Michael Cole's blog

For those who favour a free and independent Taiwan, President Tsai Ing-wen remains their best bet. But they will have to learn to be a little more patient -- and aware of the extraordinarily difficult environment in which her Administration operates . . .

TAIPEI — Both the New Taipei City Government and the Taipei City Government have announced plans to open liaison offices in China to assist Taiwanese citizens and promote business ties.
In the current context, such plans hold many pitfalls, and could play into Beijing’s efforts to bypass and discredit central Government institutions in Taiwan.
Announcements by New Taipei City Mayor, Eric Chu, of the Kuomintang (KMT) and Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je, an independent, prompted a response from Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) emphasising that decisions on initiatives pertaining to cross-Strait relations are the remit of the Central Government.