Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) corruption trial moved into the second stage yesterday when responsibility for the case was transferred from the Taipei District Court to the Taiwan High Court.

It can only be hoped that the High Court, prosecutors and the judiciary in general handle the second trial professionally and in line with established legal procedures, unlike the District Court. There is little evidence, however, that they are capable of doing this.

The Kaohsiung City Government’s decision to bring forward the screening of a documentary on exiled Uighur Muslim activist Rebiya Kadeer — amid complaints by the tourism sector that Chinese tour groups were canceling hotel reservations — was not well-received in some quarters.

Despite Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu’s (陳菊) claim that the decision was made to prevent controversy over the screening of The 10 Conditions of Love from escalating, the move nonetheless suggests that concessions had to be made because of pressure from China.