Pacific Standard
@pacificstandard.bsky.social
Dedicated to promoting human rights and constitutional governance, with a global view framed in the Pacific hemisphere. We support democracy by offering research, analysis, and strategic solutions for enhancing collective defense and protecting our ideals.
Reposted by Pacific Standard
Part 2 on this topic. It looks like the Chang trial could bring more bombshells, since I wrote this, it came out Terry Gou wrote Xi Jinping offering to be a "stepping stone" to a Nobel Prize-winning peace deal during the presidential election:
www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...
www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...
Donovan’s Deep Dives: Why did Beijing view Ko Wen-je positively for the presidency? - Taipei Times
Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan
www.taipeitimes.com
March 21, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Part 2 on this topic. It looks like the Chang trial could bring more bombshells, since I wrote this, it came out Terry Gou wrote Xi Jinping offering to be a "stepping stone" to a Nobel Prize-winning peace deal during the presidential election:
www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...
www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...
May, 2023: "To that end, American companies on the Washington visit encouraged officials to rebuild mechanisms for U.S.-China communication, whether at the government, think-tank or individual level."
www.forbes.com/sites/russel...
www.forbes.com/sites/russel...
Elon Musk Visit To Beijing Highlights Business Role In U.S.-China Ties — AmCham China President
“Over the last three years, it’s pretty obvious when the U.S. and Chinese governments weren’t talking to each other, the business community continued to play a very vital role to make sure that trade ...
www.forbes.com
March 21, 2025 at 8:22 AM
May, 2023: "To that end, American companies on the Washington visit encouraged officials to rebuild mechanisms for U.S.-China communication, whether at the government, think-tank or individual level."
www.forbes.com/sites/russel...
www.forbes.com/sites/russel...
Reposted by Pacific Standard
This story got shockingly little coverage or follow up, so I did it. Admittedly, there was a lot of news going on when the story broke:
www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...
www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...
Donovan’s Deep Dives: Ko Wen-je, KMT conspiracy and the most dangerous man in the world - Taipei Times
Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan
www.taipeitimes.com
March 12, 2025 at 12:39 AM
This story got shockingly little coverage or follow up, so I did it. Admittedly, there was a lot of news going on when the story broke:
www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...
www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...
Reposted by Pacific Standard
The Thai government blatantly disregarded domestic law and its international obligations by forcibly sending at least 40 Uyghur men to China to face persecution.
These men are now at grave risk of being tortured, forcibly disappeared, and detained for long periods.
These men are now at grave risk of being tortured, forcibly disappeared, and detained for long periods.
March 5, 2025 at 9:32 AM
The Thai government blatantly disregarded domestic law and its international obligations by forcibly sending at least 40 Uyghur men to China to face persecution.
These men are now at grave risk of being tortured, forcibly disappeared, and detained for long periods.
These men are now at grave risk of being tortured, forcibly disappeared, and detained for long periods.
Reposted by Pacific Standard
Donovan evaluates the threat to Taiwan's democracy from the pro-China parties.
www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...
www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...
Donovan’s Deep Dives: Risks to Taiwan’s democracy - Taipei Times
Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan
www.taipeitimes.com
February 19, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Donovan evaluates the threat to Taiwan's democracy from the pro-China parties.
www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...
www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...
Reposted by Pacific Standard
Fu didn't show up at the Monday negotiations, answering that question -- the KMT is opting for the worst case scenario. Part 3 in this series was submitted Tue night, hope to see it out soon.
www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...
www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...
Donovan’s Deep Dives: Risks to Taiwan’s democracy - Taipei Times
Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan
www.taipeitimes.com
February 19, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Fu didn't show up at the Monday negotiations, answering that question -- the KMT is opting for the worst case scenario. Part 3 in this series was submitted Tue night, hope to see it out soon.
www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...
www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...
Reposted by Pacific Standard
Blumenthal: "What world is he living in? It is not only contrary to the facts and the truth but utterly despicable. A disgusting betrayal of a country that has bled and fought and died for freedom ... the president's surrender is pathetic and weak."
February 19, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Blumenthal: "What world is he living in? It is not only contrary to the facts and the truth but utterly despicable. A disgusting betrayal of a country that has bled and fought and died for freedom ... the president's surrender is pathetic and weak."
