Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

US needs to put end to ‘one China’ confusion

Nat Bellocchi 白樂崎

The episode surrounding the May 18 joint press conference between US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen and Chief of the General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Chen Bingde (陳炳德) laid bare a major weakness in the formulation of policies toward Taiwan and China.

There, Chen incorrectly quoted US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, saying: “She told me — she reiterated the US policy; that is, there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China.”

Also, when asked whether Taiwan’s security can be safeguarded with US sales of the F-16 fighter planes, Mullen said: “As General Chen said, Secretary Clinton repeated and I would only re-emphasize the United States policy supports a one-China policy. And I certainly share the view of the peaceful reunification of China.”

US senators petition for F-16 sale

Taipei Times

Close to half the members of the US Senate have signed a letter to US President Barack Obama urging him to sell F-16C/D aircraft to Taiwan.

Obama has been putting off a decision on Taipei’s request to buy 66 of the advanced fighters for more than a year now and the letter is thought likely to push the issue onto the front burner.

Washington sources said the US Department of State was against the sale because it risked badly damaging already fragile relations with China, while the US Department of Defense is in favor because Taiwan’s military is in dire need of a boost.

FOOD SCARE WIDENS: Government mandates DEHP testing

Taipei Times

The government yesterday ordered certain food and drink products that use emulsifiers to be removed from stores unless they can provide proof that their products are free of the chemical di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP).

Affected items include sports drinks, juice, tea beverages, syrup and jams, as well as tablet supplements and powdered food products, Department of Health (DOH) Minister Chiu Wen-ta (邱文達) said.

All products in the five categories need be certified to be free of the chemical before being put on the market, he said.

Taiwan must defend its name

Chiang Huang-chih 姜皇池

As shown by an internal memo that recently came to light, the WHO refers to Taiwan as “the Taiwan Province of China.” In response, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) has issued statements criticizing the practice, the Taiwanese delegation attending the World Health Assembly (WHA) has presented a letter of protest to the WHO Secretariat and Taiwan’s delegate at the assembly has made an official statement.

So far the demands made in these so-called protests have been limited to dealing with the matter of Taiwan’s “proper title,” calling on the WHO to use the same name under which Taiwan attends the WHA — namely “Chinese Taipei.” The core issue, however, is not just Taiwan’s title, but its legal status.

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