Taiwan's Hybrid Nature: its Strength and its Hope
Friday July 23
Most short and long term visitors to Taiwan will comment on its unique characteristics, culture and style. Taiwan has an identity that makes it clearly different from all its neighbors; further its people are hardy, resilient and adaptive. Why? This is no doubt more than just the result of historical experience and development; it may also be its nature. Theorists certainly wonder how and why after century upon century of diverse colonizers, with each striving to impose its brand of imagined community on it, Taiwan has still managed to develop its own characteristics and culture. I posit that Taiwan did this not so much by rejection, but by absorbing the colonizing cultures and cross breeding them into its own indigenous ways and stock. In other words, Taiwanese have forged what can be called their own unique hybrid culture and way, the Taiwanese way. ...
Taiwan Voters Peek Behind the KMT Curtain of Corruption in Taichung
Monday July 12
Jason Hu was born in Beijing and grew up in the hierarchical, one-party state culture of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). As a one-party state, it was a culture of privilege, power, and entitlement. Within that culture one could easily rise if one had reasonable talent, kept one eye closed under the party mask of hierarchical respectability, and was loyal to the party regardless of its actions. It was a culture fostered by Chiang Kai-shek (CKS), a warlord among warlords and one who manipulated events so that he seemed the logical choice to bear the mantle of Sun Yat-sen. If one followed the above precepts particularly that of loyalty, one could expect to be taken care of by the benevolence of the KMT. Jason Hu did that and was rewarded by being its representative for Mayor of Taichung. ...
Taipei Elections, a Matter of Quality
Friday July 09
The November elections approach and the voters of Taipei have many questions to ask. One important question concerns the quality of Mayor Hau Lung-bin's past leadership. When it comes to quality, whether it is Quality Assurance, Quality Control and/or Quality Management, those familiar with the topic would know the name of Philip Crosby, author of "Quality is Free" (1979). In that work, Crosby gives his famous maxim, "Do it right the first time." Crosby's maxim is simple and direct, and it explains the title of his book. If a person, a company, a mayor, or the mayor's staff does something right the first time, then there will be no need for the cost of re-doing it or for the cost for repairs. In other words, quality will be free. ...
Part II, Deconstructing Taiwan's Past in Search of its Identity
Saturday June 26
When a colonizing nation approaches an imagined geography and seeks to impose its imagined community on that geography/colony, a natural Hegelian dialectic develops. The colonizer imposes its sense of imagined community; the colonized already possessing their own sense of imagined community (if even subconsciously) resist in a dynamic process. The result is a hybrid or different identity. One can ask, why should present twenty-first century Taiwanese be concerned with this continuous process dating back to its Dutch, Spanish, Koxinga and later Manchu periods? The importance lies in the fact that this dialectic has been continuously there from the start. It is part and parcel of Taiwan's ongoing history and has thus helped form the unique identity of what it means to be Taiwanese. The roots of Taiwan's identity and future imagined community are the continuous result of dialectical resistance and development. It is in realizing this dialectic with its economic role that Taiwanese begin to see scope and uniqueness of how their history is not China's history, and how China's history is not Taiwan's history. ...
Deconstructing Taiwan's Past in Search of Its Identity Part I
Thursday June 24
A pressing problem for Taiwan in today's world remains finding an answer to the question, "What does it mean to be Taiwanese?" Put in a different way, "What is Taiwan's national identity?" To be sure there are other pressing or immediate problems, such as the economy, the threat of attack by the People's Republic of China, and the preservation and strengthening of Taiwan's democracy. But the answers to each of those problems still hinge upon establishing what is Taiwan's national identity, and where the Taiwanese want their nation to go. The identity issue is not new, recent examples are Melissa Brown's "Is Taiwan Chinese?," the book, "Memories of the Future, National Identity Issues and the Search for a New Taiwan" (ed. Stephane Corcuff) and my own, "Taiwan the Search for Identity." ...
Taiwan Hosts Film "Formosa Betrayed" and Historical Musical, "Days of Bananas"
Sunday June 13
This past week in Taiwan had a combined sense of déjà vu as art, history, and reality all came to bear. On Monday there was a private showing of Will Tiao's film "Formosa Betrayed" which portrayed how the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) as late as the 1980s, tried to suppress democracy and human rights movements on the island; in the process it sanctioned several high profile murders. Then on Friday, Tafen Musical Theatre's new historical musical, "Days of Bananas" opened; this drama portrayed the struggles and ups and downs of Taiwan farmers in the turbulent 1960s where the KMT and its carpet bagger middlemen profited off of the work of Taiwanese farmers. A banana tycoon Wu was further caught between the later power struggle of Madame Soong and Chiang Ching-kuo for control of the autocratic KMT as the doddering Chiang Kai-shek lived out his last autocratic days. Wu would eventually be destroyed by that link to the corruption of the times. ...
ECFA! It's More than Trade; It's a Matter of Ma's Credibility and Competency
Friday June 11
Any fool nation can sign a trade agreement with China if it gives China everything it wants. The question of ECFA is not a matter of trade with China; that is a no-brainer. The question is how and under what circumstances and conditions. In Taiwan's case it is even more; it is a question of the competency and credibility of its President. A well-known visiting professor of international trade negotiations put it this way. "If any of my graduate students proposed entering a trade agreement of such serious proportions as ECFA and forthwith set a deadline date for negotiations and agreement, I would fail him immediately." Yet here was Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou saying that come hell or high-water, the country must sign the ECFA agreement with the People's Republic of China (PRC) by the end of June; this challenges Ma's credibility and competency to the max. ...
Tired of the Double Standard of Justice Under the KMT? Wait There is More.
Tuesday June 08
The Double Standard of Justice and Prosecution that harkens back to the days of the Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) Martial Law era has returned to Taiwan with the administration of Ma Ying-jeou. Yes, we know that Ma keeps chanting the mantra that he is anti-corruption and the gullible western media sources continue to lap it up. Unfortunately they have always been too lazy to do their homework and measure Ma's words against his actions and/or his directives to his underlings. If nothing else those western media sources should remember the likes of Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew who notoriously campaigned for re-election under a platform of law and order. The law and order Nixon and Agnew did not fare well in their encounters with the courts. ...
The KMT, Taichung, Crime and Corruption: Do They Still Go Hand in Hand?
Wednesday June 02
It read like something out of the "Godfather" movie series. There they were in the middle of the afternoon of a working day, four of Taichung's finest police officers (with alleged gangland ties) having tea at the offices of another well-known boss of questionable repute, Weng Chih-nan. All of a sudden a gunman burst in and fired off sixteen shots. Seven of the shots hit Weng and others hit a friend. How long does it take to fire off sixteen shots?
Kuo Kuan-ying, Remember that High-Class KMT Mainlander?
Saturday May 29
The long arm of the law finally caught up with Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Kuo Kuan-ying as he was sentenced to either pay a small fine (NT$ 50,000) or serve 50 days in jail for defaming National Taiwan Univ. professor Chen Shih-meng and political commentator Chin Heng-wei. Kuo if you have forgotten was a KMT government official serving in Toronto who in 2008 proclaimed that he was a "High-Class Mainlander" and bemoaned the fact that his talents were wasted serving these low-class Taiwanese redneck farmers. In typical style of old guard KMT; Kuo implied that the Taiwanese should thank the KMT Mainlanders for oppressing the Taiwanese and forcing their "culture" on them. ...
An Open Letter by Academics and Professionals to the Speaker of the Legislative Yuan
Sunday May 23
No one is against trade with China, but Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou continues to insist that ECFA (the economic cooperation framework agreement) be signed in June. He does this despite the fact that all dealings and have been non-transparent and without consultation, circumventing the checks and balance of the Legislative Yuan (LY) i.e. the Legislative Branch of the government. This letter by concerned academics and professionals is urging the Speaker of the LY to live up to his responsibility as head of the LY and check the headlong, runaway push of Taiwan's Executive Branch ...
Thinning the Herd Beijing Style: So Why Does Ma Keep Pushing Taiwan Towards Unification?
Tuesday May 18
In the past few years, the international media has been filled with plenty of stories of how the Middle Kingdom of Pollution, Poison and Propaganda has sent out deadly products such as poisoned toothpaste, poisoned pet foods, poisoned toys rife with lead-based paint etc. etc. The world has been shocked, but not enough to give up the quest of the almighty dollar; thus it has chosen to ignore the facts on how Beijing thins the herd of humans around the world. Instead it has continued the mantra, "Buy China! Make a Profit." A bitter mantra and a bitter pill, especially if one thinks of all the collateral damage this causes.
Taiwan, Will the ECFA Early Harvest be the Early Shaft?
Wednesday May 12
May 20 will mark the official two year anniversary of Ma Ying-jeou's inauguration as President of Taiwan. And while this is the half-way point of his four years as president, people are wondering what has he done? From the mishandling of Typhoon Morakot, to the erosion of justice, to the beef scandal, to the claims that Chinese tourists would rescue the economy with all of their tourists' dollars, the country is not in good shape. People are asking why? Yet to be sure, Ma's spin doctors will be working hard to stress all that has been done. Perhaps that is why Ma is pushing so hard to have an ECFA signed by June despite all the cautionary protests of numerous groups. Questions that will have to be examined in the coming weeks not only abound but seem to be multiplying, yet Ma pushes ahead so he can have something concrete to point to. Below are a sampling of the many concerns that are being voiced. ...
Taiwan's Double Standard, Money, Money, Who's Got the Money? Part II: Those Friggin Frigates
Sunday May 09
It reads like a John le Carre spy-thriller. The ingredients are all there. Billions of dollars for military hardware-here read French Lafayette Frigates. The staggering amount for bribes and payoffs alone reaches well over US$600 millions of dollars. Even the PRC military got in on the action and were paid well not to protest France selling these ships to Taiwan. How France got the contract instead of South Korea which had seemed to have had it in the bag, is only the beginning; the known body count of accidental deaths and questionable suicides has reached at least 8 with falling out of windows from tall buildings seeming to be the accident of choice. Yes, even by Taiwan standards this is a scandal of scandals. ...
Taiwan's Double Standard: Money, Money, Who's Got the Money Part I?
Friday May 07
In a previous post you saw how Chen Shui-bian has been in jail for nearly two years on corruption charges concerning US$21 million from his eight years of presidency. The courts have yet not stated and/or proved just how much of that money is illegal and how much is rightfully his, according to the loose and vague laws concerning campaign donations. They are operating on the presumption that some amount of it (though they have not yet specifically proven it) is illegal and therefore they are justifying keeping him in jail. In the meantime, the prosecutors are also badgering, harassing, and interfering with the lives of many associated with Chen to try and get some one of them to create evidence for their case. Contrast that with the following that was just in the news about the infamous Chung Hsing Bills affair that broke just before the 2000 presidential elections. ...
Do You Know Where Ma Ying-jeou Stands on the Boundaries of Taiwan?
Tuesday May 04
By a strange confluence of events, the day after I spoke with Chen Shui-bian, I attended a conference by Ma and shook hands with him afterwards. At Ma's conference on ECFA, In an effort to get him on record, I had asked him about the boundaries of the ROC as he saw them. ...
A Visit with Former President Chen Shui-bian Raises Questions on Taiwan's Double Standard of Justice
Friday April 30
Former President Chen Shui-bian has been in jail for over 500 days on corruption charges while others found guilty of the same and/or other crimes were never jailed and walk free. Those walking free are from the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and People's First Party (PFP); Chen is from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Chen has been denied the human right of proper defense and proper lawyer client privileges. His judge was replaced when he did not give the desired verdict wanted by Chen's opponents who work for Taiwan's current president Ma Ying-jeou. Many of those associated with the President Chen's case have been jailed in an attempt to force them to fabricate, create and/or provide incriminating evidence against Chen. No one involved with the numerous other corruption cases of the KMT and PFP have been treated this way. For the moment, however, let's leave aside the double standard of justice in Taiwan. There is time enough for that later. Today I just want to describe the conditions one experiences if he/she visits former President Chen. ...
Taiwan, a Tale of Two Presidents
Tuesday April 27
This week started in an unusual way. On Monday, I visited former President Chen Shui-bian where he is being held in prison. On Tuesday, I shook hands with current President Ma Ying-jeou after he had explained his position on ECFA to the Taiwan Foreign Correspondent's Club. Two different men, two different situations; I will write on both shortly ...
The Great ECFA Debate: Excuses Before It Begins
Saturday April 24
The great ECFA debate between Ma Ying-jeou and Tsai Ing-wen looms. Ironically after two years of Ma telling Taiwan that it was absolutely crucial for its survival, Ma's staff is crying that he has only had two hours to prepare. Say what? Something that Ma claims is crucial for the country but he only has two hours to spare??? He must love the country. ...
In Search of Taiwan Minzu: the First Step, Seeing What it is Not
Saturday April 24
Nothing exemplifies Ma Ying-jeou's lack of identity with and/or grasp of what it is to be Taiwanese than his constant attempts to push Zhonghua minzu on the Taiwanese. Ma mentioned the words repeatedly in his 2008 inaugural address, and now as he constantly pursues his pro-China agenda; it is part and parcel of his agenda. The truth of the matter is that historically Zhonghua minzu has little to do with Taiwan. And as for the future, to put it bluntly, Taiwan needs Zhonghua minzu like it needs a hole in the head. What Taiwan really needs to foster as it develops its democracy is the fullness of its historic Taiwan minzu. This is exactly what Ma is trying to suppress. ..
Taiwan as the World Turns: the Credibility of Ma Continues to Erode
Tuesday April 20
Taiwan got another taste of the duplicity of Ma-speak yesterday. The day before President Ma's Premier, Wu Den-yih, stated flatly that Ma never opposed having a referendum on ECFA. The next day, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) of which Ma is the chairperson and which has the controlling majority in the Legislative Yuan flatly blocked for the sixth time the referendum bill on ECFA. Conflicting words? Not with Ma-speak. ...
ECFA, Another Insult from the People that Gave Taiwan 6-3-3
Friday April 16
Only a complete dunce totally out of touch with Taiwan's reality would claim ignorance of Ma Ying-jeou's infamous 6-3-3 promise in all its foolhardy glory. This campaign promise of the 2008 presidential elections came about when Ma's so-called A-Team of economic advisors told him that 6-3-3 was easily achievable and he should have no fear of promising it. It was of course a gross misread of the economic scene from the git-go. Despite all the back-tracking that it would have to wait until a nebulous transformation in 2016 when Ma could comfortably escape as well as attempts to blame it all on outside forces, the reality remains it was bad advice and a total economic misread. ...
Taipei Police Need to Realize They are not the Beijing Police
Friday April 09
Anyone who has watched the antics of the Taipei police in the past year and a half would think that they are trying to imitate and/or curry favor with Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou. In that time, Ma has of course been trying to curry favor with the People's Republic of China (PRC). Whether Ma's efforts reflect a secret desire to unify Taiwan with the PRC or whether they are driven by his trying to salvage Taiwan's economy which began to sag right after Ma was elected is a different matter. Whatever the case, let us focus for now on the antics of the police as they have repeatedly abused Taiwan's citizen's rights to freedom of expression. ...
ROC Splendid 100, Who is Paying for This Reinterpretation of Splendid?
Thursday April 01
"Republic of China Splendid 100" so reads Ma Ying-jeou's Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) proposed new slogan for Taiwan. Splendid and for Taiwan? How so? When the Republic of China (ROC) allegedly was founded in 1911, Taiwan had already been modernizing since 1895 and was some fifteen years on its way to becoming Japan's model colony to the world. On the other side of the Taiwan Strait in 1911, some Han Chinese that were tired of having had to wear the Manchu queue for centuries in a disheveling Manchu Empire hatched a revolt that never quite succeeded. By 1912, sixteen of twenty-two provinces joined in, but the crucial ones in the north where Puyi was emperor and Yuan Shi-kai, commander of the Beiyang Army held power, remained firm. So begins splendid. ...
The ECFA ads, Who is Paying for Them? Taiwan's Taxpayers? the KMT or China?
Sunday March 28
It is two years into the reign of Ma the Incompetent and it appears that the one-trick pony is getting desperate to defend his ECFA efforts and drag Taiwan into economic dependency on the People's Republic of China (PRC). The latest effort of Ma and his combination hired gun/snake oil salesman King Pu-tsung are expensive TV ads saying how the country will totally lose its competitiveness if it does not give the government a blank check to sign ECFA. Allegedly if the people don't sign this blank check by June, it is all over for Taiwan. Can you believe such absurdities? ...
Taiwan and China, Geographically Close but Miles Apart Otherwise
Friday March 26
Taiwan and China are two countries separated by some 100 miles of the Taiwan Strait; they are close but so far apart in so many ways. Take today for example, it is ironic that as Google is leaving China because it no longer wishes to be part of its censorship of news and information, in Taiwan, Portico Media is launching WOW (Watch our World) tv. With WOW tv, Portico presents what it terms a "bouquet" of channels for Taiwan on Chunghwa Telecom's IPTV (Internet Protocol television) MOD (Multimedia on Demand). ...
The 1996 Consensus, an Idea Whose Time Has Finally Come!
Saturday March 20
Although Taiwan's current President Ma Ying-jeou regularly repeats and revels in this 1992 fabrication, the time has come for all Taiwanese to once and for all dump the hypocrisy of the "1992 Consensus." The so-called consensus of 1992 is a fraud, a deception, a duplicitous trick formulated by Su Chi. Allegedly the purpose was to facilitate cross-strait talks, but even then the People's Republic of China (PRC) never even publicly agreed to it. Further, the talks that were being "facilitated" at that time were not nation to nation talks, but rather they were party to party talks between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). What was really happening was that both parties were trying to find a way to maintain the legitimacy of their roots, and claim that there was only "one China" and each of course represented it. That idea must be scrapped. ...
"Formosa Betrayed" Movie Review by Roger Ebert Lays it Bare
Friday March 19
If a picture is worth 1000 words, imagine what a film can do in enlightening the audiences of America about Taiwan's White Terror Period (1947--1987). It is a period that most Americans know little about. If Americans believed that Taiwan was championing democratic values under Chiang Kai-shek, they are in for a rude, major shock. This film gives a much clearer picture of what was really going on on this side of the world. It was not that long ago and many of the political figures currently active in Taiwan were involved in the many cover-ups of abuses of justice and human rights. The story line is a composite of several real murders from the 1980s. I came to Taiwan in 1988, the year after Martial Law was lifted, and have written numerous articles on this topic. The following review of "Formosa Betrayed" by film critic Roger Ebert confirms them all. Ebert's comments and review follow. ...
Taiwan's Poltical Soap Opera Update: The Diane Lee Effect and Justice Served?
Sunday March 14
Taiwan's political soap opera under Ma Ying-joke continues, and a new factor in the political scene is what can be called the "Diane Lee Effect." Suffering from it is Kaohsiung's People First Party (PFP) City Councilor Yang Se-yu. Diane Lee, for those who may not recognize the name, is the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator who for 14 years had illegally collected over US$3 million dollars in salary in violation of the Nationality Act. The KMT Lee had held dual passports for both Taiwan and the United States. The national loyalty of any government official with dual passports is immediately suspect; with that is the possibility that they can easily do things harmful to the national interests of the country. In this, they possess the relative immunity of having the means for an immediate escape if the harm of their actions is revealed. ...
Cambodia Part III, Angkor Wat and Other Scenes
Tuesday March 09
The main temple of Angkor Wat is designed to be a microcosm of the Hindu universe. The moat that surrounds the temple symbolize the mythical oceans that surround the earth; the concentric galleries and the towers represent the mountains that lead up to Mount Meru the home of the gods. It should be visited more than once if time allows and one of the times should be at sunrise. The opening photos of this sequence display the quiet mood that pervades as visitors have come across the causeway leading into the grounds from the west. The scene is far away from any sounds of the city or civilization and one can watch the sun peacefully climb over the towers and structure. ...
Cambodia Part II, Ta Prohm, Mystery, Intrigue and Wonder
Sunday March 07
I must admit, that Ta Prohm was for me the most engaging part of Angkor Wat. True, it was the focal area of the film "Lara Croft, Tomb Raider;" but that wasn't the reason, and the film had taken a lot of liberty with set and camera angles. No, the appeal lay in the fact that it was this temple and its environs that the Ecole Francaise d'Extreme-Orient decided to leave (as much as possible) in the natural state that the whole of Angkor Wat was found in by its 19th century discoverers. ...
Cambodia Part I, Tonle Sap, the Great Lake and People
Friday March 05
Among Cambodia's many unique features, Tonle Sap (The Great Lake) stands out. Enhancing the lake's uniqueness is its relationship to the 7th largest river in Asia, the Mekong River. The Mekong begins way up in the Himalayas and drains down through China, Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos into Cambodia. It does not stop there of course; from there it goes into Vietnam (remember the many war movies that treated it there) and finally the sea. ...
February 28, 2-28, Taiwan Remains a Day of Mixed Emotions
Sunday February 28
One can always look at Taiwan in terms of the past or in terms of the present. Never is that brought home more than on February 28th. In terms of the present, today many are celebrating the victory of the DPP party in 3 of the 4 by-elections held yesterday. Again as a statement of no-confidence in the Ma administration's policies, and despite heavy campaigning by the KMT including President Ma, the voters by way of the ballot box re-iterated the fact that Ma's approval ratings and performance ratings remain low, a low that is somewhere between 20 to 30 per cent. So Taiwanese can be happy that they can democratically and freely express their disapproval. But 2-28 means more. ...
Angkor Wat and Mysteries of Cambodia
Thursday February 25
I will be posting shortly on experiences in visiting Angkor Wat and the mysteries how such a thriving civilization and large temple array around which once lived over a million people could disappear into the forests and trees of the land for centuries. In the meantime, if you want to whet your appetite, go to the left column where the photographs are listed and click onto Cambodia. There you will find three sets of photos, including Ta Prahm--the area made famous by the film, "Lara Croft, Tomb Raider" Enjoy.
Taiwan, As the World Turns in February, Chou Hsi-wei Breaks down in Tears
Tuesday February 23
It was another dramatic Taiwan Kodak moment and Chou Hsi-wei was there in the midst of it. After many years of incompetent rule, this Mayor of Taipei County with his flair for grandiose drama tearfully announced that he would not run for re-election. Why? It wasn't that he did not want to run; it was that his party, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) politely refused to let him. Five crucial elections are coming up in December and the Mayor of the newly formed Sinbei City where Chou would run is one of them. The KMT cannot afford to lose any one of the five, but Sinbei City is one of the more crucial. ...
Taiwan's Ma Ying-jeou Continues to Invite Voters to Live in his Fantasy World
Friday February 19
Caught in another faux pas, Taiwan's sometime-president, Ma Ying-jeou, (a.k.a. Ma the Incompetent) crawfished backwards from his recent statement that China and Taiwan were two different nations. In an effort to save face, Ma has chosen instead to continue to invite Taiwan and the world to join him in his make-believe, fantasy world. Key to that world is the out-dated and out-moded 1947 Constitution of the Republic of China (ROC). In Ma's fantasy world, the ROC is the sovereign nation of China and the People's Republic of China (PRC) is a non-entity. According to Ma, he does not recognize the sovereignty of the PRC nor their rulers' rightful existence. Skip the fact that they do hold the United Nation's seat for China. All that Ma will concede is a "non-denial" of their existence in that nebulous "area" on the other side of the Taiwan Strait. ...
Taiwan's Double Standard and the "Dogs of Bias"
Wednesday February 10
Taiwan's former President Chen Shui-bian has been in jail since December 30, 2008 (over 400 days). The change in judges requested by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) to keep him there has extended his imprisonment for the third time. This time it is for two more months. His case reeks of the double standard that has never left Taiwan's prosecutorial function and the courts since the one-party state days of the KMT. While Ma Ying-jeou's former law professor Jerome Cohen and scores of professors have written open-letter after open-letter to point out these inconsistencies and erosion of justice, all the Minister of Justice (MOJ) and the Government Information Office (GIO) do is to laugh and try to create a veneer of legitimacy over Ma Ying-jeou's government. ...
