India-Taiwan relations: News & Analysis

[member_19686]

DPP wins majority in Taiwan's legislative poll
Jan. 16, 2016 - Updated 12:15 UTC-5

Opposition candidate Tsai Ing-wen has won Taiwan's presidential election.

The Democratic Progressive Party leader will become Taiwan's first female president. The party will be returning to power after 8 years.

The election commission announced in the final results that Tsai had more than 6.89 million votes, while the ruling Nationalist Party candidate Eric Chu had 3.81 million votes. The turnout was a record low of 66.27 percent, down 8 percentage points from the previous presidential election.

Tsai told reporters shortly after 8:30 PM local time that voters in Taiwan made history. She said she deeply respects those who brought about a change of power.

Tsai will succeed President Ma Ying-jeou from the Nationalist Party.

Earlier, Chu conceded defeat. He told his supporters the party has lost the fight and said he will resign as party chairman.

Voters also cast their ballots in parliamentary elections.

The election commission said Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party, or DPP won 68 seats in the 113-seat legislature, compared with 40 before the poll. It is the first time the DPP won a single-party majority since direct elections began in Taiwan in 1992.

The Nationalist Party gained 35 seats, a major setback from its pre-election strength of 64.

The party's incumbents lost their seats in northern districts including New Taipei City, their foothold.

The New Power Party won 5 seats. The party was founded by citizens and students, and is cooperating with the DPP in fielding candidates.

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/ ... 17_01.html

Dr. Anirban Ganguly ‏@anirbanganguly 6h6 hours ago
Had opportunity,sometime back to interact with @TsaiIngwen; Congratulations on her election as President of Taiwan!


https://twitter.com/anirbanganguly/stat ... 9040695296

[Nick_S]

Poor 16 year old Taiwanese girl forced to apologize for using a Taiwanese flag.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmvfW7XnbJk


Taiwan election: How a penitent pop star may have helped Tsai win

Chou Tzuyu, a Taiwanese singer and dancer in the Korean girl group Twice, fell on the wrong side of China when she innocently showed the flag of the Republic of China - Taiwan's official name - along with the Korean flag, in a variety show shown online.

That led to China's Anhui Television Station cancelling a scheduled performance by Twice on its widely watched and money-earning Chinese New Year's Eve program. Afraid of losing more contracts, JYP Entertainment, the talent agency and music production company Chou has signed with, cancelled her appearances in China.

Many Taiwanese people waking up on election day watched the video and ignited in united anger - they felt it was humiliating and a sign of Taiwan's predicament that Chou had to apologise for expressing her Taiwanese identity and for showing her "nation's" flag.

[Suraj]

How China lost Taiwan

Beijing has pursued a decades-long strategy of patience and economic courtship, hoping that Taiwan would peacefully rejoin the mainland. And the Taiwanese do want stable, functional ties with China. Polls show most Taiwanese favor the status quo of de facto independence, without any official declaration that would enrage Beijing and possibly provoke an invasion.

But with the mainland’s economic miracle running aground, many Taiwanese are questioning the wisdom of lashing themselves to the mast. The Taiwanese worry that Mr. Ma’s rapprochement with Beijing has gotten too close, without enough trickle-down benefits to average Taiwanese. A free-trade bill that would have opened sensitive industries, such as media, to mainland Chinese ownership, stalled in Parliament in 2014 amid student protests, which became known as the Sunflower Movement.

Meanwhile, the Taiwanese see an increasingly repressive mainland government across the strait — and want no part of it. President Xi Jinping’s crackdown on dissent and nationalist appeals to the glory of Chinese culture are uncomfortable reminders of Taiwan’s own experiences under martial law.

But it was the sentiment expressed by Mr. Chen during the rally that suggests why, unless Beijing resorts to force, the China-Taiwan divorce could be permanent. Polls show that the generation of islanders who identify as “Chinese” is fading, and more people are identifying themselves as “Taiwanese.” Decades of de facto independence have whetted Taiwanese appetites for the real thing. Polls show most Taiwanese are unwilling to rejoin even a democratic China.

These feelings will deepen as a younger generation of Taiwanese finds its political voice. Indigenous identity and attachment to liberal civic values are strongest among the increasingly assertive youth, whose Sunflower Movement spawned the New Power Party, which in coalition with Ms. Tsai’s Democratic Progressive Party toppled several Kuomintang incumbents in the election.

Still, while Taiwanese may increasingly identify with a unique local culture — and the passion of someone like Mr. Chen — for now they prefer Ms. Tsai’s more measured public persona. A cerebral technocrat, she is different from the earthier elders in her party, some of whom started their political careers in Kuomintang prisons.

As Mr. Chen finished his stemwinder, the finale of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony blasted over the speakers. “Protect our way of life, uphold our character ... come out to vote!” he implored. “Let’s give the Democratic Progressive Party a powerful start to its time in office!”

Taiwan’s voters have done just that, pushing Beijing’s dream of reunification even further from reach.

What the article says is true in real life from what I've seen. The older generation are more KMT oriented with 'eventual reunification under nationalist rule' ideas still. The younger (20s to 30s) folk are almost violently 'not Chinese but Taiwanese!' and eagerly wear the Taiwanese sun flag upon clothes and other objects.

