Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Stop fabricating Taiwan’s history

Liberty Times Editorial

AN inaugural speech tells us the most about a president’s policy ideals and attitude. A New Year speech is merely a ceremonial form of greeting and the vast majority are usually written in flashy language while being devoid of meaning.

However, this year’s New Year speech delivered by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) was significant for a different reason. This year is the 100th anniversary of the Republic of China (ROC), and because of a culture that attaches great significance to numbers, our leaders are spending lots of time and money organizing celebrations.

Activists urge ban on buying, selling of animal traps

Taipei Times

Animal rights activists yesterday urged the government to ban the purchase and sale of animal traps, as many pets as well as children have fallen victim to them.

Showing a picture of a black dog surrounded by seven newborn puppies, Juan Mei-ling (阮美玲), executive director of Life Caring and Animal Rescue Organization, said the dog lost part of its front paw after being caught in a trap in Sindian District (新店), New Taipei City (新北市), last month.

Birdcaging democracy

Taipei Times Editorial

As expected, the Executive Yuan’s Referendum Review Committee yesterday, for the third time, rejected the Taiwan Solidarity Union’s (TSU) proposal on holding a referendum on the cross-strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA). This is also the third time the absurd situation has arisen in Taiwan’s democracy where a handful of Referendum Review Committee members have struck down a collective wish petitioned by more than 200,000 people who want a public vote on the government’s trade pact with China.

Taiwan and the 2011 Centennial: 100 years of What?

Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.

2011 Yes 2011 has been designated a centennial year for Taiwan to celebrate; but as it celebrates 100 years, Taiwanese need to examine more closely just what it is that they are being asked to celebrate 100 years of? Certainly 1911 marked the year that the Manchu Empire (a.k.a. the Qing Dynasty) and dynastic rule in China began its final crumbling in the Xinhai Revolution. From that the Republic of China (ROC) was born and on January 1, 1912 Sun Yat-sen was inaugurated provisional president of the new republic. But that republican birth was short-lived. Call it a still birth or abortion since not all provinces agreed with the revolution. In the next month (February) the dictatorial Yuan shih-kai would be the one who forced the actual abdication of the Emperor Puyi and that was in a brokered deal.

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