Cohen Points Out the Continued Hypocrisy of Ma Ying-jeou's Government I
Monday February 08
The hypocrisy and pretense fostered by the government of Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou is once again demonstrated by Ma's former law professor as he observes how Ma's Minister of Justice attempts to make Taiwan emulate China. An edited version of this text appeared in English in the South China Morning Post (Hong Kong) on January 20, 2010 under the title "Under Threat," and appeared in Chinese on January 21, in the China Times (Taiwan) (·±ÌåÖÐÎÄ)(¼òÌåÖÐÎÄ). by Jerome A. Cohen and Yu-Jie Chen. It is important to read this to understand the continuous and disparate double standard that Ma's people place Taiwan under. Wake up Taiwan! ...
Taiwan Struggles with Its Identity and the GIO is No Help
Tuesday February 02
Taiwan is a nation replete with anomalies, an out-moded constitution and a big identity problem. Only the Taiwanese can solve this problem, but to do so, they must face up to the totality of their past, admit who they are and decide where they want to go. Nowhere are these issues and problems more easily seen and recorded than in the recent and annual Government Information Office's (GIO) publication "The Republic of China Yearbook 2009." If you think the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing or wants, you need look no further. ...
Forcing Taiwan's KMT to Face the Reality of Loss
Saturday January 30
The death of a dream and the loss of a country are terrible things to face and admit. It has been sixty years since the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lost its civil war in China and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) drove them into exile. Sixty years! But even though sixty years have passed, many KMT members have still not gone through the five stages of the grieving process and come to accept that loss. Instead, they remain locked in one or other of the earlier stages of grief (denial, anger, and bargaining). Acceptance is too hard a pill to swallow, but as the KMT wallows in its grief, denial and pity, Taiwan suffers. ...
Taiwan's Great ECFA Debate that Never Was and Probably Never Will Be
Tuesday January 26
Ma Ying-jeou has been president of Taiwan for almost two years and Taiwan's economy still flounders. Like a one-trick pony, Ma seems only capable of playing the run-to-China card, but so far his panda and tourist gambits and direct flights have done nothing. His advisors have no other pro-offered plans or proposals. So as desperation mounts for the past year he has been touting an unknown economic framework agreement (ECFA) with China. Despite previous failed experiments, this will be Taiwan's salvation. That is great but despite his claims of transparency and openness, no one still knows what Ma's ECFA will entail. Not to worry, says Ma, just give me a blank check and I will take care of everything. That of course is what a growing number of Taiwanese fear, i.e. that Ma will take care of everything so that there will be no Taiwan left. ...
Taiwan, As the World Turns, Life Under Ma the Incompetent: the Great Panda Fiasco
Sunday January 24
The soap opera of life in Taiwan continues under its so-called President, Ma the Incompetent, a.k.a. Ma Ying-joke. People no longer commiserate about the joke of his 6-3-3 campaign promise. Nor do they even mention the joke of his promise that his great rapprochement with China would bring over 3,000 well-heeled, free-spending Chinese per day to turn Taiwan's economy around. All Taiwan got were loud mouth pikers who when they weren't spitting on the sidewalks were trying to stiff restaurants because they didn't bring much money. The latest sad thing that makes people wonder "Why did we ever believe him?" is the great panda fiasco. ...
The KMT's Sordid Past Relives Itself under Ma Ying-jeou
Wednesday January 20
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is a past master of fat-cat positions and bought loyalties. Who can not help but remember the inequalities of its forced forty year one-party state rule of Taiwan. Who cannot help but remember how while promoting the ruse of being pro-democracy the KMT guaranteed party members lucrative lifelong positions in the Legislative Yuan (LY). After it lost China's Civil War, the KMT retreated to Taiwan in 1949. Party members elected to the LY in 1947, never had to face another election until 1992 when Lee Teng-hui finally cleaned house. Most LY members by that time had either died or were ready to retire with fat pensions. Is the past, the past? Not on your life. ...
Friedman Leaves Me Cold, Flat, and Disgusted
Friday January 15
Between the known and the unknown, falls the shadow. Between the surface and reality falls the guess. Between what can be controlled and what cannot, falls the wish. Between the shadow, the guess, and the wish, comes the consultant, a shadowy seller of guesses striving to say truisms that the wishers want to hear. Thomas Friedman, "The World is Flat" (2005) and the World is "Hot, Flat, and Crowded" (2008), recently graced the shores of Taiwan, and demonstrated this process. Unfortunately the more one listens to him, the more one wonders how he ever became a three-time Pulitzer Prize winner. Or better yet, what judgment standards does the Pulitzer Prize Board have? In the 14 Journalistic categories awarded only to paid entrants, does cleverness trump content? Does style trump substance? ...
Taiwan, January 2010: As the World Turns
Saturday January 09
Saturday January 9, 2010, a clean sweep for the DPP as it took the three Legislative Yuan positions that were up for re-election when vacated because of among other things previous KMT vote-buying. Ma's new spin-doctor KMT Secretary-General King Pu-tsung is going to be working overtime to try and put a positive spin on this one. All three positions had been KMT held. More by-elections in February, but the immediate damage is that the DPP now has more than one-fourth of the Legislative positions and can officially challenge the President in legislative matters. ...
Taiwan's Ma Ying-jeou Rules by Fiat, Why then is No One Listening?
Thursday January 07
The more one watches Ma Ying-jeou's distant management style, the more one thinks of Swift's floating island of Laputa in his satire, "Gulliver's Travels". From high above, the king of the floating island communicates with his subjects down below via written orders, directives and messages lowered in a basket. His subjects must respond in kind placing requests and petitions in the basket to be hauled up for consideration. Swift is satirizing the Hanover King George I of England who did not speak the language of the people and preferred to rule from afar (Germany to be exact). Ma of course does speak a faltering Taiwanese, but his mind is not on Taiwan. It's elsewhere dreaming of restoring the mythic Republic of China that never lost the Civil War and still rules China by its 1947 Constitution. ...
Taiwan Up, Now There is an Embarassing Expression
Monday January 04
Even though Dubai now claims the world's tallest operative building, Taipei 101 (having held that boast for 5 years) still stands proud and tall over the city of Taipei. Proud and tall, that is, except for one item, the unfortunate glowing lights spelling out "Taiwan Up" on its façade.
Taiwan Up,who came up with that embarrassing inept slogan? ...
Where's the Beef? It's Smell the Coffee Time in the USA
Friday January 01
Those of us, who live at ground zero in Taiwan, have long grown tired of hearing pundits and distant observers in USA media etc. judge things from a distance and spout or believe the pearls handed them by their past wine and dine Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) friends. For the past eighteen months we have heard those pundits speak in glorious terms about how the election of Ma Ying-jeou was going to solve all the problems in the Taiwan Strait, harmonize the triangle of the USA, Taiwan and China and allow everyone to become millionaires. ...
Taiwan's Prosecutors Continue to Abuse Their Power
Friday December 25
Taiwan's prosecutors continue to abuse their power in the Chen Shui-bian case as they set out on yet another fishing expedition. They recently announced a fourth round of indictments (22 people) in Chen's case. So far they have called in just about anyone and everyone that ever shook hands with Chen or offered to buy him a cup of coffee. ...
The Peaceful Need for Japan and Taiwan to Support Each Other
Thursday December 17
No one has ever defined what the status quo in the Taiwan Strait actually is, was or should be though everyone talks about it. So the charade continues that there is a status quo and that everyone supports it (peace included). Despite that, China regularly adds to the number of missiles it has pointed at Taiwan; it makes military threats and anti-secession laws, and jails any and all pro-democracy dissidents within its borders. In keeping with the same mythical status quo, Taiwan under the Ma government says that it believes its 23 million people should control their destiny yet it consistently ignores their input, currently tries to ram a non-transparent ECFA down their throats and promotes pro-unification policies. And the USA, if pressed, will state that Taiwan's status is undetermined, but in its actions the USA neglects any input from the actual people of Taiwan and tries to accommodate the China market. What then really needs to be done? ...
Taiwan, As the World Turns in December: Ma Turns to his Spin-doctor King Pu-tsung
Monday December 14
The December 5 election results were not a big loss for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), but they did show the continuing ineptness of Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou. As both President and KMT Party Chairman, Ma could blame no one else. He put his image on the line as he campaigned heavily throughout the country, and especially so in the County of Yilan where the KMT lost handily. Ma tried to explain it all as a matter of the economy (Ma's campaign promise of 6-3-3 is becoming 3-1-1) but whatever the reasons Ma gave, the outcome was clearly another vote of non-confidence in Ma ...
A Cause for Concern, Does Ma Ying-jeou Know What Time It Is?
Wednesday December 09
The elections of December 5th are past and one marked result is the fact that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has regained power in its former stronghold, Yilan County. Ma Ying-jeou as both President of the country and Chairman of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) had zealously and extensively campaigned there to prevent this, putting both his own reputation and the party's on the line. Despite this, the people voted in the DPP candidate. Whether this can be seen as an indication that the people of Taiwan are developing a growing mistrust of their president whom many are beginning to call the phony pony, is one matter. But there is another matter, that of Ma breaking the law in his campaigning. ...
Another Side of Taiwan, the Scots and St. Andrew's Ball
Wednesday December 02
At the end of November each year, the Scots around the world celebrate their culture, heritage, and nationalism with a meal and both Scottish and regular dancing at St. Andrew's Ball. Taiwan is no exception and we always try to make it a point to join them in their fun, merriment and fellowship. To see photos of this year's celebration and past years go to the heading "Another Side" on the left, click it and then click again on the category of St. Andrew's Ball. Each year is designated.
Taiwan Under Ma Ying-jeou, More Smoke and Mirrors as the Cross-strait Sell Out Continues
Monday November 30
As Ma Ying-jeou works his shady cross-strait deals, he tries to flash the carrot of how China will save Taiwan. Forget the fact that the Chinese dumped poisoned milk products etc. on Taiwan. Forget the fact that the great China tourist influx failed. There, not only did the numbers not materialize, but even the few tourists that came, how shall we put it, were cheap. They did not spend much. Certainly not as much as the Japanese or even the Koreans whose tourists Ma should have promoted more in the first place. But let us return to the cross-strait promises. Again, the reality is proving the opposite. Opposite, unless you want to say that under Ma the rich will get richer, but the poor will get poorer. Examine the recent housing news. ...
Kissinger, the International Republican Institute (IRI), Freedom and Democracy and Other Conundrums
Thursday November 26
The International Republican Institute (IRI) needs to do some serious soul-searching. Its stated purpose is to advance freedom and democracy worldwide; it promotes open elections, good government and rule by law. It supports the United Nation's Declaration of Human Rights where "Freedom is not the sole prerogative of a lucky few but the inalienable and human right of all human beings." This is all well and good, so then why of the many people who have sacrificed for cause of freedom is it honoring former Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger with the Freedom Award (October 2009)? ...
Taiwan, Where's the Beef Protest Photos
Wednesday November 25
In the previous posting, mention was made of the protest made by thousands of Taiwanese on the slipshod way that Ma Ying-jeou was handling Taiwan's international affairs. In this particular case, the problem was the questionable deal made on accepting tainted beef products that could endanger the health of Taiwan's citizens. Why was Ma so quick to make a deal, what was the quid pro quo in accepting dangerous products? Later Ma tried to dance around his acceptance saying in effect, we have accepted poisonous products but our testing of them will render them inedible. In other words, we are purposely spending (read wasting) tax dollars in buying useless products. Why do such? What was the quid pro quo in buying food to throw away. For photos of the protest, go to the left and click on the blue word Protest. Then select the subset of protest for Nov. 14, 09 ...
Taiwan: Where's the Beef? It's not with the USA but with Ma. Who Else?
Saturday November 21
A week past on Saturday November 14, thousands of Taiwanese took to the streets of Taipei to express their growing concern over the present government's continued mismanagement of the nation's international affairs. In line with this, the Legislative Yuan has been deadlocked on an amendment to the Act Governing Food Sanitation. The issue of course has been the recent agreement of President Ma Ying-jeou to the import of American beef. Don't misunderstand this. It is not a matter that Taiwanese do not like American prime rib, T-bones or filet mignon; they love it. What Taiwanese are upset with is the continuing slipshod manner of negotiations and apparent deal-making that the Ma government is trying present as fait accompli for the people and the legislature to accept. ...
The UN Snubs Taiwan Again: Who is the Joke of Ma Ying-joke On?
Friday November 20
With the recent revelation of the United Nations past snubbing of Taiwan (it rejected in June the two human rights covenants signed by Ma Ying-jeou), the pitiful saga of Taiwan's President Ma continues. It is no wonder that many continue to call him Ma Ying-joke, for despite this and numerous other humiliations, Ma still claims that his China-friendly, China-centric policy is working. But the question or joke for Taiwanese is that it is working for what? This particular snubbing was in June for example, yet Taiwan's public has only been made aware of it now. If the policy is working, why the cover up until now? ...
USC's Annenberg School, Soft Power and Taiwan: Part III Responses
Sunday November 15
A classic statements contrasting hard power with soft power would be that of Joseph Stalin who asked, "The Pope, how many divisions does he have?" If ever there was a man of hard power, it was Stalin, and if ever there was a man of soft power it would be the Pope. Taiwan cannot liken itself to the Pope but facing the hard power of the People's Republic of China (PRC) it knows it cannot match the PRC plane for plane, missile for missile, ship for ship etc. What then must it do? This was the question raised and the direction suggested in the conference mentioned in Parts I & II previously posted on November 6 and 8. Taiwan needs soft power. ...
Ma's Poor Performance Draws Yet a 5th Letter of Protest from International Scholars.
Thursday November 12
The quality of justice in Taiwan continues to erode and the freedom of the press declines; people wonder why its president, Ma Ying-jeou, like a one-trick pony is stuck. Abuses abound yet all Ma can think of is to try and push his dangerous and non-transparent ECFA deal on the people. Freedom House and Reporters without Borders express disappointment and give the country lower marks on Ma's performance. As a result the international group of scholars and writers have no choice but to write another letter of protest and concern on Taiwan's failing democracy. It is their fifth letter in barely one year. The number of those signing continues to grow as does the awareness of Ma's incompetence. The letter follows: ...
USC's Annenberg School for Communication Brings Soft Power to Taiwan: Part II
Sunday November 08
In session two of the conference, Jeffrey Cole Ph.D. Director of the Center for the Digital Future at USC addressed new trends in media technology advances and their relevance for Public Diplomacy (PD). He pointed out how the environment and the ways you reach people are constantly changing. He contrasted how people in previous decades would suffer withdrawal if there was a newspaper strike; today's people would suffer more if the internet of mobile phone use was disconnected. TV was introduced mainstream in the home in 1948 - though this author can remember watching Notre Dame vs. Army on TV in a Chicago tavern in 1947. (Of course I had accompanied my father there, I may be old but not that old). TV had a way of bringing people together (but actually radio did that previously with the difference that while listening to programs on the radio in a family circle, one could be doing other things as well - whereas with TV, one had to focus on the screen). ...
USC's Annenberg School for Communication Brings Soft Power to Taiwan: Part I
Friday November 06
"National Security, Public and Cultural Diplomacy, Smart Power: Future Directions for Smart Nations," isn't that a mouthful. Yet that was the long and unusual title for the conference on October 29, 2009, a conference sponsored by Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). Four of the six featured speakers came from the University of Southern California's (USC) Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism. So what did they have to say about smart power for smart nations especially small but smart nations? Below is a summary. ...
Nagano Link Back Up
Thursday November 05
To see delightfulpictures of Nagano from my earlier posting, the link is back up. Enjoy the scenery; it is a peaceful place and worth visiting. Go to the left and click on Nagano ...
November, Week One: As the World Turns in Taiwan
Thursday November 05
A variety of things are happening as the world turns in Taiwan, November 2009. First there is the import of "health threatening" beef products from a signed agreement with the USA. The Ma government approved the signing, but now is hesitating and looking for an out as members of Ma's own party, the opposition party and the general population are objecting to it. Why Ma approved it and what deals he may have worked out or thought he was working out with the USA seem to be blowing up in his face and add credence to his growing reputation as Ma the Incompetent. It is unsure where this is going, but one thing is certain that Ma will begin to distance himself as he always does from the decision. He will either place the blame on the Premier or will try to counter with a dodge statement like, "We approved the import of health-threatening beef, but we did not tell the people that they should buy it." Regardless, with this debacle, the population of Taiwan is increasingly worried as Ma the Incompetent ploughs ahead with his desire to also sign a non-transparent ECFA agreement with Taiwan's enemy across the Strait. ...
The KMT's Diane Lee Finally Admits, She Lied.
Friday October 30
The political bias and imbalance of Taiwan's Courts and its System of Justice were once again made evident in Taiwan when Diane Lee returned to court this past week. Lee, a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) ex-legislator finally admitted that she, in violation of the law, has all along held dual-citizenship between the United States and the Republic of China on Taiwan. Yes after months of denying this fact, after accusing the United States of poor record keeping, after using every excuse and trying to blame any and all parties for doubting her, Lee finally admitted the truth. But what has this to do with the bias of the courts. Lee is still presumed innocent in the eyes of the court; she is as free as a bird.
Who is Worse, the Thief or the Fence?
Tuesday October 27
The word fence has different meanings. As a noun, it can denote a barrier or divider. Robert Frost has the well known line, "Good fences make good neighbors," in his poem "Mending Wall." In a different realm, the verb "to fence" describes a sport of swordsmanship where opponents use blunted foils, epees or sabers to register hits on each other. But there is third totally different meaning. The noun fence also can describe a person who receives and sells stolen goods or who acts as a conduit for stolen goods; this is the meaning that Taiwanese need to become aware of because it concerns their President. ...
Taiwan's Dream Community Parade, Fun for All
Tuesday October 20
What are dreams made of? Taiwan has its answer. From media reports, one may be tempted to think that Taiwan is all politics and business, but there are other more delightful sides as well. One such side is the Dream Community under direction of Gordon Tsai which on October 17th held its eighth annual carnival parade in the streets of Taipei. This year's theme treated Taiwan's unique identity, a blending of the variety of Taiwan's aborigines with the many others who migrated here from China and elsewhere. How does that identity show itself? Creativity knows no bounds. Just view the pictures of the Dream Community parade and see for yourself. ...
Ma Ying-jeou Recycles His Old Promises but Taiwan is None the Richer
Monday October 19
The world continues to turn in Taiwan, and Ma Ying-jeou is once again the official Chairman of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). For those whose memory is short, Ma had been chairman from 2005 to 2007 when he had to step down because he was indicted for corruption. Fortunately, Ma got his secretary to take sole and total responsibility for depositing roughly a half-million US dollars into Ma's personal bank account; as a result with his secretary in jail for putting this money in Ma's personal account, Ma has dodged the bullet. So now Ma has been re-elected chairman and is recycling his old promises. Recycling old promises, what's that? ...
Nagano, Relax and Enjoy the Scenery,
Thursday October 15
There are times when one has to get away with no other purpose than just to relax and refresh the spirit. Nagano, Japan is one such place that offers a quiet retreat into nature amidst its mountains and lakes. There, one can hike up mountain paths to waterfalls or temples and be alone to contemplate what is before one. As Thoreau said in his essay Walking, "What business have I in the woods, if I am thinking of something out of the woods." Don't worry about accomplishing something, just enjoy the scenery. And if you can't get there right now, at least you can go to the left and find the name Nagano in blue. Click on to it and you will find some 48 pictures of various scenes. If you want to enlarge any photo, just move the mouse to where the words "full resolution" appear and click again. Enjoy.
Is Ma the Incompetent Becoming Ma the Fawning Dog?
Monday October 12
6-3-3, how those numbers must haunt the mind of Ma the Incompetent. Or let us rephrase, how they would haunt the mind of Ma the Incompetent if he were a person who felt responsible for the truth, accuracy and sincerity of what he says. Unfortunately, there are many in Taiwan who don't have that opinion of Ma. Even the foreign media is starting to catch on to the two-faced façade that he and his PR team have built in the past decade. But that is not the point here; it seems that a new name for Ma is developing among the Taiwanese people, Ma the Fawning Dog. ...
What's This? The Republic of China on Taiwan Has No National Day Celebrations?
Friday October 09
Tomorrow is 10/10 day, the National Day of the Republic of China (ROC) and for the first time (as far as I remember), the ROC is not going to have a celebration and parade honoring its founding and/or honoring Taiwan. China just spent billions to honor its national day by parade and festivities, and many KMT supporters even attended those celebrations. So why is Taiwan doing nothing and shame-facedly hiding in the corners? ...
The PRC's Seven Axioms of Peaceful Rising
Wednesday October 07
The People's Republic of China (PRC) recently celebrated its 60th anniversary with plenty of fanfare and a superb show of military power. The cost while not spelt out was undeniably large. In the previous year, Beijing hosted the 2008 Olympics and put on a US $43 billion dollar spectacle to awe the world. So, it is no wonder that even with a billion people at poverty level or below, pundits are continuing to say this is China's Century, and expound on how the PRC as the World's factory is also a world power ready to challenge anyone. What else is there to say? One can of course choose to examine the formula behind this hoopla, but do we really want to face the axioms it depends on? ...
Taiwan's Aborigines Suffer More Than Morakot
Friday October 02
Typhoon Morakot did more than expose the incompetence and lack of leadership in the Ma administration; it highlighted another salient issue in Taiwan, the plight of its aboriginal people. Like many indigenous people suffering the fates of past colonialism, these people are pulled in opposite directions. Tugging on the one side is the wish to maintain their traditional life styles and identities; on the other side are the demands for survival and dignity in the modern, fast-paced, high-tech society surrounding them. As a result, they are being marginalized to the point of extinction. Even if they do fit in, at best, they often face the life of second class citizens teetering on the brink of welfare. If ever the aboriginal community needed vision and leadership, it is now. ...
Taiwan, What's Your Satisfaction Level?
Tuesday September 29
It is the second year of the alleged reign of Ma the Incompetent in Taiwan, and it is no secret that the comfort level of the citizens of Taiwan post Morakot has hit an all time low. Whether one is blue or green, the prevalent and recurring theme song is the Rolling Stones, "I can't get no satisfaction." Why? As E.B.B. says, "Let me count the ways" and this is without even mentioning 6-3-3. ...
Taiwan Voters Prove They are not Sheep
Monday September 28
On Saturday, September 26, Taiwan voters made a statement; it was simple, but it was direct and to the point. They said, we are not sheep; don't expect us to follow all the old patterns; don't think you can always buy our votes; don't think big advertising campaigns will always sway us. Taiwan voters once again proved that Taiwan is a democracy and people can vote their minds - unlike that other country that lies somewhere to the west of Taiwan where their paternalistic and patronizing government tells them what is best for them. What country is that; well let's forget about their name, what was the vote on in Taiwan. ...
Taiwan Artists Protest Ma Ying-jeou's Government Asleep at the Wheel
Monday September 21
On Saturday September 19th, a small but vocal and visual protest took to the streets of Taipei. It was roughly 1000 people or more (small by Taipei standards) but what made it different and unique was that it was spontaneously organized by concerned citizens in the artistic community of Taiwan and not any big political party machines. They named it the pajama parade for a government asleep at the wheel as far as protecting Taiwan's sovereignty and its democratic values were concerned. These marchers voiced their disdain with the incompetence of Ma Ying-jeou and his government; they expressed disgust with the kangaroo court trial of Chen Shui-bian and its unconstitutional abuse of power to prevent a proper defense; they came to say Taiwan deserved better and should have it. ...
The KMT's Diane Lee Back in Court: I Ripped You Off, but I Am Not Corrupt.
Friday September 18
You can tell the loyalty of the beggar's children (乞丐趕廟公) to Taiwan by the way they are always ready to jump ship if the going gets tough. For that reason, Diane Lee of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has held dual citizenship with the USA from 1994 (when democracy began to take hold) to the present. During that time she has illegally collected over US$3 million in salaries and has also made laws for a country that she is prepared to abandon at a moment's notice. ...
Two Keatings, Two Different Opinions
Thursday September 17
In a recent news report from Washington DC, Admiral Timothy Keating, head of the Hawaii-based US Pacific Command stated that he was "cautiously optimistic" on US-China relations. In a separate report from Taipei, Taiwan, Jerome F. Keating Ph.D. retired professor and author(distant relation to Timothy) stated in almost point-counterpoint, that he was "cautiously pessimistic" of US-China relations. ...
