Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Detained by a lawless judiciary

Chi-yao Huang

Astonishingly, the Taipei District Court again ruled to continue the detention of former president Chen Shui-bian. In doing so, the court flouted international human rights legislation as well as the fact that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights have been signed into Taiwanese law.

Why 2012 will be a deadly deadline

J. Michael Cole

At no time since the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government fled to Taiwan has the Chinese Communist Party been so close to accomplishing its objective of annexing Taiwan.

Rather than achieve this through threat of force or diplomatic pressure, Beijing is using economic integration — a process launched soon after President Ma Ying-jeou came to office last year — to reel Taiwan in.

Yonaguni Island and changing relations

HoonTing

The US and Japan are preparing to deploy troops to Yonaguni Island, giving rise to two interpretations in Taiwan: either the move is aimed at China or at Taiwan. The former interpretation is based on the traditional view of containment, while the latter predicts that Taiwan will become part of China.

The US is deploying Apache attack helicopters on Yonaguni, and this is alarming. The deployment is not aimed at controlling air space but is a preparation to defend the island and evacuate residents if Taiwan loses air supremacy.

The Act that silences academics

Hei-yuan Chiu

The Act Governing the Administrative Impartiality of Public Officials was passed by the legislature in May and promulgated by President Ma Ying-jeou on June 10. The Act prohibits research fellows in public academic institutions from engaging in politics to support or oppose political parties, political organizations or candidates for public office.

Meanwhile, the legislature passed a resolution requiring that the Ministry of Education submit a bill to the legislature subjecting faculty in public universities to a similar ban.

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