In one of his most significant policy addresses to date, Ma Ying-jeou, president of Taiwan, hailed his country's new Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) with China. Signed Tuesday, the ECFA is the most significant manifestation of a thaw in bilateral ties between Taipei and Beijing.

After reaching a sweeping trade agreement, Taiwan and China face the challenge of persuading the island's 23 million people that Beijing has no ulterior political motives, analysts said.

The US needs to tread carefully and to give some thought to how a united Taiwan and China would impact US interests. If we do, indeed, move in this direction, we can expect a renewed confidence in the Chinese military, no longer constrained by concerns of having to face US forces in the Taiwan Strait. In other words, we can expect structural changes in US military strategy in the Taiwan Strait area and in its relations with both China and Japan.

US academics yesterday highlighted the role of Taiwan in the White House's foreign policy, saying Taiwan's interests were “not negotiable” in the shaping of US policy on China. Scott Lilly, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, a Washington-based policy research and advocacy organization, told a forum that “the bilateral relationship between the US and Taiwan is one of the most important bilateral relationships in the world.”

On his historic tour of Shanghai by the maiden direct flight from Taipei Songshan Airport to Shanghai Hongqiao Airport June 14, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin told the media that he wants to move the world with "soft power." What is Taiwan's soft power?

Six Taiwanese writers gathered in Toronto, Canada today to join the 11th International Conference on the Short Story in English (SSIE), an annual feast of literature joined by 42 international writers in the York University, according to the Central News Agency reports today.

Cities should facilitate interaction and provide spaces so people can bond, says Chui Huili, director of the Taiwan Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo.

President Ma Ying-jeou says Taiwan's soft power makes it a great place. Ma said love, kindness and tolerance are core values for Taiwan, which is an immigrant society. He also said he is proud that Taiwan has developed a Chinese culture with distinct local flavor.