The Real Source of Taiwan's Campaign Corruption
Tuesday September 15
In its laws on campaign funding and party donations as well as the use of special government allowances, Taiwan has a corrupt system, created by a corrupt party to justify and shelter its corrupt gains. It was created by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in its one-party state colonial heyday, and has been in place in Taiwan for over sixty years. What is the source and cause of this corruption? The United China Daily in an editorial in September, 2008 put it plainly, "The primary reason is the lack of laws compelling public servants to explain the source of their wealth." Armed with the protection of this system innumerable politicians have been able to profit all the way from the KMT's one-party state days on up to the present. Further, the pan-blue controlled Legislative Yuan has refused to change this gravy train because they do not want to kill the goose that lays their golden eggs. Chen Shui-bian's recent crime and fault is not in his alleged money-laundering and misuse of funds, but because he is a Taiwanese outside that corrupt system but has dared to use it and make similar profit. ...
The Continuing Death of Justice in Taiwan: Deconstructing and Exposing the Hypocrisy of Ma Ying-jeou?
Sunday September 13
The brutal murder of Lin Yi-siung's mother and his two twin daughters (age 7) in broad daylight in their own home while Lin was in prison and his home was under 24-hour daily surveillance by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) one-party state secret police is one of the unsolved murders of the early 80s. Recently, Ma Ying-jeou in a seeming show of concern with justice for Taiwan's past had directed that this case and others be re-opened. To many however, it soon became apparent that Ma did not want to find answers but simply wanted a shallow, cursory examination to thus forever exonerate the KMT administration and provide himself with a facile excuse. Once completed, he could then spout to foreign media, "my administration in its concern for justice re-opened the cases from the past but unfortunately we found no other leads," and the foreign media would write how noble Ma was in trying to rectify the past etc. etc.
Jerome Cohen, Ma's Law School Mentor, Again Speaks Out on the Ma Government Violation of Human Rights
Saturday September 12
Jerome Cohen has repeatedly spoken out on the violations of human rights in the Ma government, but it appears that having returned to Taiwan, Ma has left law school behind. Cohen highlights how Chen Shui-bian has repeatedly been denied the human right to a fair preparation of defense in his trial. It appears that Ma's government is afraid of that very matter, that Chen be allowed a chance to properly defend himself. The court knows its arguments are weak, and a proper defense could destroy them. Watch what happens in the future. ...
US Congress Has Screening of "Formosa Betrayed" Film
Saturday September 12
Taiwan's struggle to create a democracy over the constraints of the Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) one-party state took decades. The film, "Formosa Betrayed" presents a composite of events in the 1980s and how the KMT was responsible for several high profile murders to try and contain those seeking a multi-party state democracy. As the US Congress watches the film, it should be aware of how often certain elements in its own government will co-opt to work with dictatorships like the KMT once had and betray the ideals of the founding fathers of the USA. They must always learn to look behind the scenes. ...
Denied a Fair Trial and Imprisoned by "Judge Shopping" and Other Abuses Chen Presents His Case Outside the Court
Wednesday September 09
What follows is a summary and foreword to the arguments of Chen Shui-bian's defense team. It is presented to the people outside the court since Chen's team feel that the court was compromised long ago when it went "judge shopping" in order to find a judge that would imprison Chen though he was only indicted and the trial had not yet begun. Similarly by insisting that they be allowed to tape and listen in to all conversations with his lawyers and anyone else, the prosecutors denied him any chance to present a decent defense. We (Chen Shui-bian's defense team) firmly believe that: ...
Neo-Formosa Magazine Launch and Chen Shui-bian's Defense
Wednesday September 09
Today Chen Shui-bian's Office will be launching or re-starting the publication of the Neo-Formosa Magazine, a magazine for which Chen was charged with libel twenty-three years ago. Chen's Office will use that occasion to present some of the key points in their defense against the indictments that he faces and the up-coming judgment by the court on September 11. Below is the abstract of their case, a case that they are bringing to the people because in their mind, the court has been biased not only in its indictments but also their imprisonment and handling of the trial. Of all the accused political people in Taiwan's history, whether Party chiefs, presidential candidates, party chairman etc. Chen is the only one who was jailed and held incommunicado for over a half a year. The abstract follows. ...
September, as the World Turns in Taiwan: the Anti-Climax of Wu Shu-jen
Monday September 07
The court finally gave its sentence in the trial of Wu Shu-jen for implied money-laundering, corruption, manipulating state funds etc. etc. all those dark insinuations and charges that Taiwan has been forced to listen to from the pan-blue media for over the past two years. In the final analysis, after the trial, after the accusations, and after all the vindictiveness, Wu's sentence proved we had gone through all of this to listen to sound and fury signifying nothing. At best this sentence was, to say the least, anti-climatic. ...
September, as the World Turns in Taiwan: a New and Final Name for Ma Ying-jeou?
Saturday September 05
Throughout history, it is common for leaders to pick up names and nicknames that speak to various qualities they possess. Most everyone can remember the stories of Richard the Lion-hearted of England as well as Erik the Red of Viking lore. Lesser known may be Charles the Bold of Burgundy who happened to be the son of Philip the Good (now that is a tough name to have to live up to). The lists go on and on and that inevitably leads to the question of how Taiwan's Ma Ying-jeou has gained the name, Ma the Incompetent. ...
September, As the World Turns in Taiwan: Yeh Ching-chuan 2009
Saturday September 05
Typhoon Morakot and the Dalai Lama's subsequent visit were not the only newsworthy items happening recently in Taiwan. In Hualien, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) held its primary and former Department of Health Minister, Yeh Ching-chuan was left as a clear loser. While some jokingly expressed the thought that "it couldn't have happened to a nicer weasel," others pondered what it might be saying politically. ...
Ma Ying-jeou, the Dalai Lama and Taiwan Part III, the Parting Shot
Friday September 04
The Dalai Lama's visit is over and much went as according to script. Ma Ying-jeou and the KMT leaders avoided him; the DPP leaders welcomed him, China protested but not too much so that it would not put Ma in a bad spot (they put the blame on the DPP). On the ground, the people in the south were comforted, the Dalai Lama showed them more sympathy and empathy than Ma ever did. Overall the country was glad he came, but as always there were some protesters; in a democracy, you always will have protesters. During the same time period there was even a larger protest against the United State--that protest was about how Taiwan (because of its unresolved status after the 1952 Treaty of San Francisco) still belonged to the USA. But protests aside, there was one other interesting aspect. ...
Mark Chen, Tainan Municipality New Primary, The Voters will Decide!
Wednesday September 02
The merging of Tainan City with Tainan County to create the Tainan Municipality will be inaugurated on Dec. 25 of next year. Thus the election for the Magistrate of the Municipality will be held near the end of 2010; this has helped the DPP out of one tight spot and put the ball back with the voters. What am I talking about? It means that a new primary will need to be held and all are starting from scratch. ...
Ma Ying-jeou, the Dalai Lama, and Taiwan Part II, When is the Timing Right?
Sunday August 30
In 2008, the Dalai Lama had expressed interest in coming to Taiwan, but President Ma Ying-jeou refused him entry saying that the "timing was not right." While one might puzzle over when and why the timing would ever be right or not right for an internationally known religious leader and man of peace to visit a country, most assumed that Ma in typical toady fashion did not want to "offend" the People's Republic of China (PRC). Certainly, Ma did need China at this time. He had made a campaign promise to raise the country's growth rate from 5 per cent to 6 per cent. Regrettably in Ma's first year in office the growth rate had dropped to 3 per cent and China was the only trick that the one-trick pony had in his bag to salvage Taiwan's economy. ...
Ma Ying-jeou, the Dalai Lama and Taiwan Part I: Whose Side is Ma on?
Saturday August 29
After Taiwan's government issued a visa to allow the Dalai Lama to visit Taiwan, the People's Republic of China (PRC) quickly responded with a condemnation of the action. It had all along condemned any visit by the Dalai Lama regardless of motive, even religious or compassionate. But this time the PRC went further. Though it was the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) led government that granted the visa, the PRC blamed the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for the action, saying, "The DPP's evil motives will definitely be opposed by compatriots from both sides of the Taiwan Strait." ...
Ma Ying-jeou, the Sycophant Syndrome, and the KMT's New Dilemma
Saturday August 22
Taiwan's Typhoon Morakot did more than finalize how Ma Ying-jeou in true Peter Principle fashion had risen far beyond the level of his competence. It also exposed what may be called the Sycophant Syndrome and a dilemma for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). Let's deal with the Sycophant Syndrome first. ...
Taiwan Enters Ghost Month in Post-Morakot Pain
Thursday August 20
Today ushered in Ghost Month in Taiwan. It is a month when many are wary and careful of certain actions. They may choose to not move to a new apartment or home in this month. They may avoid going swimming. They may decide it is time to visit the temple and pray for protection. There are many actions that are governed by this fact. But this year, in post-Morakot suffering, the people of Taiwan, particularly those in the south will have much more on their minds. ...
Ma Ying-jeou, When Images Are Not Enough!
Tuesday August 18
What world does Ma Ying-jeou live in? A clear and painful result of Typhoon Morakot has been that it is a world of images, a world of images past and images present. It is a world of imaginary images, imaginary images that have been built on, fostered and fashioned by years and years of faulty Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) paradigms and reinforced by their propaganda. True in the mind of Ma Ying-jeou, his party and his spin-masters, image has always trumped performance and/or reality. But Taiwanese are finally realizing this. They are not only realizing this but they are also realizing that regardless of and contrary to his words, Ma has no idea of what it is to be Taiwanese. ...
Typhoon Morakot, a Painful Reminder of Ma Ying-jeou and the Peter Principle
Tuesday August 18
With the government's mis-handling of Typhoon Morakot, many have finally come to realize how Ma Ying-jeou exemplifies the Peter Principle--a person that rises to the level of his/her incompetence. For perceptive Ma-watchers this was already evident when Ma was mayor of Taipei. Unfortunately for Taiwan, the general public is often distracted and swayed by promises (Ma's forte) rather than performance and so it only listed to Ma and elected him to the Presidency based on his 6-3-3 promise of economic prosperity. Chang Jung-feng, the National Security Council deputy secretary-general under Lee Teng-hui recently spoke to this and gave the public a painful reminder by saying. "Now as president, he (Ma) is expanding the scope of his ineptitude from the municipal level to a national scale."
Ma Ying-jeou's Government Continues to Try to Flip-Flop its Way Out of Blame
Monday August 17
If you remember when the USA and Japan immediately offered aid to Taiwan in the aftermath of the destructive typhoon, Ma's government refused that aid. Then, as embarassment rose, it was declared that they accepted it and the first statement was in error. A typo was blamed. Well tommorrow, Ma will meet with the Taiwan Foreign Correspondent's Club (TFCC) and again we have the flip-flop. ...
Typhoon Morakot and the Many Names of Ma Ying-jeou
Thursday August 13
With the onslaught of Typhoon Morakot, Ma Ying-jeou's leadership skills proved sorely lacking. So as the country of Taiwan struggles to recover, it is time for its citizens to give President Ma a second look. Not just a second look but a long hard second look. This is the man that promised them 6-3-3 and gave them 3-3-6. This is the man who lived on promises but never had a good track record for performance as Mayor of Taipei. This is the man who ironically is already talking like he should be re-elected in 2012. And finally, this is the man that wants the people to give him complete blind trust and not ask for details as he presses for a potentially dangerous ECFA agreement with China. ...
Me, Freddy Lim, Chiang Kai-shek, Art and Taiwan's Identity
Saturday August 08
Taiwanese will not find their true identity as an island nation until they fully realize the indoctrination and brean-wahsing they endured under Chiang Kai-shek (CKS). They will not find their true identity until they realize that he had nothing to do with them except to take advantage of them in their hour of need and to exploit them in his hour of need. It is for this reason that one of the most sad and disappointing things to recently happen in Taiwan has been the changing of the name of Democracy Hall back to that of Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. It is a step backwards for democracy in Taiwan and symptomatic of Ma Ying-jeou's attempts to fabricate past credibility for his Sino-centric (not Taiwan-centric) government.
Back in Taiwan, Let the Writing Begin
Thursday August 06
As the song says, often "you don't know what you got till it's gone." This phrase was echoed by the husband of one of the two American journalists recently freed after being detained in North Korea. Conscious of that, I hope of course the people of Taiwan never have to utter that phrase in regard to their democracy and sovereignty even though many powers in the world seeking immediate monetary gain pressure the Taiwanese to give both their democracy and sovereignty up to placate China. Nevertheless I might add a corollary. ...
The KMT's Calculated Deflection: the Unjust and Unconstitutional Trial of Chen Shui-bian
Saturday July 25
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is seen by many as the proverbial beggar who came and took over Taiwan's Temple (乞丐趕廟公). They came as a colonial power, destroyed the island's economy to support their losing war effort in China, and finally retreated back to the island to grab the positions of power, property and wealth as their own. It is in this context and with this perspective that the charade of the corruption trial of Taiwan former president, Chen Shui-bian needs to be seen. In that trial, the evidence mounts and mounts not as regards Chen's guilt, which has yet to be proven but towards the double standard of justice in Taiwan. That double standard has always been a characteristic of the KMT from its Martial Law days on. Chen's greatest fault remains that he is Taiwanese and he stood up to the KMT; he not only stood up to them but worse than that he used the corrupt system that had been installed by the beggar in the temple for his own and not for their profit. ...
Maritime Taiwan, a New Book with a Different Perspective on Taiwan
Tuesday July 21
Writing in the "Asian American Press," Richard Kagan provides a Book Review on Shih-shan Henry Tsai's Maritime Taiwan: Historical Encounters with the East and the West. ...
As the World Turns in Taiwan III: Reallity Check for the Rest of the World
Monday July 20
The World Games are now taking place in Kaohsiung, Taiwan but many in the world and certainly in the USA do not even know that they are. Why? Because the media do not really reflect international news. Check your media, have they reported on the games? If not, time to do some self-examination and a reality check on how much you should trust your local media. ...
As the World Turns in Taiwan II: More Games than One In Kaohsiung
Friday July 17
Kaohsiung, Taiwan is gloriously hosting the 8th World Games this year and some 105 countries are here to participate. But the World Games are not the only game in town. Last year when Chen Yunlin from China visited the country, Ma Ying-jeou did not want to admit he was president in front of him. He was introduced as Mr. Ma so as not to offend China. This year, however, things are different. Ma opened the games as the President of Taiwan. So why the change? ...
As the World Turns in Taiwan I: Junket Time
Wednesday July 15
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) forum has begun in China. This is a party to party forum initiated in 2005 by the two leaders (KMT Lien Chan and CCP Hu Jintao); neither one of them has ever won a democratic election; that should tell you something about the nature of the forum. It is party to party, but in his own way of dodging the truth, Ma Ying-jeou wants to call it a cross-strait forum. He knows party to party talks cannot justify a basis for policy, but he does not want to give outsiders any real power in it. They will only be "special guests." ...
When It Comes to National Identity, Taiwanese Can Be Their Own Worst Enemy
Sunday July 12
Most visitors to Taiwan leave with good impressions. They say Taiwanese are friendly, helpful, kind etc. In business Taiwanese have proven themselves to be hard-working, adaptive and entrepreneurial. So why then do these same congenial people have trouble working together for one nation in politics? Why can't they develop, expand and solidify the freedom and democracy that they and their ancestors took so long to win and sacrificed so much to achieve? Why do Taiwanese, particularly in their nation's identity and sovereignty become their own worst enemy? ...
Why the Name of Democracy Memorial Hall Should Not Be Changed Back to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Part II
Friday July 10
This is the continuation of the letter of K.W. Dowie. It is one more testimonial on the brutality imposed on Taiwanese by the late dictator Chiang Kai-shek and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). It is not an isolated incident but rather one of continued, innumerable cases of suffering and murder from that time. Despite that, there are still those who want to change the name of Taiwan Democracy Hall back to that of the dead dictator. Only the sickest of authoritarian minds would want to do so, but those sick minds still exist in Taiwan. For those Taiwanese who have short memories just scroll down to my entries of March 13 on about Kuo Kuan-ying, Diane Lee and the KMT leech that has always been at Taiwan's throat. (The letter continues here.) ...
Why the Name of Democracy Memorial Hall Should Not Be Changed Back to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
Thursday July 09
The following letter of April 14, 1947 was written by K.W. Dowie at the request of George William Mackay to Mackay's daughter Margaret in Canada. Mackay (the son of famed missionary George Leslie MacKay) wanted to get out news of what was happening in Taiwan after 2/28. Dowie had been a missionary in Taiwan 1913 - 1924 and was the architect of Tamsui Middle School; he was visiting Taiwan in the service of the US Navy after World War II. Not wanting to risk censorship Dowie wrote and mailed the letter after he left Taiwan. It is another first hand account of the murders after 2/28 and another reason why the name of Democracy Memorial Hall should never be changed back to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. The letter follows. ...
Is Ma Ying-jeou Becoming the Kiss of Death?
Sunday July 05
The latest word and joke about Taipei is that Ma Ying-jeou is fast becoming the kiss of death to anyone that has anything to do with him. What started this rumor? Well first Ma shook the hand of Yankee's pitcher Wang Chien-ming. Wang had previously been a 19 game winner in several seasons but after shaking hands with Ma, Wang is struggling. He has won only one game this year. Then there is Hilary Clinton; Ma shook her hand and she shortly afterwards fell and broke her arm. Next, Ma was scheduled to meet Managua Mayor Arguello, but he went out and committed suicide. Also on Ma's list for meetings was President Manuel Zelaya of Honduras. Ma had met him in the past and was scheduled for a two day visit on Ma's current trip to Latin America. But before Ma arrived a military coup was staged in Honduras and Zelaya had to flee. ...
Will Barack Obama Stand Up the Same Way for Taiwan?
Thursday July 02
With the recent attempted coup in Honduras, Barack Obama responded immediately and spelled out the United States position under him. He said, "We stand on the side of democracy, sovereignty and self-determination." Those are strong and clear words; the only shame of it all is that the United States after some sixty years (more than a half a century) has not been able to unambiguously state the same about Taiwan. ...
Ma-Ying-jeou's Flexible Diplomacy, ECFA and Flying by the Seat of Your Pants
Wednesday July 01
All politicians seek a catch word or phrase to use for spin and glorification of their policies. Ever since Ma Ying-jeou's inauguration, one phrase Taiwan and the world have regularly heard bandied about is how "Ma has Flexible Diplomacy." Whatever that means has been anyone's guess but with the recent happenings in Honduras things suspiciously took a turn for the worse in finding an appropriate definition. ...
How Many Protests Must Be Made Against the KMT Abuse of Justice in Taiwan?
Saturday June 27
Justice continues to be abused in Taiwan; human rights are ignored on a regular basis; transitional justice never happened; the Legislative Yuan has always been controlled by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and yet Ma Ying-jeou (whose reputation as the "phony pony" grows by leaps and bounds) wants us to believe that all is well in his lah-lah land. Ma preaches the deceit of "Peace in Our Time" with the rapacious country to the west of Taiwan; to cover his deceit he must distract and orchestrate the circus trial of Chen Shui-bian. ...
Taiwan POW Camps Memorial Society Active in June
Saturday June 20
Taiwan abounds with the multiple histories of its complex past. This June has proved to be a typical example, for it was an active month for the Taiwan Prisoner of War (POW) Camps Memorial Society. On June 6, we dedicated the Toroku Prison Camp Memorial at the Gou-ba Elementary School in Douhlio. Then on June 20, we dedicated a memorial to fourteen American airmen who were executed at the former Taipei Prison on June 19, 1945. Both memorials were part of the society's on-going campaign to never forget those who suffered imprisonment in Taiwan. In the complexities of history, these men had fought in World War II for the freedom of their own countries, and they had in their own small way contributed (directly or indirectly) to the eventual democracy that Taiwan enjoys today. ...
Peng Ming-min's New Book, Does Taiwan Need to Escape from Ma?
Friday June 19
Peng Ming-min is a man who has not only talked the talk, but more importantly walked the walk for Taiwan. A life long advocate of Taiwan's right for self-determination, he recently came out with a new book, "A Perfect Escape." The book recounts how in early 1970 Peng, still under house arrest for publishing the "Declaration of Formosan Self-Salvation" (1964), managed to escape from the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) autocratic state control. This was at the height of the KMT's White Terror period and provides much more detail than there was in the brief mention of the escape in Peng's "A Taste of Freedom." ...
Ma Ying-jeou's Mentor Remains Depressed Over What He Sees in Taiwan
Sunday June 14
One has to wonder, how many times must Ma Ying-jeou's mentor and former law professor have to criticize Ma's government before they get the picture. Twice he has spoken out on the corruption and the violations on human rights as well as the injustices prevalent in Taiwan. Yet in the short span of six months Jerome Cohen has felt compelled to speak out once more. This time he criticizes the silence of the legal personnel in standing up to the government's abuses. His article "Silence of the Lambs" appeared in the South China Morning Post on June 11, 2009. It follows: ...
Wu Poh-hsiung: Tears, Just Desserts, Or the Simple Inevitable Slap in the Face?
Thursday June 11
One can almost feel sorry for Wu Poh-hsiung as he steps down or is pushed off the stage as Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman by Ma Ying-jeou. I say almost, but that is as far as it goes. Wu is one of those strange Hakka who have a rightful place to be masters in their own land of Taiwan, but have given it up to be a second class citizen in the KMT. Why? It seems that such would rather settle for the guaranteed crumbs and secure lower status provided by the KMT than enter the competitive world of finding principles on which they can build their lives and living those principles. ...
Tianamen Square Twenty Years Later: the Memory Lives for Those Who Care
Tuesday June 02
Tomorrow we commemorate the massacre at Tiananmen Square, a massacre that many pretend never happened and others wish would go away so they could go on making money off the tainted goods of China. For those who live in the democratic nation of Taiwan, it is particularly poignant because the country to our west has designs on our economy and our nation. Similarly as there are those who wish that Tiananmen Square would go away, so there are those that wish the 23 million people of Taiwan's wish to preserve their democratic nation would go away. Such people also want only to go on making money with China. ...
Taiwan, Asia's Supposed Voldemort, That-Which-Must-Not-Be-Named
Thursday May 28
Shades of Harry Potter, but the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) continues to place Taiwanese in the Chamber of Secrets. Secrets? Yes and we are talking about more than just Ma Ying-jeou's refusal to provide any transparency on ECFA, the mythical savior to salvage his failed economic policies. As he gives the farm away, Ma wants Taiwanese to blindly trust his last ditch speculation. No the greater secrets we are talking about are the way KMT leaders enter into discourse with China. Whenever the subject of the nation state of Taiwan comes up, it is treated like the Voldemort of Asia, "That-Which-Must-Not-Be Named." ...
Ma Ying-jeou Completes his First Year as Justice and Human Rights Continue to Erode in Taiwan
Tuesday May 26
Ma Ying-jeou has completed his first year as president of Taiwan and the reviews of his performance are far from favorable to say the least. The economy remains poor but Ma as a "one-trick pony" risks endangering the nation's sovereignty by professing that his only salvation is in China. Those countries eager to profit off of China's cheap labor and tainted goods are happy to go along with this and praise him for it. Within Taiwan, however, there have already been four major protests in the nation; for the observing group of scholars and writers, justice and human rights continue to erode. They have issued their fourth letter on this. The postings of the previous letters can be found here on November 15, 2008, November 29, 2008, and January 30, 2009. Below is the latest Open Letter, printed in the Taipei Times on May 21, 2009. It reads. ...
Ma Ying-jeou's Police State? A Follow Up on the 5/17 Protest "Accident"
Sunday May 24
Imagine that you are speeding along at 80 km per hour on a city street where the speed limit is around 30 to 40 km per hour. Imagine further that two elderly gentlemen in their sixties slowly cross the street in front of you. They are from a protest that you have been monitoring. You may be annoyed at them because of that and you may further be annoyed at them because you know your boss wants to create the façade that everyone in Taiwan is happy. You do not slow down or even apply the brakes. You hit both of them throwing one up in the air so that he breaks the windshield on your car in his fall. Both of them end up in the hospital. One may die; the other has a broken hip and must have his leg amputated. Police responsibility under Ma Ying-jeou? Read on. ...
Taiwan and the WHA, a Gift Horse to be Examined?
