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Taiwan clears Games hurdle

Herald Sun
Rowan Callick | August 04, 2008 12:00am

ONE of the hottest and longest-running feuds in the lead-up to the Beijing Olympics has been resolved at the last minute, ensuring the participation of the Taiwan team.

The Taiwanese, who won five medals at the 2004 Athens Games, including their first gold for tae kwondo -- are likely to receive a rousing welcome at the opening ceremony on Friday.

Taiwan's previous government refused to participate as planned in the international torch relay because of the Chinese requirement that no Taiwan flag could be waved near the runners.

There was also a question mark over Taiwan's participation, until the weekend, over the traditional referral to the Olympic team as China Taipei.

Instead, it will be competing as Chinese Taipei.

This difference is crucial in the Chinese written language, used in both countries.

The formulation that was pressed by Beijing was Zhongguo Taipei. Zhong means centre, and the character "guo" means nation, and is enclosed by a surrounding square wall.

It is usually translated as China Taipei, and effectively defines Taiwan as a part of the People's Republic of China.      more ...

Taiwan firm selected to overhaul troubled Ukraine stadium

YHIAH News Agency
[16.04.2008 11:02]

A Taiwanese construction company has won selection to overhaul Ukraine`s top football stadium in preparation for the 2012 European Championships, Korrespondent magazine reported Tuesday. According to DPA, Taipei-headquartered Archasia Design Group Ltd. will perform major repairs to Kiev`s troubled Olympisky Stadium, a structure whose reconstruction has been stalled for years due to a land ownership dispute in the Ukrainian capital.

The 94,000-seat stadium, built during the Soviet era and slowly falling apart, is the site of the scheduled final of Euro 2012.

Ukraine and Poland in April 2007 won rights to co-host the tournament.

Archasia Design defeated 14 competitors for the Olympisky Stadium repair contract, including bidders from Austria, China, England, Germany, and Ukraine.         more ...

Taiwanese Economic Plan Gets Boost From China

By Edward Cody
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, April 16, 2008; 10:45 AM

BEIJING, April 16 -- Contributing to an increasingly upbeat climate, China expressed confidence Wednesday that an imminent change of leadership in Taiwan will swiftly lead to direct airline connections, increased tourism and more cross-strait investment.

The prediction, from the government's Taiwan Affairs Office, intensified anticipation of a broad lowering of tensions across the Taiwan Strait after President-elect Ma Ying-jeou takes over as leader of the self-ruled island from President Chen Shui-bian on May 20.

The Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman, Li Weiyi, told a news conference that Ma's suggestions for early talks on direct flights and easier tourist entry permits would receive favorable consideration in Beijing. "With hard work by both sides, I am sure this will very shortly be worked out," he added.

Li pointed to pledges of cooperation made by President Hu Jintao and Taiwan's Vice President-elect Vincent Siew when they met Saturday on the sidelines of an economic conference on China's Hainan Island. He said the encounter, although mostly symbolic, "had an extremely positive meaning" for the future of ties between Taiwan and the mainland.

But he stopped short of predicting an immediate resumption of the overall political, military and strategic talks put forward by Ma as his ultimate goal. "Everyone can make his own judgment about that," Li said when asked whether such talks could begin immediately after Ma's inauguration.    more ...

Historic China-Taiwan talks held

BBC News
Saturday, 12 April 2008 13:39 UK

China's President Hu Jintao has held a historic meeting with Taiwan's Vice-President-elect, Vincent Siew.  It was the highest-level contact between the two governments since their post-civil war split in 1949.  The meeting, on the sidelines of a business conference on China's Hainan island, was short.  But correspondents say it represented an important signal that both sides now want to improve relations, after several years of worsening ties.       more ...

Taiwan's Ma: No plans to visit China

CNN News
updated 2:16 a.m. EDT, Sun March 23, 2008

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) -- Taiwan's president-elect said Sunday he had no immediate plans to visit China and would work to fulfill his campaign pledge to improve relations with the communist neighbor, starting direct flights, allowing more Chinese tourists to visit and helping the island's financial industry go to the mainland.
art.ma.afp.gi.jpg

Taiwan's president-elect Ma Ying-jeou and his wife celebrate his victory in Taipei on Saturday.

Ma Ying-jeou, a former Taipei mayor, trounced his ruling party rival, Frank Hsieh, in Saturday's vote after a long campaign that focused on relations with China. Ma was widely viewed to be favored by Beijing, which insists this self-ruled island of 23 million people is part of the mainland.

A sitting Taiwanese president hasn't set foot on the mainland since a bloody civil war split the two sides in 1949. Ma told reporters on Sunday that he had no plans to visit China in the near future.

"I think the most urgent job for us to do is to solve many of the urgent problems in terms of our relations with mainland China," said Ma of the Nationalist Party. "For instance, direct flights, to allow mainland tourists to come to Taiwan, to allow our financial services industry to go to the mainland."

Although thousands of Taiwanese companies have invested in China in recent years, the island still maintains a ban on direct shipping and air links across the 100-mile (160-kilometer-wide) Taiwan Strait. The government has also been cautious about relaxing restrictions on sensitive or strategic industries -- like finance and technology -- that want a bigger piece of China's booming market.     more ...

Taiwan victor promises China ties

BBC News
Last Updated: Sunday, 23 March 2008, 01:01 GMT

Taiwan's newly-elected president has pledged to establish better economic and political ties with China.

Ma Ying-jeou said he would like to work towards a peace treaty with Beijing, but would only do so if China removed missiles pointed at Taiwan.  He was speaking after a comfortable victory over Frank Hsieh of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

Official results gave Mr Ma an advantage of nearly 17 percentage points over Mr Hsieh.  He polled 58.45%, with Mr Hsieh getting 41.55%, on a turnout of 76%.  Mr Ma, of the Kuomintang party, had stood on a platform of economic reform and improving relations with China.

Speaking to reporters after the vote, he said that a peace treaty with China would not take priority over economic normalisation.   I will make it crystal clear that Taiwan will be a stakeholder and will not rock the boat in the region.

"Certainly we would like to start preliminary contact with the mainland on how a peace treaty could be signed," he said.  But, he added, "we already said very clearly if we are to negotiate a peace treaty they have to remove the missiles targeted against Taiwan."

Taiwan says China has about 1,000 missiles aimed at the island.     more ...

Former US officials share report at forum in Taipei

Taipei Times
By Jenny W. Hsu
STAFF REPORTER
Tuesday, Feb 26, 2008, Page 4

Two former US government officials shared a report in Taipei yesterday on the state of the US-Taiwan relationship. The continual drift in the relationship will harm US interests in Asia, and the state of understanding of the Taiwan issue on Capitol Hill is not well placed in Taiwan's favor, they said.

Randall Schriver, the former deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asia and Pacific under the current Bush Administration, and Dan Blumenthal, who served as the senior director for China, Taiwan and Mongolia in the Secretary of Defense Office of International Affairs under George H.W. Bush, strongly advocated that a robust US-Taiwan relation is in Washington's best interest.    more ...

Saxophones from Taiwan Aiming for the Pros

npr.com
February 25, 2008
By Lucy Craft

Morning Edition, February 25, 2008 - Taiwan has etched out a reputation as high-tech hardware store to the world. Its economy has boomed as companies churn out components for famous global electronics brands. But this country of 23 million has quietly garnered a chunk of the world market in a very different product: saxophones.

Virginia music store owner Kevin Landes plays a saxophone that dates back to 19th-century Paris. French saxophones are still the gold standard today. But the horn Landes is cooking on next wasn't made in France.

"You would never have thought of Taiwanese instruments trying to inch into the pro territory. But they are. And they are making some really nice horns."

They're making them at a gritty workshop in the town of Houli, in central Taiwan. Ten men and women huddle at their workbenches, silently adding hundreds of parts to perforated tubes of brass — the skeletons of alto saxophones.

