As Taiwan decouples from China, its filmmakers are starting to eschew Chinese profits in favor of political expression.The Diplomat
Date: September 18, 2020
By Anthony Kao

With Disney’s “Mulan,” Hollywood has landed in hot water by grubbing for Chinese profits.

For years, Taiwan’s entertainment industry has done the same. Usually, Taiwanese films and TV shows refuse to touch political themes for fear of losing Chinese market access. Simply depicting Taiwan’s flag, or implying the island has a president, is a no-go. Many of Taiwan’s top entertainers actively pander to Chinese political sentiment, making pro-unification statements and even unification-themed films to stay in Beijing’s good graces.

Now, the situation is starting to change.

Over the past two years, a new wave of political movies and series has hit Taiwan’s theaters and streaming sites, to Beijing’s chagrin.

In 2018, “Taiwan’s Stephen Colbert“ Brian Tseng launched the “Night Night Show,” a late night satirical talk show that has featured virtually every Taiwanese political heavyweight as a guest, and directly assailed Chinese leader Xi Jinping. September 2019 saw horror flick “Detention,” which depicted torture scenes from Taiwan’s White Terror. “Island Nation,” a show that dramatizes Lee Teng-hui‘s presidency during the 1990s, premiered in January 2020 after earning an attack from China’s state-owned media outlet The Global Times.   [FULL  STORY]

FARS News Agency
Date: Sep 19, 2020

TEHRAN (FNA)- Taiwan's air force scrambled its jet fighters for a second consecutive day as numerous Chinese warplanes crossed the sensitive midline of the Taiwan Strait, with Taipei’s officials urging Beijing to "pull back from the edge".

Taiwan's Defense Ministry declared on Saturday that 19 Chinese aircraft took part in the aerial drill, some of which crossed the so-called median line dividing the Strait and entered Taiwan's Southwest air defense identification zone (ADIZ), presstv reported.

It further said China, which regards Taiwan as its own territory, deployed 12 J-16 fighters, two J-10 fighters, two J-11 fighters, two H-6 bombers and one Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft for the maneuver, but none got close to mainland Taiwan itself or flew over it.

"ROCAF scrambled fighters, and deployed air defense missile system to monitor the activities," the ministry also wrote in a Twitter message, referring to the Republic of China Air Force, the formal name of Taiwan's air force.

This is while, Beijing had announced during a press conference on Friday China's UN peacekeeping efforts as well as its combat drills near the Taiwan Strait while censuring what it described as collusion between Taipei and Washington following a visit to the island territory by a senior US diplomat that enraged China.     [FULL  STORY]

Act authorizes US to counter China attacks on Taiwan with military force, advocates visits between countries' leaders

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/09/19
By: Ching-Tse Cheng, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — U.S. Senator Rick Scott on Friday (Sept. 18) introduced the Taiwan Invasion Prevention Act, authorizing the U.S. to employ military force if China invades Taiwan.

In a press release, Scott explained the act, sponsored by Congressman Ted Yoho in the House of Representatives, is intended to help protect Taiwan from the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) growing aggression. He said it will reinforce the U.S.-Taiwan relationship, while enhancing Taiwan's defense capabilities against Chinese invasion.

Scott emphasized that Beijing has continued its human rights abuses and crackdowns on Hong Kong and Taiwan despite global warnings. He said the authoritarian regime has become not only a security threat to Taiwanese, but also to the U.S. and countries around the world.

Scott believes it is important for the U.S. to stop China from exerting its military pressure on democratic Taiwan. He said the new act will demonstrate the American government's commitment to defending Taiwan, as well as to freedom and democracy.   [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 09/19/2020
By: Chang Chien-chung and Frances Huang

Taipei, Sept. 19 (CNA) The steel frame for a 100-foot high-performance computing data center globe (HPCDC) that is being built in the U.S. state of Wisconsin by Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. of Taiwan has been completed.

In a statement released in Wisconsin Thursday, Hon Hai said that with the completion of the frame, the installation of 642 glass panels will begin soon.

Hon Hai, also known as Foxconn in the global market, said that so far, it has invested US$750 million in the project, which will cost an estimated US$10 billion.

Hon Hai's US$10 billion includes a sixth generation flat panel complex (Gen 6 Fab) in Wisconn Valley Science and Technology Park (WVSTP) in Mount Pleasant Village.   [FULL  STORY]

EPITOME OF TAIWAN: Shinzo Abe and the Dalai Lama were both represented at the memorial, with the latter saying he admired Lee for ‘protecting Taiwan’s democracy’

Taipei Times
Date: Sep 20, 2020
By: Lee Hsin-fang and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), senior government officials and dignitaries from the US and Japan yesterday paid tribute to the man who led Taiwan’s transition to democracy, former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝).