[Kashi]

What the article says is true in real life from what I've seen. The older generation are more KMT oriented with 'eventual reunification under nationalist rule' ideas still. The younger (20s to 30s) folk are almost violently 'not Chinese but Taiwanese!' and eagerly wear the Taiwanese sun flag upon clothes and other objects.

Mostly the "mainlanders" i.e. those who arrived in Taiwan mostly after 1949 when KMT was driven out of mainland China. They (and some of their descendants) harbour nostalgia for the China of the yore. The Taiwanese i.e. those who were residents of Taiwan long before, have no such illusions. In fact they have a more favourable view of Japan than PRC!!

Even now there is a perceptible split between the "mainlanders" and the "Taiwanese", with the former all for closer cooperation with China and the latter advocating independence and distance.

[Suraj]

In my case, these are children of mainlanders , not native Taiwanese at all. The parents generation are more KMT pasand, but the kids are staunchly not so, and don't want to have anything to do with mainland. PRC trying to browbeat them just makes the younger generation more defiant.

[RoyG]

How China lost Taiwan

Beijing has pursued a decades-long strategy of patience and economic courtship, hoping that Taiwan would peacefully rejoin the mainland. And the Taiwanese do want stable, functional ties with China. Polls show most Taiwanese favor the status quo of de facto independence, without any official declaration that would enrage Beijing and possibly provoke an invasion.

But with the mainland’s economic miracle running aground, many Taiwanese are questioning the wisdom of lashing themselves to the mast. The Taiwanese worry that Mr. Ma’s rapprochement with Beijing has gotten too close, without enough trickle-down benefits to average Taiwanese. A free-trade bill that would have opened sensitive industries, such as media, to mainland Chinese ownership, stalled in Parliament in 2014 amid student protests, which became known as the Sunflower Movement.

Meanwhile, the Taiwanese see an increasingly repressive mainland government across the strait — and want no part of it. President Xi Jinping’s crackdown on dissent and nationalist appeals to the glory of Chinese culture are uncomfortable reminders of Taiwan’s own experiences under martial law.

But it was the sentiment expressed by Mr. Chen during the rally that suggests why, unless Beijing resorts to force, the China-Taiwan divorce could be permanent. Polls show that the generation of islanders who identify as “Chinese” is fading, and more people are identifying themselves as “Taiwanese.” Decades of de facto independence have whetted Taiwanese appetites for the real thing. Polls show most Taiwanese are unwilling to rejoin even a democratic China.

These feelings will deepen as a younger generation of Taiwanese finds its political voice. Indigenous identity and attachment to liberal civic values are strongest among the increasingly assertive youth, whose Sunflower Movement spawned the New Power Party, which in coalition with Ms. Tsai’s Democratic Progressive Party toppled several Kuomintang incumbents in the election.

Still, while Taiwanese may increasingly identify with a unique local culture — and the passion of someone like Mr. Chen — for now they prefer Ms. Tsai’s more measured public persona. A cerebral technocrat, she is different from the earthier elders in her party, some of whom started their political careers in Kuomintang prisons.

As Mr. Chen finished his stemwinder, the finale of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony blasted over the speakers. “Protect our way of life, uphold our character ... come out to vote!” he implored. “Let’s give the Democratic Progressive Party a powerful start to its time in office!”

Taiwan’s voters have done just that, pushing Beijing’s dream of reunification even further from reach.

What the article says is true in real life from what I've seen. The older generation are more KMT oriented with 'eventual reunification under nationalist rule' ideas still. The younger (20s to 30s) folk are almost violently 'not Chinese but Taiwanese!' and eagerly wear the Taiwanese sun flag upon clothes and other objects.

I notice two trends. While most of my Taiwanese friends hate being called Chinese, almost all of them eventually marry mainland Chinese. Same people, culture, cuisine, family values, language, etc. Reunification will eventually happen. They have a problem with politics, not religion like we do with Pakistan.

[Suraj]

Oh absolutely, it's entirely politics. Reunification would come about fast if Beijing stopped acting like an overbearing ruffian and simply let things happen organically. But being who they are, they can be guaranteed to do this the worst possible way, as they've consistently demonstrated. In fact, I would argue that Beijing doesn't want organic reunification. They want to make a show of forcing Taiwan, even if it just makes them look incompetent, just because they can continuously use it to massage a domestic message of strong national resolve. Same as their anti-Japanese sentiment.

[Kashi]

They want to make a show of forcing Taiwan, even if it just makes them look incompetent, just because they can continuously use it to massage a domestic message of strong national resolve. Same as their anti-Japanese sentiment.

Very true...and yet mainland Chinese happen to constitute the largest (closely followed by Koreans) groups of tourists to visit Japan.

[member_29294]

I honestly don't see any chance of them reuniting anytime soon.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/a ... 2003610092



There are a lot of factors here that people aren't accounting for very well.