Tuesday May 19
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) just does not get it. They cannot understand why the people of Taiwan are fed up with their continued condescending paternalism. They fail to realize that the people see through the KMT's pretense to love Taiwan as Taiwan. They cannot fathom why their colonial beneficence is seen as just that, rehashed colonialism. The most recent example of this is the shameless behavior of Department of Health Minister Yeh Ching-chuan who when challenged on what name was used in joining WHA, tearfully complained, "I really don't know what these people want . . . I am being patriotic." Patriotic to what? Yes, this has always been the problem of colonial masters wanting to maintain their colonial status. ...
Emboldened Police Car Runs Down Two Anti-Ma Ying-jeou Protesters in Taipei
Monday May 18
The current Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) President Ma Ying-jeou had promised that he would return the streets to the people after his election. But as always with the hypocritical Ma, one must watch what he does rather than what he says. During the People's Republic of China (PRC) Chen Yunlin's visit, Taiwan witnessed how thousands of police were mobilized to forcibly prevent legitimate protest. Police manhandled citizens wanting to display the national flag or trying to get near the hotel where Chen was staying as Ma sought to cozy up to China. Later a record store was shut down because it was playing Taiwanese songs. Its crime was that it was a half-block away from another hotel where Chen Yunlin was having tea with KMT bigwigs. ...
Taiwan: Problems in Paradise under Ma Ying-jeou
Saturday May 16
Taiwan and Kaohsiung are bracing for the protest marches on Sunday May 17th. They promise to be colorful with plenty of creative signs and slogans as the people voice their discontent with Ma Ying-jeou's poor leadership in his first year as president. There will be plenty of photos following on the web to give ample evidence that all is not well in Taiwan despite the glossy veneer that some would like to put on the erosion of justice and human rights under Ma as well as his lack of transparency in dealings with Taiwan's troublesome neighbor across the Strait. ...
Taiwan's Injustice, How Can I Protest? Let Me Count the Ways, but First Sign Up
Thursday May 14
On May 11, I posted below on how injustice has continued to erode in Taiwan and gave specific reference to the trial of Chen Shui-bian. Someone has since made available a place to sign up and voice your protest. ...
Jason Yuan, Another KMT Case of Deceit and So-So Loyalty to Taiwan?
Thursday May 14
Remember the weeks and months of denials and protestations of innocence we had to endure in the recent case of Diane Lee's loyalty to Taiwan? Well, Lee, the illegal member of Taiwan's Legislative Yuan kept saying she did not have a US passport etc. etc. till she finally resigned and ran off with over US$3 million dollars of illegally earned money from Taiwan. It now seems like another Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) case of so-so KMT loyalty to Taiwan is in the wind. This is over Jason Yuan's now-he-has-it, now-he-doesn't green card. "Next Magazine" has once again exposed the fast and loose practices of KMT members. ...
Taiwan Stands up to be Counted: Protest in Taipei on May 17
Wednesday May 13
Are you fed up with the erosion of justice in Taiwan? Are you fed up with the lack of government transparency in its dealings with China? Are you fed up with the lack of economic leadership and results in Taiwan? Are you fed up with the re-introduction of a police state? Are you fed up with the way the media is being constricted? Are you fed up with 6-3-3 and all the false promises of the Phony Pony? Then come out and protest on May 17th. So rings the cry in Taiwan. ...
Injustice Continues in Chen Shui-bian's Trial
Monday May 11
Injustice flows from granting too much power to an agency or government and that continues to be the case in Taiwan. The collaboration of prosecutors and witnesses, plea discussions and immunity negotiations continue to easily lead to a fabrication of evidence where the intimidated witnesses say what the prosecutors want them to say. Professor Jerome Cohen's critical remarks of Taiwan's legal process again hold center stage as run of the mill prosecutors are allowed free rein in the courts. The most recent abuse has been that when the unconstitutional holding of Chen Shui-bian finally went into effect, the prosecutors drummed up new charges so that they could still keep Chen in jail. Review these past highlights. ...
A New Perspective on Taiwan's Identity: Doris T. Chang's "Women's Movements in Twentieth Century Taiwan"
Friday May 08
In addition to its unresolved status, a second pressing issue for Taiwan is its identity. Doris T. Chang's new work, "Women's Movements in 20th Century Taiwan" addresses that issue from a totally unexpected perspective, the role of women. Dr. Richard C. Kagan, Professor Emeritus at Hamline University, shares his review of that work and its importance. Kagan cautions that the book is academic and does not directly address the issues of identity but once read, it calls for a re-evaluation and new assessment of Taiwan's feminist movements in terms of Taiwan's identity and its relations with China. ...
A New Book: Nancy Bernkopf Tucker's "Strait Talk" on Taiwan's Unresolved Status
Friday May 08
Taiwan's status after World War II remains unresolved, how true. Yet while Dennis Wilder of the US State Department could say this, Japan's representative to Taiwan, Masaki Saito, recently got into trouble for saying exactly the same thing. Rebuked and admonished by both the Republic of China (ROC) and the People's Republic of China (PRC), Saito was nevertheless applauded by others. Why? Because it is about time that the world faced this unfortunate residue of San Francisco Peace Treaty (1952). I have written on it numerous times but am pleased to say that Nancy Bernkopf Tucker's new book goes into the full background. Her work, "Strait Talk: United States--Taiwan Relations and the Crisis with China" both documents and points to the numerous causes of this problem and how we got saddled by it. I present an excellent review of that book below. Anyone involved with Taiwan should read it. ...
Taiwan's Tung Blossoms: Take Time out to Appreciate the Flowers
Thursday May 07
From mid-April to mid-May, in central and northern Taiwan, the mountains come alive with the blossoming of the Tung tree. This fast-growing tree (genus paulownia) has been imported to Taiwan from China and prospered here. Not needing much water, it is a good economical tree known for its lumber and seeds and of course the beauty of its blossoms. ...
Justice, Human Rights, Free Press Continue to Erode Under Taiwan's Ma Ying-jeou
Wednesday May 06
There is a nauseating sickness that overtakes anyone in Taiwan who has had to listen over the years to what some call "the mealy-mouthed hypocrisy" of its president, Ma Ying-jeou. While Ma tries to pretend all is well under heaven in Taiwan, Freedom House in its latest announcement has just dropped Taiwan in its global ranking to number 43 from the previous year's ranking of 32 in freedom of the press. Likewise Ma endeavors to create a police state to bolster his policies and eliminate opposing opinions. ...
An Unusual Cemetery Houses Many of Taiwan's Forgotten Dead
Sunday May 03
Situated on a small mountain overlooking Taipei Medical University and in the shadow of Taipei 101 is a cemetery. That there would be a cemetery there is not necessarily unusual but what makes this cemetery unique is the strange and unusual mixture of graves within it recalling different periods of Taiwan's historic and often tragic past. ...
Dumb and Dumber, the Naming of Chinese Taipei and its Acceptance
Friday May 01
Chinese Taipei, now that is really a dumb name. I don't know whose brainchild it was but if you really analyze it, it is insulting and misleading. How many countries would want to suffer a similar degrading nomenclature? Such an imposition represents the residue of the last colonial ethnic group to seize that land and that last colonial group's language. Spain had ruled a lot of countries. Imagine the chaos and confusion if we named those countries the same way. We would have Spanish Manila, Spanish Santiago, Spanish Buenos Aires, Spanish Lima etc. the list would go on and on. In South America, the only different neighbor would be Portuguese Brasilia. Bizarre to say the least. ...
Taiwan, You Gotta Love This Place!
Tuesday April 28
Taiwan, you gotta love this place! Have you ever wondered why Taiwan's economy under President Ma Ying-jeou continues to be in the doldrums? Well it seems that Ma's minister without portfolio and chief economic advisor, Chu Yun-peng, often cuts out during work hours to go on dates with his girlfriend. Just what Taiwan needs? Caught on different occasions by Next magazine, Chu has been forced to resign. His excuses, however, proved to the most interesting part of this escapade. ...
Jerome A. Cohen, Ma Ying-jeou's Mentor, Again Highlights the Erosion of Justice in Taiwan
Sunday April 26
In a recent South China Morning Post article ("Lesson in Integrity for All", April 18, 2009) http://www.cfr.org/publication/19148/ , Jerome A. Cohen, Adjunct Senior Fellow for Asia Studies nailed it once again. In November 2008, Cohen, President Ma Ying-jeou's former mentor at Harvard, had questioned the neutrality of Taiwan's judiciary. Now he has come out stronger pointing to the continuing erosion of justice in Taiwan. In his article, Cohen used the corruption case of US Senator Ted Stevens as an example with "profound implications for efforts on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to stamp out corruption while fostering a rule of law based on the adversarial system of criminal justice." It is an example he feels Taiwan should heed. ...
Jackie Chan and the Utter Failure of Confucianism
Tuesday April 21
Speaking at the Boao Forum in the Middle Kingdom of Pollution, Poison and Propaganda, Jackie Chan gave forth with some unusual alleged personal insights. In reality they were statements in support of the authoritarian rule/dictatorship in the People's Republic of China (PRC). Chan declared "We Chinese need to be controlled." And further "If you're too free, you're like the way Hong Kong is now. It's very chaotic. Taiwan is also chaotic." Chan's remarks drew applause from the "fat cat" businessmen attending for obvious reasons. And though Chan has since been raked over the coals by many for his words, ironically if one goes deeper between the lines, what he did was actually highlight the utter failure of Confucianism as a way of life in Chinese history. ...
The Blood of Taiwan's Patriots: Dang Nylon--One of Many
Friday April 17
Thomas Jefferson is known for the quote, "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." In Taiwan's quest for liberty and democracy, too many of its patriots have shed their blood for it but not enough of its tyrants. And it is high time that we honored those patriots who shed their blood as well as stopped praising the tyrants who did not. ...
A Kafkaesque System of Justice: The Plight of the Poor in China
Monday April 13
When you live in an authoritarian state where corrupt courts reign supreme and judges are often feted by the wealthy, local magistrates, what chance does the little man have? In China local justice is rarely available so what happens? In the imperial past, the little man could petition the emperor if he felt he did not get justice locally. This practice has continued into the Communist era in China but now such petitioners are either beaten by thugs or placed in mental institutions. This follows a recent article in "China Newsweek" written by Sun Dongdong an associate professor of law. He declared them mentally ill. Is this the fault of the poor? And what are the yearly numbers of these petitioners?
Kinmen and Matsu, Where Do They Belong? To Taiwan or China?
Friday April 10
In my posting of March 7, "Taiwan Was Never Part of China's Civil Wars, Part II," and "Taiwan, Samoa, US Passports for All? Who Knows?" (February 5) I mentioned the recent case of Lin/Hartzell that was before the US Court of Appeals in Washington DC. Well the Court of Appeals issued its verdict yesterday, and while it denied Lin/Hartzell's cause, it opened up a whole different Pandora's Box on Taiwan's sovereignty, status, and rights. Point blank, it admitted that the US policy of ambiguity for over the past sixty years had trapped the citizens of Taiwan in "political purgatory."
Corruption Taiwan Style: It Depends on Who You Know?
Wednesday April 08
Yu Wen, Ma Ying-jeou's secretary from the days when Ma was Mayor of Taipei has just gotten out of jail. Yu had embezzled nearly a half million dollars (US$) from the Taipei Mayor's fund and put it into Ma's account. Yu denied any charges of corruption, "I did not take one cent." OK, fine but that leads to the next questions. What about motivation? If you did not take a single cent, then why did you do it? And why are you the only one that went to jail for this? And further, do you always act alone and put money in other people's accounts? Some things defy logic or do they? ...
Taiwan Needs Resistance Art: Where are the Taiwanese Artists Who Can Meet That Need?
Friday April 03
If you ask a dozen people what the purpose of art is, you will get a dozen answers. For some art should stand for something, for others it communicates feelings, ideas, thoughts, expressions etc. Still for others it is there to inspire, to pacify, to heal, to make us think, to give us experience, to memorialize, to symbolize, to beautify etc. etc. You get my drift. But the subject I want to raise today is a more narrow type of art; an art that I believe Taiwan is in dire need of. Taiwan needs Resistance Art. ...
Leeches Part IV, Taiwan's Uncle Toms Perpetuate the KMT Superiority Complex
Monday March 30
Are there so many Taiwanese that remain brain-washed? Is this the result of nearly a half century of Martial Law, White Terror and forced education? Such questions can and must be asked. Where is Taiwanese pride? Why do the Taiwanese, a majority population, allow the belittling and exploitative behavior of the minority Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) exemplified by people like Kuo Kuan-ying, Diane Lee etc. to still flourish. Bottom line, why are so many Taiwanese "Uncle Toms?" ...
Ma Ying-jeou, EFCA, MBPP and Taiwan, Wake Up Taiwan!
Saturday March 28
The horse still does not know how long his face is, and Ma Ying-jeou continues to live in his own little world. True when he was elected President a year ago, with overblown and outrageous campaign promises he got 58 per cent of the vote. However, once he took office and failed to live up to those promises, reality finally began to set in for many Taiwanese. Ma's popularity has since plummeted to as low as 23 per cent and for the last several months it has remained below 30 per cent. Instead of facing this, Ma fantasizes and postulates that the solution is for people to give him a blank check in drawing up his latest fly-by the-seat-of-your-pants brainstorm an Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (EFCA) with China. ...
The GIO and the KMT, a Joint History of Murder, Intrigue, and Cover Up? Wake Up Taiwan.
Wednesday March 25
Kuo Kuan-ying is not a career diplomat. He has always been an employee of the Government Information Office (GIO) and that may explain his lack of diplomatic professionalism. Nonetheless the hate-mongering case of Kuo Kuan-ying took a new turn today when he admitted that the GIO knew and had covered up the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) murder of Henry Liu in 1984. Kuo was working for the GIO at that time and stationed in New York. Perhaps out of kindness or perhaps as a warning, he seemed to break with government "ethics" and revealed to Liu's wife the true story of what had happened. Liu's wife also confirmed yesterday that Kuo had told her such at that time. ...
When Will Taiwan Awaken? The KMT Leech Has Always Been at Your Throat, Part III, Miaoli, a Glimmer of Hope?
Saturday March 21
With people like Kuo Kuan-ying, calling himself a "superior Mainlander," the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has since 1945 profited from Taiwan and its resources. Despite its sordid past, the current KMT government now claims to have changed and will support clean government. Who has not heard President Ma Ying-jeou say that the KMT aims at rooting out corruption? Who has not heard KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung re-echo that the KMT is against corruption? For this reason it was a real shock to Taiwanese (or was it?) that in Miaoli, the KMT supported the wife of convicted vote-buyer KMT Legislator Lee E-tin in the replacement elections. ...
When Will Taiwan Awaken? The KMT Leech Has Always Been at Your Throat? Part II, the Past
Saturday March 21
The recent scandals of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) loyalists Diane Lee and Kuo Kuan-ying's exploitation of Taiwan are mere tips of the iceberg. Collecting steady, paychecks from the nation, they nevertheless have shown little loyalty and/or respect for its people by their actions. This is however a simple continuation of the KMT history of past exploitation. The more classic example is the thousands of KMT members who had held "iron rice bowl" positions in the Legislative Yuan and National Assembly from 1947 up until their forced retirement in the early 1990s. Elected once in 1947, they never faced elections again; all also drawing comfortable paychecks until death or their final forced retirement.
When Will Taiwan Awaken? Diane Lee, Kuo Kuan-ying, the KMT Leech Has Always Been at your Throat!
Friday March 13
The recent media scandal of Kuo Kuan-ying, information division director of Taiwan's Toronto office, again points to the condescending and demeaning attitude that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has always had towards Taiwan and its people. It is the same attitude for which they were driven from China, losing both the Civil War there and the propaganda war with Mao Tse-tung. It is the same attitude by which they always claim privileged entitlement to exploit. The shame of it is that so many Taiwanese (some brain-washed under the KMT past one-party state and others too generous and naïve to realize) remain blind to it. ...
The Erosion of Human Rights in Taiwan Continues: The KMT Seeks the Right to Go on Fishing Expeditions Against its Enemies.
Wednesday March 11
Whenever the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) says that it is against corruption, step back and examine what it professes to support and what it condones. Ma Ying-jeou's secretary is in jail because he "laundered" nearly a half a million US dollars into Ma's bank account; yet, Ma Ying-jeou is found innocent by the KMT courts and so walks the streets proclaiming his virtue. Diane Lee was forced to resign her position as a KMT legislator because she illegally collected US$3 million dollars in salary, but she also walks the streets free. This is not corruption in the KMT's mind and they will not pursue restitution. These are two of many examples of KMT justice. But not satisfied with that KMT Legislator Hsieh Kuo-liang wants to have the right to go on fishing expeditions against KMT enemies.
Taiwan Was Never Part of China's Civil Wars: Part II
Saturday March 07
During World War II, the US bombed Japan's colony of Taiwan regularly, and had considered an invasion of the island but chose instead to invade Okinawa. Later with the dropping of the atom bombs, Japan announced its surrender on August 15, 1945 and formally surrendered on board the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945 (V-J-Day). What then would become of Japan's colony of Taiwan? That was 1945; it would be another seven years before the San Francisco Peace Treaty would be ratified in 1952. The Chinese Civil War between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) allegedly ended in 1949. Here then the murkiness begins. ...
2-28, 1980 The Lin Family Murders; the Surviving Daughter's Account
Tuesday March 03
The Lin Family Murders took place on 2-28, 1980; they happened shortly after the Kaohsiung Incident (December 1979)and show that some 33 years after 2-28, 1947, the same vicious mentality lived in many of the KMT. This following account is by the surviving daughter as she came to terms with the past. It is a moving story, read it more than once to get all the details. Come, Take a Walk With Me: Out of Darkness into the Light ...
Taiwan Was Never Part of China's Civil Wars: Part I
Sunday March 01
If you ask people when China's Civil War occurred, be prepared for a variety of answers. Some will say from 1945 to 1949; others will add the years 1927 to 1937 and still others will point out that it continued intermittently throughout World War II. In giving their answers most will be thinking of the power struggle between the two Leninist modeled parties, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). But I propose a different perspective. ...
2-28, The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Sins of Their Fathers
Friday February 27
I am not one who believes that the sins of the fathers should be laid upon their children and certainly not to the third and fourth generation. However, I do believe that if those children constantly try to ignore and whitewash the sins of their fathers and insist on keeping the profits and privileges resulting from the sins of their fathers, then that is a different matter.
The Unbearable Lightness of Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou's Words
Thursday February 26
Ma Ying-jeou again shamefacedly took the cake when he pledged that he would seek the truth of 228 and provide compensation for the survivors and families of those murdered. How nice this sounds until one examines just how many survivors are now living some sixty-two years later. Anyone who was at least twenty years old at that time (1947) would now be eighty-two years old. Even if one was a baby at that time, he/she would be now sixty-two years old, so how would they possibly have any memory or recollection of that horror. Add this to the fact that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) had practically a half of a century of one-party state rule to sanitize any guilt or responsibility for what happened in 1947 and destroy the convicting documentation. ...
Can Chen Shui-bian Get a Fair Trial? Taiwan's Prosecutors Leave More Smoking Guns.
Tuesday February 24
Anyone who lived through the Watergate scandal and obstruction of justice will readily recall Rose Mary Woods and the "smoking gun" 18 minutes of erased tapes to protect President Nixon. In Taiwan, we are having some similar experiences though it appears that the ones erasing tapes and leaving the smoking guns are not Chen Shui-bian's lawyers, but the KMT Court Prosecutors who are supposed to be protecting evidence and upholding justice. ...
Taiwan as the World Turns, Questions of a Cheated Past
Saturday February 21
The Pareto Principle is dead in Taiwan's bureaucracy. This principle frequently referred to as the 80/20 rule, means that 80 per cent of the effects in any given endeavor come from 20 per cent of causes. In quality control it means that 80 per cent of your product defects come from 20 per cent of the process; thus if a company can cure the 20 per cent, it will have eliminated 80 per cent of its problems. Looked at in a positive way 80 per cent of a company's sales come from 20 per cent of its customers. They should therefore be cultivated. Or 80 per cent of the work in an organization is done by 20 per cent of the people, and they should be rewarded properly. So what does this have to do with Taiwan's civil servant system? ...
Taiwan: As theWorld Turns Greased With Corruption
Tuesday February 17
Ma Ying-jeou's administration continually tries to spin itself as a clean government and those who lack memory or who have zero investigative powers will probably buy what they sell. So while the media are abuzz with the continuing trial of Chen Shui-bian who has been judged guilty even though his trial has just begun, maybe we should still peek behind the curtain of the side that tries to pass itself off as clean. ...
Can Ma Ying-jeou Make the Crumbs of His Mole-hills Look Like Mountains?
Wednesday February 11
As the first year of Ma Ying-jeou's presidency nears completion, Ma, his cabinet and his spin-masters are desperate for some sign, symbol, or semblance of success, but the picture is looking bleak. When it comes to dollars and cents and spending power, no amount of media hype and exaggeration, no amount of pictures in the paper, no promises, platitudes or dreams can change the hole in the nation's economic pocket and the lack of dignity the people feel as Taiwanese. And so while President Ma Ying-jeou, if we can still call him president, pretends that all is working out as he planned, one is reminded of a variation of an old nursery rhyme. ...
Diane Lee Continues to Blow Smoke in Taiwan
Friday February 06
Diane Lee and her lawyer continue to blow smoke and have dragged out a letter from Barbara Schrage, the managing director of the Washington office of the American Institute in Taiwan. In the letter of January 16 2009, managing director Schrage repeats what she said in her November 22 letter. "Loss of US citizenship occurs when a citizen voluntarily commits a statutorily define potentially expatriating act with the intention of relinquishing US citizenship." The key words are "potentially expatriating act" and "with the intention of relinquishing US citizenship." How does one separate that "intention" from the intention of one who "intends" to deceive and thus rip off the citizens of Taiwan while still keeping her passport? ...
Taiwan, Samoa, US Passports for All? Who knows?
Thursday February 05
The arguments are in and the ball is in the court of, well, the court of the US Court of Appeals. When and what the judges will decide is not announced but we do have the following report that comes from the "Boston Progressive Examiner." Regardless of that decision, there will certainly be a lot of denials and agreements as different pundits weigh in. The China lobby is going to have to spend a lot of bucks to try and put this one down. Here follows the report in the Examiner by Michael Richardson. Let the games begin. ...
Taiwan's Sovereignty and Statehood Still "Undecided" ??
Wednesday February 04
On February 5th, the oral arguments of a provocative lawsuit will go before the US Court of Appeals at 9:30 am. In this presentation, Dr. Roger Lin is arguing that the sovereignty and role of Taiwan in the international community remains a piece of unfinished business left over from World War II (WWII). Lin is claiming that since the US conquered Japan and its territories, it bears responsibility for the disposition of those territories and in particular that of Taiwan. That disposition was not made, treated or designated in the San Francisco Peace Treaty of 1952. Taiwan was given neither to the Republic of China (ROC), nor the People's Republic of China (PRC). ...
Why Chen Shui-bian Will Not Get a Fair Trial in Taiwan.
Monday February 02
Chen Shui-bian will not get a fair trial in Taiwan. This is not assessing whether he is guilty or not, but simply that he will not get a fair trial in Taiwan. Why? First, remember that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has always controlled the Legislative Yuan and that for three years they refused to appoint any members to the Control Yuan, the governmental watchdog, until they got a KMT president making the appointments of their own people whom they would approve. ...
The KMT's Diane Lee Takes Her Illegal US$ 3Million Dollars and Runs
Saturday January 31
If westerners or others want to understand the double standard in application of justice and media coverage in Taiwan, they need look no further than the Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) hypocritical former legislator Diane Lee. The controversy of Lee's illegal possession of dual citizenship has been going on for nearly a year with Lee failing to prove her innocence. With a recent press statement, Diane Lee had the gall to claim that since she has resigned from her position as a KMT legislator, she now does not have to produce any documents that would bare her falsehood. In essence, the KMT's Diane Lee is trying to take her illegally earned money (US$ 3 million) and run. The KMT dominated legislature is doing nothing about it. How can thieves accuse one of their own? ...
