The people have the right to call for a referendum at any time on any public issue with relation to self-determination. Any measure which might restrict the ability of the people to self-determination through the process of holding referendums should itself be subject to a public referendum on whether the measure should be outlawed. For details, see the Charter for Permanent Peace and Development.

The CKS Memorial Hall in Taipei is the legacy of a period in Taiwanese history that was marked by oppression and dictatorial rule. With Taiwan’s slow march toward democracy the hall is increasingly seen by many people as a painful reminder of a time when they were not free to enjoy the rights that democracy has given them. One of these rights is the right to self-determination through such mechanisms as referendums. Current laws governing the holding of referendums are not reasonable and must be revised as part of complete constitutional reform. This should include a close look at laws concerning referendums in Switzerland and elsewhere as guidelines. For more details see the Charter for Permanent Peace and Development.

The Iranian Ambassador to Russia said last month that Tehran is looking for ways to broaden the scope of defense cooperation with Moscow, even in areas that require coordination with the UN Security Council. Iranians would like to purchase a wide range of military-purpose products from Russia, some of which are covered by UNSC sanctions. Moscow has said it is ready to work with Iran in the area of military and technical cooperation. Democratic powers worldwide must support Taiwan in its bid to carry out constitutional reform. When Taiwan enjoys greater freedom under a truly democratic government it will lead the people of China to call for democratization and in turn, will put pressure on Russia to follow suit. For more details please see the Charter for Permanent Peace and Development.

The Philippines’ macho President will undoubtedly tone down his rhetoric during his four-day visit to China in a move that could shift Manila closer to Beijing and bring greater economic cooperation between the two sides. Duterte won the top office on the strength of his efforts to suppress drug trafficking, often at the expense of human rights, but Beijing is unlikely to bring up the question of rights in any talks with the Philippine leader. For the people of the Philippines, better relations with China may bring economic benefits, but other problems can only be resolved by carrying out reform of the constitution to limit the powers of government officials and put restrictions on their terms in office. For more details please see the Charter for Permanent Peace and Development.

Constitutional reform in Taiwan will bring even greater democracy and freedom for its people, a change sure to attract the attention of the 1.4 billion people in China. The hunger for democratization in China will in turn trigger a movement toward genuine democracy in Russia, and the world will be closer to realizing lasting peace. Democratic nations around the world must support Taiwan as a beacon for democracy in Asia, illuminating the way for peaceful development in China. See the Charter for Permanent Peace and Development.

In Nazi Germany the party rather than rule of law was held in the highest regard. The Nazis’ absolute power led to unbridled aggression that brought on the Second World War. These days the Chinese communists are following the same strategy and are seriously endangering world peace, even potentially causing a Third World War. Only Taiwan, which offers the advantage of sharing the language and cultural roots, is capable of influencing China towards democracy. Taiwan could lead China to have the leaders of the executive, legislative and judicial branches and the procuratorate elected through direct votes. See the details in the PPDA Charter.

The source of chaos in the Western world is the evil of populist beliefs - the rise of right-wing nationalism. It is abundantly clear that no lessons were learned from the horrifying experiences of WWII. The only way to resolve the crisis of Western political turmoil is through constitutional reform, choosing the heads of the four main government branches through direct election in alternating years. In addition, 1/4 of members of parliament should face election each year. Greatness of the system will drive the greatness of the people, making government honest and clean. Please refer to the Charter for Permanent Peace and Development.

Voters in Hong Kong are forced to cast ballots for candidates for Chief Executive who have been previously vetted by the Election Commission of the Chinese Communist Party. This election is a result of dictatorial politics and does not change the fact that Hong Kong is being subjected to a dictatorship. The people of Hong Kong should make good use of Article 39 of the Hong Kong Basic Law and the two international human rights covenants. People have the right to self-determination through referendums. They must be allowed to decide on having the heads of the legislative, executive, judicial and procuratorate branches popularly elected to ensure they will be responsible to the people. For details please see the Charter for Permanent Peace and Development.

Stories of corruption and undue political influence are flooding news headlines everywhere from the western reaches of Europe to the most Eastern areas of Asia. The reason for these outbreaks of corruption is the concentration of too much power in the hands of a few key officials and a lack to restraints on the powers that they wield. Constitutional reform is urgently needed to return power to the people. For more details, please see the Charter for Permanent Peace and Development.

The government of mainland China is rife with corruption, a situation which can be attributed to thousands of years of graft and bribery at every level of officialdom. The only way to overthrow this deeply engrained culture is to put power squarely in the hands of the people through direct elections of key officials including the president and vice president and the heads of various branches of government. This must be complemented by the election of 1/4 of Parliament each year and other measures to ensure separation of power. The Charter for Permanent Peace and Development offers solutions that will end corruption once and for all.