Their progress is glacial. One worker dabs dots of glue to fingernail-sized pads of lambskin. Then he packs cushioning into round brass keys. Another worker attaches these keys to the tubes, positioning and then re-positioning them. A third worker thrusts a fluorescent light inside the brass tube, to scrutinize the handiwork. He depresses the keys and watches for telltale rays of light. If light escapes, the keys must be realigned.

While the work is slow and methodical, the owner of this company, Lien Cheng Saxophones, feels a sense of urgency. Chang Tsung Yao says, "Our quality is improving but if Taiwanese companies don't move quick, they will be left behind."

There are a dozen assembly lines — small, family operations like this one — throughout Houli. The town has a population of 50,000, but it produces about 40,000 saxophones a year.    more ...

Citigroup Sees Double-Digit Net Profit Growth For Taiwan

CNNmoney.com
February 25, 2008: 01:04 AM EST

TAIPEI -(Dow Jones)- Citigroup Inc. (C) expects double-digit net profit growth at its Taiwan operations this year, Simon Chung, managing director and head of Citigroup's Taiwan Global Commercial Bank, said Monday.

Citigroup, the most profitable foreign bank in Taiwan, posted a record NT$ 13.26 billion pretax profit from its Taiwan operations in 2007, Chung said.

He said the top priority for Citigroup in Taiwan this year is to integrate Bank of Overseas Chinese, which it acquired in 2007.   more ...

Retired US, Chinese officers hold informal talks on Taiwan, military exchanges

WSVN News
Sunday, February 24, 2008

BEIJING (AP) -- A hard-line Chinese general held weekend talks with the former vice chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff amid heightened tensions over Taiwan's plans to hold a referendum on joining the United Nations.

Gen. Xiong Guangkai -- considered a hawk on relations with Taiwan and the U.S. -- led the Chinese delegation in discussions with William Owens, a former submarine commander who was vice chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1992-96, China's official Xinhua News Agency said.

Saturday's talks in southern China's Hainan province were part of efforts to build dialogue between top retired People's Liberation Army and U.S. military officers, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

The officers also discussed ways of boosting contacts between the two militaries -- widely seen as rivals for regional influence -- and other issues of common concern, Xinhua reported without giving further details.

The U.S. Embassy in Beijing said it had no information on the meeting because Owens is a private citizen.
more ...

New World Bank economist may be arrested for defecting from Taiwan

The Associated Press - Published: February 6, 2008

TAIPEI, Taiwan: A Chinese professor who was named the World Bank's chief economist this week may face arrest on charges of defecting from Taiwan's army 30 years ago if he visits his hometown, an official said Wednesday.

As an officer in Taiwan's army, Lin Yifu, 56, swam several kilometers (miles) from Taiwan-held Kinmen island to China's southern Fujian province in 1979. He wants to return to Taiwan soon to pay respects to his late parents, Taiwan's China Times quoted him as saying from Beijing.

Liu Teh-hsiun, vice chairman of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council that handles relations with China, said Taipei would not bar Lin from returning home.

But Yu Sy-tue, a Defense Ministry spokesman, said he could not rule out his arrest, adding that a military court would decide whether the statute of limitations on Lin's defection had already expired.

"There's no question that he is a deserter," Yu said. "We will cautiously study his case with agencies concerned."      more ...

US state adopts three resolutions in support of Taiwan

Taipei Times - January 31, 2008
By Nadia Tsao
STAFF REPORTER IN WASHINGTON, WITH CNA
Thursday, Jan 31, 2008, Page 3

The Indiana State Senate on Monday unanimously adopted resolutions in support of Taiwan's bid to join the UN, the WHO and to sign a free trade agreement with the US.

The Indiana Senate resolutions stated that the UN bid should be supported as Taiwan is economically stable, has a mature democracy and a sound human rights record, and is eager to cooperate with the international community. Furthermore, Taiwan's entry into the WHO should likewise be supported, as it has actively participated and contributed in various technological exchanges within the organization, the resolutions said.

The senate also said that Taiwan and the US shared democratic principles and important economic partnerships. Thus the signing of a free trade agreement would boost both nations, and solidify US interests in Asia.       more ...

Full steam ahead for Taiwan's world famous dumplings

Jabuary 25, 2008

TAIPEI (AFP) — When Yang Chi-hua was helping out at his father's restaurant as a teenager learning to make steamed dumplings, he never imagined that the family business would one day earn worldwide fame.

Yet today throngs of locals and foreign tourists alike queue outside Din Tai Fung's three-storey flagship store in Taipei to sample its specialty steamed dumplings or "xiao long bao" -- small white buns with juicy pork filling that are cooked and served in bamboo steamers.

The restaurant has also attracted foreign dignitaries and celebrities and last month Taiwan's foreign ministry enlisted Din Tai Fung in a gourmet food tour for tourists from France and England to help promote the island's image.

Yang, 52, said the success of Din Tai Fung lies in "committing ourselves to doing everything well, from preparing the food to serving the customers and maintaining the hygiene of the restaurant".

In an interview with AFP, he said: "It is an enormous pressure to live up to the expectations. We are constantly striving to make the restaurant better and not to let our patrons down."     more ...

KMT shows humility, eyes 2nd win in presidential race

Sunday, January 13, 2008
The China Post news staff

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- While savoring the landslide victory in the parliamentary election yesterday, leaders of opposition Kuomintang (KMT) demonstrated modesty, caution and discretion in the face of the bigger challenge in the upcoming presidential election.

Voters in Taiwan gave the KMT 81 of the 113 seats in the Legislative Yuan, exactly three times number of the 27 seats garnered by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) led by President Chen Shui-bian, who announced immediate resignation as party chairman to take responsibility for the "worst setback" in his party's history.

The KMT and its smaller allies have secured 86 seats in the island's new parliament, KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung told a press conference at party headquarters.

"We understand that you have put your faith in us, but our joy should last for only one night," Wu said with other party leaders at his side, including KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou.     more ...

Taiwan's leader sets off for Guatemala, St. Lucia

Associated Press
Sunday, January 13, 2008

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian departed for Latin America on Sunday in an effort to fend off China's attempts to lure away the self-governed island's diplomatic allies.

Chen will attend the inauguration of Guatemalan President-elect Alvaro Colom before visiting St. Lucia. He will make a transit through Anchorage in the United States, aides said.

"China did not show signs of easing its military threat, diplomatic suppression and economic warfare against Taiwan over the past one or two years, but has instead stepped up those efforts," Chen said before boarding a chartered flight.      more ...

Taiwan president says opposition win could see island join China

AFX News Limited
01.07.08, 4:19 AM ET

TAIPEI (Thomson Financial) - Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian on Monday warned that the island could be reunited with China 'anytime soon' if the opposition Kuomintang win weekend parliamentary elections.

'If the Kuomintang won, then reunification with China could be realized anytime soon,' Chen, chairman of the ruling Democratic Progressive (nyse: PGR - news - people ) Party (DPP), told reporters after a meeting with party heavyweights on the prospects for Saturday's polls.

'Should that happen, Taiwan could become another Hong Kong or Macau,' Chen said in a hoarse voice following weeks of campaigning.    more ...

U.S. provides surprising boost to Taiwan exports

Reuters - Monday January 7 2008
By Lee Chyen Yee

TAIPEI, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Taiwan's December exports rose from a year earlier at their strongest pace since mid 2006, boosted by surprisingly strong demand from the United States for steel, electrical products and information technology.
Finance Ministry data on Monday showed hefty exports growth to China, and Southeast Asia as well, but more modest growth to Europe, defying broad expectations that exports from Asia will stumble in the face of a U.S. economic downturn.
Taiwan's export growth of 19.8 percent was almost double the rise predicted by analysts. Still, they insist that the pace of demand will moderate as a U.S. housing slump and credit crunch eat into spending by the world's biggest economy.
"These are huge numbers," Tony Phoo, an economist at Standard Chartered, said. "Our view is for slower export growth going forward."
"It should hit single-digits as early as the second quarter of this year. Trade will still be an important factor for Taiwan. We're still positive on China, but no one's sure how China is likely to perform," he said.    more ...

