Fearful of Chinese intervention in Taiwan, the Pentagon has released a report that states that China has closed ‘key gaps’ in its military technology. According to the US government’s annual report on China’s defensive capabilities, China will have a fully modernised military by 2020. China, on the other hand, has dismissed the report, calling it “cock and bull”.

The stability of Asia – Pacific region hangs in a gentle balance. The world at large, and especially the US, have known for a long time that China has ambitions of expansion, and any military manoeuvrings in that region give cause for concern. more…

This fall, a special group of students will arrive at Taiwanese universities: Roughly 2,000 young men and women from 41 universities in the PRC. They will become the first from Mainland China to enroll in full degree programs in Taiwan in more than 60 years. This development seems to be another sign of the warming ties between the former rivals breaking down yet another barrier that have separated them in the past. After the Civil War, China and Taiwan split in 1949 though Beijing still considers the island part of its territory and has threatened to invade should Taiwan move toward formal independence. But ties improved dramatically when Beijing-friendly President Ma Ying-jeou came to power on a platform of boosting economic ties with China. Accordingly, the plan is a result of talks between the two governments last year with the goal of forging closer trade ties and promoting educational exchange between the two countries. more…

via US Air Force

Taiwan’s congressional supporters are ramping up the pressure on the Obama administration to approve the sale of new F-16 fighterjet units to the island nation. The pressure notched up a level higher when one pro-sale senator vowed to delay the confirmation of a new deputy secretary of state if there is no movement on the F-16 sale. Taiwan’s congressional allies’ actions have provoked countermaneuvers from mainland Chinese officials. Chinese dignitaries have visited senators, Obama administration officials, former officials, and personnel form other institutions to voice their opposition to the proposed F-16 sale. more…

joanho via stock.xchng

There is good news if you plan a trip to Hong Kong or Macao in the next months. As of July 15, Taiwan’s de facto embassies in the SAR (special administrative regions) gain new status receive the official name Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Hong Kong and Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Macau, respectively. More than simply a new name for the same old thing, the agreement made between the SAR and the ROC last week recognizes the true status of both offices, and gives our government more possibilities in promoting Taiwan in the regions, especially in areas such as tourism, culture, education, or trade. With the recognition come new opportunities. On a very basic level, it means that ROC officials now have a status that affords them certain rights and privileges afforded to members of the diplomatic corps. Officials already speak of a “new stage” in the relationship between the SAR and the ROC. more…

The partially government owned Chunghwa Telecom Co. announced today that it planned to renew the license for New Tang Dynasty Television (NTD) amidst political pressures to reverse an earlier decision to discontinue the service in August. For those of you unfamiliar with NTD TV: In 2001, it was founded by members of Falun Gong in New York City and is heavily invested in human rights topics. Rumor has it that Chunghwa had been under pressure from the CCP because of the fact that NTDs broadcasts could be received in mainland China where Falung Gong is banned. Until now the views of the Taiwanese government to extend the license with NTD had been ignored. But the protest came from all sides of political spectrum: Tsai Ing-wen, chairman of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Wang Jin-ping, the president of Taiwan’s legislature, and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh Kuo-liang. There have even been some US and European voices protesting the ROC government’s decision to suppress freedom of speech by turning down NTD’s application. more…