Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

USC's Annenberg School for Communication Brings Soft Power to Taiwan: Part I

Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.

"National Security, Public and Cultural Diplomacy, Smart Power: Future Directions for Smart Nations," isn't that a mouthful. Yet that was the long and unusual title for the conference on October 29, 2009, a conference sponsored by Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). Four of the six featured speakers came from the University of Southern California's (USC) Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism. So what did they have to say about smart power for smart nations especially small but smart nations? Below is a summary.

November, Week One: As the World Turns in Taiwan

Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.

A variety of things are happening as the world turns in Taiwan, November 2009. First there is the import of "health threatening" beef products from a signed agreement with the USA. The Ma government approved the signing, but now is hesitating and looking for an out as members of Ma's own party, the opposition party and the general population are objecting to it. Why Ma approved it and what deals he may have worked out or thought he was working out with the USA seem to be blowing up in his face and add credence to his growing reputation as Ma the Incompetent. It is unsure where this is going, but one thing is certain that Ma will begin to distance himself as he always does from the decision. He will either place the blame on the Premier or will try to counter with a dodge statement like, "We approved the import of health-threatening beef, but we did not tell the people that they should buy it." Regardless, with this debacle, the population of Taiwan is increasingly worried as Ma the Incompetent ploughs ahead with his desire to also sign a non-transparent ECFA agreement with Taiwan's enemy across the Strait.

Don’t concede more on Taiwan

Hisahiko Okazaki

For those who are concerned that the democratic Taiwan should continue to have the freedom to choose its own future, President Obama’s coming visit to Beijing brings back the memory of a regrettable episode during President Clinton’s visit to China in June 1998.

Early in the spring of that year there were signs that the American Government would assure China that the United States would not defend Taiwan if she declared independence. On March 13, Joseph Nye proposed in Washington Post op-ed eliminating ambiguity in the American position and by starting that the United States would not recognize or defend Taiwan, if it were to declare independence.

'228' is not just 'history' for Taiwan

Taiwan News

The decision to link the belated reopening of a national museum on the February 28th Incident of 1947 with the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of China is likely to become a pretext for the sanitation of the role of the ruling Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) in the most traumatic event in Taiwan's modern history.

The brutal suppression of a spontaneous uprising to protest the corrupt and incompetent rule of the rightist KMT regime shortly after its takeover of Taiwan in October 1945 after 50 years of Japanese colonialism cost the lives of over 10,000 Taiwanese, including many outstanding intellectual, political, legal and social leaders.

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