Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

US academics who know Andrew Yang (楊念祖), who recently resigned as minister of national defense in the wake of plagiarism allegations after only six days in the job, all say that he is a good man. Richard Fisher, the China expert who wrote the article that Yang allegedly plagiarized, said Yang’s resignation was rash. However, even more reckless is the man who put him in the post: President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).

Ma’s recklessness was foolish. To appoint an expert on China, specializing in People’s Liberation Army (PLA) strategy, and with insufficient political experience or professional training to a ministerial position responsible for a huge military machine — with its particular culture and function, and its pointed emphasis on being “fully qualified” to do the job — is the height of folly.

On Aug. 3, the Chinese characters for “injustice” and “truth” were beamed onto the tower of the Presidential Office Building via LED lights. About 250,000 people, mobilized over the Internet, came together on the streets of Taipei to express their strong opposition to the government led by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九). It was the second recent street protest organized by the group known as the “white shirts.”

The activist group Citizen 1985 that brought the white shirts together announced that from that day onward, they would be using “the eyes of the people” to keep a tight watch on the government and would not rule out taking to the streets again.