China blocks public access to Taiwan's blog portal sites

China Post - Saturday, January 5, 2008
CNA

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The Chinese government has barred its citizens from accessing Taiwan-based blog portal sites since the second half of last year, executives for local blog portal sites said yesterday.

Beginning last November, Beijing has begun to block access to the portal Pixnet and blog sites of Yahoo, Yam, and other major portals, said Ryan Lee, managing director of Pixnet Digital Media Corp.

Many of the bloggers on Pixnet believe that Beijing's move is closely related to Taiwan's March 22 presidential elections in which Taiwan's ties with China is a hot topic of debate, Lee noted.

China imposes a stringent control on certain phrases in the media, including Taiwan independence.   more ...

Taiwan's president promises peaceful transition of power

Posted : Sat, 05 Jan 2008 19:11:06 GMT
Author : DPA
Asia World News

Taipei - Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian on Saturday promised he will ensure a peaceful transition of power when he steps down on March 20. "You can be hundred per cent sure about peaceful transition of power on May 20. Some people said I will try to prolong my term by imposing the martial law. I won't do that," Chen said in an interview with Sanli TV on Saturday evening.

Chen said that in a democratic nation, the president has fixed terms and cannot stay in power forever like ancient Chinese emperors.

"I will not let history repeat itself. As I myself was a victim of martial law, I cannot prolong my term by launching martial law," he said.

"I promise that on May 20, I will hand over power to the new leader. In the two months from the new president is elected till his inauguration, I hope to brief him on all the state affairs and experience in running the nation," he added.       more ...

KMT may reject right to hold future polls, President Chen warns

DPP urges voters to uphold democracy, protect Taiwan
By Dennis Engbarth
Taiwan News, Staff Reporter
Page 2
2008-01-03 01:03 AM

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) warned yesterday that the decision by the former ruling Kuomintang Monday to boycott two referendums in the coming January 12 Legislative polls showed that "tomorrow the KMT could refuse the Taiwan's people right to hold elections."

Chen issued the warning in his concurrent capacity as governing Democratic Progressive Party chairman during the weekly meeting of the DPP Central Standing Committee in the wake of Monday's decision by the right-wing opposition KMT to call on Taiwan voters to refuse to collect referendum ballots under the banner of "No To Any Referendum!"

The KMT's planned boycott would include both the DPP-sponsored plebiscite on the recovery of KMT "ill-gotten party assets" and an "anti-corruption" referendum, for which the KMT collected 1.3 million signatures.

Chen declared that the opposition party's reversal "has again exposed the KMT's essence of 'opposing democracy, playing false with democracy, protecting its party assets and opposing Taiwan's entry into the United Nations" and called on the electorate to realize that "referendum is our common right" and appealed to voters to "not say 'no' to democracy."

The DPP chairman said that the KMT's position "against democracy and against referenda" was "following the same ruts as China's opposition to Taiwan holding referenda 'in any form or on any topic" and said that the KMT's decision to "sing the same tune as China" constituted "the greatest regret and worry for Taiwan's democratic consolidation and deepening."      more ...

Taipei Ushers In The New Year

Click On Image To View Quick Time Movie (large 3.5MB file download)

Taiwan is vital to the US military

Taipei Times
Thursday, Nov 22, 2007, Page 8
By Cheng Ta-chen 鄭大誠

The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) stated in its recent annual report to Congress that Taiwan's defense capabilities completely rely on the US and that Taiwan would not be able to withstand an invasion by the People's Liberation Army were it not for US military assistance.

The US should not forget that Taiwan also plays a crucial part in its US Asia-Pacific strategy.

First of all, Taiwan plays an important role as a "pressure point" on the first island chain.

If the US is able to hold Taiwan, it can exert consistent pressure on China through this pressure point.

Similarly, if China were to obtain control over Taiwan, it could exert military pressure on other countries and extend its navy and air forces east of the first island chain.       more ...

US revises references to Taiwan after complaint

`CORRECTIONS' MADE: Taipei objected to references to Taiwan included in two articles released by the US Armed Forces Press Service on Saturday and Sunday

By Charles Snyder
STAFF REPORTER IN WASHINGTON
Wednesday, Nov 07, 2007, Page 1

The US Department of Defense has revised articles carried by its official news service that made reference to Taiwan after complaints from Taiwanese officials in Washington.

The officials objected to references contained in articles released by the Armed Forces Press Service on Saturday and Sunday about US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates' trip to China, where he discussed a wide range of bilateral and regional issues, including China's breakneck military expansion and Taiwan.

On Monday, the press service eliminated the offending references from the articles on its Web site and the Pentagon's spokesman for East Asian affairs, Major Stewart Upton, conceded that the original references were "inaccurate."

This was after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had instructed Taiwanese Representative to the US Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) to ask for "clarification" on the articles.      more ...

Taiwan negotiator: China should abandon one-China principle for talks

Daily Yomiuri Online
By Toshinao Ishii / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

Taiwan's top China negotiator said China should abandon its "one China" principle if it wants to have dialogue with Taiwan on reaching a peace agreement.

Citing Chinese President Hu Jintao's offer of talks with Taiwan made during the Communist Party Congress in October, Hong Chi-chang, head of the semiofficial Straits Exchange Foundation that deals with its mainland counterpart in the absence of official ties, said, "As long as China holds to its 'one China' principle as a precondition, it's impossible to have dialogue on a peace agreement, no matter who is [Taiwan] president."

Hu said last month China was "ready to conduct dialogue on any issue" as long as Taiwan recognizes that "both sides of the [Taiwan] strait belong to one and the same China."

For his part, Hong, a legislator of Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party, said: "In Taiwan, 'one China' is regarded as referring to the People's Republic of China, as is the case at the United Nations. This is against Taiwan's interest and unacceptable for many Taiwan residents."       more ...

The Taiwan that Roared

World Beat
by JOHN FEFFER | Monday, November 5, 2007
Vol. 2, No. 45

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the ending of martial law in Taiwan. But don’t expect any major global celebrations of Taiwanese democracy. For all the vibrancy of Taiwanese politics and the high performance of Taiwan’s economy, the island is something of an embarrassment to the international community. Taiwan looks like a state. It acts like a state. But only two dozen other countries recognize Taiwan as a state, and these are not exactly the world’s heavy hitters: no European countries except the Vatican, no Asian countries outside of Oceania, no North American countries.

Taiwan would like to change all that. It is focusing now on joining the United Nations. And rather than simply continuing to knock on the door of the UN, which has remained dead-bolted, Taiwan’s President Chen Shui-bian is proposing to ask the Taiwanese people in a referendum next March whether they want in. The referendum will coincide with the presidential elections, which has drawn charges of politicking on the part of the ruling party.

The big problem, though, is Beijing. Mainland China views any formal Taiwanese declaration of independence as an act of war, equivalent to South Carolina seceding from the Union in 1860. Beijing has called the referendum a step toward independence.

What’s a democracy to do?

Taiwan’s democratic deliberations raise an age-old dilemma. What happens when democracies make decisions that could potentially precipitate major conflict? Certainly the Taiwanese do not want war with the mainland. But they also don’t want to be told what to do. Taiwan does not see itself as an adolescent in need of parental guidance – either from Beijing or from Washington (which has come out against the referendum).

Taiwan is by no means the only country to struggle with this dilemma. The majority of the U.S. electorate supported the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq (not that there was a referendum, mind you, but the polls were unfortunately all too clear). Just because a majority of any group of people believes something to be true and right doesn’t mean it is either true or right.       more ...

Taiwan rejects Chinese call for peace accord

International Herald Tribune
The Associated Press
Published: October 15, 2007

TAIPEI, Taiwan: Taiwan on Monday rejected a call by Chinese President Hu Jintao for a formal peace accord between the two rivals, saying it lacked any significance.