Taiwan used to be considered an a province of Qing empire, and then a Japanese colony, and then a KMT colony. The ones who were heavily reinforcing the Chinese reunification idea were the KMT immigrants after they lost the Chinese Civil War. There are still tons of Taiwanese descendants of Japanese origin and then another 500k Taiwanese natives, neither of whom would be very keen on reunification. On top of that newer generations of Taiwanese people don't consider themselves Chinese at all, they have never lived in the mainland and consider the cultures different. Not to mention they have seen what has happened in Hong Kong and Tibet. The new party in Taiwan will also open the floodgates for SEA immigration in order to prop up declining birthrates and slowing economy. So the chance of reunification will drop even further. The only way to reclaim Taiwan will be through force. US and increasingly Japan will never allow that to happen. If US is ever perceived to no longer be able to protect their allies in the Pacific against Chinese aggression, then Japan will start to weaponize their plutonium, capable to easily make +1000 warheads and make up for the deficit in regional security. Which means China has no chance of taking back the mainland unless they want to risk nuclear war.

[A_Gupta]

http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/fore ... -urged.htm

Taiwan's government has been asked to help ethnic Chinese revive Chinese language and cultural education in Kolkata, which has disappeared from the eastern Indian city for several years.

In a recent interview with CNA, Chen Ho-hsien (陳和賢), head of the technology division of Taiwan's representative office in India, said that during his visits to ethnic Chinese groups in Kolkata this year, he heard pleas for help from many group leaders.

They all asked for assistance in helping them address the problems of a lack of qualified Mandarin teachers and textbooks in the capital city of India's West Bengal state, Chen said.

Saying he will relay the problem to authorities in Taiwan as soon as possible, the diplomat noted that the Ministry of Education has commissioned National Tsing Hua University to establish a Taiwan education center in Kolkata to promote Mandarin education.

[Kashi]

^^ Considering that most of the ethnic Chinese in India originate from Southern and South Eastern provinces of India and their native languages would most likely have been Cantonese, Haka, Holo etc. why focus exclusively on Mandarin education?

[Arihant]

^^ Considering that most of the ethnic Chinese in India originate from Southern and South Eastern provinces of India and their native languages would most likely have been Cantonese, Haka, Holo etc. why focus exclusively on Mandarin education?

Absolutely correct. The bulk of Kolkata Chinese are Hakka or Hoklo speakers.

I suspect the current Taiwanese diplomatic rep is an appointee of the now-defeated KMT regime, which always had a propensity for emphasizing a Sino-centric view (Taiwan as Republic of China, Taiwanese as Chinese etc.) - views which have since been roundly rejected by Taiwanese voters.

Another point of connection is that many of the Kolkata Chinese community have legacy allegiances to the KMT (many Kolkata Chinese restaurants used to display old KMT posters and such).

[Suraj]

It's not really a KMT thing, from my dealings with them. Taiwanese are Mandarin speakers regardless of Blue vs Green side of their government. If not Mandarin, then native Taiwanese, which is a variant of Hokkien. But the older generation are more typically capable of speaking both. Most of the younger gen only speak Mandarin. It's rather pointless to expect them to push Cantonese when they don't speak it.

If we wanted to deal with a Cantonese speaking government entity, we'd have to talk to the Hong Kong SAR government, or the city governments of Shenzhen or Guangzhou . Outside of them, there's no one else in China or Taiwan speaking Cantonese.

Kolkata Chinese moved to India in the tumultuous period between the Boxer Rebellion and Chinese Civil War, when Sun Yat-Sen's nationalists (KMT) were the primary unifying force, and the Communists were a niche entity who did not really start acquiring power until the 1930s. Actually both the Communists and KMT look up to Sun Yat-Sen as founder of their modern republic. It's from Chiang Kai-Shek's time that KMT and Communists started being violently opposed.

[Kashi]

It's not really a KMT thing, from my dealings with them. Taiwanese are Mandarin speakers regardless of Blue vs Green side of their government. If not Mandarin, then native Taiwanese, which is a variant of Hokkien. But the older generation are more typically capable of speaking both. Most of the younger gen only speak Mandarin. It's rather pointless to expect them to push Cantonese when they don't speak it.

Actually many Taiwanese youngsters outside of Taipei do speak Taiwanese. During the KMT dictatorship in Taiwan which lasted till 1990, Taiwanese children were taught only Mandarin, they were actually forbidden from speaking Taiwanese in schools and would be punished for it. It's only recently that schools have started teaching languages other than Mandarin and English.

If we wanted to deal with a Cantonese speaking government entity, we'd have to talk to the Hong Kong SAR government, or the city governments of Shenzhen or Guangzhou . Outside of them, there's no one else in China or Taiwan speaking Cantonese.

Macau SAR as well. Even in HK, Macau, Shenzen and Guangzhou PRC government is making attempts to "Mandarinise" the population.

Kolkata Chinese moved to India in the tumultuous period between the Boxer Rebellion and Chinese Civil War, when Sun Yat-Sen's nationalists (KMT) were the primary unifying force, and the Communists were a niche entity who did not really start acquiring power until the 1930s. Actually both the Communists and KMT look up to Sun Yat-Sen as founder of their modern republic. It's from Chiang Kai-Shek's time that KMT and Communists started being violently opposed.

Spot on.

