Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Ma’s deadly fantasy of acceptance by Beijing

Mark Kao 高龍榮

On May 11, the Wall Street Journal published an extensive interview with President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), in which Ma defended the rapprochement he has forged with China, saying that the closer ties have boosted Taiwan’s economy and security, and should not be tampered with by his successor.

The problem with Ma’s account is that his policies have severely undermined Taiwan’s sovereignty, democracy, security and international space. Like the fictional Peter Pan in J.M. Barrie’s tale, Ma is putting a glossy glow over events and development, while his policies have pushed Taiwan into the unwelcome economic embrace of a repressive China.

Opposing China split is opposing democracy

Lu I-ming 呂一銘

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kin Moy is to become the new director of the American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) Taipei office. At a time when Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) has just returned from meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is to visit Washington for her “political interview,” some have said that the purpose of the AIT appointment is to ensure Taiwan maintains the cross-strait “status quo,” so the US can realize its strategic shift of balance to Asia.

Expand rights protections in Constitution: advocates

Taipei Times

Amid ongoing debate on proposed reforms to the Constitution, advocates and academics yesterday urged including more human rights issues in the Constitution at a conference held by the Taiwan Association of University Professors.

Referring to global trends in human rights advocacy, participants said that the Constitution should not be limited to protecting personal liberties, but should also address what are known as second and third-generation rights, such as socioeconomic, cultural and environmental rights.

Toughening up against ‘one China’

The Liberty Times Editorial

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu’s (朱立倫) visit to China has stirred endless controversy for days. His statement about both sides of the Taiwan Strait belonging to “one China” during his meeting on May 4 with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) has attracted the most criticism.

Most Taiwanese anticipated that the New Taipei City mayor, who advocates the “one China, different interpretations” view, would at least mention the Republic of China (ROC) in his meeting with Xi, and declare that the ROC is different from China, or that it “seeks common ground, while respecting differences,” to prove that the so-called “1992 consensus” and “one China, different interpretations” are not a load of nonsense.

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