Government spokesman Shieh Jhy-wey's comments came several hours after Hu told a major Communist Party meeting that Beijing favored a peaceful, negotiated settlement to the 58-year-old conflict, provided Taiwan accepts that it is a part of China.

Taiwan and China split amid civil war in 1949. The "one-China principle" has formed the basis of Beijing's policy toward the self-ruled island ever since.

In Taiwan's first official reaction to Hu's comments, Shieh said that the Chinese leader's invitation "was devoid of any significance whatsoever."

"We will not discuss peace, unification, or any other issues with a regime that has suppressed the Tibetans, killed its own people and supported the military junta of Myanmar," he said.     more ...

China and Taiwan flex military muscles

International Herald Tribune
10 October 2007 4:27 pm

The case against (pseudo-)Communist China’s having dominance over anything,
much less freer areas like Taiwan, is amply proven by their human
rights/civil liberties abuses (e.g., Tianenmin (sp?) Square) - yes, the US
has had problems in that area, but nowhere near the level of those in
Mainland China (where this comment will almost certainly be blocked by
government censors, for instance…), and they are in the process of being
corrected (I see no signs of such in China except as pushed by the outside
world).     more ...

China promotes military officers experienced in Taiwan affairs

International Herald Tribune
By David Lague
Published: October 9, 2007

BEIJING: China has promoted senior military officers with experience in planning for war over Taiwan ahead of a key political meeting next week at which the Communist Party has said it will adopt a new strategy to stop the self-governing island moving toward independence.

In a move that was quietly handled even by the standards of China's secretive military, Beijing last month elevated General Chen Bingde of the army to chief of the general staff, a post where he will exercise day-to-day operational command of the country's 2.3 million-strong armed forces.     more ...

Typhoon Krosa kills 18 in Taiwan

Bangkok Post - October 8, 2007

Taipei (dpa) - Typhoon Krosa, which wreaked havoc in Taiwan over the weekend, has killed up to 18 people and caused at least 1.16 billion Taiwan dollars (35 million US) in agricultural losses, officials said Monday.

The storm left 18 people dead and three are still missing, becoming one of the deadliest typhoons to have hit the island, according to the death toll compiled by local news media.

Krosa, which headed to China on Sunday, has created serious damage to various parts of Taiwan, with the agricultural sector being the worst hit.      more ...

Renowned Chinese Attorney Urges U.S. Congress to Address China's Human Rights

Gao Zhisheng's open letter to U.S. Congress draws support

By Yi Ping
Epoch Times Staff
Sep 23, 2007

WASHINGTON, D.C.—In the afternoon of Sept. 20, 2007, members of the U.S. Congress, Canadian, and European Parliaments attended a press conference at the Rayburn House Office Building to support China's human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng.

Attorney Gao, known as "China's Conscience" and author of A China More Just , recently wrote an open letter to members of the U.S. Congress and the Senate. In his nine-page letter, Gao included first-hand information, documented data, and evidence of Beijing's brutal suppression of human rights.

Gao expressed his deep concern about the upcoming Beijing Olympics and urged the U.S. Congress to pay attention to the continuous human rights violations in China.      more ,,,

U.S. must not send wrong message

Taiwan News
Page 5
2007-09-25 01:07 AM

For several years, the United States government has pointed to the failure of the Legislative Yuan to approve budget authority for the government to purchase three advanced defense weapon systems as a sign that Taiwan may be unwilling to take responsibility for building its own self-defense capabilities.

Fortunately, after three years of legislative boycott and delays by the opposition Kuomintang-led majority, the Legislative Yuan finally in June approved funds for the purchase of 12 P-3C "Orion" fixed-wing anti-submarine aircraft, agreed to an upgrade of existing Patriot II anti-missile missile systems and approved further study on the proposed purchase of eight diesel-electric submarines.

The addition of the 12 P-3Cs will allow the retirement of the outdated S-2T patrol aircraft, which are uncomfortable and even dangerous to their pilots, and bolster Taiwan's own defenses against submarine threats, especially from the hostile People's Republic of China, and in regional defense in tacit cooperation with Japan.

Moreover, the Legislature also in June gave preapproval to a budget proposal by the Ministry of National defense for NT$16 billion in funds toward the purchase of 66 upgraded F-16 C/D Block 52 "Fighting Falcon" multipurpose jet fighters, which Taiwan also urgently needs to restore the balance with a rapidly upgrading PRC air force, which is now equipped with powerful SU-27 "Flanker" jet fighters and retire the last of our obsolete F-5 fighters.

However, local media have reported that Washington might delay or retract its offer to sell F-16 C/Ds to Taiwan in the wake of frictions over the campaign initiated by the governing Democratic Progressive Party for a national referendum on using the name of "Taiwan" to enter the United Nations.     more ...

General Assembly votes against Taiwan membership bid

The Straits Times
Sep 22, 2007

The UN General Assembly agreed to uphold the decision to reject Taiwan's 15th consecutive bid for membership. -- AP
UNITED NATIONS - THE United Nations (UN) General Assembly agreed by consensus on Friday to uphold a decision by one of its committees to reject Taiwan's 15th consecutive annual bid for membership in the face of strong opposition from Beijing.

Backers of Taipei pushed for including on the agenda of the 192 member UN General Assembly's 62nd session a request that the powerful Security Council be urged 'to process Taiwan's membership application'.

The move was sponsored by Belize, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Honduras, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Pala, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Solomon Islands, Swaziland and Tuvalu.

But after a day-long debate in plenary session on Friday, a consensus emerged among assembly members present in favour of backing the decision by the assembly's 22-member General Committee Wednesday not to put the membership issue on the agenda.      more ...

China condemns Taiwan U.N. rally

CNN News
updated 3:41 a.m. EDT, Mon September 17, 2007

BEIJING, China (AP) -- China condemned a massive rally organized by Taiwan's president calling for the island's membership in the United Nations, warning Sunday that Beijing was now preparing for a "serious situation."
art.rally.afp.jpg

The statement did not say what constituted a serious situation, although China has long threatened to take military action against Taiwan if it declares formal independence or indefinitely delays unifying with China.

More than 100,000 Taiwanese took to the streets Saturday in support of a planned referendum on U.N. membership, backing President Chen Shui-bian's pro-independence policies and defying previous Chinese threats.

The rally in the southern port city of Kaohsiung was part of an 18-month government-orchestrated campaign to emphasize Taiwan's separateness from the mainland, from which it split amid civil war in 1949. Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory.      more ...

Taiwanese march to back UN bid

BBC News
Last Updated: Saturday, 15 September 2007, 13:15 GMT 14:15 UK

At least 100,000 people have marched in Taiwan in support of a government plan to hold a referendum on joining the UN under the name Taiwan.

The UN has rejected previous bids from the island to join the body under its official name, Republic of China.

The bids anger Beijing, which sees Taiwan as a breakaway province. China has vowed to use force if Taiwan took steps towards formal independence.

China's opposition means Taiwan's bids for a UN seat are certain to fail.

Ruled by separate governments since end of Chinese civil war in 1949 China considers the island part of its territory.  China has offered a "one country, two systems" solution, like Hong Kong.   Most people in Taiwan support status quo

The march, in the southern city of Kaohsiung, attracted hundreds of thousands of people according to organisers, while police said 100,000 took part.      more ...

Chen blasts U.S. over Taiwan's U.N. referendum

CNN News - updated 12:22 a.m. EDT, Sat September 15, 2007

NEW YORK (AP) -- Taiwan's president criticized the U.S. on Friday for refusing to support a referendum the island is planning to hold on whether to seek U.N. membership under its own name.
art.chen.ap.jpg

Speaking via video to an audience in New York, Chen Shui-bian said he believes the U.S. opposes the referendum because of China's opposition, intimidation and threat of military action.