[Suraj]

Actually many Taiwanese youngsters outside of Taipei do speak Taiwanese. During the KMT dictatorship in Taiwan which lasted till 1990, Taiwanese children were taught only Mandarin, they were actually forbidden from speaking Taiwanese in schools and would be punished for it. It's only recently that schools have started teaching languages other than Mandarin and English.

I see. My experience is from interactions with Taiwanese-Americans. Among them, they send kinds to Mandarin school, and there's no Taiwanese school that I'm aware of. Even conversationally, older gen (35+) seem to know Taiwanese compared to younger ones. In fact I have friends who use Taiwanese when they want to converse without their Mandarin-taught kids overhearing them.

I do know about KMT banning Taiwanese teaching, until after Chiang Ching-Kuo's regime ended. And of course, you may know of how a lot of older and even younger Taiwanese not only have favorable impressions of Japan, but may also know Japanese, in contrast to the almost maniacal hatred the CPC propagates on mainland.

Macau SAR as well. Even in HK, Macau, Shenzen and Guangzhou PRC government is making attempts to "Mandarinise" the population.

That's been going on for donkey's years. I see it working out as well as trying to replace Tamil with Hindi in Chennai... Even in tiny little Singapore with Lee Kuan Yew's decades long Mandarinization drive, Hokkien remains a significant influence on the Chinese community.

[Kashi]

I see. My experience is from interactions with Taiwanese-Americans. Among them, they send kinds to Mandarin school, and there's no Taiwanese school that I'm aware of. Even conversationally, older gen (35+) seem to know Taiwanese compared to younger ones. In fact I have friends who use Taiwanese when they want to converse without their Mandarin-taught kids overhearing them.

That is very true!! Have a few friends who completely attest to that.

I do know about KMT banning Taiwanese teaching, until after Chiang Ching-Kuo's regime ended. And of course, you may know of how a lot of older and even younger Taiwanese not only have favorable impressions of Japan, but may also know Japanese, in contrast to the almost maniacal hatred the CPC propagates on mainland.

That's true. A lot of Taiwanese have very favourable disposition towards Japan. Many of the older generation were educated in Japanese universities, Lee Teng-hui, the president who ushered in democracy in 1990 was more comfortbale speaking Japanese than Mandarin!! He even visited the Yasukuni jinja, where his brother is interred.

In fact, some of the Taiwanese I have met tell me that when their parents wish to discuss "confidential matters", they would switch to Japanese

The Taiwanse educated class suffered a brutal crackdown after KMT were exiled to the island- they went after the intellectuals in a big way.

As you said, many of them speak and understand Japanese and Taiwanese are amongst the largest overseas visitors and students in Japan.

That's been going on for donkey's years. I see it working out as well as trying to replace Tamil with Hindi in Chennai... Even in tiny little Singapore with Lee Kuan Yew's decades long Mandarinization drive, Hokkien remains a significant influence on the Chinese community.

Yes but recently, PRC government have become more tyrannical (if that were possible), Cantonese language channels were asked to shut down in Guangzhou among other things. CCP are determined to pursue their One-China-One-Language policy

[Suraj]

Yes but recently, PRC government have become more tyrannical (if that were possible), Cantonese language channels were asked to shut down in Guangzhou among other things. CCP are determined to pursue their One-China-One-Language policy

Of course CCP will approach any problem with their normal subtle sledgehammer approach. Chinese history is replete with cases where governments acted like that. It doesn't make the problem go away. It just causes it to fester long term and blow up even harder when the administrative hold weakens.

[Suraj]

Taiwan Is Sidestepping China To Bid For India's Tough (But Eager) Market

Taiwan has invested in China since about 1990 and became one of the first overseas commercial forces to thrive there. But China’s economic growth is slipping now and the place is unpopular politically with the Taiwanese because of Beijing’s will to leverage economic ties to push for unification. China claims sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan. China’s product quality and supply chains have also improved, marginalizing some of Taiwan’s pillar industries.

When Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen took office in May, she announced plans to direct investment to Southeast Asia and India. Officials from her government said at a news conference this month they want Taiwan to plant “deep roots” in those spots as investors and sell to the local populations.

If this plan – known as the New Southbound Policy – flies, India could replace China as the world heavyweight that Taiwanese investors prefer as the go-to place for making money. Southeast Asia would be right behind it with a population of about 600 million.

[A_Gupta]

https://www.telegraphindia.com/1170104/ ... GxiAdzbhlM

Taiwan labour envoy plan
CHARU SUDAN KASTURI

New Delhi, Jan. 3: India may soon have unusual "ambassadors" in Taiwan - not diplomats but labourers from the northeastern states hired by the island that Beijing claims and New Delhi does not recognise diplomatically.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the ground for an unparalleled "quantum jump in relations" between India and Taiwan, which is now also eyeing labour from India's Northeast as a bridge towards deeper bilateral ties, the island's top diplomat here has said.

The comments by Taiwan's trade and cultural representative in New Delhi, James Tien, in an interview to The Telegraph represent the biggest public acceptance in years of tightening ties between India and the island that are likely to leave China uneasy.

They come at a time India and Taiwan have quietly inked a series of pacts - previously unreported - ranging from agriculture to railways since September and are exploring a mechanism by which Indian labourers can work on the island.

