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Water Shortage in Taiwan May Disrupt Global Chips Supply |
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Taiwan is experiencing the worst drought in decades. According to American media, if the water shortage were to continue, the global supply of semiconductors may be impacted, including the chips needed by Apple and Tesla. Pictured above is dried-up agricultural land in Taiwan.
(Photo from:
United Daily News) |
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Water Shortage in Taiwan Impacts Global Chips Supply
United Daily News, March 13, 2021
American financial publication
Barron’s reported on March 10 Taiwan is the home to global semiconductor chip manufacturers, and it consumes huge amount of water in the manufacturing process. Taiwan is suffering from one of the worst droughts in decades. If the current trend continues, then it could further threaten the present supply crunch in semiconductors. And if the drought situation does not improve, companies such as Apple, Tesla, and others may be affected.
Premier Su Tseng-chang indicated on March 12 that Taiwan’s science and technology industries are very important, there should be no shortage of water and electricity. The government has accelerated the completion of drilling wells, regional pipelines, and sea water desalination facilities to fight drought, and has alleviated drought conditions to a considerable extent. However, founder Terry Go of Foxconn questioned Taiwan’s continued suffering from water and power shortages. He asked, “Where are today’s Li Kwoh-ting and Sun Yun-suan?” referring to government officials who oversaw Taiwan’s economic transformation in the 1970s and 80s.
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According to media commentary, the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen often prides itself on "advance deployment" and "comprehensive planning." But while Taiwan is facing serious problems of water and power shortage, observers have yet to see the necessary policy responses and adjustments. Pictured above is a natural gas ship of CPC Corporation.
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Water and Power Shortage: Where is Tsai Administration’s “Advance Deployment?”
United Daily News, March 13, 2021
The administration of President Tsai Ing-wen has recently encountered a series of governance crises, from construction by the CPC Corporation of the third liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal, which could harm the ecology of the Datan algal reefs along the coast of Taoyuan, to the present water shortage, the biggest challenge for Taiwanese industry in the first half of 2021. Consequently, the swirl of public discontent with the government grows wider. The Tsai administration still responded arrogantly. First of all, it boasted that its policies were well-formulated out and ahead of schedule, launching an overwhelming campaign of comic pictures and cyber-armies to defend itself. Second, the Tsai administration threw mud at those who held different views. Finally, it put the blame on the previous administration. In short, the Tsai administration has refused to self-reflect, let alone adjust its policy direction.
Taiwan is facing the most severe drought in seven decades. In the past six months, a quarter of Taiwan's farmland has been lying fallow one by one due to lack of water. Recently, the water shortage has become more and more critical, and the Taoyuan-Taichung-Miaoli area has started to implement pressure reduction of water supply. As a result, the industrial water supply of Hsinchu Science Park was also greatly affected. While Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua recently asked manufacturers to dig wells to fight drought, she was accused of being against common sense and in violation of environmental impact assessment law and regulations. Almost at the same time, the Ministry of Science and Technology smacked Minister Wang in the face by expressing that no well shall be drilled in industrial areas.
…read more
From: https://udn.com/news/story/7338/5314595
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According to a commentator, Beijing's imposing so-called "electoral system reform" on Hong Kong is a battle for governance. It showcases Beijing's determination to wipe out the pro-democracy camp which has sought to seize power in Hong Kong. The picture above is from the Hong Kong protests in 2019.
(Photo from:
China Times) |
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With Hong Kong’s Democracy in Complete Darkness, Are Clouds Gathering over Taiwan’s Sovereignty?
By Chen Kuo-hsiang
The Storm Media, March 12, 2021
Beijing is creating Hong Kong in its own image. Recently, the National People's Congress in mainland China has been reviewing a bill to establish a democratic electoral system with Hong Kong characteristics in order to ensure that Hong Kong is governed by patriots.
Beijing's “reform” of Hong Kong’s electoral system imposes restrictions on the pro-democracy camp in two ways. First, by reviewing the eligibility of candidates, it is able to weed out the radicals. Second, by limiting the pro-democracy camp to a small percentage of seats in the Legislative Council, it ensures the central government’s full control over managing Hong Kong.
…read more
From: https://www.storm.mg/article/3531448?mode=whole
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According to Su Chi, former secretary-general of the National Security Council, former U.S. National Security Advisor H. R. McMaster recently warned that the period from the Winter Olympics in February next year to the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party will present Taiwan's gravest danger. But people in Taiwan are completely indifferent due to the closed and insular society.
