Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Japan warns over cosying to China

Taipei Times

Taiwan should not be overly close to China, so as to maintain the balance of power in the East Asia region, Japanese Diet members were quoted as saying during a recent meeting with visiting Taiwanese lawmakers on issues pertaining to the disputed Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台列嶼).

Taiwan, China and Japan all claim sovereignty over the islets, known in Japan as the Senkaku islands and the Diaoyu Isalnds (釣魚群島) in Chinese.

US lawmakers call for Chen’s release

Taipei Times

Two US lawmakers have submitted a medical report calling for immediate medical parole for former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.

“Because it is not easily predictable how much Chen’s incarceration conditions need to improve to prevent further serious physical and mental damage, medical parole is the most appropriate effective treatment intervention,” the report said.

Ma Ying-jeou’s unpopularity at all-time high in wake of KMT corruption scandal

Michael Richardson

Ma Ying-jeou, the President of the Republic of China in-exile, has scored his lowest ratings in public opinion polls since taking office in 2008. Last week Ma’s approval rating was only 15% in a recent cable television poll conducted by TVBS, interviewing 1,303 persons.

Public confidence in Ma Ying-jeou’s leadership was shattered by the still-growing corruption scandal involving top Ma aide Lin Yi-shih. Lin was Secretary-General of the Executive Yuan until forced to resign after revelations of multi-million dollar bribes emerged in a magazine expose.

China plays by its own rules

Taipei Times Editorial

If China were an elementary-school student, its report card would read: “Does not play well with others; often tries to bully smaller children.”

Beijing does not like to play in a group where it cannot dictate the rules or the results. That seems to be the message from this week’s ASEAN+ meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where China once again rebuffed calls from the Philippines, Vietnam and others to agree to talks on operating in disputed areas of the South China Sea.

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