"As a leader in the community of democracies, why can't the U.S. say no to China?" he asked. "Why can't the U.S. openly say that you can't hold a gun pointing at the head of the 23 million people of Taiwan and use the other hand to choke Taiwan?"        more ...

Taiwan miffs the commies

By PAUL JACKSON - Edmonton Sun
Wed, September 12, 2007

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- We drive past a small protest group waving placards against some policy or for some purpose.

"We have ballots here, not bullets, and we have demonstrations not dungeons," my Taiwanese guide says.

That's true, there is no Tiananmen Square in Taiwan's capital, where students are mowed down by tanks and machine-guns, and no Tibet with a brutal regime strangling a tiny people to death.

The Republic of China (ROC) is free and intends to stay that way despite bellicose threats from the dictators in Beijing and some 600 missiles on Communist China aimed at this island nation. Each year, 100 more missiles are added.

Even in its precarious position, no one has the jitters here, and life goes on as normal, although with a watchful eye.

"The Communist government on the mainland regards the existence of free Taiwan as simply an extension of an unfinished civil war," says Alexander Huang, a defence expert, graduate of Georgetown University, and former visiting fellow at the Brookings Institute.      more ...

US rights group criticizes Bush administration for pressuring
Taiwan on UN referendum plan

The Associated Press
Published: September 10, 2007

WASHINGTON: A U.S.-based human rights group criticized the United States on Monday for pressuring Taiwan to abandon plans for a public referendum on whether the island should petition for entry to the United Nations.

Freedom House, a nonpartisan organization partly funded by the U.S government, said such pressure is inconsistent with the U.S. push for democracy around the world.

Jennifer Windsor, executive director of Freedom House, said the United States "has no business in joining with China to bully the Taiwanese people."

The Bush administration's condemnation of the referendum sends a message, she said, that "the spread of democracy and freedom is not a priority when it offends a large, powerful country."    more ...

Taiwan accuses China of meddling in ties with Africa

Agence France-Presse
Last updated 09:46pm (Mla time) 09/10/2007

TAIPEI -- Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian on Monday accused China of trying to derail the island's relations with several African states, in the latest salvo over Taipei's bid to rejoin the United Nations.

One day after Chen hosted a summit with leaders from Taiwan's five allies on the continent, he accused Beijing of working behind the scenes to keep African politicians from attending a forum hosted by the foreign ministry in Taipei.

Africa is one of the main diplomatic battlegrounds for the cross-strait rivals, which have accused each other of luring allies away with "chequebook diplomacy." Only 24 countries now recognize Taipei instead of Beijing.

Taiwan accuses China of meddling in ties with Africa

Agence France-Presse
Last updated 09:46pm (Mla time) 09/10/2007

TAIPEI -- Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian on Monday accused China of trying to derail the island's relations with several African states, in the latest salvo over Taipei's bid to rejoin the United Nations.

One day after Chen hosted a summit with leaders from Taiwan's five allies on the continent, he accused Beijing of working behind the scenes to keep African politicians from attending a forum hosted by the foreign ministry in Taipei.

Africa is one of the main diplomatic battlegrounds for the cross-strait rivals, which have accused each other of luring allies away with "chequebook diplomacy." Only 24 countries now recognize Taipei instead of Beijing.     
more ...

Bush lauds Taiwan's democratic society

FIRM FRIENDS: US President George W. Bush pointed to Taiwan as an example of democratic development that China could follow and as a leading US defense partner

Taipei Times
By Charles Snyder and Jessie Ho
Staff Reporters, in Washington and Sydney
Saturday, Sep 08, 2007, Page 1

The US' relationship with Taiwan, along with other nations in the region, forms "the bedrock of America's engagement in Asia-Pacific," US President George W. Bush told a business summit at the APEC meeting on Thursday.

In a speech aimed to promote greater democracy, freedom and prosperity in the region, Bush also praised Taiwan's emergence as a democratic society, and, in the same breath, urged China to "show confidence by demonstrating a commitment to greater openness and tolerance."     more ...

Taiwan referendum plan triggers shift in US policy

AFP
1 day ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) — US President George W. Bush's administration appears to have made a radical shift in its Taiwan policy which some experts see as a miscalculation and kowtowing to the island's giant neighbour China.

The move comes in the wake of independence-leaning Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian's persistence in wanting to hold a referendum on whether it should apply for UN membership under the name Taiwan.

Such a poll could draw the wrath of the communist leadership in China, which regards the democratic island as a renegade province awaiting reunification with the mainland.

Any conflict will drag in the United States, which by law has to help defend Taiwan from a military takeover by China.

To underline that Washington opposes the referendum, Bush joined Chinese President Hu Jintao on Thursday in criticizing the move on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Sydney.

It has been longstanding US policy to very deliberately take no position on the matter of sovereignty over Taiwan but the Bush administration broke that tradition by announcing last week that the island is not a state.

"Membership in the United Nations requires statehood. Taiwan, or the Republic of China, is not at this point a state in the international community," Dennis Wilder, a senior Bush aide, said ahead of his Sydney trip. more...

Taiwan's UN referendum

Tapei Times
Monday, Sep 03, 2007, Page 8

US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte has publicly stated his country's opposition to the Democratic Progressive Party's proposal to hold a referendum on entering the UN under the name "Taiwan."

The people of Taiwan demand that Washington stand up to China and show leadership on this issue.

The US has a long history of sacrificing Taiwanese interests in favor of China and this is why they have labeled the referendum as an attempt to unilaterally alter the "status quo."

The US has a lot to lose from this referendum, since it might require officials to take a stand that would not only upset China, but also expose the US' disregard for the Taiwanese.      more ...

Taiwan supporter criticizes Negroponte

`REGRETTABLE': Congressman Tom Tancredo slammed US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, saying comments he made could encourage Beijing to attack Taiwan

By Charles Snyder
STAFF REPORTER IN WASHINGTON
Sunday, Sep 02, 2007, Page 1

Supporters of Taiwan in Washington took senior officials of the administration of US President George W. Bush to task on Friday for comments last week about Taiwan's international status and President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and the Democratic Progressive Party's plan to hold an election-day referendum on UN membership.

Colorado Representative Tom Tancredo, a staunch supporter of Taiwan, criticized Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte for calling the referendum a move toward a declaration of independence, calling the statement "regrettable and irresponsible."

"If Mr Negroponte's goal was to help validate a future Chinese attack on the island," the congressman said in a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, "then he most certainly succeeded."     more ...

Parties split on interpreting United States stance

The China Post
Sunday, September 02, 2007 - The China Post staff

A senior U.S. official's latest denial of the Republic of China's statehood has sent opposing camps in Taiwan debating the remark's implications for the country's bid to join the United Nations.

Some in the opposition have claimed that Washington actually leaves the door open for ROC to rejoin the U.N., judging from what Dennis Wilder, senior director for East Asian Affairs of the U.S. National Security Council, said on Thursday.

But leaders from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party party have described the opposition camp's interpretation of Wilder's remarks as "wishful thinking."

Wilder on Thursday maintained that "Taiwan, or the Republic of China, is not a state in the international Community."

"The position of the United States government is that the ROC, Republic of China, is an issue undecided, and it has been left undecided... for many, many years," he said.

But Kuomintang Legislator Su Chi has argued that most observers have misinterpreted Wilder's remarks.

The U.S. official was simply pointing out a fact about the ROC not being a state in the international community and therefore could not be accepted into the U.N., said Su, who headed the Mainland Affairs Council in the 1990s.

But Wilder was also stating Washington's position that the ROC issue has been undecided.

"The U.S. does not deny the ROC, it only thinks that the ROC's international status has been undecided, leaving room for the ROC's return to the U.N. in the future," Su was cited by the United Evening News as arguing.       more ....

Taiwan: Bolt from the East

5:13PM Monday August 27, 2007
By Heather Ramsay = New Zealand Herald

A few decades ago Taiwan was synonymous with cheap goods of questionable quality, but since the 80s the island nation has steadily moved into high-value technology and capital-intensive industries. The country's infrastructure has developed accordingly, with the transport network in particular undergoing constant modernisation.

