Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

An about-face, but no apology

Taipei Times Editorial

At 10pm on Tuesday, the government announced a major about-face in its policy on electricity rates. Rather than the initial plan that would have seen household electricity rates increase by an average of 16.9 percent, commercial rates by 39 percent and industrial rates by 35 percent from May 15, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) unveiled a scheme to implement the increase in phases.

There will be three stages, Ma said — 40 percent of the original increase on June 10 and 40 percent on Dec. 10, while the date when the remaining 20 percent increase is implemented depends on whether state-run Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) has presented an acceptable reform program to the government.

TSU planning no confidence vote against Cabinet

Taipei Times

The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) yesterday announced that it would launch a no-confidence vote against the Cabinet, saying President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) “failed policies” after his re-election are “too much to take” for the public.

TSU Chairman Huang Kun-huei (黃昆輝) said his party would appeal for the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) support on the vote in the legislature.

Useful toe treading by Taiwan?

J. Michael Cole 寇謐將

In a recent article in the Web-based journal of international affairs The Diplomat, Cain Nunns makes some interesting observations about the harm that Taipei’s claim to the South China Sea is causing to its already fragile diplomatic relations.

To briefly summarize his argument, the claim that the entire South China Sea belongs to the Republic of China (ROC) — made, according to Nunns’ count, nine times by President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration over the past 18 months — is a preposterous attachment to the ROC Constitution of 1947, which came into force before Chinese Communist Party forces had the chance to kick Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) across the Taiwan Strait.

Congressman calls for use of TRA human rights protection in Chen case

Michael Richardson

Representative Dan Lungren (R-CA) has called for Congressional inquiry into Chen Shui-Bian's treatment in an ROC prison
Photo credit: Official photo

U. S. Representative Dan Lungren (R-CA) has called for Congressional investigation of the treatment of former Republic of China in-exile President Chen Shui-bian who has been serving a lengthy sentence for alleged corruption since soon after he left office nearly four years ago.

Representative Lungren asked the Lantos Commission, a 79-member caucus of members of Congress, to investigate “disturbing reports” about Chen’s imprisonment that have appeared in the Taiwanese news media.

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