by Martin Haffner Associate Editor The little-known story of how Taiwanese and human rights activists in Japan spoiled a secret agreement with the ROC to deport ‘souvenirs,’ who could have faced execution Nine Taiwanese nervously stand on an observation platform at Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport. It’s 9:20am on March 27, 1968, and they are awaiting…
Martin Haffner-Associate Editor, London Yesterday marked 1,500 days since Jimmy Lai, Hong Kong’s most notable political prisoner and media entrepreneur, was incarcerated—a period far too long for someone who shouldn’t be detained any longer. At 77 years old, Lai, a British citizen and devout Catholic, is confined in solitary confinement, reportedly allowed only 50 minutes…
Richard Sanders In a significant diplomatic meeting on Wednesday, Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio underscored their commitment to democracy and international alliances, particularly with Taiwan. The two leaders convened in Guatemala City, where they formalized an agreement for Guatemala to accept migrants deported from the United States. Under the…
Francis Tuschek U.S. Representatives Young Kim and Al Green have introduced a bipartisan bill known as the Taiwan Non-Discrimination Act, advocating for Taiwan’s inclusion in the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The legislation aims to ensure Taiwan’s involvement in IMF activities, create job opportunities for Taiwanese citizens at the IMF, and provide Taiwan with IMF assistance….
Francis Tuschek Taiwan’s generally pro-Israel policies have come under scrutiny, particularly following a recent op-ed in the Taipei Times that has left many observers in Taiwan incredulous. The article, penned by Israeli representative Yaron, drew controversial parallels between Taiwan and Israel, prompting sharp criticism from local activists. Aurora Chang, a human rights advocate and coordinator…
by Martin Haffner Associate Editor In a significant move towards safeguarding national security, Taiwan’s government has officially banned the use of DeepSeek, an AI-powered data analysis tool, for all governmental operations. The decision was made public during a press conference held by Government Minister Hsiao Hsu-hua on Tuesday, citing pressing concerns over data privacy and…
by Martin Haffner Associate Editor Taiwan and China need to talk to each other to achieve peace given the “multifold changes” in the international situation, Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te said on Monday, calling for dialogue instead of confrontation. Lai, who China detests as a “separatist”, has repeatedly called for talks with Beijing, which has stepped…
By Martin Haffner Associate Editor The Taiwanese government classifies DeepSeek from China as a security risk – similar to the Pentagon. Italy blocks the AI bot due to data protection concerns. DeepSeek’s hyped large R1 language model and the chatbot based on it are not only causing tremors on the stock markets, but are also…
by John Davenport davenport@fordham.edu Russia’s total war on Ukraine’s people is reaching its third anniversary. With many parts of Ukraine’s eastern and southern cities looking like parts of Gaza or Aleppo, Ukraine’s leaders are now faced with defeat, because President Trump feels entitled to give away large chunks of their nation to the worst tyrant…
Francis Tuschek Taiwan has prohibited government employees from using DeepSeek, a newly launched Chinese AI model, due to concerns about potential data leaks to the Chinese government. The Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) announced that DeepSeek AI, being a Chinese ICT product, raises national security risks related to data breaches. This ban affects staff from…