One strategic development is the Taiwan High Speed Rail (HSR) between the capital Taipei in the north, and the important harbour city of Kaohsiung in the south. This US$18 billion (NZ$26 billion) private sector venture marks the first time that Japanese Shinkansen (Bullet Train) technology has been used outside Japan. The result is Taiwan's sleek 700T train, which can travel at up to 300kp/h and cover the 345km journey in 90 minutes. Around 40 departures per day in both directions means that it's feasible to live at one end of the country and work in the other - or comfortably make a day-trip for business.       more ...

Homers propel Taiwan to victory at Little League World Series

The Associated Press

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. --
Kai-Ying Chen hit a home run on the second pitch of the game and Jen-Cheih Liu also homered as Taichung, Taiwan, beat Mexicali, Mexico, 4-2 on Wednesday at the Little League World Series.

Mexico's Diego Briseno just missed a potential game-winning three-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. His long fly landed in Chun-Jen Cheng's glove in left field, just a few feet short of the fence.   more ...

Taiwan independent, Chen tells BBC

REALITY CHECK: Dismissing claims he would declare independence, Chen Shui-bian said the real `status quo' is that Taiwan has been a country for more than half a century

By Shih Hsiu-chuan
STAFF REPORTER, WITH CNA
Thursday, Aug 23, 2007, Page 1

Taiwan does not have to declare independence because it is already independent, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said in an interview with the BBC, the contents of which the Presidential Office made public yesterday.

Chen made the remarks when asked if he would eventually declare independence.

"The reality is Taiwan has been a sovereign, independent country for more than half a century, and that continues to be the `status quo,'" Chen said in the recent interview, adding that Taiwan's sovereignty does not fall under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China and that there is "one country on each side of the Taiwan Strait."    more ...

Pro-democracy activist back in U.S. after five years in Chinese jail

The Associated Press
Published: August 21, 2007

WASHINGTON: A democracy activist who has returned to the United States after serving five years in Chinese prisons said Tuesday that he believes democratic change in China is inevitable.

Yang Jianli said he was forced to sit straight on a bench for four hours every day for a year and a half. He was beaten once. He was handcuffed for two weeks. He was denied the chance to go outside for fresh air during several stretches, one that lasted eight months.  Still, Yang said he is sure China is on a path to democracy.

"The Chinese government is sitting on a powder keg as frustration with the one-party system mounts," Yang told reporters and supporters at a news conference Tuesday. "The tighter the grip on power, the more difficulty they will have in holding on."

With his family and members of the U.S. Congress at his side, Yang said he was happy to be standing as a "free man, freely expressing my thoughts and ideas before you."

U.S. lawmakers pressed China to improve what they called a dismal human rights policies.

Democratic Rep. Tom Lantos urged China to use next year's Beijing Olympics to "fall in line with the civilized world."  Yang said that although his captors treated him harshly, he remains optimistic about China's future.

"Nobody can stop the process" of democratization in China, he said Monday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "The problem is how long and how much a price the Chinese people have to pay."   more ..

Taiwan may export freedom

The Dallas Morning News - 08:24 AM CDT on Tuesday, August 21, 2007

WASHINGTON – Taiwan has an impressive economy. Stood against Texas, which has about the same number of people, Taiwan would lag in wealth – the Lone Star State this year will become a $1 trillion economy. But Taiwan scores much better in curbing poverty. Less than 1 percent of Taiwan's 23 million people live below the poverty line; nearly 16 percent of Texans are poor.

Taiwan's $350 billion economy grew 4.6 percent last year. The country runs a current account surplus and has the world's third-highest foreign currency reserves. Unemployment is 3.9 percent. Per capita income is $16,700, though the purchasing power of that income compared with the rest of the world is $29,500.

The question mark is Taiwan's growing dependence on China. The argument in Taipei about whether this is a good or a bad thing is one way to gauge the larger debate about whether wealth will bring democracy to Beijing.      more ...

Taiwan cannot be taken by force

By Lin Yu-chong
Taipei Times - Monday, Aug 20, 2007, Page 8

Recently, two articles about Taiwan appeared several days apart in the Honolulu Advertiser (the largest of the two daily newspapers in Hawaii). Richard Halloran's article, "U.S. must defend Taiwan against China," appeared on July 15 (sic).

Oliver Lee's article was published on July 22, titled "U.S. likely won't defend Taiwan from China." (sic) Lee is a retired professor of the University of Hawaii's Political Science Department.

Halloran is a former New York Times correspondent and his column appears weekly in the Honolulu Advertiser Sunday's Focus section.

They hold opposite views on Taiwan's sovereignty and consequences of a forced takeover by China. Lee believes that China can rightfully takeover Taiwan by force and thinks that the US neither has the right nor the willingness to defend Taiwan in such an event. I strongly disagree on both counts. Lee barely touched upon the seriousness of the issue, not to mention the horror immediately confronting the 23 million people of this island nation, which has not been a part of China since 1895. In my view, keeping silent on Lee's assertions can be seen as agreeing with his view points.

Therefore, I submitted my views, "China cannot rightfully take Taiwan by force," to the Honolulu Advertiser and was published on Aug. 3 in its Editorial page (sic).

My rebuttal to Lee's view appears below:

Lee readily accepts that Taiwan is part of China from a historical perspective and the Shanghai Communique of 1972. If historical claims are the sole criterion then Mexico could claim the same of California and Texas. As for the communique one should ask "What is a communique worth?" Nil, except to China and those who want to take the advantage of its cheap manufacturing capacity and access to its mass market. Regarding China's claim on Taiwan, countries have used words such as "acknowledge" (US), "respects and fully understands" (Japan), "takes note," and "admits," but rarely "recognizes."

In fact, any favorable statement towards Taiwan can be extracted from developing countries in exchange for economic aid. The state of international loyalty is such that any wording in a communique can be used to gain access to China's enormous market potential. A communique exacts no international enforceability as a treaty would, even if the word "recognizes" is used. As opposed to a treaty, a communique is not rectified by referendum, congress, parliament, or a legislative body independent of the administration (Lin Yu-chong "What are communiques good for?" Taipei Times, June 25, 2005).       more ,,,

Taiwan's return to China's fold

Sunday, August 19, 2007 - By Joe Hung, The China Post

As the United States continued to plan how to deal with Taiwan after the Second World War, American strategists had to ask if sovereignty over Formosa (Taiwan) would pass to China at the same time with its takeover of the island. Entirely apart from the legal principles involved, it was apparent that in practical application a clear-cut ruling would present difficulties for the United States. In the quandary thus produced, Washington made no public pronouncement at all on the subject. Nevertheless, the general thinking after the Japanese surrender was that although, by signing the instrument of surrender, Japan had relinquished sovereignty over Taiwan, and although the Chinese reoccupied Taiwan and assumed an interim administrative authority, legal transfer of that sovereignty to China would require formalization by a treaty of peace.

But no decisions were taken, while the Pacific War went on. A plan was formulated for the seizure of Taiwan to precede the occupation of the Philippines. It was abandoned, because President Franklin D. Roosevelt had to acquiesce to General Douglas A. MacArthur, who vowed when he left Luzon at the beginning of the war he "shall return." It was not President Chiang Kai-shek who made Roosevelt change his mind to drop the plan to invade Taiwan. The island was neutralized by carrier air attacks, however. In the course of the U.S. advance on Japan after the recovery of the Philippines, Taiwan was bypassed in favor of an attack on Okinawa. The capture of Okinawa on June 21 obviated the need of seizing Taiwan for use as a staging area for the contemplated final assault on the Japanese home islands.      more ...

Editorial: When China is Taiwan's friend

Saturday, Aug 18, 2007, Page 8: Taipei Times

The trip to Taiwan by former US ambassador to the UN John Bolton shows there are at least a few people in the upper tiers of Washington who are prepared to speak in support of Taiwan and to act on their words by visiting and affording respect to the office of Taiwanese president. So, more strength to him and those like him.