Last month, Indian parliamentarians also formed a first-ever forum to promote friendship with the island, days after Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen shook Beijing with a telephone conversation with US President-elect Donald Trump.

[Kashi]

Taiwan, India ink railway heritage deal
SOUTHERN EXPERIENCE : Officials said that they would learn from India, as they push for the Alishan Forest Railway to be included among world heritage sites
Taipei Times with CNA Excerpt

Taiwan and India yesterday in Chiayi signed a letter of intent to cooperate over railway heritage, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India director James Tien (田中光) and Sriharan Madhusudhanan, director of the India-Taipei Association, signed the letter on behalf of their respective governments.

The ministry said that Taiwan and India each constructed mountain railways in the late 19th century and early 20th century, including the Alishan Forest Railway in Chiayi and systems such as the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the Kalka Shimla Railway and the Nilgiri Mountain Railway in India.

Through the letter the two nations would further engage in cooperation for the protection, safeguarding and management of their mountain railway heritage, the ministry said.

The letter is the third bilateral document signed by Taiwan and India this year, following an air services agreement and a memorandum of understanding on agricultural cooperation.

The letter is part of the Taipei’s “new southbound policy” of sharing resources and promoting cultural exchanges and cooperation with nations in Southeast Asia, as well as India, New Zealand and Australia.

The letter will advance the tourism industries in Taiwan and India, the ministry said.

Council of Agriculture Deputy Minister Weng Chang-liang (翁章梁) said that UNESCO has registered five railways as world heritages, all of which are alpine railways and three of which are in India.

The council will learn from India’s experience in a bid to push for the Alishan Forest Railway to be included among the world heritage sites, Weng said.

[A_Gupta]

http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.co ... ttlenecks/

The sense that one got from the visiting Taiwanese delegation was that Taiwan is extremely keen on boosting cooperation with India. As part of its New Southbound Policy (NSP) of economic diversification, Taiwan is ready to be part of India’s success story. This is different from the dollar diplomacy label that many experts have slapped on to the NSP. True, the NSP is congruent with the current Taiwanese government’s efforts to decouple from China. But that’s only one part of the story. The NSP is also a flagship policy for Taiwan’s economic rejuvenation. For, there’s no denying that Taiwan’s economic growth has been stagnating in recent years with low-entry level wages. Add to this sluggish demand in the global economy which has negatively affected Taiwan’s manufacturing base.

Hence, the NSP is Taiwan’s bid to break out of its upper middle-income trap. It plans to achieve this by boosting trade, investment and cultural ties with Asean nations, Australia, New Zealand and of course India. Interestingly, Taiwan has a different evolving strategy for each of these focus countries. For example, given that Taiwan already has significant business presence in the Asean region and is home to a substantial number of first and second generation immigrants from Southeast Asian countries, pushing NSP objectives in Asean would be relatively easy. In fact, here Taiwan plans to leverage its Southeast Asian immigrants to serve as a bridge between the two sides.

However, Taiwan doesn’t enjoy such a natural advantage vis-à-vis India. Thus, it is adopting a different approach to crack the world’s largest democracy. Here Taiwan is planning to increase educational scholarships to Indian students to study in Taiwanese universities with the possibility of working for two years after graduation. It is hoped that these Indian students will become future ambassadors of India-Taiwan ties and mitigate the gap in understanding that currently exists between the two sides.

[Rony]

Taiwan’s envoy to India hopeful of support from New Delhi at WHO

In an interview to India Today, Representative of Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India, Ambassador Chung-Kwang Tien said, "India is going to take over the Chair of the Executive Board of the World Health Organization after its annual meeting later this month. Taiwan cherishes the valuable relations with Government of India and its people and hopes that the relations between the two countries will keep moving forward."

"We are confident that, given that Taiwan has received a tremendous amount of support from general public, scholars and the media lately in India, India government will appreciate Taiwan's rights in this direction," he added.

Sources in the Indian government said the agenda and procedures for the meeting are evolving. "We will take a view on all issues in the WHA depending on how the formal agenda evolves," the sources said.

How do you see the prospects of India-Taiwan cooperation beyond the Covid-19 crisis, particularly for economic recovery?

A. India is a very important country in our New Southbound Policy. Economic cooperation in areas of trade, investment and industry between India and Taiwan has been very close in recent years. Bilateral trade has grown nearly six-fold from USD 1.19 billion in 2001 to almost USD 7.05 billion in 2018. India ranks as Taiwan's 14th largest export destination and 18th largest source of imports. The bilateral trade relationship is further enhanced by frequent exchanges of visits by business delegations.

Taiwan adopts AI and digital mapping technologies in its epidemic prevention and tracking system for a quarantine management network in combating Covid-19, and it proves very successful. Taiwan's hardware and India's software are complimentary. Taiwan's National Chung Chen University and IIT Ropar has joint cooperation and developed a "Smart Pandemic Prevention System" . This system features automatic body temperature sensing, facial recognition and contact history analysis to contain infectious disease, providing a good opportunity of innovative cooperation.

Taiwan and India will have wider digital cooperation in combating Covid-19 and post Covid-19 era . India's democratic systems, geographical location, and demography are important pillars of economic development and cooperation between Taiwan and India. Taiwan will continue to invest in India in the future.