Lee, an agricultural economist and politician who devoted his career to building democracy in Taiwan through direct elections and helping create a Taiwanese identity distinct from that of China, passed away on July 30 aged 97.

The main service, held yesterday morning at the chapel of Aletheia University in New Taipei City’s Tamsui District (淡水), was attended by nearly 800 people, including government officials, Lee’s relatives and friends, members of the Presbyterian Church and representatives of foreign governments, including former Japanese prime minister Yoshiro Mori and a delegation led by US Undersecretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment Keith Krach.

They wore masks and sat spaced out in pews.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 18 September, 2020
By: Leslie Liao

Premier Su Tseng-chang says that Taiwan’s easing of import restrictions on US pork and beef will bring in more trade opportunities for the country. That came during a report Su gave to the Legislature on Friday morning.

In late August, President Tsai Ing-wen said that the government will lift restrictions on US beef and pork imports starting next year. This means that Taiwan will begin allowing imports of US pork containing ractopamine residue and US beef from cattle aged 30 months or older.
[FULL  STORY]

Tensions over Taiwan 

Forex Live
Date: 18 Sep 2020
By: Giles Coghlan

• Taiwan's Defence Ministry report that multiple Chinese Jets crossed the mid-line of the Taiwan Strait on Friday 
   
• Taiwan scrambled fighters and deployed air defence missiles to monitor the Chinese aircraft

US Gov't reported to be selling $7 bin of arms to Taiwan including cruise missiles and drones 

Chinese PLA aircraft were warned off the prior day after entering Taiwan's air defence identification zone    [FULL  STORY]

'America doesn’t need a permission slip from the Chinese Communist Party' to talk to Taiwan

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/09/18
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — U.S. Congressman Tom Tiffany on Wednesday (Sept. 16) introduced a bill calling on the U.S. to put an end to the "one China" policy, resume formal relations with Taiwan, and begin negotiations on a U.S.-Taiwan Free Trade Agreement.

In a press release posted on Thursday, Tiffany pointed out that before 1979, the U.S. and Taiwan maintained normal and friendly diplomatic relations. However, then U.S. President Jimmy Carter suddenly broke off diplomatic relations with Taiwan "without legislative approval" and instead opted to recognize the communist regime in Beijing.

Tiffany stated that Congress later passed the "Taiwan Relations Act" (TRA) as the cornerstone of U.S.-Taiwan economic and cultural relations, while also authorizing the U.S. to sell arms to Taiwan. However, former President Ronald Reagan then "upgraded the relationship" by issuing the "Six Assurances."

Despite these measures, the U.S. still does not formally recognize Taiwan. The congressman lamented that his country is "inexplicably treating" Taiwan’s democratically elected government in the same way it treats the "brutal regimes" in North Korea and Iran.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 09/18/2020
By: Yu Hsiang and Emerson Lim

From left to right: U.S. Under Secretary of State Keith Krach, President Tsai Ing-wen and TSMC founder Morris Chang (Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office)

Taipei, Sept. 18 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Friday described American Under Secretary of State Keith Krach's visit to Taiwan as a "milestone for a deepened Taiwan-U.S. relationship" during a banquet she hosted for Krach and his delegation, who are in Taiwan for a three-day visit.

Krach is the highest ranking U.S. State Department official to visit Taiwan since 1979, when Washington switched diplomatic recognition from the Republic of China (Taiwan's official name) to the People's Republic of China.

The banquet was held at Tsai's official residence in Zhongzheng District, Taipei and was not opened for media coverage.

According to a press statement issued later by the Presidential Office, Tsai thanked Krach and his delegation for visiting Taiwan and relaying the U.S. government's support for Taiwan's democracy.    [FULL  STORY]

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS: Several of the PLA fighter jets that crossed the median line of the Strait came within 68km of Hsinchu, drawing warnings from Taiwan, the ministry said

Taipei Times
Date: Sep 19, 2020
By: Wu Su-wei / Staff reporter

At least 18 Chinese military aircraft yesterday flew into the nation’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on the second day of a US delegation’s visit, the Ministry of National Defense said, adding that the military responded by deploying an air defense missile system to monitor their activities.

A delegation led by US Undersecretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment Keith Krach on Thursday started a three-day visit to Taiwan.

The ministry from Thursday started publicizing the actions of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in Taiwan’s ADIZ on its Web site and Twitter.

According to ministry reports, 18 PLA aircraft were spotted in the nation’s southwest, west and northwest ADIZ as of yesterday morning, including two H-6 bombers, and eight J-16, four J-11 and four J-10 fighters.    [FULL  STORY]