But Bolton knows, as much as any informed friend or foe of Taiwan, that Taiwan's bid to join the UN is about the performance, not the result. When conclusions are foregone, sometimes there is hay to be made from the ritual of failure.

Regrettably, all too often this hay is left in the barn, so to speak, by diplomats who simply do not know how to communicate with Washington's jumpier officials.

Taiwan should therefore offer its gratitude to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, whose recent misuse of the UN Charter and UN Resolutions can only harm the credibility of the UN and assist Taiwan's cause. When Ban refused to accept a letter from President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) about joining the UN, he was not only acting like a textbook patsy, but also violating protocol and misquoting the decisions of the UN to justify his behavior.
more ...

TAIWAN: Ad promotes nation's UN application

The Government Information Office will widely release the ad for both print and television

Taipei Times
Friday, August 17, 2007

By Jimmy Chuang

The Government Information Office (GIO) yesterday unveiled ads for print and TV designed to promote the nation's latest application to join the UN.

The office's TV commercial shows a whale that is kept in a fish bowl, from which it is trying to escape.

The commercial communicates a message to the UN to "stop isolating Taiwan," Cabinet Spokesman Shieh Jhy-wey said.

The commercial will be produced in TV and print formats and in five different languages: English, Japanese, German, Spanish and French.

In addition, the office is planning to hang the advertisements on New York City buses while the UN General Assembly is in session there this fall.

"We are constantly trying to tell the world that Taiwan is a part of the international community and we want to join that family. But the UN continues to reject our applications. We are seeking more support. That is the message we want to deliver," Shieh said.     more ...

Taiwan's statehood is undeniable

By Chen Lung-chu 陳隆志
Taipei Times - Friday, Aug 17, 2007, Page 8

`Taiwan has evolved into a sovereign and independent nation. Clearly, Taiwan has not been `an inseparable part of China since ancient times.''

In terms of international law, Taiwan has not been a part of China since 1895. Taiwan has become a country through a continuous process of evolution. In the process of democratization and Taiwanization -- and thanks to the effective self-determination of its people -- Taiwan has evolved from a territory under military occupation following World War II to a country with the sovereignty and independence of a nation-state. This theory of Taiwan's evolution into a state conforms to historical developments, changing political conditions and the dynamic character and principles of international law. I support this theory of evolved nationhood, which I described previously on this page ("The evolution of Taiwan's statehood," Aug. 9, page 8).     more ...

Former US diplomat backs Taiwan's UN bid

By Staff Writer
Taiwan News
2007-08-13 04:40 PM

A former US diplomat said in Taiwan Monday it is appropriate for the island to seek the United Nations membership and the government here has the right to pick its own designation for the application.

John Bolton, a former US permanent representative to the United Nations from August 2005 until December 2006, made the statement after meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs James Huang for an hour at Huang's office.

"Taiwan should definitely become a member of the United Nations,”said Bolton, who arrived in the island Sunday. The former US diplomat painted the picking of a national designation as a domestic affair over which the island has the full discretion.     more ..

Statement by Cheng Kuang Chen

陳辰光之聲明
美國加利福尼亞州聖荷西市
2007年01月

To all the people of Taiwan:
致台灣同胞：

We are now embarked upon a great endeavor to obtain a declaration of rights under United States laws for all members of the Taiwan Nation Party and other Taiwanese with courage to seek the justice to which they are entitled under the United States Constitution.
我們如今正竭力為建國黨全體黨員以及其他有勇氣尋求在美國法律體系下享有應有正
義的其他台灣人，要求聲明美國憲法賦予的權利。

In order to begin this endeavor, we have had to do a thorough review of modern Taiwanese history, with particular emphasis on military history. As we stated in a Complaint for Declaratory Judgment filed October 24, 2006, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia,
為了著手這項活動，我們必須徹底檢視台灣現代史，尤其是著重在軍事方面的歷史。
如我們在2006年10月24日向美國首都「哥倫比亞特區」法院提出的訴訟案所述：      more ....

Taiwan was China’s only in a passing regime

By ALEJANDRO R. ROCES

In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Taiwan recently submitted a formal application to join the United Nations, the first time it did under its own name, Taiwan, instead of “Republic of China” which it used in earlier attempts.

In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Taiwan recently submitted a formal application to join the United Nations, the first time it did under its own name, Taiwan, instead of “Republic of China” which it used in earlier attempts.

Taiwan has long campaigned to join the UN but all such attempts have been blocked by China, which sees the island as a breakaway province that must be reunited with the mainland. Legally, most nations - and the United Nations itself - are in agreement with China that Taiwan is part of it. As a result, Taiwan is officially recognized by only 24 countries around the world.

Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian holds the mandate of its 23 million citizens to continue pursuing its interests in becoming a member of the United Nations, with the vision of making greater contributions to world peace and prosperity. Taiwan has submitted proposals every year for 14 years now which remains unacted upon by the UN.       more ...

Taiwan and the art of the irrational

By J. Michael Cole 寇謐將
Taiwan Times - Thursday, Jun 28, 2007, Page 8

`The roots of Taiwan's success therefore lie in how it advertises itself to the world through literature, music, movies and so on.'

Enough with legalism already. Open a book, a newspaper or a magazine about Taiwan and chances are the reader will come upon legally based argument as to why Taiwan is, or should be recognized as, a sovereign state with a status equal to other countries around the world.

If one were to check every box down the list of legal reasons why Taiwan should be embraced by the international community, he or she would rightly wonder why it hasn't happened yet.

Let's give the list a by no means exhaustive glance: The Cairo Declaration of 1943 is nothing but a non-binding communique that, as was recently argued in the pages of this newspaper, never said Taiwan would be handed over to the People's Republic of China (PRC). Check.      more ...

Falun Gong says more Taiwanese members barred from Hong

By DIKKY SINN
Associated Press
2007-06-27 06:20 PM

More than a dozen Falun Gong members from Taiwan have been blocked from entering Hong Kong ahead of celebrations marking 10 years since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule, a leader of the spiritual movement said Wednesday.
The group said denying members entry was wrong because Falun Gong is legal in Hong Kong and its protests have been allowed in the past.

"We don't have a record of misbehaving in Hong Kong. I don't understand why they ban our Taiwanese practitioners from joining us," said Kan Hung-cheung, a local Falun Gong organizer.

Security has been extra tight in Hong Kong because Chinese President Hu Jintao is scheduled to attend Sunday's handover anniversary festivities. The Falun Gong movement has a history of disrupting overseas visits by Chinese leaders.       more ...

Taiwan claims upper hand in hackers' war with rival China

ANNIE HUANG Associated Press Writer

Tuesday May 8th, 2007

As mirror images emerge, Taiwan and China can reconcile

By John C. Bersia - ORLANDO SENTINEL
Updated: 05/06/07 6:54 AM

Like bad Chinese food, the Beijing-Taipei flap over the 2008 Olympics torch relay leaves a funky, disappointing aftertaste. It is not what one should expect in connection with an event that celebrates human capability, spirited competition, collective pride and unity.

Ironically, the torch relay — advertised by China as the most inclusive in history — has ignited a firestorm of divisiveness more than a year before it is scheduled to light up the Olympics’ Opening Ceremony. Beijing wishes to run the torch through Taiwan as a continuation of its trek across parts of China, thus underscoring its claim to the island. Taipei seeks a route through third countries.    more ...

Formal ties with St. Lucia restored as China fumes

PRC expected to sever relations with Caribbean nation in a few days

By Jenny W. Hsu
Taiwan News, Staff Reporter

2007-05-02 12:00 AM

St. Lucia became Taiwan's newest ally on Monday night when the government of the Caribbean country officially resumed diplomatic ties with the Republic of China, foreign minister James Huang (黃志芳) announced yesterday via teleconferencing from the St. Lucia capital Castries.

