Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Taiwan must fight for recognition

Taipei Times

In past years September has seen headlines about Taiwan’s bid for UN membership ahead of the annual UN General Assembly meeting in New York. Despite setbacks deriving from Chinese obstruction, the bids helped raise Taiwan’s international profile, showing the international community that the Taiwanese people want to be recognized.

The annual bid was also symbolic, with the government proclaiming to the world its sovereignty and that Taiwan is not part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

Chen ruling sounds like old, cranky feudal hands

James Wang 王景弘

In the wording of their verdict in the corruption trial of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), the three court judges wrote in the style of cranky old Chinese teachers. The tone of the verdict makes them look like tyrannical feudal officials who exercised undivided administrative, legislative and judicial powers in ancient times, rather than judges in a democratic era.

By quoting ancient sayings in the verdict, the judges unintentionally gave themselves and President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) a slap in the face.

The Real Source of Taiwan's Campaign Corruption

Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.

In its laws on campaign funding and party donations as well as the use of special government allowances, Taiwan has a corrupt system, created by a corrupt party to justify and shelter its corrupt gains. It was created by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in its one-party state colonial heyday, and has been in place in Taiwan for over sixty years. What is the source and cause of this corruption? The United China Daily in an editorial in September, 2008 put it plainly, "The primary reason is the lack of laws compelling public servants to explain the source of their wealth." Armed with the protection of this system innumerable politicians have been able to profit all the way from the KMT's one-party state days on up to the present. Further, the pan-blue controlled Legislative Yuan has refused to change this gravy train because they do not want to kill the goose that lays their golden eggs. Chen Shui-bian's recent crime and fault is not in his alleged money-laundering and misuse of funds, but because he is a Taiwanese outside that corrupt system but has dared to use it and make similar profit.

Who cares about human rights when the world needs China so badly

MikeinTaipei

Even after the administration of US president George W. Bush realized it needed China’s help to combat international terrorism, launch an invasion of Iraq and deal with the North Korean nuclear issue, Washington continued to openly criticize Beijing on human rights. Tone down the criticism it certainly did, but criticism nevertheless remained.