Scholars Issue Yet Another Letter on the Erosion of Justice in Taiwan
Friday January 30
Previous posts of November 15, and November 29, 2008 had presented two open letters to Taiwan's Minister of Justice on the erosion of justice in Taiwan during the short presidency of Ma Ying-jeou. Minister Wang failed to provide any kind of satisfactory answer to both letters and as a result the scholars and writers issued a third letter. This time the letter was addressed to President Ma Ying-jeou before the Lunar New Year holiday. The text is provided below; an answer has since been given by the Government Information Office. It too was inadequate but it will still be provided at a later date. Unable to live up to its pre-election hype and face the bankrupt inadequacy of its programs, the Ma government can only resort to denial. ...
No Virginia, the 21st Century Will Not be China's Century!
Wednesday January 28
International pundits chomping at the bit for something provokingly sensational to declare in past years have said that the Twenty-first Century is China's Century. Power-hungry Chinese searching for the wish-fulfillment of their dreams will champion this slogan. And even average Chinese citizens long-suffering from their own self-inflicted humiliations will hopefully proclaim that yes this is their century. But it isn't. In an age of global interdependence and instant news-messaging the Twenty-first Century belongs to no one, let alone the dreamers of China. ...
A Happy Lunar Year of the Ox to All, and Now Back to Work
Tuesday January 27
A Happy Lunar New Year to everyone! In Taiwan the weather up north was typical, wet and cold, but that did not dampen the celebrations. Now as the sun comes out the nation braces for the work ahead to keep its democracy and human rights from continued erosion. ...
Barack Obama is President, Let Us Celebrate!
Monday January 19
Prejudice dies hard and old prejudices die even harder; that is what makes the inauguration of Barack Obama as President of the United States all the more meaningful. It is the death of one of the oldest prejudices in the United States. ...
Diane Lee, Taiwan Updates, the Shame Continues
Monday January 19
The irony of ironies took place in Taiwan when the World League of Freedom and Democracy (WLFD) Republic of China chapter celebrated the upcoming World Freedom Day at their 53rd convention in Taipei. Everyone was praising how Taiwan had become a democracy (which it has) but no one admitted how long it took to do so and how much Taiwanese blood had to be shed to accomplish that. This is just one of the unsaid items of the day. ...
Ma Ying-jeou's Impotency Bodes Ill for Taiwan
Sunday January 18
Like the kingdom of the Fisher King in T.S. Eliot's "The Waste Land," Taiwan is suffering from a deep malaise. Its problem is that its president Ma Ying-jeou is impotent, impotent as a leader and impotent in his party, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT); because of that he is impotent to make any long-term constructive contributions to the nation of Taiwan. He can only talk. ...
Taiwan's Freedom Fighter, Linda Arrigo Turns the Big 6-0!
Saturday January 17
Linda Arrigo, a name well known in Taiwan since the days of the Kaohsiung Incident (when she was unceremoniously kicked out of the country) cheerfully celebrated her sixtieth birthday here yesterday. With her were a diverse group of well-wishing friends, whom we could dubiously call some of the usual suspects in Taiwan's pro-democracy and pro-environmental circles. They included members of the Green Party, prominent bloggers, and even a classmate from Taipei American School high school days who had come up from Pingtung. ...
Freedom House Ranks Taiwan High and China Low, but There is More
Thursday January 15
On January 13, Freedom House (FH) presented the 2009 findings of its flagship publication "Freedom in the World." This was the first time the publication had been made in Asia. In doing this, FH purposely chose Taiwan as the place for its presentation, noting that Taiwan after many struggles and sufferings had finally become a "vibrant democracy" and "one of Asia's success stories." ...
Zhang Ziyi, Taiwan, and the Perverse Shaming of China
Saturday January 10
Recent topless photos of Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi have created an uproar and online debate in China; they also expose a dark side of Chinese culture. It is a culture that because of several of its underpinnings unfortunately allows control freaks and people without a life of their own to gravitate to the top of the society. This in turn allows that element to create the self-righteous group thinking that makes China the continued dangerous hegemonic threat it is in Asia. ...
Diane Lee Resigns and Puts KMT Justice on Trial.
Friday January 09
Fabrication, fabrication, who would do the fabrication to save Diane Lee? Apparently no one. So as the forces of justice closed in on her falsehoods, Diane Lee decided to try a little fabrication of her own. Two days ago, she brought out letters and documents stating that this was all a mistake, a misunderstanding; the US Consular Office's right hand did not know what the left hand had been doing. Lee had proof that she had given up her US citizenship. She was again innocent. ...
The KMT's ex-legislator Diane Lee: the Smell of Rotten Fish Becomes Stronger in Taiwan
Wednesday December 31
There is indeed something rotten in both Denmark and in Taiwan as the Diane Lee case drags on. Lee has now resigned from the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) but she still remains locked in denial. Who wouldn't if you had committed a criminal act and owed over US $3 million dollars to the people of Taiwan? There is a simple solution however, but Diane Lee does not provide it. Diane Lee got her first passport in 1991. US passports are good for ten years; that means that Diane Lee's passport would have to have been renewed in 2001. So why would the US state that her passport is still valid? What number is the passport under? Does it show renewal? 2001 was a crucial year in US history and entrance requirements have become much stricter. ...
The KMT's Diane Lee, the Ways of the Weasel Part II
Sunday December 28
Fabrication, fabrication, who will do the fabrication? The case of Diane Lee becomes more complex and more devious. Below follows some expert advice from someone well versed in the ins and outs of the US consular service. There is a formal process that is gone through and with such a process, the magical way that Diane Lee claims her US passport has disappeared becomes less and less credible. In the meantime, however though it becomes more evident that Diane Lee has ripped off the government and people of more than US$3 million, and violated Taiwan's Constitutional law, Diane Lee is allowed to roam free and collude with whomever she wants to develop her strategy for exit. She has not even been sought for questioning, let alone handcuffed etc. before indictments. Would that Chen Shui-bian had friends in high places. It will be interesting to see what evidence Diane Lee provides in the coming month and how it was fabricated, or shall we say mysteriously found. ...
The KMT's Diane Lee, Legislative Abuse, and the Ways of the Weasel
Saturday December 27
For those that watch the scandals and rumor-mongering of Taiwan, Diane Lee's name is an all too familiar by-word. One of her more famous past escapades and abuses of her legislative position was in 2002 when she wrongfully accused DPP supporter and head of the Department of Health, Twu Shiing-jer. Lee charged that Twu kissed another man in a KTV parlor and that public morals were being corrupted. She insisted over and over again that she had her man and she was the upholder of morality not rumors. Of course, investigations proved Lee wrong and she had to make a public apology - what else could she do when caught in a blatant falsehood. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) dominated Legislative Yuan (LY) gave her a slap on the wrist and let her off easily as it has with the convicted Chiu Yi. It seems now she is again counting on her KMT comrades in the LY to bail her out once more. ...
David Wu, Taiwanese American US Congressman Criticizes Ma Government
Wednesday December 24
David Wu is the only Taiwanese American serving in the US Congress; and he was recently re-elected to his sixth term representing the 1st District of Oregon. Wu knows the difference between true freedom and democracy, and so he also wrote to US President Bush to express his deep concern over the clampdown of human rights and civil liberties in Taiwan under President Ma Ying-jeou. Wu urged US President Bush to push for an investigation of these abuses under Ma and to closely monitor Taiwan's problems. What makes Wu's letter all the more important is that he purposely wrote his own letter instead of joint signing with the 14 other US Congressman who also expressed concern to President Bush. By separating himself, Wu is making a statement. He is one that truly knows both Taiwan and knows human rights and civil liberties; therefore he is not fooled by Ma's propaganda or platitudes. Wu's letter follows. ...
US Congress Expresses Concern over Abuses Under Ma Ying-jeou
Tuesday December 23
It is not only numerous International Human Rights Organizations, media watchdogs and other guardians of human rights and civil liberties that are shocked at the violations that have already taken place in Taiwan during the first seven months of the rule of President Ma Ying-jeou. Fourteen members of the US Congress took pains to write US President Bush advising him that he must keep a "close eye" on the machinations of the Ma government. These Congressmen are well worried that Ma's definition of "peace in our time" does not come at the expense of Taiwanese civil rights. Their letter follows. ...
Taiwan's Chen Shui-bian, Guilty or Not-Guilty?
Saturday December 20
Anyone reading about Taiwan news would know that former president Chen Shui-bian has been accused of just about stealing everything from the Presidential Office kitchen sink to the treasures in the National Palace Museum. Some may wonder where I stand on this. My response is simple; if Chen is guilty of money laundering etc., then I say "hang him high." If not then let's get on with life and face the fact why so many hate not only Chen, but also the reality of Taiwan's sovereignty that he represents. For it is this that inconveniently sticks in their craw and disrupts their profits and sculpted agendas for the world. For sure, Chen has been already, judged and found guilty in the pan-blue media and subsequently hung, drawn and quartered so many times that it is not just de rigueur but the only thing they can think of to print. Innocent until proven guilty? Not in pan-blue Taiwan. ...
The List of Protests Against Ma Just Grows and Grows; Is There Anyone That Has Not Spoken Up
Wednesday December 17
The list of complaints against Ma Ying-jeou has become so numerous that one hesitates to add another. For those who know Ma, it is reality finally surfacing. Ma never had an image of Mr. Clean; those on the inside have always seen through that from Ma's days as a student spy. Now, Reporters Without Borders (RWP) has spoken out on how President Ma Ying-jeou is not keeping his promises to respect public media independence. In response, Ma had written in a letter to its secretary-general Jean-François Julliard, "We believe that accusations of this administration's interference in Taiwan's media are based on some wrong information or misunderstandings." But despite such denials the organisation continues to get disturbing reports of the ruling Kuomintang party decisions undermining the independence of the public media. ...
Taiwan's Ma Ying-jeou, the Cracks Have Become Fissures, Part I
Monday December 15
Ma Ying-jeou has been president of Taiwan for some seven months and already the cracks in his counterfeit façade are becoming fissures. As one elected with a popular majority, his image, so carefully crafted in the past, has not stood up to the test of the reality and responsibility required by the role of President. Even rascals and under-achievers have had a longer honeymoon period than Ma's bare one month. ...
And Still Another Two Human Rights Organizations Join the Protest Against Ma Ying-jeou's Rule
Friday December 12
Read through the past ten posts where international organization after international organization speaks out on the erosion of justice and the violation of human rights in Taiwan. Earlier this week, the police forcefully removed the students in silent protest at Liberty Square in Taipei. With clubs and shields the Taipei police moved in on the sleeping students at 4 am in the morning; U-tube recordings of the event are available. And yet in almost mocking ironic contrast, Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou spoke at a seminar on Dec. 10th Human Rights Day. While outside abuses of human rights followed abuses Ma said that all was progressing well under his administration. Ma may still fool some of the naïve in Washington DC but almost in answer another two organizations, The Taiwan Association for Human Rights (Taipei) and the Formosan Association for Human Rights (US) added their cries to the mounting criticism of Ma Ying-jeou. Their words follow. ...
Amnesty International Adds its Voice to Protests Against the Erosion of Justice under Ma Ying-jeou's KMT Government
Saturday December 06
On December 7th, the Wild Strawberries will have a march to continue their protest against the harsh Parade and Assembly Laws that Taiwan has and which are a carry-over from the Martial Law days. The march will be peaceful; it will also be carried out without a permit required by the law. It constitutes a peaceful act of civil disobedience reminiscent of the thought and practices of Henry David Thoreau, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King. Almost as if in support, Amnesty International has added its voice to the continuously growing number of organizations that question the dedication to justice of the government of Ma Ying-jeou. You simply have to look at all the previous posts on this page and you will see some ten protests and organizations listed. ...
The Taiwan Bar Associations and Judicial Reform Foundation Weigh in on the Abuses of the Ministry of Justice
Monday December 01
The evidence mounts, and it seems like it will never end. On Nov. 21, in a Joint Statement, the Taiwan Bar Association, the Taipei Bar Association and the Judicial Reform Foundation expressed their dissatisfaction on the abuses demonstrated by Taiwan's Ministry of Justice (MOJ). The MOJ appears to be selectively carrying out its vendetta against Taiwan's former president and members of the Democratic Progressive Party. Taiwan's President who appointed the Minster of Justice also tries to dodge the guilt by claiming that is the MOJ business. ...
Scholars Find Taiwan's Minster of Justice's Response Inadequate
Saturday November 29
The previous posting of Taiwan's Minister of Justice's response to the JOINT STATEMENT of the scholars and writers (posted November 15) did not address the real issues of the erosion of justice in Taiwan. Ignoring numerous other protests also listed below, the Minister's response appears to hide behind the technicalities of the Constitution. Taiwan's current Constitution has many inadequacies; among them is that it was created for continental China but ill fits the island nation of Taiwan. By the Minister's implication it is so broad that it allows numerous abuses that may be technically within the letter of the law but far from the spirit and purpose of the law. For this reason it can allow the selective application to one's political opposition and still fall under the umbrella of the Constitution. For that reason, the scholars/writers of the first statement on the erosion of justice in Taiwan felt obligated to respond in specifics to the Minister's letter. That response can be found below. ...
Taiwan's Minister of Justice Responds to the Scholars' Joint Statement
Thursday November 27
On November 6th some twenty US, Canadian, European, and Australian scholars wrote a Joint Statement to Taiwan's Ministry of Justice and other government agencies expressing deep concern over the recent series of detentions in Taiwan (that statement can be seen below on November 15). The statement was also published in the "Taipei Times" on November 6. The Honorable Wang Ching-feng, Taiwan's Minister of Justice recently responded to that statement stating that it was inaccurate on several points. Minister Wang's letter was printed in the "Taipei Times" on November 25. On November 26 the Taipei Times editorial addressed the Minister's letter and in particular where it claimed that all Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) figures arrested were charged according to law within 24 hours. The editorial stated "This unfortunately, is also
simply untrueraising concerns that Wang did not mean what she wrote or lacks a basic grasp of the legal system." The full editorial can be found in the Taipei Times for November 26. ...
And Yet Another World Agency Protests Abuses of Rights under Ma Ying-jeou
Tuesday November 25
The recently quoted Chinese proverb, "The Horse does not know how long his face is," appropriately fits Taiwan's situation under Ma Ying-jeou. There Ma's Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government and KMT dominated judiciary proceed blithely on claiming to be working for peace with the totalitarian regime in China while ignoring the abuses of power within their own ranks and inflicted on the democracy of Taiwan. Another world agency, the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) has sent the following open letter to Taiwan's President Ma. ...
Freedom House Adds Yet Another Voice Against the Abuses of Ma Ying-jeou's KMT Government
Saturday November 22
While Ma Ying-jeou remains the one-trick pony whose only hope seems to be in running to China for solutions to boost his sagging approval rating of 23 per cent; his permitted or possibly directed abuse of his own people and the sovereignty of their nation continues. Another voice that has spoken out in this regard is Freedom House which also wants the abuses looked into. Since the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) dominated judiciary continues it's fishing expedition and witch hunt to punish the opposition party leaders; it seems however that the citizens of Taiwan will get an impartial response to Freedom House's inquiry. ...
Annette Lu, Taiwan's Former Vice President Adds Her Voice to Protests Against the KMT Dominated Judiciary
Wednesday November 19
Former Vice President Annette Lu is no stranger to persecution and bad-mouthing from both the People's Republic of China (PRC) as well as the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). Until now after leaving office, she has been relatively silent on the recent abuses of the KMT dominated judiciary system under Ma Ying-jeou. In the following statement however, she does not hold back and adds her voice and legal experience to the many other critics of the heavy-handed measures used by the KMT judiciary. A Harvard educated lawyer, Ms. Lu goes into great detail on the specifics of the abuses. ...
The USA Heritage Foundation Further Lays Bare the KMT's Current Abuse of Justice
Tuesday November 18
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) controlled judiciary in Taiwan continues to abuse its powers. At present it conducts both a witch hunt and fishing expedition in its attempt to squelch its opposition party the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Former President Chen Shui-bian has been arrested and led away in handcuffs but to date no formal charges have been leveled against him. Likewise in abusing their powers they have arrested and held incommunicado numerous others of the DPP. These are all held in prison under the guise that they will now obstruct justice in a case that has been tendered and pursued for a long time. ...
Scholars Around the Globe Criticize Abuses Under Ma Ying-jeou and the KMT
Saturday November 15
This JOINT STATEMENT of US, Canadian, European and Australian scholars/writers started the ball rolling. It highlighted numerous abuses of civil rights and liberties already clearly evident in the first five months that Ma Ying-jeou had been in office. This statement came out on November 4th, 2008, even before Chen Yunlin had completed his visit and further police brutality and violation of civil liberties would become evident. These scholars wrote to express concern about the growing political prosecutions in Taiwan under Ma Ying-jeou. It reads as follows. ...
The Prebyterian Church of Taiwan Adds its Voice to Questioning the Government of Ma ying-jeou
Friday November 14
The Presbyterian Church of Taiwan, a long-time and a staunch supporter of human rights and democracy in Taiwan has added its voice to the growing criticism and disillusionment with the government of Ma Ying-jeou and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). The following letter explains.
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN TAIWAN
3, Lane 269, Roosevelt Road Sec. 3, Taipei 10647 TAIWAN
General Secretary: Rev. Andrew T. C. Chang
11 November 2008 ...
Canadian Human Rights Association Puts Ma Ying-jeou's Government on Watch List
Thursday November 13
Statement by Taiwanese Human Rights Association of Canada, November 13, 2008
Condemns Ongoing Political Prosecutions in Taiwan Calls on Human Rights groups to put the "Republic of China" on watch list ...
Taiwan's Wild Strawberry Student Protest Challenges the Inequities of the Nation's Laws
Thursday November 13
As long as Taiwan has Wild Strawberries, the country will maintain its democracy. Just as the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in its will to maintain a one-party state miscalculated the will of the people and the strength of their determination in the Kaohsiung Incident on Human Rights Day (December 1979), so too, a generation later, the KMT is attempting to stonewall the Wild Strawberries who similarly are protesting against police abuse. The protest is also aimed at the continued failed action of the Legislative Yuan (always dominated by the KMT) to amend the harsh Parade and Assembly Law existent in Taiwan as a substitute for martial law. Following is the protest statement of the students who belong to no political party ...
Taiwan's President, The Little Man that is There!
Friday November 07
After a stormy five day sojourn in the country of Taiwan, Chen Yunlin is on his way back to China. Now that he is gone, it is time for Taiwanese to see their primping president for the little man that he really is. What should have been a routine visit by a low level person from China to ink prearranged agreements turned into a near riot and cost Taiwanese citizens millions of dollars in wasted resources as well as the experience of police brutality not seen since the days of the Kaohsiung Incident. This is not because of legitimate anger and protests of concerned citizens, but because of the inept mishandling and callous indifference of the whole situation by Taiwan's sometime president, Ma Ying-jeou. ...
The KMT's and Ma's Surreal Dream of Yesteryear
Wednesday November 05
Like an opium reverie of bygone years, a strange surrealistic cloud is descending on Taiwan. Members of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and their sometime leader Ma Ying-jeou are nostalgically striving to recreate the celebratory one-party state days of their colonial yesteryear rule as they wine and dine a civil servant of China, Chen Yunlin. Chen is head of China"s Association for Relations across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS); he is no head of state; he is simply head of an association to negotiate trade and is here to sign some trade agreements. The question then is why is Ma spending so much and trying to convince Taiwan citizens as well as the foreign media that something momentous is going on? ...
Special News from Taiwan Sovereignty Watch
Wednesday November 05
Coordinator: Taiwan Sovereignty Watch/ Contact Info: Billy Pan 0968-718673; Michael 0935-156396; Luna 0917-228-367 ...
The US Elections, Is McCain the Republican Throwaway Candidate?
Sunday November 02
The US elections are drawing to a close and with all the rhetoric that has been flying most are probably glad that it will soon be over with. I was glad to see that at the American Legion dinner (I believe) last week, both candidates were able to laugh and joke in each others presence, despite the somewhat rabid behavior that each of their followers have exhibited. That gives me faith in the system. ...
1895, A New Film Coming out on Taiwan's Early Republic
Wednesday October 29
A new film, "1895", will be coming out within a month and it will be screened in many theatres in Taiwan. Its title and subject is 1895 - the year that the Republic of Taiwan was established. If you remember, the Manchu Qing Dynasty lost a war with Japan over who would control Korea during that year. In the subsequent Treaty of Shimonoseki, the Qing falsely surrendered all of Taiwan to Japan. Why do we say falsely? The Qing never controlled all of Taiwan; they only controlled the western part of the island. Nevertheless in mock and false generosity, they gave away all of Taiwan to the Japanese. In this process, no one ever asked or told the Taiwanese on the western part that they were being given away. Nor did anyone tell aboriginals who controlled the eastern half and the central mountain range that they no longer controlled their lands. ...
Adam Smith and the Invisible Hand: Part II, the Manila to Acapulco Trade Route
Sunday October 26
Part I of this series can be found on Oct. 17. Now while Taiwan is often the center my writings, as far as Spain was concerned in the 16th and 17th centuries, Taiwan was only one part of the larger picture of its trade, empire and expansion. An oft-forgotten part of that picture is the long standing Manila-Acapulco Trade Route, whose establishment and history have enough tales, challenges and adventures to create several novels. For though the Spanish had arrived in the Philippines as early as 1521 and a remnant of Magellan's men would continue west to complete their round-the-world journey, the Spanish faced yet another problem. If they were to develop consistent trade with Asia, they would need to find a way back east across the Pacific Ocean.
What Does Ma Ying-jeou Mean That There Will Be No War?
Saturday October 25
Taiwan did not respond in a filial manner to Zhang Mingqing's patronizing paternalism last week and so he went home to China teary-eyed, nevertheless he did go away with our quote of the week. Ma Ying-jeou however gave him a close race in that arena and came in second with his own brilliant statement. Ma boldly declared in the same week that there would be no war with China during his four year term as president. This strange quote left many in a quandary and wondering who on earth Ma was trying to talk to and what on earth was he trying to say. ...
China's Zhang Mingqing Lectures Taiwan on Human Rights
Wednesday October 22
Zhang Mingqing, the Vice Chairman of China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, gets the award for the quote of the week. After he was jostled and booed by Taiwanese citizens, he decided it was time to lecture them in true authoritarian, patriarchal style. He said, "Such violent behavior not only infringes on human rights but also runs against the wish of the peoples on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Only uncivilized people do such a thing. A civilized society governed by the rule of law would never allow such violence to happen again." Wow, how so little a statement can leave so much to comment on, where shall I begin? ...
Ma Ying-jeou and the Peter Principle
Monday October 20
What is it a sign of when posing for pictures and uttering platitudes are not enough, when your approval ratings have plunged from 70 to under 25 and when half of the people who voted for you already regret their choice in your first 100 days? What is it a sign of? It's a sign that Taiwan has once again witnessed the Peter Principle in action, the principle that all men rise to the level of their incompetence, some more quickly than others. In the case of Ma Ying-jeou, however, some feel the degree of incompetence is so great and so unique that perhaps a new principle needs to be coined, the Ma principle. ...
Adam Smith and the Invisible Hand: Part I, Taiiwan
Friday October 17
Taiwan has always had trade with the islands around it and with the Asian continent. However, it was when the "invisible hand" that Adam Smith speaks of in "The Wealth of Nations" took hold of many Europeans that it would drive them to enter Asian waters in search of many things including spices known for their taste, medicinal value and even preservative aspects. Like it or not, the invisible hand had a large role in putting Taiwan on the "radar screen" and maps of Europe and in so plotting Taiwan's future and often turbulent destiny. ...
Penghu, Casinos and the Future of Taiwan?
Friday October 17
Penghu has always had a unique role in Taiwan's history. The Dutch fought the Ming to a standoff there, and as a result the Ming gave the Dutch Taiwan as a place from which to operate. When the Qing wanted to drive Zheng Zhi-long's Ming loyalists out of Taiwan, they first captured Penghu. When the Japanese wanted to fully take over Taiwan, they also first occupied Penghu and so the saying developed, as Penghu went, so went Taiwan. Now as Taiwan looks for ways to revitalize its economy, Penghu again appears to be stepping up to the plate. How's that? No there is no war; this time the word is Casinos. ...
Pandas in the Mist: Naming and More Problems for Taiwan?
