Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Sovereignty upheld? Think again

J. Michael Cole 寇謐將

President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration on Tuesday was all jubilance after the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) was signed in Chongqing, China, saying that it had managed to sign the pact in a way that upheld Taiwan’s sovereignty.

While it is too soon to tell whether the breakneck pace with which the deal was negotiated (about six months) and the legislature’s likely rubberstamping of the ECFA documents will hurt Taiwan’s interests, the mechanism used to complete the process most certainly did. In that regard, the Ma administration could be accused of dishonesty.

China’s deployment of missiles is a mistake

Nat Bellocchi 白樂崎

Recent statements by US Senator Dianne Feinstein about Taiwan and its relations with China caused quite a stir.

The statement that attracted most attention was a remark she made during a Senate hearing with US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates on June 16, indicating that during a recent trip to China, leaders in Beijing had offered to “redeploy back” some of their military forces, including missiles, opposite Taiwan, in return for Washington not selling arms to Taipei.

Investors ponder unknown knowns

Taipei Times Editorial

Time flies. Some people might not have noticed, but the first half of the year has come and gone, at a time when many in Taiwan were still heatedly discussing the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) with China, which was finally signed last week.

With the arrival of the second half of the year there has been a noticeable jump in the temperature, as investors wonder whether to increase their equity investments as the economy recovers or take a break and lower their portfolio holdings over the summer.

No more 3D glasses, Mr President

Taipei Times Editorial

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) needs to get his eyes checked. He’s obviously been wearing a pair of Avatar 3D glasses for too long, since he acts as if he can reach out and touch the projected benefits of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA).

It’s as if the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and its supporters took all the seats for Imax’s showing of “ECFA in 3D” and the rest of us had to make to do with the regular 2D format.

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