India-Taiwan cooperation in the Covid-19 crisis

Let me give you several cooperations of how we are doing so already.

First, on February 20, researchers at Academia Sinica announced they had synthesized over 100 milligrams of Remdesivir, an experimental treatment for COVID-19, to 97 percent purity. It took the team, which includes two members from India, just two weeks.

Second is how Taiwan's medical institutions have been sharing related information. On April 2 and 14, There was Taiwan-India Webinars on COVID-19, over 14,000 healthcare workers in India benefited from these webinars. Taiwan's physicians shared their experience fighting the pandemic, including testing methods, treatments, approaches to containing infection, and measures concerning masks.

Third, the Government of Taiwan has already provided one million face masks to India to help protect frontline medical personnel. The masks were brought to India by a special chartered flight on 4 May 2020.The donation of these masks was handed over these masks to Neel Kamal Singh, Deputy Secretary General of Indian Red Cross Society, at a hand-over ceremony on Friday, 8 May 2020. India is an important and valued partner to Taiwan. Indian Government has made extraordinary efforts in curtailing the spread of COVID-19. I have strong confidence that India will prevail over the challenges and restore momentum and economic growth.

[Rony]

Why does India need to back Taiwan’s reentry to the World Health Assembly ?

What should India do?

India, ready to take over as the chairperson of the WHO’s executive decision making body at the end of May, needs to take a stand on whether to support the US-led multinational demand of reinstating Taiwan’s observer status at the WHA, or listen to Chinese argument of ‘One China Policy’. Taiwan is an important partner in the global fight against the pandemic, besides being an important potential commercial and technological investor. Its donation of about one million surgical masks to help India during pandemic should not be ignored. Strategically, most strategic partners/Quad members seem convinced about Taiwan’s re-entry into WHA, a fact which India cannot overlook. In my opinion, India must set aside global politics and take a moral position for Taiwan to be in WHA to share its best practices, in view of the unprecedented global pandemic requiring entire humanity to be together to combat COVID-19.

Likely outcome

Despite all the efforts of the global community for Taiwan’s reentry as an observer in WHA, it may still not materialise due to technical reasons, as WHO could insist on approval from all its 194 members, before it can send out an invitation to Taiwan, which may not be possible. The demand for medical investigation might remain restricted to ‘Investigation by WHO’, which is unlikely to yield any result because of the high possibility of destruction of evidence. It will, therefore, build up a strong case in support of Taiwan by the global community, thereby putting pressure on China for the future.

[Rony]

Indian academic encourages closer Taiwan-India ties

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan will benefit from closer engagement with India in the midst of the coronavirus (COVID-19) as President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) embarks on her second term, according to an Indian academic.

Srikanth Kondapalli, an Indian sinologist and political scientist at Jawaharlal Nehru University, believes Taiwan should explore ways to foster bilateral relations with the South Asian country, wrote CNA. There have been calls from India to review its relations with China and demand that Beijing adhere to the “one India principle," a response to the East Asian country's apparent support of Pakistan with regard to the territorial dispute in Kashmir.

Kondapalli said that it is an opportune moment for Taiwan to strengthen cooperation with India. Collaboration could proceed under the framework of Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy and India’s Look East policy, he suggested.

A commentary featured in Liberty Times also made a case for a recalibrated approach to Taiwan-India relations as President Tsai renews her strategy towards Southeast Asia. The author argues that India, with its 6 percent GDP growth, should take a prominent place in Tsai’s Southbound vision.

Taiwanese businesses have been reluctant to make inroads into the Indian market due to a number of issues, including a lack of understanding of the local market, strict rules for foreign investment, and inadequate infrastructure. The complexity of India’s culture, religion, and political institutions has also discouraged Taiwanese companies from doing business with the country, according to the article.

Nevertheless, as the Modi administration implements trade incentives to attract investment in its food processing, textile, leather, automobile, and 5G industries, it presents an opportunity for Taiwanese manufacturers, the author wrote.

[Rony]

Modi govt’s subtle message to China — 2 BJP MPs ‘attend’ Taiwan president’s swearing-in

Two BJP MPs — Meenakshi Lekhi and Rahul Kaswan — virtually attended the swearing-in ceremony of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and even sent her congratulatory messages, in a departure from the Modi government’s position on the country that China claims is its territory.

Tsai was sworn in for her second term on Wednesday and Lekhi and Kaswan were among the 92 dignitaries from 41 countries who had a virtual presence at the ceremony as foreign visitors continue to be banned in Taiwan given the Covid-19 pandemic.

Back in 2016, when Tsai was elected to her first term, after initial consideration, the Modi government had decided against sending its MPs to Taiwan for the inaugural ceremony.

This time around, the BJP MPs were also joined by Sohang Sen, the acting director general of India-Taipei Association, who represented India at the ceremony in Taipei. India does not have an official diplomatic establishment in Taiwan, much like 179 of the 194 United Nations members.

While they did not single out the Indian MPs, Chinese authorities slammed the congratulatory messages that foreign dignitaries sent to Tsai.