(Photo from:
China Times) |
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Why the Taiwanese Are Still at Ease in Face of Impending Danger
By Su Chi
United Daily News, March 14, 2021
Over the past few years, I have written from time to time to warn of Taiwan’s deteriorating security - a view rarely echoed at the time by others - and was sometimes ridiculed as Cassandra. Recently, more and more Cassandras appeared worldwide. The research reports of foreign governments, Legislatures, and think tanks that I have collected could easily pile up to a person’s height. Former National Security Advisor H. R. McMaster under President Trump even called the months between the Winter Olympics in February 2022 to the Chinese Communist Party Congress scheduled for the year-end Taiwan’s "period of greatest danger." Still, the people of Taiwan seemed completely indifferent. Why?
On the surface, this is understandable due to Taiwan’s long peace and resultant lapse in vigilance. The fact that the United States sent aircraft carriers to save Taiwan from the missile crisis of 1996 reinforced the belief on the island that "China will not strike” and that "the U.S. will come to our rescue." Yet beneath the veneer, the sources of "indifference" are actually deeper and broader: deep in the hearts and minds of the people, and broad across the society.
…read more
From: https://udn.com/news/story/7339/5316234
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While attending his first Congressional hearing as Secretary of State, Antony Blinken pledged to invite Taiwan to participate in the Summit for Democracy hosted by President Joe Biden of the United States at the end of this year and support free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with Taiwan.
(Photo from:
United Daily News) |
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March 7: Mainland Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended a press conference during the Two Sessions political meetings and stressed three points related to Taiwan: There is only one China in the world; the two sides of the Taiwan Strait shall be reunified; and the "one China" principle is the political basis of U.S.-China relations and an insurmountable red line. According to Wang, there is no room for China to compromise or concede on the issue of Taiwan.
March 7: Central Taiwan has been experiencing an extended drought. The Irrigation Agency, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, and the Dajia Jenn Lann Temple co-organized a prayer for rain. This is also the first rain prayer held by the temple in 58 years.
March 8: On International Women's Day, the Modern Women's Foundation in Taiwan published an online survey on sexual harassment of women in the workplace. According to the results, more than 40 percent of women have experienced workplace harassment in the past, and 80 percent of victims live or work with their perpetrators on a daily basis. However, according to a workplace sexual harassment survey conducted by the Ministry of Labor, merely 3 percent have experienced sexual harassment.
March 11: In his first Congressional hearing as Secretary of State, Antony Blinken pledged to invite Taiwan to participate in the year-end "Summit for Democracy" hosted by President Joe Biden of the United States and will support free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with Taiwan. Secretary Blinken commended Taiwan's democracy and technological capacity. He stressed that Taiwan is able to make contributions to the world and qualified to enjoy a seat in the World Health Organization (WHO).
March 11: The Executive Yuan passed a draft amendment to the Income Tax Act, extending the definition of short-term related to property taxes "uniting the base and building." More specifically, sale of property owned two years or less would be levied a heavy tax of 45 percent, while sale of property owned between two and five years would be levied a tax of 35 percent. The ownership duration of pre-sale housing begins from signing the contract, so as to curb speculative transactions. However, no "property hoarding tax" will be introduced for the time being.
March 11: The married Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wang Ting-yu from Tainan was exposed by a magazine on March 9 to have frequented an apartment of DPP Spokeswoman Yen Juo-fang. Wang argued that they were only landlord and tenant, and that he had been sub-leasing a room from Yen for a monthly rent of NT$8,000 (about US$283). The explanation was subject of public controversy. Other reporting found that Wang's financial declaration this year is identical to last year's. Wang stated that the Control Yuan mishandled the information, but the argument was later rebutted by the Control Yuan. The DPP fully committed to defend Wang, and DPP-friendly media suppressed related reporting. The scandal attracted hot debate on the Internet.
March 12: The National People's Congress in mainland China passed amendments to the electoral system of Hong Kong, imposing a "Hong Kong governed by patriots" provision that attracted international concern. Former President Ma Ying-jeou expressed regret how the concept of "One Country, Two Systems" formulated by former leader Deng Xiaoping has died and become history. Mainland Chinese Premier Li Keqiang stated that adhering to "patriots governing Hong Kong" is also to ensure the long-term stability of "One Country, Two Systems."
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