Radio Taiwan International
Date: 23 November, 2020
By: Andrew Ryan

Veteran Hollywood director Ang Lee had to go through 14 days of quarantine in order to attend the Golden Horse Film Awards — often called the Chinese-language Oscars. But the director of blockbusters like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Life of Pi, said that it was worth it, calling this year’s awards “unforgettable”.

All the stars were out in force for the Golden Horse Awards this past Saturday in Taipei, and they went without masks, at least on the red carpet. 

With the pandemic largely at bay, Taiwan is one of the few places in the world large-scale events like this are possible. 

For two-time Oscar winner for best Director, Ang Lee, who is also the chairman of the awards, this year was the most moving ceremony in 30 years.     [FULL  STORY]

Transitions Online
Date:  23/11/2020
By: Lukas Valasek and Helena Truchla

Not content just to woo Czech politicians with words and investments, Beijing also seeks to influence the Czech media through local intermediaries. From Aktualne.cz.

Transitions editor’s note: The Czech news website Aktualne.cz recently ran a story in which it unraveled a “news tip” from a Swiss organization with links to mainland China about a prominent Czech politician’s recent trip to Taiwan. The article is introduced with a note from Sinopsis, a Czech site of news and analysis on China.

]Sinopsis note: A Swiss-based entity contacted Aktualne.cz suggesting they publish accusations that Milos Vystrcil, the president of the Czech Senate, had received millions from Taiwan in exchange for his recent visit to the country. The obscure entity was in fact well-known to Sinopsis: a forthcoming Sinopsis report by Swiss researcher Ralph Weber explores its links to Chinese “united front” groups, notably the United Front Work Department’s propaganda arm; its Czech contacts are referenced in Filip Jirous’s research. This proved fatal to the smear attempt. Aktualne reacted by exposing the organization’s links and noting fresh intelligence warnings on Chinese Communist Party-linked attempts to influence media in the country.

Although the organization’s “tip” was ostensibly spontaneous and disinterested, it happened to match CCP propaganda goals and talking points about the Senate head and his Taiwan visit. The timing was serendipitous: it came as Vystrcil stood for reelection (he won unopposed). A favorite CCP interlocutor, local Communist leader Vojtech Filip, was recently told by the head of the CCP International Liaison Department to “draw a clear line” to ostracize Vystrcil. Another CCP-friendly figure, Czech President Milos Zeman, drew that line: he announced he would no longer invite Vystrcil to official foreign policy meetings. The Chinese foreign minister warned Vystrcil would “pay a heavy price” for daring to make the trip to Taiwan.    [FULL  STORY]

Antony Blinken first met Tsai Ing-wen when she visited US as presidential candidate in 2015

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/11/23
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — President-elect Joe Biden's reported pick for secretary of state is in favor of deepening relations between the U.S. and Taiwan.

On Monday (Nov. 23), multiple media outlets including Associated Press reported that Biden will nominate Antony Blinken to serve as secretary of state, with the announcement of his appointment expected to be made on Tuesday (Nov. 24). As secretary of state, Blinken will seek to use a multilateral approach to counter China while continuing to strengthen ties with Taiwan.

Blinken, 58, formerly served as deputy secretary of state under former President Barack Obama and is a senior foreign policy advisor to Biden, with 35 years of experience in the foreign service. During an event hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Sept. 22, Blinken said that it would be unrealistic for the U.S. to "fully decouple" from China, but he suggested Biden should seek to rebuild alliances and set international technology standards.

He asserted that Biden should work on strengthening America's competitiveness to better counter Beijing. Blinken characterized Phase 1 of President Donald Trump's trade deal with China as "a debacle" since it failed to address systemic issues between the two countries.   [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 11/23/2020
By: Matt Yu and Emerson Lim

Taipei, Nov. 23 (CNA) Relations between Taiwan and the United States might regress in the short-to-medium term due to President- elect Joe Biden's support for multilateralism and the U.S.' need of Chinese support on many issues, an overseas expert said Monday.

Syaru Shirley Lin (林夏如), a visiting professor at the University of Virginia, made the prediction at a forum in Taipei on Monday that discussed the prospects for U.S.-Taiwan relations under a new U.S. administration.

Biden's support for multilateralism in international affairs could be worrisome for Taiwan because he would need China's cooperation on many issues, she said, citing climate change as one example.