Though India does not have an official mission in Taipei, the relations between the two countries have continued to steadily grow over the past two decades. India has diplomatic presence in Taiwan through a representative office, India-Taipei Association. In turn, Taiwan’s External Trade Development Council had set up four new offices in India — in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai — in 2018.

India’s former national security advisor, Shivshankar Menon, recently said during a webinar that he does not expect India’s declaratory policy with respect to Taiwan to change anytime soon. “But the relationship itself has changed substantially in the last 20-30 years. Taiwan is an important economic and tech partner,” Menon said.

India-Taiwan bilateral trade has grown from $1 billion in 2000 to $7.5 billion in 2019. Taiwanese investments in India have also grown 12 times between 2016 and 2018, and stood at $360 million in 2018. Roughly 2,300 Indian students are also enrolled in Taiwanese colleges and universities at the moment.

Taiwan’s successful response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the backlash against China for its initial handling of the outbreak has helped Taipei gain the support of many major powers.

“A consensus is also emerging in the international community that Taiwan should be given access to the WHO and other multilateral agencies, even as China’s opposition grows louder,” writes Harsh Pant and Premesha Saha of Observer Research Foundation.

[Rony]

Chinese military video claims China could invade Taiwan in only 24 hours

China drops word 'peaceful' in latest push for Taiwan 'reunification'

US approves sale of 18 torpedoes to Taiwan

[VinodTK]

Chinese military video claims China could invade Taiwan in only 24 hours

China drops word 'peaceful' in latest push for Taiwan 'reunification'

US approves sale of 18 torpedoes to Taiwan

18 torpedos what will this do?
PLA will para drop few thousands of troops then send in the landing crafts.
True insurance would be for some one gives them 18 big boy's / fat man's.
couple of them to test and send the message and rest for doomsday.

[Cain Marko]

Modi govt’s subtle message to China — 2 BJP MPs ‘attend’ Taiwan president’s swearing-in

Two BJP MPs — Meenakshi Lekhi and Rahul Kaswan — virtually attended the swearing-in ceremony of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and even sent her congratulatory messages, in a departure from the Modi government’s position on the country that China claims is its territory.

High time. Chinese support to tsp deserves a commensurate response. Perhaps the sale of Prithvis along with LCA should be pushed.

[Haresh]

High time. Chinese support to tsp deserves a commensurate response. Perhaps the sale of Prithvis along with LCA should be pushed.

Not just that, a friendly port call by the Indian/Taiwan navies. An invite to the President for Republic Day.
Just more all round contacts at official levels, in a real "in their face" manner

[chola]

Modi govt’s subtle message to China — 2 BJP MPs ‘attend’ Taiwan president’s swearing-in

High time. Chinese support to tsp deserves a commensurate response. Perhaps the sale of Prithvis along with LCA should be pushed.

Erh, sales of systems to Taiwan must go through Unkil's approval's first. They built their equivalent of the LCA three decades ago call the FCK-1. But US pressure and sales of the F-Solah put an end to that.

Very pretty bird (with a kind of atrocious name.)


The only reason Taiwan doesn't have long range mijjiles and nukes is because of Unkil as well, the same reason why Japan and South Korea don't have them.

The moment the US withdraws we'll instantly have three new nuclear states in Asia. Our big bum won't really be that special.

[Philip]

A Chin invasion to take Taiwan would see China condemned worldwide as a pariah state. Chinese philosophyhas dlways been war at last resort,to put enormmous pressure upon its chosen victim and wait and watch for it to succumb to the Chin diktat. As a western mil. expert once said,China will push the sword in deeper and deeper and stop only when it finds steel. The last military man to do it to China was Gen.Sunderji.

PS: One media report today says rhat 1000 Chin soldiers surrounded " Indian troops" last week,holding some of them,IA and ITBP personnel with their weapons for a few hours. After intervention by officers on both sides,the matter was resolved.However,the IA " rejected" the reports. According to sources,the Chins have occupied Finger 4 and raised the Chinese flag.

[Cain Marko]

[
Erh, sales of systems to Taiwan must go through Unkil's approval's first. They built their equivalent of the LCA three decades ago call the FCK-1. But US pressure and sales of the F-Solah put an end to that.

Indeed. But what goes of anybody's father if offers are made.... Hain ji?

[chola]

[
Erh, sales of systems to Taiwan must go through Unkil's approval's first. They built their equivalent of the LCA three decades ago call the FCK-1. But US pressure and sales of the F-Solah put an end to that.

Indeed. But what goes of anybody's father if offers are made.... Hain ji?

Hain, making the offer will make the lizard puff up for sure but it'll also tug Unkil's beard since Taiwan is their satrapy. And Taiwan could have had mijjiles and nooks a while ago if Unkil lets it. lol

[Cain Marko]

Indeed. But what goes of anybody's father if offers are made.... Hain ji?

Hain, making the offer will make the lizard puff up for sure but it'll also tug Unkil's beard since Taiwan is their satrapy. And Taiwan could have had mijjiles and nooks a while ago if Unkil lets it. lol

But this can be done with Uncle in cahoots... No pulling of beard, just grooming it wonlee.