Reposted by Pacific Standard
Taiwan's energy policy is a mess -- fossil fuel-centered, import dependent, lacking in conservation focus, and not aimed at security in the event of war.
www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/a...
www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/a...
Taiwan’s nuclear energy policy needs clarity: group - Taipei Times
Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan
www.taipeitimes.com
February 20, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Taiwan's energy policy is a mess -- fossil fuel-centered, import dependent, lacking in conservation focus, and not aimed at security in the event of war.
www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/a...
www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/a...
Reposted by Pacific Standard
The TPP is now just as much a pan-blue party as the PFP and NP were when the term "pan-blue" was coined, but their supporters are not identical to the KMT's:
www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...
www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...
Donovan’s Deep Dives: Similarities and differences between KMT and TPP supporters - Taipei Times
Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan
www.taipeitimes.com
February 9, 2025 at 8:32 AM
The TPP is now just as much a pan-blue party as the PFP and NP were when the term "pan-blue" was coined, but their supporters are not identical to the KMT's:
www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...
www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...
Reposted by Pacific Standard
President Lai bought 48 books at the Taipei Book Exhibition including Chinese translations of Alan Wachman's Why Taiwan and Dominic Yang's The Great Exodus from China. Also notable: Ko-Hua Yap's Forced Relocation of Taiwan’s Highland Indigenous Peoples.
www.tibe.org.tw/tw/news_deta...
www.tibe.org.tw/tw/news_deta...
總統賴清德書單出爐 逛展收獲滿同時展現台語文朗誦功力 - TiBE 台北國際書展
www.tibe.org.tw
February 9, 2025 at 9:20 AM
President Lai bought 48 books at the Taipei Book Exhibition including Chinese translations of Alan Wachman's Why Taiwan and Dominic Yang's The Great Exodus from China. Also notable: Ko-Hua Yap's Forced Relocation of Taiwan’s Highland Indigenous Peoples.
www.tibe.org.tw/tw/news_deta...
www.tibe.org.tw/tw/news_deta...
Reposted by Pacific Standard
For once the DPP has vivid reasons to rebut ... a 5th Column Kinmen legislator who delights in destruction, a TPP chairman-to-be who *giggles* at harming livelihoods, a convicted felon running the KMT, wholesale targeting of non-political organisations.
It's up to the DPP to hone the counterattack.
It's up to the DPP to hone the counterattack.
Budget cuts will also shrink the economy, enabling the KMT to argue DPP has mismanaged the economy
taiwannews.com.tw/news/6018360
taiwannews.com.tw/news/6018360
Taiwan Cabinet warns opposition budget cuts could exceed NT$200 billion | Taiwan News | Jan. 18, 2025 10:39
Reduced funding would threaten public services, international relations, and key sectors like technology and agriculture | Jan. 18, 2025 10:39
taiwannews.com.tw
January 18, 2025 at 6:27 AM
For once the DPP has vivid reasons to rebut ... a 5th Column Kinmen legislator who delights in destruction, a TPP chairman-to-be who *giggles* at harming livelihoods, a convicted felon running the KMT, wholesale targeting of non-political organisations.
It's up to the DPP to hone the counterattack.
It's up to the DPP to hone the counterattack.
Reposted by Pacific Standard
Budget cuts will also shrink the economy, enabling the KMT to argue DPP has mismanaged the economy
taiwannews.com.tw/news/6018360
taiwannews.com.tw/news/6018360
Taiwan Cabinet warns opposition budget cuts could exceed NT$200 billion | Taiwan News | Jan. 18, 2025 10:39
Reduced funding would threaten public services, international relations, and key sectors like technology and agriculture | Jan. 18, 2025 10:39
taiwannews.com.tw
January 18, 2025 at 3:34 AM
Budget cuts will also shrink the economy, enabling the KMT to argue DPP has mismanaged the economy
taiwannews.com.tw/news/6018360
taiwannews.com.tw/news/6018360
Reposted by Pacific Standard
Fed up with Meta? Avoiding Instagram or Facebook isn’t enough to stop Meta from harvesting and profiting from your private information. Here’s how to limit Meta’s ability to monetize your personal data.
