Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

The ‘former bitter rivals’ fantasy

Taipei Times

No sooner had President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) launched his rapprochement initiative with Beijing than some international wire agencies began referring to Taiwan and China as “former bitter rivals.” This characterization of an ongoing process is not only inaccurate but also creates the false impression that the threat the Taiwan Strait represents to regional stability is a thing of the past. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Protection needed to dispel legal questions

Carol Lin 林志潔

The Council of Grand Justices released Constitutional Interpretation no. 656 on Oct. 16. Most of the justices agreed that combining former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) cases and his long-term detention were constitutional. However, six of the justices voiced partly or wholly differing opinions. The biggest controversy was whether the Taipei District Court’s change of judges in Chen’s trial after the combining of the cases violated the principle of legally competent judges.

U.S. needs balanced policy toward Taiwan

Taiwan News

In his first meeting with the Taiwan news media last week, newly arrived American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Taipei representative William A. Stanton focussed on reemphasizing that there will be no change in Washington's policy toward Taiwan under the new Democratic administration of President Barack Obama in line with the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act (TRA).

Don’t put US credibility to the test

James Holmes

A Japanese reporter asks an intriguing question. China is fortifying its nuclear deterrent with road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles such as the DF-31As showcased at the Oct. 1 military parade in Tiananmen Square, and with formidable Type 094 ballistic-missile submarines (SSBNs). This weaponry will guarantee Beijing’s capacity to strike US cities in wartime. In light of that, can Japan count on the US to retaliate against a Chinese nuclear attack on the Japanese archipelago?

In theory, yes; in reality, it depends.

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