[chola]

Hain, making the offer will make the lizard puff up for sure but it'll also tug Unkil's beard since Taiwan is their satrapy. And Taiwan could have had mijjiles and nooks a while ago if Unkil lets it. lol

But this can be done with Uncle in cahoots... No pulling of beard, just grooming it wonlee.

Uncle doesn't want another Asian nation with nooks. If they did, Japan, SoKo and Taiwan would have had them ages ago. And if Unkil give the word today they will build their own or get Amreeki ones on their soil. There is no play for India here. The seas around Cheen is an American lake.

[Cain Marko]

But this can be done with Uncle in cahoots... No pulling of beard, just grooming it wonlee.

Uncle doesn't want another Asian nation with nooks. If they did, Japan, SoKo and Taiwan would have had them ages ago. And if Unkil give the word today they will build their own or get Amreeki ones on their soil. There is no play for India here. The seas around Cheen is an American lake.

Nukes are far away Saar. Prithvi is not strategic.. mtcr controlled wonlee. Perhaps brahmos? Offer toh karo yaar, let us see what reactions such a move brings about. Invite some delegation with political members for chai biskoot session. Perhaps an academic conference.

All I'm saying is that it's time to needle the pressure points a wee bit.

[chola]

Uncle doesn't want another Asian nation with nooks. If they did, Japan, SoKo and Taiwan would have had them ages ago. And if Unkil give the word today they will build their own or get Amreeki ones on their soil. There is no play for India here. The seas around Cheen is an American lake.

Nukes are far away Saar. Prithvi is not strategic.. mtcr controlled wonlee. Perhaps brahmos? Offer toh karo yaar, let us see what reactions such a move brings about. Invite some delegation with political members for chai biskoot session. Perhaps an academic conference.

All I'm saying is that it's time to needle the pressure points a wee bit.

That's easy. Officially recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation. Better than handing out nooks and rockets like a rougue state ala Cheen or Pakiland.

That will not put a needle into Cheen but a knife.

They'll probably attack Taiwan if enough nations recognize it. A chini attack would bring in the US and I'll have my popcorn and seat for one of the great conflicts in history. It'll be epic! lol

[Cain Marko]

Nukes are far away Saar. Prithvi is not strategic.. mtcr controlled wonlee. Perhaps brahmos? Offer toh karo yaar, let us see what reactions such a move brings about. Invite some delegation with political members for chai biskoot session. Perhaps an academic conference.

All I'm saying is that it's time to needle the pressure points a wee bit.

That's easy. Officially recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation. Better than handing out nooks and rockets like a rougue state ala Cheen or Pakiland.

That will not put a needle into Cheen but a knife.

They'll probably attack Taiwan if enough nations recognize it. A chini attack would bring in the US and I'll have my popcorn and seat for one of the great conflicts in history. It'll be epic! lol

Ayyoo why knife Saar? Chinese like needlework wonlee... They are masters of dry needling therapy. But yes t + t equals to fl(r)ee!

[Rony]

China’s animosity record towards India reflects wolf warrior diplomacy: Taiwan representative

Tien recalled that during a meeting between former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in June 2014, India had told China that if Beijing expects New Delhi to respect its ‘One-China Policy’ then it should also reciprocate and respect ‘One-India Policy’.

“Minister Swaraj’s articulation of the One-India Policy represents many Indians’ long-held suspicion that its friendly geopolitical concessions and gestures toward China have borne no reciprocity. Therefore, the voices of India should ensure the strict reciprocity of gestures and concessions in its political relations with China have constantly been heard,” Tien added.

Tien lauded the Narendra Modi government’s gesture last month of having two BJP MPs, Meenakshi Lekhi and Rahul Kaswan, virtually participate in the swearing-in ceremony of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, in a move that China protested.

“It is with shared spirit that Taiwan and India join the alliance of shared values and concerns for global issues… Taiwan will be an indispensable partner for India and the international community,” the envoy said.

Chung-Kwang Tien also expressed hope that India will “seriously look into Taiwan’s value of being part” of the World Health Organization (WHO) when New Delhi assumes the chair of the multilateral health body’s executive board.

“We are also confident that, given that Taiwan has received tremendous amount of support from general public, scholars and the media lately in India, Indian government will seriously look into Taiwan’s value of being part of WHO… We are certain India will fairly perform her duty as the chair of the Executive Board of the World Health Organization,” he said.

According to Chung-Kwang Tien, India remains a key country under their ‘New Southbound Policy’ (NSP).

The NSP was rolled out by President Tsai in 2016 and it is aimed at strengthening Taiwan’s ties with the South Asian region along with Australia and New Zealand.

“India is an exceedingly important country in our New Southbound Policy. Economic cooperation in areas of trade, investment and industry between India and Taiwan has been very close in recent years… We will broaden exchanges and cooperation with regional neighbors in areas such as technology, culture and commerce, and expand in particular our dynamic relationships with India,” he said.

Bilateral trade between India and Taiwan reached $7.05 billion in 2018 from $1.19 billion in 2001, according to the envoy.

“India’s democratic systems, geographical location, and demography dividend are important pillars of economic development and cooperation between Taiwan and India. Taiwan will continue to invest in India in the future,” he added.

[Rony]

Indian nukes and missiles wrt China discussion on Taiwanese channel. With English subtitles