Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

A lapse or a strategy? It’s a worry either way

Jerome Keating

The most significant outcome of last Saturday’s elections was the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) regaining power in its former stronghold of Yilan County.

Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), as both president of Taiwan and chairman of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), had zealously and extensively campaigned there to prevent this, putting both his and his party’s reputation on the line.

What about the rest of China?

Taipei Times

Ahead of the next round of cross-strait talks in Taichung later this month, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has suggested that visiting Chinese officials be arrested and tried for criminal conduct in China, particularly for human rights abuses. China being what it is, there is a rich selection of such people, and the DPP, if it had its way, could make merry from blocking such officials from visiting Taiwan.

This idea is idealistic but impractical, if not nonsensical. But it does reopen debate on what level of accountability Chinese officials visiting Taiwan should be subjected to. Given that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) to this day considers itself to be the most able organization to govern China, and given that Taiwan is supposedly part of China, why would such flotsam not be held accountable for abuses committed against Chinese nationals?

Conference unites Taiwan, PRC

Michael Danielsen

The climate conference in Copenhagen has become a battlefield for the old controversy between Taiwan and China. Almost like a ritual, Taiwan is not invited to the climate conference despite the fact that its economy, technology and political will are fully capable of contributing to the resolution on climate change, and far better equipped than most of the participating countries.

Quite surprisingly however, Taiwan is not eager to participate despite announcements from the government that “meaningful participation in the UNFCCC is a priority for President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration.”

Beijing, the serial deal breaker

Taipei Times

When Taiwanese officials signed up to take part in next year’s Shanghai World Expo, there was always the probability that the Chinese would use Taipei’s participation to promote Taiwan as Chinese territory.

After all, this is the distorted view of reality that the Chinese government has relentlessly tried to impose on people in every corner of the globe over the last few decades.

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