Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Ma keeps evading key issues

Taipei Times Editorial

In September, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) asked his Cabinet to improve the economy within three months. That period expires tomorrow. This promise has been as well kept as his other promises, like the one about selling the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) ill-gotten assets and the infamous “6-3-3” campaign pledge to deliver GDP growth of 6 percent, an unemployment rate of less than 3 percent and achieve a per capita income of more than US$30,000.

A Taiwan Thinktank survey showed that 95.7 percent of respondents believe this policy is just another bounced check, 84.7 percent think the economic situation this year was bad and 68.1 percent are finding it difficult to get a job. As many as 89.1 percent of those polled consider the poverty gap to be big, 84.9 percent are dissatisfied with their salaries, 72.8 percent think the tax system is unfair and 63.9 percent are pessimistic about the future.

The countdown to the end of Ma

Liberty Times Editorial

In a week, the year 2012 will be over. Both the central and local governments have started to prepare for the New Year’s celebrations, and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has launched a “train of fury” series of lectures, including speeches in 10 cities and counties to promote a protest march scheduled for next month.

As Taiwanese businesses review their gains and losses over the past year, many companies are certain to face difficulties. The challenges will differ from sector to sector, but if we look into the main reason for operation variables obstructing development, it is generally agreed that the answer is the failure of President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration.

Taiwan has breached its commitments: EU

Taipei Times

Taiwan came under pressure from the EU, European Parliament members and Amnesty International, who said it has failed to honor its commitment to end the death penalty after it executed six death-row inmates on Friday, bringing the number of people executed to 15 in the past three years, following a more than four-year hiatus since late 2005.

In a statement released via the European Economic and Trade Office in Taipei late on Friday night, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton said that she “deplore[s]” the six executions on Friday. She added that the action “goes against the abolitionist trend worldwide.”

China is not good to us: Canadian journalists report from Tibet

Phayul.com

Thubwang Kyab, 23, sets himself ablaze on the main street of Sangkog town in Sangchu, Tibet on October 26, 2012 protesting China's rule. He succumbed to his injuries at the protest site.

DHARAMSHALA, December 21: Beijing based journalists of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation have been able to gain rare access to Tibet, reporting on Tibetan voices of dissent and resistance in the face of heavy security crackdown in the region.

“China is not good to us,” a Tibetan woman, described as a herder, with her face hidden for security reasons tells the camera. Another woman asserts, “We would be so happy if the Dalai Lama comes back.”

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