Saturday October 11
While Taiwan's economy continues to slump, Mr. Ma, our regional administrator has been working (about the only area he seems to be actually doing some work in) and preparing behind the scenes to accept two pandas from China. These pandas are perhaps the sole vestige or legacy of Taiwan's well-known political loser Lien Chan to the country. ...
Niagara Falls, Still Spectacular and Well Worth the Visit
Tuesday October 07
Despite the seductive performance of Marilyn Monroe in the film noir "Niagara" (1953), the days of Niagara Falls as the favorite honeymoon destination in the USA are long past, but by no means, does that mean the falls are not well worth the visit. The first time I had seen them was with two of my brothers, way back in 1960; that may give you an idea of how old I am. It was a trip before I went on to grad school and had its own string of interesting events that I will save for another day. As for the falls, they of course are much older and have changed and weathered many a season and many a century while maintaining their own splendor. ...
Taiwan History Book Reaches its 4th Edition
Sunday October 05
The 4th edition of "Island in the Stream, a Quick Case Study of Taiwan's Complex History" is fresh off the presses and available at bookstores in Taiwan for the modest price of NT$200 (US$ 6.50). We are proud of this book since not many history books reach their fourth edition and certainly few if any other histories of Taiwan reach that stage. This edition continues with the tradition of having provocative questions at the end of each chapter to encourage readers to examine and probe more deeply into the many challenges facing the hard-won democracy of this island nation as well as the ways others have tried to twist and influence its history. For those in the United States and around the world, we are increasing our efforts to make it more readily available there. If you have trouble getting it, let us know.
Away from the Hustle and Busltle of Life is the Joy of Grandchildren
Friday October 03
One of the privileges, joys, and pleasures of life as you get older is to unashamedly brag about your grandkids and I am no exception. Kahlil Gibran states, "You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far. Let your bending in the Archers hand be for gladness; for even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable." With grandchildren, you have the wonder and joy to see how swift and how far beyond your children, your arrows and then their arrows have flown, and how the Archer allows the bow to be rewarded. ...
Musings on the US Presidential Elections II: McCain, Distance, Palin and More Bush
Sunday September 28
Distance, distance, distance. Distance is the watchword and battle-cry of Republican John McCain's presidential campaign for if he is to have any chance, he must distance himself from fellow Republican George Bush and from the disastrous past eight years of the Bush presidency. For that reason, on August 29th I wrote that I was not surprised by McCain's choice of running mate Sarah Palin. He needed a Republican but one with little baggage from the Beltway and little association with Bush policies. He got that in the relative unknown Palin, but he also got a lot more, he got an attack dog, a cheerleader, and a mixed bag of anomalies. ...
News from China, Is There a Pattern There?
Saturday September 27
There seems to be a clear pattern for news from China. It is simple, it is basic, and it is geared to one thing--make the ruling government look good. Any bad news must be delivered late; hopefully it will go away before it has to be delivered. SARS, let's keep that under wraps; put the doctor who blew the whistle on it under permanent house arrest and maybe the people in the world won't understand why they are dying. The poisoned milk? Yes that news has to be delayed, we cannot have anything like that ruin the image we are trying to create for the Olympics, you know, peaceful China rising, while babies in China and around the world die. Delay that one six months or so, or at least until the Olympics are past. ...
Musings on the US Presidential Elections I, Bush, Republicans and the Economy
Friday September 26
As the US elections approach, I cannot escape one of those "Wordsworthian spots of time." It happened in the year 2000 when I was in X'ian, China looking at the terra cotta warriors. As I admired the statues and craftsmanship, a tourist group from the United States passed by and a loud mouth American who had to have been a Republican (Clinton was in the White House then) was boasting, "Just wait until we get in the White House, then we'll show them how to run the economy." George Bush, the Republican candidate did win the election in Nov. 2000 and of course entered the White House in January, 2001. So here I am eight years later, thinking back on that loud mouth and the way the Republicans showed us how to run the economy. ...
Taiwan's Ma Ying-jeou, Clueless but Comforted?
Wednesday September 24
While his popularity ratings plummet to an all time low, the saga of Ma Ying-jeou, little boy lost and clueless in the cross-currents of reality continues. First, Ma wonders why things are not going right and according to the script of the novels and stories he read as a young boy. These are the ones where ruler takes the pose of paternalistic benevolence, makes a show of listening to the people, utters the right platitudes and then everything works out. Ma has followed the script, but somehow real leadership in today's Taiwan demands more. ...
Cairo Rhetoric, Undecided Stealing, Taiwan and the UN
Saturday September 20
The 65th anniversary of the Cairo Declaration (Dec. 1, 1943) approaches and I have always wondered at its rhetoric as well as how often this simple declaration is used by some to justify the People's Republic of China's (PRC) claim to Taiwan (then called Formosa). Let us grant that the declaration was made in war time, and that it would require rhetorical wording to rally the troops to the righteousness of a cause. Granted it was a statement and not a treaty. It had no legal force; there were no binding commitments. Granted, it also was made at a time when though the darkest hour of the war was past, there was much more to come. For some the concern that Chiang Kai-shek might still sign a private peace treaty with Japan and opt out of the war remained. Go past that however and focus for a moment on one simple neglected aspect, the rhetoric involved and the future problems that have arisen because of that rhetoric. ...
St. Andrew's Ball, Scottish Dancing Anyone?
Sunday September 14
This year the St. Andrew's ball will be celebrated on November 1st at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Every year I have posted about it since 2004; if anyone wants to see past photos just go to the heading "Another Side" click on and find the four sub-albums on St. Andrew's Ball for each year. If anyone out there will be in Taiwan at that time and would like to go, you are more than welcome and we still have some room at our table (room for 3). Just go back to postings at the end of November or early December and you will see more of the details. Contact me if you are interested in joining the Scottish community in one of the best celebrations in Taiwan. ...
Taiwan, China Matters: a MOFA Smokescreen?
Saturday September 13
Henry Chen, MOFA spokesman, announced yesterday that MOFA has found fewer cases of Chinese pressure against Taiwan participation in international affairs. "In the first half of the year, there were relatively fewer examples of China's suppression of Taiwan." While this sounds like progress, Chen did not elaborate as to why and so leaves the whole matter in the vagaries of limbo. Does this mean China is relenting or that a certain strategy is working? Chen's vagueness is as graspable as the morning mist. ...
Taiwan Commemorates Far Eastern Prisoners of War (FEPOW) Day
Friday September 12
While Taiwan's media vacillates between focusing on President Ma Ying-jeou's dismal performance in his first 100 days and the US$ 20 million dollars that Chen Shui-bian admits he profited from by using the Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) system to advantage, believe it or not a lot of other things are going on in Taiwan besides those two events. One such was on August 10, when the Taiwan POW Camps Memorial Society hosted a gathering to celebrate the first ever Far East Prisoners of War (FEPOW) Day in Taiwan. ...
Is Ma Ying-jeou Becoming a Parrot of the PRC?
Wednesday September 10
Recently, the People's Republic of China (PRC) rejected Taiwan's bid for simple participation in other international agencies as an observer. This was allegedly Ma's new flexible and placating approach to China. Though it was quickly shot down by the PRC, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) tried to downplay the rejection and say that the PRC did not understand Taiwan's effort. The PRC understood only too well, but it is what followed that indicates how things are getting worse and how China seeks to define the terms of engagement.
Taiwan's Economy Continues Sinking but Ma Ying-jeou Wants to Bring Back Chiang Kai-shek
Monday September 08
I attended a presentation by Vice Premier Chiu Cheng-hsiung today and what he said about the world and Taiwan's economy were not encouraging. Quoting Global Insight he predicted the growth of the world economy will slow to 3% this year and 2.8% next year. Taiwan's growth would fall from 5.72% last year to 4.3% this year. Plus Taiwan's CPI would go up 3.74%. Now Taiwan is in much better shape than most countries in Asia, but since Ma Ying-jeou had predicted the growth would reach 6% under him, (he later changed and said it would only be by 2016) things do not look good. ...
Taiwan, the Gravy Train Rolls On
Saturday September 06
Well I barely posted the need for Taiwanese to examine the gravy train politics and system of rewards and punishments than Ma Ying-jeou gave a good example. Presidential Office Secretary-General Chan Chun-po confirmed that the state affairs fund (some read that as personal slush fund for politicians) has been used to give a birthday party banquet for Lien Chan, the former chairman of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). Using my tax dollars for what? ...
Taiwan's Political Gravy Train in Search of a Wild Lily
Thursday September 04
While hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets to show their displeasure with the ineffectual performance and potential betrayal of the country's sovereignty by MaYing-jeou in his first 100 days, other media headlines have been discussing the so-called "money laundering" scandal of the former president, Chen Shui-bian. Chen had wired (via his wife) some twenty million US dollars to bank accounts overseas. While it is being investigated as to whether it is actually laundering, some felt betrayed; some felt justified, and many others were shocked. Regardless of that, what this does is expose how Taiwan politics is and has been one big, long, and continuous gravy train.
Why There are Protests Against Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou
Wednesday September 03
This August, there have already been two protests against the ineffectual leadership of Ma Ying-jeou as president of Taiwan. Ma's party, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) will use their press to try and downplay the actual size of the protests, their importance, and their implications. ...
Taiwan's Little Boy Ma Remains Lost in Lah-lah Land
Monday September 01
Ma Ying-joke, the flim-flam man, the phony pony, call him what they will, for the people in Taiwan who watch the real world going on in places like Georgia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Tibet, Xinxiang etc. Ma Ying-jeou's "flexible diplomacy" remains the laughing-stock of the country. Somehow Ma still feels that by being a good little boy to the powers of the world and by continuing to seek venues where he can pose and smile, then all will be solved and the rest of the problems of the country will disappear. ...
McCain Picks Palin: His Safest Bet Given the Circumstances
Friday August 29
I don't usually comment on US politics except as they relate to Taiwan but everyone is touting McCain's choice of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for his running mate as his boldest move yet. I don't see it that way at all. McCain is playing it safe. ...
Art Taipei 2008: Money and Freedom, a Different Perspective
Thursday August 28
Art Taipei 2008 begins today at the Taipei World Trade Center and runs through September 2nd. As an art show, it is worth attending; and because of work I do with the art community, I was lucky and already got a sneak preview. I had a VIP pass to get me through the gates for the preview and grand opening on Thursday. I am not however going to give you a review; you can get that in the local papers. What I want to talk about is a different feeling I left with - that art shows present an unusual and ironic microcosm of our world. ...
To Taiwan's Foreign Media: Check out the Aughst 30 Protest Against Ma Ying-jeou
Tuesday August 26
It will soon be 100 days since Ma Ying-jeou has been president of Taiwan, 100 ineffectual days. So what do the people think about Ma? How do they evaluate his first 100 days? Come to the Presidential Palace this Saturday, August 30th and you'll see what people think of the man whose popularity rating has dropped below 37 per cent. Don't be misled, this protest is no show of support for the scandal-ridden Chen Shui-bian as pan-blue forces may try to paint it. This protest is all about Ma, his ineffectual programs, his placing the country at risk and his inability to govern. ...
Ma's New Brainchild; Give China's 1.3 billion Multiple Entry Visas
Monday August 25
Ma Ying-jeou, Taiwan's President, the president that does not want to be called president, the same one that said that Taiwan's sovereignty is not important, has come up with a new brainchild. (Notice that he does not talk about the economy after his last economic brainchild failed in less than a month.)So speaking on Kinmen where many died to defend the island against the atacking Chinese, Ma decided that the real answer was to just open the doors and let them in. ...
"Nineteen Eighty-Four" Revisited
Friday August 22
With the recent events in the troubled democracies of Georgia and Taiwan, recurring images from George Orwell's seminal novel, "Nineteen Eighty-Four" return. In that novel, (published 1949) Orwell predicted a divided world where three major powers Oceania, Eurasia, and Eastasia compete and re-align with each other. Each is so large that no two united can destroy the remaining one. As a result their battles regularly overflow into the remaining world around them. Present also in each though only seen in one are departments such as the Thought Police, the Ministry of Truth, Newspeak etc. ...
China/Taiwan, Russia/Georgia:an Inconvenient Case of Cause and Effect?
Wednesday August 20
Russia recently shocked the world. With a swift show of military might it steamrolled into Georgia, grabbed key strategic locations and took aim at punishing what it considers an annoying democratic gnat at its doorstep. The timing was perfect; Russia's neighbor China, one that also cares little for democracy, was hosting the Olympics, a good distraction for all. George Bush, the named leader of the free world was enjoying the games. He gave a condemnatory speech and went back to enjoying the Olympics. The world remained shocked but how much should it be? ...
Spreading the Blame: the KMT Finds a New Excuse on Arms Delays
Tuesday August 12
The farcical charade between Taiwan's Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the United States State Department over arms sales to Taiwan has reached a new level. For those uninformed, the old excuse as to why nothing happened was the past president, Chen Shui-bian. Remember him; he was the alleged trouble maker that stymied everything. Never mind the fact that it was Taiwan's KMT dominated Legislative Yuan that blocked the sales over 50 times; never mind the fact that the US State Department also couldn't bring itself to honor the Taiwan Relations Act for fear of offending China before the Olympics, Chen was the problem. Unfortunately he is not around now so how does the KMT explain the reality that progress is still not happening. Not to worry, the KMT's Lin Yu-fang (Chairman of the Legislative Yuan's Diplomacy and National Defense Committee), has come up with a new solution, a new excuse; "Everyone is to blame." ...
Katyn, Poland's Bitter Past Recalls Taiwan's Tragedy
Monday August 11
It is September 1939 and Poland is in dire straits; first the Nazis have attacked from the west on September 1st and then on September 17th, the Russians violated their non-Aggression Pact with Poland and attacked from the east. Andrezej Wajda's film "Katyn" opens with a poignant scene from this period. Polish refugees fleeing the German invasion on the west, meet on a bridge with refugees fleeing the Russian invasion coming from the east. They have nowhere to go; each indicates to the other it is worse where they came from. Germany and Russia have decided to carve Poland up and Poland unable to fight on both fronts must surrender. ...
Taiwan, the UN, What's in a Name?
Wednesday August 06
We have all witnessed how quickly the People's Republic of China (PRC) kept their most recent promise to refer to Taiwan as Zhonghua Taibei (Chinese Taipei) and not Zhongguo Taibei (Taipei, China) as regards the 2008 Olympics. This broken promise followed upon the heels of the previous broken promise that they would originally use this term. But another issue now faces Taiwan, that of United Nations membership. Not to worry, Ma's Cub Scouts are again hard at work, flying by the seat of their pants. ...
Taitung and the KMT's Kuang Li-chen: She Did it All for Love
Tuesday August 05
One thing about Taiwan politics, it will never disappoint. Even in the remotest of areas, scandals and bhagwa can be brewing. The latest of a long string of episodes involves the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taitung County Magistrate, Kuang Li-chen. Kuang Li-chen has gained the reputation of being a jet-setting magistrate after having taken eight trips abroad in her two and a half years in office at a cost to tax-payers of 10 million NT dollars or roughly $1,200,000 NT dollars (US$40,000) a trip. ...
President Bush Makes it Clear?
Tuesday August 05
Lest one think that Ma Ying-jeou is the only problem Taiwan has in getting respect in the international community, examine the recent words of the United States President George Bush. Some have conjectured that a meeting with this man might be enough to convince the leaders of the People's Republic of China (PRC) or any totalitarian state that they would not want to risk the leadership of their country to the potential pitfalls of the results of a democratic election; regardless of that, the United States has continually and ambivalently sat on the fence as regards the status of Taiwan. Yes despite it being more than sixty years after World War II, the United States still does not know how it wants Taiwan to fit into its script. The US official position on Taiwan's status is that it is undetermined. ...
Ma Ying-joke's Alternate Universe
Monday August 04
Ma Ying-joke, the naive president of Taiwan continues to live in his own little alternate universe, a universe so distant that no one can figure out where he is coming from. If you remember that yesterday I posted on how Ma boasted of the great diplomatic coup his staff had achieved by getting China to agree to use the term Zhonghua Taibei instead of Zhongguo Taibei in reference to Taiwan in the Olympics. The reality was that all they had gotten China to do is to agree to honor what it had pledged back ages ago. ...
The Buck Stops Elsewhere: Ma Ying-joke, Taiwan's Inveterate Poseur
Sunday August 03
Western media pundits in search of quick dramatic story lines have always glossed and glamorized Taiwan's Ma Ying-jeou; few have observed him long and close enough to see the reality beneath the surface. For example, they always tout him as the brilliant Harvard lawyer though in reality while he did attend Harvard he never passed the bar in the United States or in Taiwan. He is spoken of as being a glamorous mayor of Taipei, but few can list any real concrete accomplishments of his eight year period in that office. True, gloss is easier than doing one's homework, but this is why such reporters feel surprise when more and more people express a different conception of Ma and have started to refer to him as Ma Ying-joke. What to make of it and why? Let me count the ways. ...
The US State Deparmtent and the KMT Fail Again
Friday August 01
The farcical dance goes on, proving once again how difficult life is for the US State Department and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) to cover up their ineptitude and kowtowing to China. Without Chen Shui-bian to blame, they are at sixes and sevens in trying to explain why there has been no activity on arms sales to Taiwan. The US State Department has said it wants to sell arms to Taiwan; the KMT says that they want to buy arms, so why is there no action? The dance continues with no results. Where is the problem? ...
The New Kissinger Institute: Score One for the China Lobby
Thursday July 31
I have been traveling for the past two weeks but am back in Taiwan and there is plenty to write about. First on the horizon is a blurb from Xinhua Agencies announcing that the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars inaugurated on July 29, the Kissinger Institute for China and the United States Relations. Before anyone shouts Hallelujah, there are basic questions that need to be asked. ...
Taiwan's Black Hole and the Cultural Imperialism of Zhonghua Minzu
Sunday July 13
Taiwanese have always had a black hole in their psyche. It is a black hole caused by underreported or misrepresented history, a black hole partly caused by their own neglect, a black hole caused by 50 years of colonial rule by Japan and another 50 years of martial law, white terror and indoctrination by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). It is a black hole that looks at the years before 1895 as a vague blank. It shames Taiwanese of their present, and prevents them from discovering the fullness of their true identity, selves, and pride. It is a black hole that they must eradicate if they are ever truly going to know themselves, and their place in the world. ...
Ma Ying-jeou, Taiwan's One Trick Pony
Friday July 11
While his cabinet continues making mistake after mistake in governing Taiwan, Ma Ying-jeou appears to be the proverbial one trick pony and have only one thing on his mind. Elected on his promises that he would send Taiwan's economy soaring, Ma's only solution and hope is to continue to keep repeating his mantra, "run to China." Life however, is not that simple. ...
The Difference Between Two Countries: More of Ma's Tourists Take Flight
Wednesday July 09
In other related news, a second group of three more Chinese tourists have jumped ship and run after they got to Taiwan. The only Taiwanese that jump ship and flee to China from Taiwan are those under indictment or criminal charges in Taiwan. But perhaps Ma Ying-jeou will use the argument that they will spend more money if they hang around. Or will they go on to Canada and the United States ...
Flimflam and Fluff: Taiwan Voters and Their Syndromes
Tuesday July 08
The days of the Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) control of indoctrination, propaganda and media are long gone (if you can consider twenty years as long gone), but that does not mean that the KMT does not keep influencing Taiwan voters. Witness Taiwan's last presidential election where many sheep-like voters were led to believe that Taiwan's main problem was its economy and that Chen Shui-bian was solely responsible for holding it back. Some may call this response a Stockholm syndrome result; hostages take on the beliefs and identity of their captors and Taiwanese have been hostage for fifty years under the KMT's one-party state rule and indoctrination. For me, I prefer to look on it as the failure of voters to do their homework. ...
Taiwan's Tsai Ing-wen, a Woman to Watch
Tuesday July 08
I recently had the pleasure to take part in a two-hour question and answer presentation to the Taiwan Foreign Correspondent's Club (TFCC) by Tsai Ing-wen, the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) new Chairperson. Without any canned, prepared statements, Tsai immediately launched into any and all topics that the correspondents wanted to ask and know about. With a short break in the middle, this went on for two hours straight; it was all in English. In sharp contrast to Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou (oft touted by foreign media for his ability to speak English), Tsai did Ma one better. Ma will usually require prepared questions in advance so that he can avoid controversial topics. Tsai had no such requirement. ...
Taiwan: We'll Take Tibet's Torch over China's Any Day!
Monday July 07
The fate of the Olympic Torch has been superceded in the international press by the Sichuan earthquake and other problems that China is facing as it tries to reduce pollution for the Olympics. But another torch is going around and it made its symbolic presence known in Taiwan on July 6th. That torch is the Tibetan Freedom Torch which began on March 10 the 49th anniversary of the failed Tibetan uprising for freedom from China. This torch has passed through 30 cities in 18 countries around the world before coming to Taiwan. ...
Taiwan's Human Rights Struggles, 1960--1980, a New Book
Sunday July 06
Anyone involved in the Civil Rights Movements in the United States would scoff at the suggestion that the South intended all along to give blacks equal opportunity. The South was just waiting for the right moment. Anyone who knows the struggles against apartheid in South Africa would scoff at the suggestion that the Afrikaners were also just simply waiting for the right moment to share power with the majority of the people. So too, anyone who knows Taiwan will laugh at implications that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) was working hard to share power and to extend human rights to all citizens including the right to a representative two or more party system, the right to freedom of the press, freedom to assemble, the right to a fair trial etc. in sum the basic rights of a democracy. Against despotic, autocratic rulers who strive to cling to their self-justified power, privilege and sense of entitlement, such rights can only be won by the sacrifice and struggle of the people. The grass roots work involved in wringing such rights from the self-appointed elite in Taiwan, is the subject of a new book, "A Borrowed Voice, Taiwan Human Rights through International Networks, 1960--1980" written and edited by Linda Gail Arrigo and Lynn Miles, Hanyao Color Printing Co. 2008, Taipei. ...
A New Book on the Spanish Experience in Taiwan Coming Soon
Saturday July 05
Those interested in Taiwan's early encounters with the West and the outside world will be happy to know of a new book coming out this fall. The work, "The Spanish Experience in Taiwan 1626--1642: The Baroque Ending of a Renaissance Endeavor" by Jose Eugenio Borao of National Taiwan University is sponsored by the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation and in line to be published by Hong Kong University Press. For researchers of Seventeenth Century Taiwan, this is an important and fascinating part of the Taiwan mosaic. Here we see Taiwan on the furthest reaches of the Spanish Empire with all the hopes, challenges and conflicts faced by the Spanish at that time. ...
Taiwan and the USA on Arms Sales with No One to Blame
Friday July 04
The charade of the blame game goes on. Now that the United States State Department and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) cannot use Chen Shui-bian as a scapegoat for their problems and inadequacies; they don't know how to talk to each other. Case in point, Jason Yuan who is soon to be Taiwan's representative in Washington DC says his top priority will be to mend fences and rebuild trust; he followed this up by quoting President Ma Ying-jeou as saying countries should not "play games" with each other. Noble thoughts, so how are things working out between these two countries now that the KMT has absolute control of Taiwan's politics. Ironically, not so well, they have already fallen into playing "the game of not me." ...
Ma Ying-jeou Continues to Talk out of Both Sides of His Mouth
Thursday July 03
Ma Ying-jeou seems to be talking out of both sides of his mouth again; how else does one match his words with his actions? Speaking at the graduation ceremony for the nation's five military schools, Ma put forth the following statements.
Be prepared! Now that sounds like a president who recognizes Taiwan's precarious situation and is ready for action. But wait, what about Ma's actions? ...
- China remains the biggest threat to Taiwan's security.
- We need to be well-prepared to defend ourselves.
- Some of you may wonder whether China is our friend or foe. What you should do is to help us build a strong military force and be prepared for war.
- Only by being prepared for war can we prevent it.
Book Review by Richard Kagan Ph.D. of "Taiwan, the Search for Identity"
Friday June 27
The title of this book, "Taiwan: the Search for Identity," shares its name in whole and/or in part with over 220,000 published works in the Google.com list. If one were to just search for the sub-title, there would be another 4,736 identified publications. The topic of Taiwan's identity is one of the compelling issues of our time. I cannot overstate the fact that the issue of a nation's, culture's or individual's identity IS a global issue. It is much too parochial and narrow-minded to believe that it will be easily resolved or mediated by a simple resolution or formula.
