Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Be wary of Ma’s intentions

Taipei Times Editorial

“Taiwanese must learn from yesterday’s Tibet, today’s Hong Kong and think about their country’s future. They must keep a vigilant eye,” Hong Kong activist James Lung (龍緯汶) cautioned at a recent forum held in Taipei.

These words of warning — which were quickly dismissed by some as an exaggeration — certainly come as a timely wake-up call to Taiwan amid talk of “promoting cross-strait development” by the administration of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).

US politician urges Chen Shui-bian to be freed from jail

Taipei Times

Ranking member of the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee US Representative Howard Berman has written to President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to appeal for the medical parole of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁).

“Releasing Chen from prison on humanitarian grounds would allow him to receive the thorough, long-term medical treatment that he needs and would aid in his physical and mental recovery,” the letter says.

US Ambassador to China visited Ngaba: State Department

Phayul.com

US Ambassador to China Gary Locke

DHARAMSHALA, October 17: The State Department has revealed that the US Ambassador to China last month visited the beleaguered Ngaba region of eastern Tibet, which remains the epicenter of the ongoing wave of self-immolations in Tibet.

Ambassador Gary Locke visited the Ngaba region in September as part of a broader trip to Chongqing and Sichuan province, State Department spokesperson, Victoria Nuland told reporters at a regular news conference Tuesday.

Respecting freedom of opinion

Taipei Times Editorial

The latest controversy to hit the government was sparked by comments Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Deputy Director-General Shih Wen-yi (施文儀) posted on his Facebook page concerning the US’ visa-waiver policy and a decision to extend the National Health Insurance program to Chinese students. The Executive Yuan is to investigate whether Shih violated the Civil Servants Work Act (公務員服務法). The government is being rather selective in what it decides to investigate: Is it thinking of hoisting Shih’s head on a spike outside the city gates as a warning to others? This raises questions over freedom of expression.

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