Mad at Meta? Don't Let Them Collect and Monetize Your Personal Data
If you’re fed up with Meta right now, you’re not alone. Meta tracks you across millions of websites and apps and its business model relies on your data. If you want to limit Meta’s ability to collect ...
www.eff.org
January 17, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Fed up with Meta? Avoiding Instagram or Facebook isn’t enough to stop Meta from harvesting and profiting from your private information. Here’s how to limit Meta’s ability to monetize your personal data.
Reposted by Pacific Standard
My one wish for the inauguration is that there is a gift bag under the seats of Bezos, Zuck, Elon etc, with a single, embroidered , padded knee pad
Need to protect themselves when they are on bended knee, kissing the ring 🤷😆
Need to protect themselves when they are on bended knee, kissing the ring 🤷😆
January 17, 2025 at 5:33 PM
My one wish for the inauguration is that there is a gift bag under the seats of Bezos, Zuck, Elon etc, with a single, embroidered , padded knee pad
Need to protect themselves when they are on bended knee, kissing the ring 🤷😆
Need to protect themselves when they are on bended knee, kissing the ring 🤷😆
Reposted by Pacific Standard
Autocracy Inc
The president of Iran arrived in Moscow with an official visit. He will meet with Putin and they will sign a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement between Russia and Iran.
The axis of evil grows stronger.
The axis of evil grows stronger.
January 17, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Autocracy Inc
Reposted by Pacific Standard
Look forward to our webinar to discuss China’s large-scale mining in Tibet & implications of the exploitation of its critical minerals. What is the extent of extraction, impact on the environment & regional & global implications?
Join us on Jan. 21, details below.
@isdp-sweden.bsky.social
Join us on Jan. 21, details below.
@isdp-sweden.bsky.social
📢 Webinar: We will continue our series on the #ClimateCrisis in #Tibet! The webinar on January 21 will focus on: China’s Rapacity for Mining Tibetan Resources: When Will the Greed End? www.isdp.eu/event/climat...
@zsuzsettte.bsky.social, @profmartinamills.bsky.social
@zsuzsettte.bsky.social, @profmartinamills.bsky.social
January 18, 2025 at 5:24 AM
Look forward to our webinar to discuss China’s large-scale mining in Tibet & implications of the exploitation of its critical minerals. What is the extent of extraction, impact on the environment & regional & global implications?
Join us on Jan. 21, details below.
@isdp-sweden.bsky.social
Join us on Jan. 21, details below.
@isdp-sweden.bsky.social
Reposted by Pacific Standard
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian have signed a new strategic cooperation pact as the two countries brace for the return of Donald Trump to the White House.
Russia and Iran draw closer with new pact before Trump returns
The comprehensive strategic partnership agreement seeks to deepen political and economic ties as the two countries grapple with sanctions imposed by the U.S. and its allies.
buff.ly
January 18, 2025 at 5:05 AM
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian have signed a new strategic cooperation pact as the two countries brace for the return of Donald Trump to the White House.
Reposted by Pacific Standard
It’s amazing to me that politicians don’t commit to post first on @bsky.app and to engage with constituents here
THIS is more powerful than CNN , MSNBC, The Post will ever be.
You can broadcast for 9 mins on a declining medium, or engage here and start a real discussion.
Which is more powerful?
THIS is more powerful than CNN , MSNBC, The Post will ever be.
You can broadcast for 9 mins on a declining medium, or engage here and start a real discussion.
Which is more powerful?
January 17, 2025 at 2:00 PM
It’s amazing to me that politicians don’t commit to post first on @bsky.app and to engage with constituents here
THIS is more powerful than CNN , MSNBC, The Post will ever be.
You can broadcast for 9 mins on a declining medium, or engage here and start a real discussion.
Which is more powerful?
THIS is more powerful than CNN , MSNBC, The Post will ever be.
You can broadcast for 9 mins on a declining medium, or engage here and start a real discussion.
Which is more powerful?
Reposted by Pacific Standard
💯
It’s amazing to me that politicians don’t commit to post first on @bsky.app and to engage with constituents here
THIS is more powerful than CNN , MSNBC, The Post will ever be.
You can broadcast for 9 mins on a declining medium, or engage here and start a real discussion.