The KMT Revives Memories of its Blacklist
Thursday June 26
Those who know Taiwan history, know well of the infamous blacklist created by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) during the period of White Terror. This list was used to suppress any form of dissent or challenges to the KMT's monopolistic rule and image. Its main purpose was intimidation and the victims were not only Taiwanese but even foreigners. Anyone who expressed a dissident view or took a dissident position was put on the list and banned from entering the country. Some were even listed because they checked out library books overseas that the KMT did not think proper. What many do not realize however, is that although martial law ended in 1987, the KMT continued to keep and update this blacklist for another five years until 1992. So now that democracy is finally here in Taiwan is all this past? Not on your life. ...
Are Ma and the KMT Betraying Taiwan?
Saturday June 21
Recently the Pan-blue press has been trying to make a mountain out of a molehill in the Diaoyutai islands. There have been suggestions of war accompanied by jingoistic saber-rattling. In reality what may be involved is that Taiwan's President wants to distract the public from how much he has been kowtowing to China to hopefully gain some tourist dollars. In the Diaoyutai Affair, members of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) seem more interested in trying to stake a weak claim at sovereignty over these rocks than protecting the sovereignty of their country. The extent to which these islands provide a platform for political posturing and distraction has been accented by the recent revelation that as far back as December, Ma Ying-jeou and the KMT had urged the United States to not provide Taiwan with the necessary arms to defend itself. They wanted to postpone arms sales indefinitely. Why? They were worried about offending the bully across the Strait and afraid China might keep them from fulfilling a campaign promise of Ma to bring in some China dollars. Such a principled president.
The Diaoyutais Incident: Ma Ying-jeou Fails the Action Test Once More
Friday June 13
The Diaoyutais Islands are just a bunch of rocks and as such they would not be worth fighting over. What makes them valuable of course is the possibility that there may be oil below them; that plus the fact ownership would allow Taiwan, Japan or China (three claimants to the islands) to extend their territorial waters. So the collision on Tuesday of a Taiwanese fishing boat with a Japanese patrol vessel at that location has all the makings of an international incident. Now it is Friday, three days later and we still have yet to hear from Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou. Do we have a president? His silence is deafening. ...
Tiananmen, China, and What They Call Progress
Sunday June 08
The 19th anniversary of Tiananmen Square has come and gone. Over one hundred of those who led and participated in the demonstrations and were not killed are still prisoners languishing in jail. Wang Dan, an exiled leader clearly advocates that what was sought by the demonstration were greater rights for the people of China. He bemoans the fact that little has since been done to advance those rights. What is more, a surprising majority of the observers around the world have remained silent on these facts as they profited from China's cheap goods. Nineteen years later and nothing to show regarding this; this is unfortunate but true. Even more surprising, however is the fact that some have had the gall to write articles or express their opinion that China has made progress in recent years. Ma Ying-jeou, the president of Taiwan, a man with a platitude for every occasion is one of them. The question naturally follows, what sanctimonious criteria do these China praisers use to make such a claim? ...
The KMT's Questionable Sunshine Loyalty: When Will Taiwan Wake Up?
Sunday June 08
As outsiders and losers, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) came to Taiwan; it was only by force of arms that they took colonial rule over the island. They remained and kept a one-party state resisting attempts to democratize the island for close to a half a century. When they lost in elections, they threatened to take their ball (and the stolen state assets) and see what kind of a Quisling deal they could work out with China under China's terms of re-unification. Now it is also being revealed that they had more than one escape route to benefit them and their families. What route is that? Dual citizenship and green card status in the United States. ...
Ma Ying-jeou, the Excuses Keep Coming
Sunday June 08
There is more to being president than making promises and taking pictures. Does anyone remember Ma Ying-jeou's touted "long stay" in the south; the one where he spent a brief time with the people there to supposedly show his sympathy and understanding? That was the same stay that the infamous "farmer's daughter" incident came up and Ma's spin doctors tried to create a cultic image only to have it blow up in their faces. Well the touted long stay has turned into a short, very short memory. ...
1992--The Consensus That Never Was
Sunday May 25
"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it." These words of Paul Joseph Goebbels, the Propaganda Minister for Adolph Hitler come to mind each time someone mentions the 1992 Consensus, the alleged agreement between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). This agreement holds that there is one China open to different interpretations; it implies that Taiwan is part of that one China. The '92 Consensus has been bandied about since Su Chi, then a KMT Straits Exchange Foundation official invented it in 2000. The most recent use of this made-up term came in the inaugural address of Taiwan's newly elected president Ma Ying-jeou. Why Ma still clings to this fabrication speaks volumes on his character, his lack of courage and leadership, and his modus operandi. ...
Ma Ying-jeou Begs China Not to Put Him on the Spot
Saturday May 24
Ma Ying-jeou has already said he won't honor his 6-3-3 campaign promise, now as KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung is preparing to lead a sixteen member delegation to China, Ma is worried. His request, ask the Chinese not to bring up the sovereignty question. Why? It is not just to keep the talks moving, Ma wants to keep the fudge factor that he depends upon so that he can speak out of both sides of his mouth. During his campaign for the presidency, Ma pledged that he would defend Taiwan's sovereignty to the end; so did Frank Hsieh. Now if a delegation from the DPP were going to China, there would be no question of where they stood on Taiwan's sovereignty. In Ma's case however, there is not. And he does want to be put on the spot of actually having to say to China that he and his party will defend Taiwan's sovereignty. Ma's solutiuon, please, don't bring the sovereignty subject up, I don't want to be forced to make a real life decision and committment. If he had to actually choose, then he could no longer keep his Mr. Nice Guy image. Sound familiar.
Taiwan Post Election Awards III
Saturday May 24
Prosecutor Wu Wen-chung qualified for numerous awards recently when he joked with reporters that Chen Shui-bian should be given the death sentence because the KMT accuses him of misues of his "state affairs" fund; this is all before Chen has even been questioned and before it has been decided whether there is enough evidence to warrant a trial. Award givers are debating which category Prosecutor Wu best fits. Is it the "Fair Play and Justice Befitting a Prosecutor" Award? Or the man most dedicated to the "Return of the KMT Thug Mentality" Award? Or the "Another Example of the Peter Principle and a Man Promoted Far Beyond His Capabilities" Award. Perhaps Prosecutor Wu deserves all three awards.
Taiwan Post Election Awards II
Friday May 23
Diane Lee qualifies for the "Not Me" Award. Legislator Diane Lee states that she no longer holds US citizenship, because she became a legislator. However, US Citizenship requires that a person in such a position must write a formal letter for such. Someone needs to tell Diane that simply putting your US Passport in a drawer and using your Taiwan Passport for the duration does not qualify for giving up one's US citizenship. No formal letter has been produced. There is more however. ...
Taiwan Post Election Awards I
Friday May 23
The inauguration of Ma Ying-jeou had barely finished when everyone began to show their true colors. A series of awards are thus in order. First of all, Minister of National Defense Chen Chao-min got two awards. The first was the award for claiming expertise in a field totally foreign to one's training. At a briefing of the National Defense Committee he stated that Chen Shui-bian's stomach wounds were not caused by the 3/19 shooting in 2004. How did he know, well he did not have any proof to offer, but he just knew. Since what he was talking about happened in 2004, he also qualified to share the "Get Over It" Award. ...
Ma Ying-jeou, the Drama of it All
Monday May 19
On the eve of his inauguration as President of Taiwan, Ma Ying-jeou described his feelings as "treading on thin ice and standing on the edge of an abyss." How true. It is only natural that when you have promised everything to everyone, that sooner or later it sinks in that people will realize you cannot deliver. It is also only natural that when you have claimed to be what you are not that sooner or later more people will see through the two-faced pretense.
Can Ma Ying-jeou Hide the Cracks in the Facade?
Sunday May 18
Ma Ying-jeou's inauguration is near at hand; the visitors are arriving and the press will have their cameras out. To be sure his speech will be full of promises and more promises and will paint a rosy picture of the future but despite all that the cracks in the façade are widening. First of course Ma's 6-3-3 pre-election promise (6 percent growth, 3 percent unemployment and an average income of NT$30,000 a month has already been abandoned. Almost immediately after his election the Pan-blue press began to make excuses as to why he might not fulfill this promise. Ma later confirmed these predictions. Taiwan's economic growth this past year was near 5.13 percent; it had averaged 4.1 percent between 2000 and 2003. The global average has generally been around 3.2 percent so Ma's promise to make Taiwan's growth to 6 percent was the first to fall. As for the other two promises, don't count on them either. ...
Inauguration Games
Sunday May 18
It appears that Frank Hsieh will not attend Ma Ying-jeou's inauguration; reason given is that Ma has already reneged on his campaign promises even before he has taken office. An extra unofficial reason may be that Hsieh was given the parking place with number 44--not an auspicious number. It makes me wonder who got that parking place in 2004 and in 2000? Nevertheless, our local English Pan-blue rag stated in an editorial that Hsieh's act was one of "sour grapes." Yet somehow, when Lien Chan after defeats in 2000 and 2004, boycotted the inauguration of Chen Shui-bian, Lien's acts were portrayed as noble and righteous. That's life in our political city.
China, Tibet, Feng-shui and More?
Saturday May 17
It may be post hoc reasoning, but with the problems of the Olympic Torch relay, the recent disasters in China, and in particular the earthquake in Sichuan Province, the Feng-shui masters and commentators in Taiwan have been having a field day on the airwaves. The first point taken focused on the bringing of the Olympic Torch to the top of Mount Everest. This upset the balance of nature and earth; Fire (the torch) should never be over water (the ice and snow on the mountain). Naturally the earth protested and hence the massive earthquake in Sichuan. Pride goeth before the fall. ...
China Says Let Bygones be Bygones, Of Course They Always Do
Thursday May 08
Am I hearing things or am I am hearing things? Hu Jintao now visiting Japan has told the Japanese that they should not dwell on history. It is important, he went on, to remember history, but people should not hold grudges. Is this the same China that continually tells Japan they must apologize and apologize over and over again for World War II because it is never enough? Is this the same China that continually sends its brain-washed citizens into the streets to protest against Japanese businesses and tourists? Is this the same China that goes ballistic whenever any Japanese person of note visits the Yasukuni Shrine? No I must be imagining things, China does not dwell on the past from the Opium Wars on to the present and this month the French and Carrefour are the target. Now Tibetans, however, that is another story ...
Going to the Olympics? Leave the Kids at Home
Tuesday May 06
The Olympics are just a few months away, and for those planning on going to the Olympics in China this year, a new wrinkle has appeared to threaten those plans. Enterovirus 71 or EV-71 is spreading across the country. Already present in two provinces, this virus is particularly deadly to children and has already claimed 26 fatalities; overall there are 6,300 total reported cases in the population. One only has to think back a few years to the spread of SARS and remember the irresponsible way it was handled by the Chinese authorities to give one cause for concern. ...
A Borrowed Voice, Taiwan Human Rights through International Networks 1960--1980
Sunday May 04
A new book, "A Borrowed Voice, Taiwan Human Rights through International Networks, 1960--1980" written and edited by Linda Gail Arrigo and Lynn A. Miles, will be coming out shortly. This book covers the tumultuous years of Taiwan's movement toward democracy and the many people that underwent persecution and paid a heavy price for Taiwan's present democracy. The
Borrowed Voiceis that of international organizations like Amnesty International which the Taiwanese had to borrow since their own voice was stifled by persecution, imprisonment, torture etc. of the repressive one-party state they lived under. What makes this book all the more poignant is the fact that many of the players (from James Soong to the participants of the Kaohsiung Incident to Lee Ao) in that period are still around. You will get many personal perspectives that will enlighten you ...
China Welcomes Loser Lien Chan, Their Kind of Man
Saturday May 03
Lien Chan is in China for his fourth visit and one cannot help but wonder why Hu Jintao delights in discussing cross-strait relations with a known loser in Taiwan. Lien has never really won an important election in Taiwan. Perhaps that is his appeal to someone like Hu, who is naturally not keen on democracy and elections anyway. Other questions naturally follow. Does the loser Lien want to prove that he is a player though he never had a good reputation as such in the past? Perhaps he is looking for a place where his millions acquired as Chairman of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) will go a lot farther when he thinks of retirement? ...
Taiwan Vignette III, Vincent Siew and the High Cost of Humiliation
Sunday April 27
A short while ago, vice-president-elect Vincent Siew of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) returned from the Boao Forum in Hainan. Siew's trip was hailed by Taiwan's Pan-blue press as a breakthrough; the kind of thing we need to stimulate Taiwan's allegedly faltering economy, after all, we only had 5.7 % growth last year. While there at the forum, Siew had a chance to have a twenty minutes meeting with China's president Hu Jintao. At that meeting Siew brought up four requests including the resumption of a cross-strait dialogue, normalization of bilateral trade and economic ties, weekend cross-strait charter flights and opening Taiwan to Chinese tourists. Hu endorsed two of these proposals, the opening of Taiwan to more Chinese tourists and weekend charter flights. As for other matters, he said he would give them deep thought, probably similar to the deep thought he is giving to Tibetan matters. ...
Taiwan Vignettes II, the Rising High Cost of Housing in Taipei and Taiwan
Saturday April 26
Ma Ying-joke is not yet president but people are already starting to see problems behind the façade of his simplistic cure-all systems and promises. If you remember Ma was the one who was going to open up China for investment as well as invite the Chinese to invest in Taiwan, and everyone would become rich. Well last week our first group of well-heeled investors from China came over and interestingly enough a prime target they looked at for investment was not business opportunities but Taiwan�s housing market, in particular, that of Taipei. With deep pockets, they began to sense that it would be fashionable as well as advantageous to start buying up real estate in Taipei. China is developing tycoons and while they will want alternate housing in the Americas and Europe, there is something appealing about having a place just off-shore where things are a little more free and easy and you can drop over for the weekend. ...
Taiwan, China, and the Olympics; This Is Not About Politics. Thank God!
Monday April 21
The selection of China for the Olympics was not political; it was just done to legitimize the claim that China despite Tiananmen Square and despite its dismal human rights record is on a peaceful rise. After all Tiananmen Square was ages past, and China has changed, so China deserves the Olympics because China has been begging to prove it is a legitimate world player. Certainly China wants to show it can crack heads and get away with it. That's not politics it is --- Well let's move on. As the Olympic torch has passed through various countries, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was told that it should abdicate its responsibility for sponsoring the torch run because China felt the IOC was not doing the proper job of protection. After all, who is in charge of the Olympics? We are not talking politics; it may be abdication, but well it is --- Well let's move on. Yes China has dictated that its goons and thugs should take charge of the torch relay, for China is on a peaceful rise, and only China can best express this to the world and the rest of you idiots better shape up. Tibetans you should be thankful that China is bringing in all those Chinese shopkeepers to run the businesses in your captive country; let the Han Chinese citizens trash Tibetan culture. That's not politics, that's business right? ...
Taiwan Vignette I: The High Cost of Pandas for the Alleged Depressed Economy
Thursday April 17
I have always professed that Ma Ying-jeou was a window dressing mayor and politician and that he promises more of the same as president. But now it seems that Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin is also trying to get in on the act with the panda connection. All this flies in the face of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential campaign issue of the alleged poor state of Taiwan's economy under President Chen Shui-bian. Taiwan voters were sold the bill of goods that the country was suffering from its mere yearly growth of 5.7 per cent. The solution was to elect Ma Ying-jeou to boost the economy. He promised a whopping 6 per cent. ...
Taiwan Gets Support from Down Under
Thursday April 17
On Saturday April 12, two Australians addressed the Taipei Breakfast Club on salient Taiwan issues. First was 26 year old, Dr. Lily Wang, CEO of the Australian Taiwanese WHO for Taiwan Action Association. Lily, who had returned to Taiwan from Australia to vote in the presidential elections spoke of the problems that the 23 million people in democratic Taiwan and that the rest of the world face because Taiwan is denied any representation (observer or otherwise) in WHO and other world organizations. Why? The answer is simple China would rather let the world play Russian roulette with disease and epidemics so that China can maintain its unfounded claim to the island nation. Taiwan is in her words, the hole in the net of global disease defense through which any and all things can get through. Unfortunately the rest of the world allows itself to be held hostage to the blackmail efforts of China which does not protect its own citizens from its cover-ups let alone worry about the citizens of Taiwan. ...
Troubles in Tibet? It's All the Dalai Lama's Fault, Just Read the "China Daily"
Monday April 07
Have you been seeing the fictitious problems of the symbolic Olympic torch that supposedly needs a huge protective guard as it starts its journey around the world? Have you been reading about the riots and suffering in Tibet? Pure fabrication says the "China Daily." The world is much too sympathetic to the incorrectly reported plight of Tibetans. Such were the findings of my trip across the Taiwan Strait this past holiday weekend into China, the land which specializes in freedom of the press or is that freedom to oppress? There in the Middle Kingdom of Pollution, Poison and Propaganda, the media presented the real scoop, it is all the fault of the Dalai Lama. ...
Bolton Nailed It; Taiwan Needs to be Independent
Tuesday April 01
Taiwan deserves full diplomatic recognition by the USA and other nations. These nations should recognize the state that has existed for some time in Taiwan, and the state that the Taiwanese wish to preserve. That was the gist of John R. Bolton's piece in the March 29 edition of the "Los Angeles Times" which highlighted the refreshing approach that Taiwan needs to be independent, to have a healthy economy and to maintain ties with China. ...
Ma Ying-jeou Wins Taiwan Presidency: Let the Flip-flops Begin
Wednesday March 26
On Saturday, March 22nd, 2008, Ma Ying-jeou of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) won Taiwan's presidency with a clear majority of over two million votes. Immediately afterwards local and international pundits began casting about for reasons to explain and/or justify his convincing win and why people voted as they did. These efforts at best remain highly speculative. As a young democracy, one that only recently possessed a free press after its martial law and white terror days, Taiwan lacks bias-free mechanisms of political analysis and even reliable exit polls. It will be sometime before a correct analysis of the public's mind can be done, so where do I stand? In my past writings, I have classified Ma as a weak, window dressing politician, lacking substance and dependent more on media hype and showmanship than fact. That opinion has not changed. ...
Taiwan's UN Referenda Fail to Reach Their Abnormally High Bar
Sunday March 23
In any other country if a referendum were held and 94 per cent of those voting on it approved, it would be considered successful. That is not the case however in Taiwan for Taiwan has unusually high requirements for success. First of all, 50 per cent of the eligible voters must pick up and cast a ballot, and then 50 per cent of those who cast a ballot must approve the referendum. Herein lies the problem. The first big hurdle requires 50 per cent of the total eligible voters and not 50 per cent of those who vote on any given day, so if there is a low voter turnout or even a medium sized voter turnout, a referendum is already in danger of not passing.
Election Day in Taiwan, It's Showtime!
Friday March 21
It has been an interesting election campaign in Taiwan and today Saturday March 22nd is a nice quiet and peaceful day; no noisy trucks in the street; the weather is cloudy up north at least but pleasant. There is no reason why people should not go out and vote. ...
How Does the US State Department Earn its Keep?
Friday March 21
Tibet still burns, Iraq is a quagmire where the USA is spending billions, the US economy is tanking and the only thing Thomas Christensen of the US State Department can think of to make a comment on is the democratic right of Taiwan to have a referendum. Shame on Taiwan it is not following the script that US State Department wants it to follow. How strange it is that while the US State Department continues to try and force feed democracies on the world; it continues to reveal that it does not want democracies that are real democracies; it wants only people that will follow its script. ...
How the Horse Got His Frozen Smile, a Strange African Folk Tale
Thursday March 20
There once was a horse that was raised by jackals. Now jackals are a devious group of animals; they are known for preying on the weak, pretending to be something that they are not and even claiming the territory of others. They may even pretend to be dragons. This particular group of jackals however had recently been driven from the land they lived in by a rival gang of jackals, who proved to be greater pretenders than they were. And so running with their tails between their legs these jackals came to the land of the black bear. They took up residence and pretended it belonged to them. They told the black bear that they were dragons and should therefore be treated as such i.e. like emperors; they would rule the black bear’s land while they waited to reclaim their own land. ...
Tibet Burns and the World Still Kowtows to China the Cause of it All
Tuesday March 18
Tibet burns; Tibetans suffer and die. Why? Tibetans want the right to self-determination. It is only natural; it is human nature. They want freedom and self determination. All men are created equal with the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, it seems to me I have heard words like that somewhere else. And yet the panda huggers in the USA and around the world so desire cheap poisoned toothpaste, cheap poisoned dog food, cheap poisoned toys for their children etc. that they choose to ignore the Tibetans plight. ...
Look Out Beijing, Here Comes Taiwan!
Friday March 14
Taiwan is concerned about its upcoming presidential election but it is not the only thing that is hot on the island. Yesterday Taiwan's baseball team qualified for the Olympics and today the 2008 Tour de Taiwan is entering its sixth stage. What all this says is that while China may try as it may to keep Taiwan down, Taiwan is showing the world it is here and it is not a part of the poor old People's Republic of China (PRC)...
Taiwan's KMT Has Too Much Power, and Yet It Still Wants More
Thursday March 13
Buoyed up by their veto-overriding majority in the Legislative Yuan, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is resorting to Gestapo and gangster-like tactics to carry out their whims. With no proof to back up their claims, KMT legislators Chen Chieh, Lo Ming-tsai, and Luo Shu-lei along with caucus whip Alex Fai forcefully entered the Democratic Progressive Party campaign offices on a fishing expedition. They had heard allegations that the First Commercial Bank had waived the lease on the office for the DPP. To the KMT, the mere suspicion of such gave them a supposed right to storm into the offices and demand records. ...
Even Taiwan's Pan-Blue Press Admit Ma Ying-jeou is Naive
Tuesday March 11
Well I have to admit I dropped my glasses (to use a local expression) on this one. The Tuesday March 11 editorial in the China Post spoke of the presidential debates between Ma Ying-jeou and Frank Hsieh as "Naiveté versus savviness" and it did not end there. The opening paragraph read, "Come March 22, a naïf will have a face-off with a politically savvy defense lawyer in the race for the nation's highest public office. They had their last TV debate on Sunday, the latter apparently was the winner."
Taiwan Sex Workers Experience the Ma Ying-jeou Shuffle
Sunday March 09
Sex is in the air, not only in China but also in Taiwan. As Taiwan's presidential elections approach, the Collective of Sex Workers and Supporters (COSWAS) called upon the candidates to make prostitution legal in Taiwan. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Frank Hsieh pledged that he would work to decriminalize prostitution if elected. Ma Ying-jeou, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate on the other hand did his usual Taiwan shuffle off to avoiding responsibility. ...
Tough Love in China: Tang Wei Blacklisted for "Beautifying Collaboration"
Saturday March 08
The control freaks in China are at it again; not content with controlling religion, the media etc., they now want to control art. The latest to fall under their ban is actress Tang Wei because the character she plays in the movie "Lust Caution" falls in love with a Japanese collaborator. The way it is phrased is that the role she plays "beautifies" collaboration. Dear me, now actors and actresses must not only express personal party line sentiments but they must clear what artistic characters they will play in films and theatre with the freaks in Beijing. ...
Examining Taiwan's Pan-Blue Media Rag Spin
Friday March 07
"The China Post," an English paper in Taiwan is often referred to by ex-pats as the local Pan-Blue Rag, and that is on good days. Is the title deserved? Well let's take a look. An article on March 5th dealt with Lee Teng-hui's recent interview in Japan. When asked about Taiwan's upcoming presidential elections Lee stated that if Frank Hsieh did not win, Taiwan's democracy would be set back twenty years. Hsieh's main opponent of course is the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate Ma Ying-jeou; so what might one guess would be the headline for an article featuring Lee's belief that a defeat of Hsieh by Ma would set back democracy twenty years. ...
Taiwan Alert, More Pollution from China Coming
Saturday March 01
On Saturday, March 1st the Taiwan Central Weather Bureau issued two alerts. First the nation could expect a cold front for the coming week. Second, the Middle Kingdom of Pollution, Poison, and Propaganda was sending more of their pollution Taiwan's way. Japan had gotten some of their poison the previous week so Taiwanese felt it was their turn and sure enough, a dust cloud from China is expected to cover the country until Monday. Such is life when you have vulgar neighbors who care little for the environment. ...
