Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

‘Island’ ads part of unification push

Taipei Times Editorial

Four Chinese banks that issue offshore yuan bonds in Taiwan placed large, front-page advertisements in several newspapers belonging to the China Times (中國時報) and United Daily News (聯合報) groups. These eye-catching ads used the term “on the island,” implying that the nation is a province of China.

Although economic and social cross-strait relations are growing stronger, many people are likely to take offense to such a blatant reference to the unification-independence issue.

Ma must uphold human rights pledge

Taipei Times Editorial

When it comes to cross-strait affairs and policies, similarities are hard to find between the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), except for one thing: human rights.

Administrations under the two parties both emphasized human rights as one of their core values and said Taiwan’s advocacy for human rights and democracy could serve as an example and model for the Chinese Communist Party regime.

Japan urges global action against Chinese air zone

Taipei Times

Japanese Minister of Defense Itsunori Onodera yesterday called on the international community to oppose China’s recently declared maritime air defense zone over the East China Sea and possibly over the disputed South China Sea.

Onodera discussed Tokyo’s concern over Beijing’s action separately with Philippine Secretary of Defense Voltaire Gazmin and Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Julia Bishop.

KMT serves to obscure national sovereignty

Wei Hung-wu 韋洪武

The symbols of Taiwan’s national sovereignty — the national flag, emblem and anthem — have long since disappeared from international sport contests, academic conferences and international organizations under pressure from China. The country’s name is often left off the list of options for online registration. The Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台) belong to Toucheng Township (頭城) in Yilan County, yet the nation is incapable of protecting them. Now even the air defense identification zone and the Taipei Flight Information Region are being intruded upon by those of China and Japan.

What is the national identity, and what is the nature of the relationship with the other side of the Taiwan Strait? Under President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) administration, these questions have become mired in confusion.

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