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One of the top stories from this past week was that China is planning to achieve military readiness against Taiwan by 2020. That’s according to a white paper released on Tuesday by Taiwan’s defense ministry.
Despite the warming ties across the Taiwan Strait, the report says China has adopted a carrot-and-stick approach and has continued strengthening its military power.
The report says China has upgraded its early warning and reconnaissance systems. There are also upgrades for warships, anti-air missiles, long-rang multiple launch rocket systems, third-generation jet fighters and amphibious assault vehicles.
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Also this past week, the founder and chairman of a major construction company – the Farglory Group’s Chao Teng-hsiung -- was released on bail of NT$10 million (US$333,333).
The businessman was interrogated by the Taipei District Prosecutors Office Friday night for his role in a corruption scandal that involves a construction and planning agency official Hong Chia-hung. Hong was released on bail of NT$2 million (US$66,666).
Hong allegedly helped the Farglory Group win land development bids in Hsinchu, Taichung and Tainan in 2013 and 2014. The land development projects are worth NT$2 billion (US$66.6 million). Hong allegedly accepted a bribe of more than US$330,000 in exchange for his cooperation.
Both men have denied any wrongdoing.
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And finally, this past week, LGBTQ issues came to the fore with the annual pride parade taking place in Taipei on Saturday. Thousands of LGBT marchers and their supporters paraded through central Taipei, this year with the theme: “No Age Limit – Youth Autonomy and Liberating the Closet.”
Several officials from the European Economic Trade Office showed their support by participating in the event, which is one of the biggest gay rights parades in Asia. Dignitaries in attendance included representatives from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain.
On Saturday, opposition leader and presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen uploaded a video on her Facebook page voicing her support for gay marriage.
Earlier in the week, on Wednesday, Taiwan hosted Asia’s largest LGBT-themed conference with 300 participants from 30 countries. The group behind the conference was ILGA (International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association). It was their bi-annual Asia conference, which took place for the first time in Taiwan.
Also this past week, a small opposition party alliance announced that it is fielding five openly gay candidates in next January’s legislative elections. The Green/Social Democrat Alliance (GSDA) held a press conference on Monday to announce the move, which is being seen as a major step in Taiwan’s gay rights movement.