Ma Ying-jeou's Shallow, Simplistic Economics: Promise the Moon
Friday February 29
Promise the Taiwanese anything and you will keep them from examining and facing the reality of their present and past, this is the continued strategy of candidate Ma Ying-jeou. Promises, promises, promises, if anyone would total up the cost of all the promises that Ma has made it would bankrupt the richest nation. Yet Ma keeps promising and the simple-minded keep believing. With no sense of economics and no sense of Taiwan history beyond the past ten years, many continue to be fooled by Ma Ying-jeou. They cannot even go back three years to two key promises that Ma made and never kept. ...
The USA and Britain Continue to Feed the China Propaganda Mill
Wednesday February 27
US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and British Foreign Secretary David Miliband joined forces in their protracted overkill in trying to destroy democratic Taiwan's right to state its desire to have its 23 million people represented in the United Nations. Their duplicity is all the more evident when starkly contrasted with the bald fact that both the USA and Britain had barely just approved the declaration of independence of a few million people in Kosovo. Somehow the clear bold declaration of independence by Kosovo did not qualify for being provocative in the allegedly harmonious Balkans, but the simple voicing of their wishes of the people of Taiwan would be sending shock waves across the Taiwan Strait. Who is fooling who? And who is bending over backwards to be China's policeman in restricting Taiwan. ...
Democratic Taiwan Supports Tibet: Take Note World
Monday February 25
Let the control freaks in Beijing take note; Taiwan does not need an LKK (lau ko-ko, out of touch old grandfather) trying to tell it what it has the right to do and not do. Taiwan is an open democratic society. As a result, not long ago, Taiwan refused the Olympic Torch of Beijing because Beijing wanted to use its passage through Taiwan as a way to belittle Taiwan's democracy. Yesterday, however, Taiwan welcomed the Tibetan Olympic Torch to pass through its country in anticipation of the upcoming Tibetan Olympics (held in exile in India, May 15 through 25). This was clearly celebrated in front of Democracy Hall in Taipei along with Miss Tibet, Tsering Chungtak who preferred to be expelled from Malaysia's 2007 Miss Tourism competition rather than conform to China's demand that she wear a sash reading "Miss Tibet-China." ...
China, the Frustrated Potentate, Continues to Try to Isolate Taiwan
Saturday February 23
There is something laughable and almost senile at the attempts of China, the frustrated potentate, laboring on and on to try to isolate Taiwan in the world. The latest example is of course Kosovo where China has told Taiwan that it does not have the right to recognize Kosovo. As if who cares what China says Taiwan has the right to do and not do. Then there are the countries that have their self created hypocritical hoops that they try to jump through. They try to defend their recognition of the right of a few million in Kosovo to declare independence but at the same time deny the twenty three million people in the democracy of Taiwan that same right. Fortunately more and more people in the world are seeing through this charade. ...
Why Ma Ying-jeou Should Not Be President
Monday February 11
Ma Ying-jeou is the quintessential politician, one who smiles and smiles and promises and promises but rarely delivers. Born into the privilege of the Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) one-party state, he was educated, and supported by that state throughout its White Terror dominance. He didn't question its rule and served its ends both as a student in the USA and back in Taiwan where he was awarded with appropriate positions. To gain insight, compare and contrast his response to the KMT's enticements and rewards for service to that of Peng Ming-min and you will see the difference in their characters. ...
Ma Ying-jeou, a Weasel Under Pressure?
Friday February 08
Ma Ying-jeou continues to be the perfect example of how a person with an unearned sense of privilege and entitlement is unable to handle adversity and pressure. Case in point is the recent revelation that Ma Ying-jeou had a green card. Whether Ma had a green card or not is really not the main issue. What is of more importance is how a man whose whole political stance is built on image and style as opposed to substance and honesty becomes a weasel when that image is threatened...
Taiwan, East Germany, and "The Lives of Others"
Thursday February 07
Von Donnersmarck's film, The Lives of Others, (Das Leben der Anderen) is a film well worth seeing. It is well worth seeing not simply because it won the Oscar Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film of 2006 and numerous other awards, but because it provides a strong, sobering insight into what life is like under a totalitarian regime. Here the regime is East Germany, but the lack of human rights, of freedom of the press, and the constant surveillance by an elaborate system of spies and informants etc. could apply to any one-party state dictatorship, past or present including Taiwan when it was under the dictatorship of the Chiangs and their watchdog, the Garrison Command. ...
China's Snow Storms Expose its Controlling Cabal's Exploitation of the Masses
Monday February 04
China--never have so many been ruled and controlled by so few! Yes this is the same China which Taiwan knows as its greedy and rapacious neighbor and that despite its inability to take care of its own 1.3 billion people it still always wants to control more. Now as winter storms of ice and snow hit China at its most crucial travel time of the year (Chinese New Year holidays) the chickens have come home to roost and the world sees the other side of China or at least as much as the state-controlled media allows it to. ...
The Fat Lady Sings for Boston in Arizona
Sunday February 03
Super Bowl XLII proved to have the classic finish. The underdog is down by four points. A field goal will not save them; they need a touchdown. Still, they have the ball and just enough time for one last drive, yet the drive must cover close to the length of the field. The game has been a defensive struggle up to that point. Can the underdog do it? The rest is history, New York Giants 17, Boston Patriots 14. ...
Taiwan Searching for Identity in the Bamboozle of 2008
Saturday February 02
Thoreau stated it succinctly in Walden, "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation," and I would add a corollary to his words, "Most men lead lives of willingly being bamboozled." This flaw is what drives companies to hire marketing executives to persuade consumers to buy what they don't need; this flaw is what allows the media to try and get away with providing pap instead of substance; this flaw is what allows politicians to posture and to promise and not worry about being held accountable. Everyone has their favorite examples of such posturing and promises. ...
Taiwan's Identity: the Whole is Greater than the Sum of its Parts
Wednesday January 30
As Taiwan searches for its identity, it must remember, The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This is the principle of emergence and the principle by which the identity of Taiwan should be understood. It is the proper way to perceive Taiwan's past and what makes Taiwanese to be Taiwanese. From ancient times of over 5000 years ago, when thriving aboriginal civilizations quarried jade and did a burgeoning sea-faring trade with Southeast Asia, Taiwan has had its uniqueness. It later had the influx, influence, and contributions from the Dutch, the Spanish, the Hoklo and Hakka seeking freedom, pirates, Ming loyalists, Qing conquerors; you name it and Taiwan received it. Each contributed a part, but the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. ...
Katyn, a Polish Film, Resonates in Taiwan
Monday January 28
How a nation deals with its past is vital to its present health and existence. A recent Polish film "Katyn" addresses an "unhealed wound" in Poland's past, and a recent review of that film (as presented below) in the January 24, 2008 Economist illustrates the issues and its need for closure. Taiwan has its own "unhealed wounds" and a need for transitional justice which still cry for closure. Unfortunately the recent disproportionate victory and control of the Legislative Yuan by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) point to the fact that this need for transitional justice will remain unanswered and continue to fester beneath the surface in Taiwan.
Taiwans 2008 Legislative Elections, Ma Ying-jeou, a Weak Man Becomes Weaker
Saturday January 26
Despite what the average observermay think, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is not a monolith. Numerous contrasting points of view exist within it, and power struggles continue beneath the surface. However, like the Republican Party compared to the Democratic Party in the USA, the KMT manages to hide its conflicts, power struggles, and dirty laundry much better than its Taiwan counterpart the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). That being said, the conflicts are alive and well, and remain even after the KMT won big in the recent Legislative Yuan elections. ...
Taiwan's 2008 Legislative Yuan Elections: Lesson 2, Examining the McGovern Factor
Tuesday January 15
After the overwhelming and disproportionate defeat of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the January 12 Legislative Yuan elections, many DPP party members and supporters were obviously disheartened. Certainly if one looked at a district by district color-coded map of post election Taiwan, it was a sea of blue with a few islands of green. Despite this, party members need to remember that Taiwan is a democracy and not a totalitarian state; therefore, a defeat even if devastating, is never the end of the road. The DPP must in other words develop a longer term perspective and examine what can be called the McGovern Factor. ...
Taiwan's 2008 Legislative Yuan Elections: Lesson One, in Search of an Adequate System
Monday January 14
As the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) regroups after its huge defeat in Taiwan's January 12 Legislative Yuan elections there are several things that its members should realize for perspective. First the defeat became larger in reality than it should have been because of the inadequacies of the electoral system. This does not excuse other faults and poor strategies of the DPP but it does give a more appropriate perspective. No election system is perfect and this is the first time that the new system for the Legislative Yuan was used, but it quickly proved in need of restructuring if Taiwan's citizens are to have proper representation. ...
Taiwan's 2008 Legislative Yuan Elections Update
Saturday January 12
It appears that there has been only a 58 per cent voter turn out. This has already doomed the referendums. If such a low turn out continues in future elections, any referendum will certainly face extreme difficulties passing with the present rules. ...
Taiwan 2008 Legislative Elections: On the Spot
Friday January 11
The voting stations are open today and already it is evident that the Pan-blue party is out to kill the referendums by boycotting them. ...
Taiwan's 2008 Legislative Yuan Elections
Friday January 11
Big changes are coming this Saturday January 12, 2008, Taiwan will vote to select members of the upcoming Legislative Yuan in an election that will have several new wrinkles and be a first in many items for Taiwan. First of all, the number of legislators has been halved from 225 to 113 so a number of the old faces will not be there simply because of this reduction. Second the legislators will be elected one member per district. This means that candidates from the various parties will be going head to head with each other and not just hoping to luck out in being one of the top ten or such in multiple members for single districts as in the past. Each has to win now solely on his or her own personal record and/or relationship with voters in their district. Because of these two changes we will no longer see characters like Li Ao who lucked out last time in being the 10th of 10 legislators selected from his district. He has chosen not to run and not be embarrassed by a small number of votes. But there is more. ...
Taiwan Desperately Needs a Green Legislative Yuan: Problem Two, Sabotage of the Country
Saturday January 05
When I say that the pan-blue Legislative Yuan led by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) sabotages the country I do not mean that they have guerilla bands blowing up bridges. I speak metaphorically. The KMT's sabotage is of a much more subtle nature; it is a sabotage that is willing to drag the country down as it strives to regain its lost privilege. Despite the pan-blue media hype, Taiwan's problems of today stem from the Legislative Yuan and not from the President. Since the mid-nineties, the controlling power of the country has shifted from the Presidency to the Legislative Yuan, and the Legislative Yuan has always been under the control of the KMT and its pan-blue alliance...
Ma Ying-joke, Would You Want This Man as Your Leader?
Thursday January 03
Does Ma Ying-joke know what time it is? Does he even know where his party is? Shortly after Ma promised Taiwan citizens that he would definitely vote on the two anti-corruption referendum ballots in the up-coming election, his party, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), announced that it would boycott the referendums. Who is in charge here? It certainly isn't Ma Ying-joke. ...
Why Taiwan Needs a Green Legislative Yuan: Problem One Justice
Wednesday January 02
When Taiwan was a one-party state dictatorship under the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), the power of the country was in its president. The Legislative Yuan was a rubber stamp body in which each legislator who had been elected ages previous in 1947 was guaranteed his position for life. All each legislator had to do was approve what President Chiang Kai-shek and then later what his son President Chiang Ching-kuo directed. This all began to change under President Lee Teng-hui when the "iron rice bowl" legislators who had not yet died off, had to step down. After 1992 legislators had to run for office and compete with members of other newly allowed parties. ...
Is AIT as Dumb as the KMT Thinks That They Are?
Wednesday January 02
In early December, Raymond Burghardt, Chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), visited Taiwan to speak and listen to the presidential candidates from both major parties as well as to receive assurances from President Chen Shui-bian that Chen would do nothing drastic before the end of his presidential term. To speak to the two major presidential candidates would be natural for the AIT head in order to get a feeling for the priorities of each. To be concerned about President Chen doing something drastic is a bit over the top and another indication that the US has never had good communication channels with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). While the fault of this lies on both sides, it also continues to show how many in the USA's bureaucratic ranks not only don't have an ear to the ground in Taiwan but that they also still rely on their past wining and dining buddies of the past Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) era for information. Examine the laughable but oh-so-typical of media hype that followed Burghardt's visit. ...
Myth #3, Chiang Kai-shek Created the Taiwan Miracle for the Sake of Taiwan
Wednesday January 02
The Taiwan Miracle is regularly brought up by KMT to show its care for Taiwan. Myth #3, Chiang Kai-shek so loved Taiwan that he created the Taiwan Miracle for it. Answer: The Taiwan Miracle is a fact of history but it was not created for the sake of Taiwan. It was created because Chiang Kai-shek and the KMT realized that they would never retake China and that they might as well try to make a "heaven of their hell" in exile in Taiwan. To gain a needed and full perspective on what this means, one must compare it to the German Miracle and the Japanese Miracle after World War II. ...
Debunking the Myths of Chiang Kai-shek: Myth # 2, Chiang Kai-shek Rebuilt Taiwan
Tuesday January 01
A second myth that the profiteers and exploiters of Chiang Kai-shek's dictatorship use to justify their position and profit is to promote the idea that the people of Taiwan should be grateful to Chiang Kai-shek because he rebuilt it after World War II. This is Myth # 2: Chiang Kai-shek rebuilt Taiwan. Answer: Chiang Kai-shek (CKS) did not rebuild Taiwan; in reality, he is the one who brought it to its lowest degradation. ...
Debunking the Myths of Chiang Kai-shek: Myth # 1, Chiang Kai-shek Saved Taiwan
Tuesday January 01
There are many myths that surround Chiang Kai-shek. Most are perpetuated by those who still profit from his one party state dictatorship on Taiwan; these people use the myths to justify their gains and cover what really happened. A series of posts will follow debunking those myths. ...
The Presbyterian Church of Taiwan Goes on Record for Taiwan and the UN
Friday December 28
In my previous post I had mentioned that the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan (PCT) had a conference in early December. The PCT has always stood by the Taiwanese people in their quest for dignity, respect, and justice. At their conference they issued a public declaration in support of Taiwan's right to join the United Nations. I put the full text below:
To the member states of the United Nations, to the peoples and nations of the world who love justice and peace, and to all churches around the world...
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, One Solution: Out Out Damned Spot and Let the KMT Pay for It
Wednesday December 19
Much went on in Taiwan in the early days of December 2007. There was the 28th anniversary of the Kaohsiung Incident, which had taken place on December 10th Human Rights Day 1979. In conjunction with this was the opening of the Taiwan Human Rights Jingmei Park/Museum in Taipei; the site of this museum is a former prison, which had housed the Kaohsiung Eight. It had also been the main political prison from that era; from there prisoners were often sent to Green Island. ...
He Came, He Saw, He Jumped, Felix Baumgartner
Thursday December 13
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it? No it's Felix Baumgartner, Austrian extreme sport enthusiast and he treated surprised Taipei residents to a free fall leap and parachute jump from Taipei 101. If you haven't seem photos in the papers, or the video clip on TV, you will probably see it in a future commercial or some other commercial venture. ...
Secret Deals, Secret Deals, Those Damned Secret Deals!
Thursday December 13
[A French translation by Jerome Besson is available at Taiwan 1st!]
The more they protest, the more time and verbiage they expend, the more they insist that they respect Taiwan's democracy; the more it becomes obvious. The US State Department, its officials and henchmen seem to have once again made another secret deal, a secret deal with China to limit and control the democracy and freedom of Taiwan. ...
Lee Teng-hui Misquoted on Chen Shui-bian
Tuesday December 11
In the Taipei Times of December 11th there was a correction to an article which I had found strange in the previous day's paper. The Times gave a correction and I put it here in their exact words. "In yesterday's issue, an item in the
Quick Takesection said former president Lee Teng-hui urged voters not to suport the Democratic Progressive Party in upcoming elections. ("Lee Teng-hui turns on Chen" page 3) Lee only urged his audience to make good use of the party ticket vote in the legislative elections. The material was sourced from Agence France-Presse, and the Taipei Times regrets the error." ...
Ang Lee, Taiwanese to the Core: "Lust Caution" and the Golden Horse Awards
Monday December 10
This past weekend the 44th Golden Horse Awards were held at the Taipei Arena and Ang Lee's film "Lust Caution" won in eight categories including best director and best film. ...
Christensen, Jay Leno & the Crystal Clear US Position on Taiwan's UN Referendum
Sunday December 09
On December 6, 2007, US Deputy Secretary of State Tom Christensen spoke to a roundtable and answered questions from reporters on Taiwan's upcoming UN Referendum Proposal. In the brief interchange with reporters Christensen repeatedly stressed over and over again that his main purpose was to make the US policy "perfectly clear" to the people of Taiwan. That this was a near verbatim repeat of what he said a couple of months back seemed to have no impact on Christensen. Such constant repetitions on the part of the US State Department serve only to raise questions of its credibility; the State Department can only fall back on its hackneyed past. ...
Taiwan and the UN, the Hypocrisy Continues
Saturday December 08
In a recent statement, former United Nations (UN) secretary-general Kofi Annan managed to both put his foot in his mouth and at the same time expose the continuing hypocrisy and ineffectiveness of the UN. ...
Freedom, Taiwan's Presbyterian Church, China, and Religion
Wednesday December 05
[A French translation by Jerome Besson is available at Taiwan 1st!]
This past week I had the opportunity to meet Wendell Karsen of the Reformed Church in America as he was being interviewed by Linda Arrigo on his experiences working in Taiwan with the Presbyterian Church from 1969--73. Karsen was one of many in the ranks of foreigners and ex-pats of that era expelled and/or blacklisted by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). It was the period known as the White Terror. The KMT then ruled by strict martial law; with spies and informers everywhere, they were quick to pounce on anyone who questioned their autocracy and/or spoke up for human rights. ...
Enron, China, and One-Track Economics
Sunday December 02
[A French translation by Jerome Besson is available at Taiwan 1st!]
This past October with four other Taiwan scholars/advocates, I spent two weeks in seven European capitals discussing Taiwan and China issues with governmental leaders, think tanks, university professors, journalists etc. It was a beneficial and enlightening trip. There was much interchange and sharing of ideas. As would be expected positions varied from country to country, and naturally there was not always agreement. However, amidst the variety of positions expressed there were some that were so glib and callous in their solutions of how to make money off of the China economy that I found them frightening.
St. Andrew's Ball, Taipei 2007
Saturday December 01
All work and no play makes Jack and certainly Jerome a dull boy, so at this time of the year, we always go out to play is at the St. Andrew's Ball in Taipei. This year it was again sponsored by the British Chamber of Commerce and held on November 17 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. A fine night it was. ...
Taiwan, Who's Your Mama?
Sunday November 25
[A French translation by Jerome Besson is available at Taiwan 1st!]
Two separate and seemingly unrelated articles published this past week cast new meaning on the uniqueness of Taiwan's history and identity and provide further insight on how the Taiwanese character, by being more honest in analyzing and facing its past than the Chinese character, can be more open to many things including democracy. The first article relates to the discovery that jade artifacts quarried in Fengtian (present day Hualien) were found not only in Taiwan, but the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand indicating flourishing sea trade patterns going back some 5,000 years. ...
Taiwan's Wild Side II
Wednesday November 21
While Taiwan may be a hi-tech island and lead the world in many products, with its many steep and rugged mountains, it still has its wild side. Last June 22, 2006, I had posted about a boar hunt where a man and his 15 dogs tracked down and cornered a 120 kg boar; now at 120 kg that is one big boar, something you would not want to face when it is cornered. The man's dogs got their share of gashes in that battle. ...
Eastern Bloc Countries See Through China's Patronizing Efforts at Control
Friday November 09
[A French translation by Jerome Besson is available at Taiwan 1st!]
I have just returned from a trip through seven capitals of Europe (Brussels, Paris, Prague, Warsaw, Budapest, Berlin, and London. There with four other scholars and advocates of Taiwan we presented the message that the 23 million people of Taiwan deserve the rightful recognition of their voice in world matters. We dialogued and talked with think tanks, leaders, politicians, professors, students, and anyone who would listen. It was exhausting but an informative and exhilarating trip.
China, Tibet, and Thought Control
Friday November 09
Thought control alert! Thought control alert! The Dalai Lama is at it again. This time this dangerous splittist is visiting Japan spreading his nefarious message of peace and harmony among men. Beware, beware! This man is dangerous! However, do not fear, true to form the PRC government has lodged a formal protest with the Japanese government that this hideous criminal should stay at home where his thoughts can be controlled. As for the rest of us, we are lucky that the Middle Kingdom of pollution, poison and propaganda is watching out for our minds. It is true that they are responsible for sending us SARS, poisoned food and toys etc. etc. etc. but at least they are watching out for our thoughts. ...
Down and Out and Blacklisted by the KMT as late as 1992
Monday October 15
Pundits of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) always try to make the pseudo claim that the KMT supported democracy as early as the 1960s by allowing paltry elections in Taiwan. What they don't say of course is the following. The elections were only for lesser positions because the main power of the country was held by the KMT President and Legislative Yuan (these were the KMT loyalists with an iron rice bowl. They were elected in 1947 and never had to run again; those that were still alive by 1992 were finally retired. They don't say that the KMT held the country under martial law until 1987; and that the dreaded Garrison Command which could interrogate prisoners with no restraints was not disbanded until 1992. They don't say that they did not allow opposition parties until 1987 though the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) with many of its members still in jail from the Kaohsiung Incident in 1979 did dare to form a party in 1986. They also don't say that they had a blacklist to keep out anyone that was opposed to the KMT or was for independence. Since the KMT had given up aspirations of retaking China one would think that being a democracy meant that they were independent. Not so in the KMT's mind. ...
Taiwan's Statesman, Richard C. Kagan's Biography of Lee Teng-hui
Monday October 15
A new biography of Lee Teng-hui has just come out. The title is "Taiwan's Statesman, LeeTeng-hui and Democracy in Asia" (Naval Institute Press, Annapolis MD); the author is Richard C. Kagan Ph.D. Professor Emeritus in history at Hamline University in St. Paul Minnesota.
The Paradigm Diaries: a Beginning
Monday October 15
Men in general judge more from appearances than from reality.
All men have eyes, but few have the gift of penetration. ...
Machiavelli
China, How Much Control is Enough?
Friday October 12
I comment regularly on how the cabal of control freaks in the People's Republic of China (PRC) feel it is their god-given (excuse the ironic pun) hierarchical privilege and right to dominate and dictate all aspects of their citizens lives including their spiritual pursuits. But just when I think I have said it all, these people that continue to give us poisoned toothpaste, toys, baby cribs, cups etc. etc. prove me wrong. ...
Are China's Cheap Goods Really That Cheap? Taiwan, China and the US State Department: Examining the Idiocy
Wednesday October 03
Thanks to the USA's Freedom of Information Act, citizens of Taiwan, the USA, and the world now know how over 30 years ago Henry Kissinger and Richard Nixon betrayed and sold out their ally Taiwan, the Republic of China. In addition to his wanting to gain China's support to counter threats from the USSR, the fawning way that Kissinger speaks therein of his Chinese counterparts indicates a man so wanting to be known as the one that opened up China for the USA that he would do anything to cut a deal and make a name for himself. If it meant selling out one time allies and the founding principles of the United States so be it. ...
Myanmar, China, and Democracy in the World
Friday September 28
Where's China? As the citizens of Myanmar struggle to protest their lost democracy, sympathy pours in from around the world. Monks are shot in the streets; monasteries are ransacked. Myanmar's military which refused to acknowledge the democratic victory of Aung San Suu Kyi's party in parliamentary elections over a decade ago continues its crackdown. It will not allow challenges to its authority. The situation worsens and finally the world community demonstrates awareness and concern for this situation, that is, all but China. As the one who could do something, China does nothing. ...
China's Cheap Goods are Cheap, Aren't They? Part I: Feeding the Bully
Monday September 24
How many countries in the world do you know of where the rulers insist on having the right to appoint bishops in the Catholic Church? How many countries in the world do you know of where the rulers insist on having the right to appoint the successors of the Dalai Lama and Pacnhen Lama? How many countries in the world do you know of where the rulers insist on having the right to appoint religious leaders of any and all religions? So what does religious freedom have to do with cheap goods? Look into that and you will begin to understand what is meant by feeding the bully. ...