Which is more powerful?
THIS is more powerful than CNN , MSNBC, The Post will ever be.
You can broadcast for 9 mins on a declining medium, or engage here and start a real discussion.
Which is more powerful?
January 18, 2025 at 2:25 AM
💯
Reposted by Pacific Standard
How could a president who has less than half a business day left in office possibly provide any such assurance? Am I missing something?
Just in: TikTok says it plans to shut itself down Sunday unless Biden publicly pledges non-enforcement. TikTok wants everyone to be sure Biden is to blame, which conveniently also curries favor with Trump.
January 18, 2025 at 2:50 AM
How could a president who has less than half a business day left in office possibly provide any such assurance? Am I missing something?
Reposted by Pacific Standard
TikTok had 268 days to sell itself so it wasn’t operated by China. That would have solved everything.
But they didn’t even try. China wouldn’t let them.
Now, with time short, they want Biden to ignore a bipartisan law SCOTUS upheld 9-0.
If they shut down, it’s on them.
But they didn’t even try. China wouldn’t let them.
Now, with time short, they want Biden to ignore a bipartisan law SCOTUS upheld 9-0.
If they shut down, it’s on them.
January 18, 2025 at 3:20 AM
TikTok had 268 days to sell itself so it wasn’t operated by China. That would have solved everything.
But they didn’t even try. China wouldn’t let them.
Now, with time short, they want Biden to ignore a bipartisan law SCOTUS upheld 9-0.
If they shut down, it’s on them.
But they didn’t even try. China wouldn’t let them.
Now, with time short, they want Biden to ignore a bipartisan law SCOTUS upheld 9-0.
If they shut down, it’s on them.
Reposted by Pacific Standard
To paraphrase Musk, Maga is about to "F Itself in the Face" by going after undocumented immigrants.
The undocumented differ from Trump in 3 ways:
1) They pay taxes
2) They help the economy
3) Foreign-born individuals commit fewer crimes than native-born folks like Trump, who's a criminal
1/
The undocumented differ from Trump in 3 ways:
1) They pay taxes
2) They help the economy
3) Foreign-born individuals commit fewer crimes than native-born folks like Trump, who's a criminal
1/
January 18, 2025 at 5:12 AM
To paraphrase Musk, Maga is about to "F Itself in the Face" by going after undocumented immigrants.
The undocumented differ from Trump in 3 ways:
1) They pay taxes
2) They help the economy
3) Foreign-born individuals commit fewer crimes than native-born folks like Trump, who's a criminal
1/
The undocumented differ from Trump in 3 ways:
1) They pay taxes
2) They help the economy
3) Foreign-born individuals commit fewer crimes than native-born folks like Trump, who's a criminal
1/
Reposted by Pacific Standard
Musk's opinion piece for the German paper Die Welt, endorsing a right-wing extremist political party, matters a lot more for us than you might think, so I spent some time putting together a look at German politics, Musk's views, and the reaction to them. joycevance.substack.com/p/musk-in-di...
Musk in Die Welt
It did not take long for Eva Marie Kogel, the opinion editor at Die Welt, Germany’s paper of record, to decide what the right thing for her to do was.
joycevance.substack.com
December 29, 2024 at 3:09 AM
Musk's opinion piece for the German paper Die Welt, endorsing a right-wing extremist political party, matters a lot more for us than you might think, so I spent some time putting together a look at German politics, Musk's views, and the reaction to them. joycevance.substack.com/p/musk-in-di...
Reposted by Pacific Standard
Zero time for the media “critics” who are focused on horse race/C suite bullshit. Accountability journalism is being decimated from small towns to the big companies. If that’s not your focus all day every day, just call yourself a gossip columnist and be done with it. You are part of the problem.
December 14, 2024 at 7:53 AM
Zero time for the media “critics” who are focused on horse race/C suite bullshit. Accountability journalism is being decimated from small towns to the big companies. If that’s not your focus all day every day, just call yourself a gossip columnist and be done with it. You are part of the problem.
Reposted by Pacific Standard
Hard not to escape the conclusion that the Korean political system is more resilient than the US system
December 14, 2024 at 11:50 AM
Hard not to escape the conclusion that the Korean political system is more resilient than the US system