Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Supporters speak out on behalf of arrested Tibetans

Taipei Times

Writers, musicians, an environmentalist and a student yesterday voiced their support for about 20 Tibetans arrested in recent years for their opposition to the Chinese occupation of Tibet.

“We may speak different languages, but we share a common language, which is ‘freedom,’” rapper and songwriter Chang Jui-chuan (張睿詮) told a press conference in Taipei to support Tibetan musicians, writers, filmmakers and artists arrested in China.

“We may believe in different religions, but we share one common faith — this is ‘human rights,’” Chang said.

Ma Ying-jeou's Leadership by Platitudes, Confucius and the MOE

Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.

Jason Hu's lax leadership may finally be catching up with him in Taichung but in another side of the nation state of Taiwan we see the repercussions of Ma Ying-jeou's leadership by platitudes. Faced with problems of widespread bullying, drug use and gang problems in the nation's high schools, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has come up with a suspect placebo cure, have the students read Confucius.

Yes, you heard that correctly, the MOE is cuing off of Mr. Ma. When faced with a problem, don't analyze it and get your hands dirty in working out a gritty solution, instead solve it by uttering a platitude.

Abandoning Taiwan defies reason

Chihmei Lin Chen 林智美

While it is obvious that an arms race between superpowers should not be encouraged, it is paradoxical for Charles Glaser to suggest in his recent article in Foreign Affairs that China’s rise would not force the US and China into conflict, and the only “challenge for the United States will come in making adjustments to its policies in situations in which less-than-vital interests [such as Taiwan] might cause problems.”

It is also short-sighted for Glaser to conclude that if the US makes “uncomfortable concessions” and considers backing away from its commitment to Taiwan, it would not ultimately affect the US’ alliance with Japan and South Korea and the stability of Northeast Asia.

Getting Real About Taiwan

James Holmes & Toshi Yoshihara

Bartering Taiwan for better ties with China is a mistake. Ambitious powers see such concessions as an appetizer, not dessert.

Writing off Taiwan for the sake of Sino-American amity probably qualifies as optimism of a kind—unless you have the misfortune to actually live on the island. Writing in the latest issue of Foreign Affairs, George Washington University Prof. Charles Glaser maintains that to date, ‘the China debate among international relations theorists has pitted optimistic liberals against pessimistic realists.’ The former, he says, believe today’s liberal international order can accommodate China’s rise, building on economic interdependence. The latter point to China’s mounting economic and military strength, prophesying that power will impel Beijing ‘to pursue its interests more assertively, which will in turn lead the United States and other countries to balance against it.’

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