Because of that, Taiwan might be overlooked by the Biden administration, in contrast to the spotlight put on it during President Donald Trump's administration, Lin suggested.    [FUILL  STORY]

SURPRISE GUEST: Media reports identified the visitor as Admiral Michael Studeman, director of the J2, which oversees intelligence at the US military’s Indo-Pacific Command

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 24, 2020
By: Staff writer, with agencies

A two-star US Navy admiral overseeing US military intelligence in the Asia-Pacific region has made an unannounced visit to Taiwan, two sources told Reuters on Sunday.

The sources, who include a Taiwanese official familiar with the situation, said the official was Rear Admiral Michael Studeman. They were speaking on condition of anonymity.

After initially saying on Sunday night that it had no comment about the report, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it welcomed the visit of an “unidentified US official,” but declined to give more details because the trip “has not been made public.”

Presidential Office spokesman Xavier Chang (張惇涵) yesterday said that due to mutual trust between Taiwan and the US, “we will not confirm nor comment” on related issues.
[FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 20 November, 2020
By: Leslie Liao

The Ministry of Defense has marked a news story by Chinese media claiming that a Taiwanese pilot defected as fake news

Taiwan’s armed forces are still searching for F-16 pilot Colonel Chiang Cheng-chih. Chiang’s jet disappeared from radar off Taiwan’s eastern coast shortly after taking off from Hualien Air Base on Tuesday. 

Now, Chinese news reports have surfaced saying Chiang defected to China and landed in the city of Xiamen.     [FULL  STORY]

While Beijing may like to seize Taiwan by any means, it may not actually think the costs of doing so are worth it.

The5 National Interest
Date: November 20, 2020
By: Kris Osborn

Are the United States and China truly on the brink of war over Taiwan? Or could one simply observe that there appears to be a never-ending measure of escalation with verbal exchanges, military drills and exercises and geopolitical posturing? 

A 2005 Chinese Anti-Secession law gives the Chinese government authority to use force to reunify with Taiwan should the “break away” province formally declare its independence. Given that the island of Taiwan is, at the moment, basically autonomous and independent from China, there is little value in actually declaring independence. 

Yet the Chinese military has been flying fighter jets over the Western coastline of the island of Taiwan, conducting amphibious assault warfare preparations and sending its new carriers quite close to the area. All of this is against the backdrop of Chinese-government-backed newspapers writing visibly about war-readiness to take over Taiwan. 

Is there a realistic possibility that China could succeed in any takeover of Taiwan? Maybe, in part due to a combination of operational speed and the prospect of U.S. restraint. Could China be successful in an attempt to quickly overwhelm Taiwanese defenses before U.S. forces could respond? If that happened, could Beijing therefore manage to secure the island before a large counterattack was possible? This seems unlikely, given the sustained U.S. presence in the region and forward positioning of strike assets nearby.    [FULL  STORY]

Attorney to file appeal against Taipei District Court ruling

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/11/20
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former SinoPac Financial Holdings Co. (永豐金控) Chairman Ho Shou-chuan (何壽川) was sentenced to eight years and six months in prison for illegal loans Friday (Nov. 20), but his attorney immediately announced they would file an appeal.

Ho was once one of the country’s most prominent business people, belonging to the family which ran leading paper manufacturer Yuen Foong Yu.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 11/20/2020
By: Angie Chen and Matthew Mazzetta

Manila, Nov. 20 (CNA) The Manila Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei (MECO) thanked Taiwan on Friday for donating US$200,000 to disaster relief efforts in the Philippines, as the country works to rebuild from damage caused by three major typhoons in recent weeks.

Since October, the Philippines has been hit in succession by typhoons Molave, Goni and Vamco, which have resulted in the deaths of at least 125 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless, according to the country's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

On Friday, Taiwan representative to the Philippines Michael Hsu (徐佩勇) presented MECO with a donation of US$200,000 to go toward humanitarian relief efforts.

The gift was coordinated with the business group Taiwan Association Philippines (TAP), which made a separate donation of PHP70,000 (US$14,504) to those affected by the storms.
[FULL  STORY]

IN THE MAKING: EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler’s trip would follow a visit from a former EPA head in 2014 and two visits by US officials this year, angering Beijing

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 21, 2020
By: Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporter

Details have not yet been finalized regarding a planned visit by US Environmental Protection Agency Administrator (EPA) Andrew Wheeler next month, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.

Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday told reporters Wheeler would discuss international and environmental issues.

“Taiwan-US exchanges keep warming up… We are glad to see it and we believe it will make bilateral relations better,” Su said.

Wheeler was invited to Taiwan in December last year by Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) to discuss international cooperation on environmental issues, ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said.    [FULL  STORY]