tsai ing-wen

Will Beijing answer Taiwanese negotiation body’s call to revive cross-strait talks?

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Will Beijing answer Taiwanese negotiation body’s call to revive cross-strait talks?

Beijing is expected to ignore a Taiwanese body’s call for a resumption of cross-strait consultations with its mainland counterpart amid tensions that have worsened since the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) gained power on the island, according to observers. Luo Wen-jia, secretary general of Taiwan’s Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), tasked with consultation and negotiation with … Read more

Beijing’s pilot zone for economic integration with Taiwan running out of steam

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Beijing’s pilot zone for economic integration with Taiwan running out of steam

Fujian province has become a test bed for mainland China’s push for economic, social and political integration with Taiwan. In this story – third in a four-part on-the-ground series – Amber Wang examines the rise and fall of the Pingtan economic pilot zone that was once a major draw for Taiwanese businesses, workers and investment. … Read more

What happened when mainland China recruited Taiwanese for governance

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What happened when mainland China recruited Taiwanese for governance

Fujian province has become a test bed for mainland China’s push for economic, social and political integration with Taiwan. In this story – the second in a four-part on-the-ground series – Amber Wang looks at a mainland attempt to involve Taiwanese in local government administration. When Willy Song lined up with his Taiwanese colleagues to … Read more

Former Taiwan leader emphasises shared historical roots of island and mainland Chinese

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Former Taiwan leader emphasises shared historical roots of island and mainland Chinese

Former Taiwanese leader Ma Ying-jeou has vowed to protect the island’s deep-rooted cultural and historical ties with mainland China while accusing the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) of having a “misguided political agenda” in attempting to sever these links. “In the past several decades, Taiwan has played a vital role in preserving and promoting Chinese … Read more

Former Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou visits Harbin aiming to ‘build bridge of peace’

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Former Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou visits Harbin aiming to ‘build bridge of peace’

Former Taiwanese leader Ma Ying-jeou has begun a nine-day trip to mainland China – his third in two years – amid accusations from pro-independence voices that he is compromising the self-ruled island’s interests. Ma’s delegation, which includes a group of Taiwanese university students, was greeted by municipal officials and well-wishers at the airport when they … Read more

From Teresa Teng to Chiung Yao: Taiwan’s lost age of cultural sway over mainland China

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From Teresa Teng to Chiung Yao: Taiwan’s lost age of cultural sway over mainland China

When news broke earlier this month of the death of Taiwanese writer Chiung Yao, mainland fan Nicole Li was flooded with childhood memories of watching TV dramas based on Yao’s work. “I can almost recite the lines and plots of My Fair Princess and Romance in the Rain,” 30-year-old Li said, referring to mainland-Taiwanese co-productions … Read more

Cross-strait exchanges under pressure by Taiwan’s ruling DPP

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Cross-strait exchanges under pressure by Taiwan’s ruling DPP

A push by Taiwan’s main opposition party to improve cross-strait relations is coming under pressure from the island’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). The annual Taipei-Shanghai Twin City Forum – set for Tuesday – hangs in the balance as Taipei mayor Wayne Chiang Wan-an faces growing demands to cancel the event if Beijing continues to … Read more

Taiwanese political heavyweight proposes new cross-strait framework

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Taiwanese political heavyweight proposes new cross-strait framework

Former Taiwanese legislative speaker Wang Jin-pyng, a political heavyweight from the main opposition Kuomintang party, has proposed a new cross-strait framework that he says aims to reduce tensions and promote peace. Wang’s concept of “separate governance without division” seeks to establish a situation where Taiwan and mainland China can coexist while maintaining separate governance, yet … Read more

Taiwan’s Lai suits US with low-key stops but may yet draw ire from mainland China

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Taiwan’s Lai suits US with low-key stops but may yet draw ire from mainland China

Lai, who returned on Friday from a weeklong visit to three of Taipei’s Pacific allies, maintained a relatively low profile during his layovers in the US territories, meeting only local leaders and politicians. Lai was greeted on his arrival in Honolulu last Saturday by Ingrid Larson, managing director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), … Read more

Former Taiwanese leader’s trip to security summit in Canada raises ire in Beijing

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Former Taiwanese leader’s trip to security summit in Canada raises ire in Beijing

Former Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen is set to visit Canada on Wednesday in yet another overseas trip expected to provoke a strong reaction from Beijing. “[Tsai] will highlight the unwavering commitment of the Taiwanese people to safeguarding democracy and freedom and reaffirm Taiwan’s determination to collaborate with the international community in contributing to global stability … Read more