Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Democracy put on altar for Taiwan-China ECFA

Taiwan News Editorial

The ruling rightist Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) yesterday confirmed its intention to put Taiwan's democracy on the sacrificial altar for the "Cross-Strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement" with the authoritarian People's Republic of China.

During the raucous initial meeting of a special session of the Legislative Yuan, KMT Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng directly announced the "unanimous" passage of a just - proposed KMT motion to send the ECFA ratification bill to a second reading without taking any heed of shouts of opposition by DPP lawmakers and without a required vote.

US deploys three subs in Asia

Taipei Times

Three Ohio-class nuclear submarines — heavily armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles — are now making a show of US military power closer than usual to China.

US defense analysts, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the vessels were in place to demonstrate US commitment to nervous allies in the region.

Is the WTO to be trusted to ‘review’ the ECFA?

J. Michael Cole 寇謐將

During an e-mail interview with the Central News Agency (CNA) earlier this month, in which the expected benefits of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) signed by Taipei and Beijing were discussed, WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy was quoted as referring to Taiwan not by its official designation at the trade organization, but rather as “Chinese Taipei.”

Wire searches returned the key two entries — one, the original interview in English, and the other a Chinese translation of that interview.

US rules out Taiwan free-trade agreement

Taipei Times

The US has ruled out a free-trade agreement (FTA) with Taiwan amid a dispute over beef imports, days after the nation signed a sweeping accord with China.

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) has tried to sell the landmark accord with China to voters in part by arguing that Taiwan would now be able to pursue FTAs with more countries, as Beijing would no longer object.

More Articles...