Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Beijing’s intentions for ECFA very clear

James Wang 王景弘

When former president Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) roped the Taiwanese into his fight against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) after taking over Taiwan, his planners explained the CCP’s basic doctrine this way: “What is mine is mine, and what is yours is also mine. Some things are to be taken as common property and I will therefore take yours.”

China and its sympathizers would say that the wording of this outline was simply an attempt to stigmatize and demonize China, but I would say it is a fairly accurate way to describe the idea of “one China.”

The rest is history

David Frazier

Second-generation Taiwanese American Will Tiao produced ‘Formosa Betrayed,’ the first American film to deal with US-Taiwan relations and explore the issues of democracy, identity and justice during the White Terror period

By David Frazier
CONTRIBUTING REPORTER
Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010, Page 14

Taiwan people must reject ECFA scam

Taiwan News Editorial

People's Republic of China Premier Wen Jiabao made global headlines Saturday in Beijing when he expressed optimism on the early signing of a "cross-strait economic cooperation framework agreement" with Taiwan because while "negotiations are complex, differences between brothers cannot sever blood ties and problems can always be solved."

Combined with Wen's promise in late February the PRC would "grant benefits" to Taiwan to cement the pact, the premier's statements sparked another round of media excitement, opposition criticism and defensive reaction by spokespersons for the insistent drive by President Ma Ying-jeou's rightist Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) government to sign the pact this summer.

Experts vs the people: democracy in jeopardy

Hsu Shih-jung 徐世榮

Department of Health Minister Yaung Chih-liang (楊志良) recently criticized the government, complaining about how too many democratic elections “interfere” with public policy. This attitude is perhaps best illustrated by the way in which the ruling party is determined to sign an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China despite widespread opposition.

The proposed agreement with China has also prompted the Taiwan Solidarity Union and more than 50 pro-independence, labor, business and industry groups, to call for a referendum in the hope of stopping it. This situation illustrates the need to reconsider the relationship between democracy and specialization. Failure to do so could undermine the legitimacy of democratic participation and its role in the determination of public policy.

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