Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Ma moving ahead with China

Taipei Times

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday said he is open to a political dialogue with China once remaining economic issues are resolved, though he gave no timetable for when those discussions might start.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Ma credited his outreach to China, which has so far centered on trade and commercial ties, with easing tensions in one of East Asia’s longest-running feuds.

Rights violators unwelcome: council

Taipei Times

The Kaohsiung City Council recently passed a motion demanding that the city government and private organizations not be allowed to invite to the city Chinese officials who have been accused of violating human rights. The motion included making the same suggestion to the central government, asking it to refuse such officials entry to Taiwan.

With Chinese officials increasingly leading delegations to Taiwan, Kaohsiung City Councilor Kang Yu-cheng (康裕成) of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) suggested that Chinese officials who have violated human rights should be refused entry to the country.

‘Peace’ with China has ugly caveats

J. Michael Cole 寇謐將

Taipei may have turned down Beijing’s offer this time around, claiming the time was not propitious, but it is becoming increasingly evident that at some point between now and the 2012 presidential election, the two sides will sit down and discuss military matters in the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Yang Yi (楊毅) on Wednesday made headlines with his proposal that, when the conditions are right, Taipei and Beijing should sit down and discuss military confidence-building mechanisms and the possible dismantlement of the more than 1,500 ballistic missiles that continue to threaten Taiwan, despite allegedly warming ties.

Sensitive spots dampen Ma’s dream

Paul Lin 林保華

To the excitement of democracies and democracy activists around the world, Liu Xiaobo (劉曉波), the well-known, currently imprisoned Chinese dissident, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last week. In democratic Taiwan, however, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) merely offered a hollow statement saying the award was of historic significance.

In contrast to the US president, the German chancellor, the Japanese prime minister and others who called on the Chinese government to free Liu and allow him to receive the prize in person, Ma needed more than 24 hours to consider his response. Not until the evening after the prize was awarded did he issue a statement expressing a “hope that Liu Xiaobo will be released and allowed to regain his freedom as soon as possible.”

More Articles...