"After a four months of negotiations, Taiwan and St. Lucia finally reestablished diplomatic relations," Huang said. "It goes to show that despite China's relentless obstruction, Taiwan can still make new friends because it is a highly respected country in the international community."

The newly forged bilateral ties will strengthen the friendship that already existed between the two countries, he added.

Huang noted, however, that the new alliance should not be viewed as a victory in the ongoing diplomatic rivalry with China, but rather as stellar achievement of the Taiwan government after months of proactive negotiations with St. Lucia. more ...

US defence analyst says China’s military advantage over Taiwan continues to rise

Daily News - Saturday, 31 March 2007

US: A senior U.S. intelligence analyst said Thursday that China’s military advantage over Taiwan continues to grow as China pumps money into improving its navy, air force and ground forces and boosts the number of advanced weapons facing its rival across the Taiwan Strait.

China’s growing military capability also gives it a better chance to counter the United States or another country that might intervene in the event of a war, Mark Cozad, a senior analyst with the Defense Intelligence Agency, told a congressional advisory panel in a detailed assessment of China’s military strength.     more ...

Taiwan's Acer eyes Chinese rival

While the showdown between the two companies comes amid lingering political tension between communist China and democratic, self-ruled Taiwan, Wang says the rivalry is all about business.

Friday, March 30, 2007 · Last updated 10:42 a.m. PT
By PETER ENAV
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

HSICHIH, Taiwan -- Taiwan's Acer Inc. wants to be known as the Ferrari of personal computers.

Seeking to climb past Chinese rival Lenovo to become the world's No. 3 PC maker, Acer has tied up with the iconic Italian automaker to convey to consumers that its computers have a special sleekness to them - a distinction, it hopes, that separates its machines from the plain boxes of other manufacturers.    more ...

Taiwan's new envoy to U.S. sees growing China threat

By Ralph Jennings
REUTERS
2:45 a.m. March 19, 2007

TAIPEI – Taiwan sees a growing threat from China's diplomatic and military expansion, the island's newly named envoy to the United States said on Monday.

'This is a danger to Taiwan, and the trend we see is that this danger is getting bigger and bigger,' Joseph Wu told Reuters in his first formal interview since being appointed on Sunday as the next de facto Taiwan ambassador to the United States.

'Also on the diplomacy front, China's foreign relations power is getting stronger and stronger, in the South Pacific, in Southeast Asia, in Central America, in Africa.'     more ...

Trip to Taiwan shows culture full of kindness

The News Gazette
By Amy F. Reiter
Monday, March 19, 2007 10:38 AM CDT

Kaohsiung, TAIWAN – In Kaohsiung, the second-largest city on the island nation of Taiwan, the people seem to be as warm as the weather.

For five East Central Illinois locals spending March in southern Taiwan on a trip sponsored by the Rotary Foundation, depending on – and receiving – the kindness of people in the Kaohsiung area has become a way of life.
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Shanae Hinkle, vice president of the Danville Rotary Club and director of business and finance for the Danville school district, is leading the Illinois group's trip.

"I am continually overwhelmed by the generosity of the Taiwanese people," Hinkle said, praising "the intangible gifts of their hearts, time and culture."       more ...

New Pacific commander vows commitment to Taiwan

SECURITY: Admiral Timothy Keating, incoming chief of the US military in the Pacific, said that strengthening Taiwan's defensive capability was one of his top concerns

By Charles Snyder
STAFF REPORTER IN WASHINGTON
Saturday, Mar 10, 2007, Page 1

"I will remain fully committed to the US obligation to provide Taiwan with the necessary capabilities for its defense."

Admiral Timothy Keating, incoming commander of US forces in the Pacific
The incoming commander of the US forces in the Pacific, Admiral Timothy Keating, signaled that he plans an active role for his US forces in preventing a Chinese attack on Taiwan, and said he would keep a close eye on developments in the Taiwan Strait, especially on China's growing military strength, when he assumes command.

Keating, who was nominated last month by US President George W. Bush to replace Admiral William Fallon, made his comments on Thursday at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee. He is expected to win easy confirmation by the committee and the full Senate.

In an answer to questions posed by the committee in advance of the hearing, Keating said one of his top priorities when he takes up the position will be "influencing cross-strait relations between China and Taiwan."

"I will remain fully committed to the US obligation to provide Taiwan with the necessary capabilities for its defense. I would continue to focus on efforts to modernize Taiwan's defense capability and improve the joint operating capacity of the Taiwan armed forces," he said.     more ...

China & Taiwan's Running Dispute

Yahoo News - Opinion
Richard Halloran Thu Mar 8, 11:30 AM ET

The verbal shots across the Taiwan Strait were stark.

"Taiwan is our territory," said Tan Naida, a delegate to the National People's Congress in Beijing. "Just look at history. Why can't we take Taiwan back?"

"Taiwan wants independence," said President Chen Shui-bian of Taiwan in Taipei. "Taiwan wants to change its name, Taiwan wants a new constitution, Taiwan wants development."

That aspect of the running dispute between China and Taiwan over the island off the coast of China is clear enough. Much of the rivalry, however, is riddled with contradiction. The consequence is an uneasy and perhaps dangerous stalemate about which the Bush Administration has done little but wring its hands.  more ..

China flexes muscles
Defense increase is aimed at Taiwan

Editorial
Newsday.com - March 7, 2007

China is going on a military spending spree to modernize its outdated armed forces and increase the pay of its 2.3 million troops. This week, Beijing announced it will increase its defense budget by 18 percent. The increase is up from 14 percent last year. But analysts say this figure traditionally understates the boost in the total amount actually devoted to military programs, which may be closer to 25 percent.

Should this worry Washington? Not really, but it's worth watching. It's not intended to pose a direct challenge to the United States, but it's almost certainly meant to be a shot across the bow for Taiwan. The message: The island that China considers a renegade province risks invasion if it makes any moves to assert its independence.

Taiwan is a perennial obsession for China. Beijing's aggressive rhetoric and its occasional saber-rattling are in line with its contention that it seeks no territorial gains but is determined to maintain the integrity of what it considers its historic homeland. That includes Taiwan, and China has made it clear it won't rest until it regains it. But the United States is pledged to Taiwan's defense and will agree to its re-annexation only if it's done by peaceful means.    more ...

Taiwan tests missiles that can hit Shanghai

The Times of India - 7 Mar, 2007

TAIPEI: Taiwan has tested missiles that can hit Hong Kong and Shanghai, a newspaper reported Tuesday, amid renewed tensions between the island and China triggered by recent strong pro-independence remarks by Taiwan's leader.

President Chen Shui-bian attended the secret test of the Hsiungfeng 2E missiles early last month, the United Daily News reported, citing unidentified sources.     more ...

PLA prepared to invade Taiwan

In response to Taiwanese President Chen’s statements on independence, General Guo, who ranks second to President Hu in military chain of command, says mainland would attack. Foreign Minister Li yesterday branded anyone who wants to split Taipei from Beijing a “criminal.”

Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – China’s armed forces would invade Taiwan should the island proclaim its independence, this according to General Guo Boxiong, State news agency Xinhua reported. General Guo, who ranks second only to President and Armed Forces Chairman Hu Jintao, made these comments during a discussion with military delegates to the National People’s Congress (NPC) currently underway in Beijing.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) would respond to a declaration of independence and “"effectively perform our glorious mission of safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity in accordance with the will of the motherland and the wishes of the people,” the general said. He urged PLA soldiers and officers to “heighten [their] sense of responsibility and sense of urgency” and make an all-out effort to “get well-prepared for military struggle.”     more ...

China slams independence talk from Taiwan

By Chris Buckley and Ralph Jennings
Reuters
Monday, March 5, 2007; 2:32 PM

BEIJING/TAIPEI (Reuters) - China slammed Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian's intensified talk of independence on Monday, saying anyone who sought a split from China would be a "criminal in history."

Chen said on Sunday the self-ruled island should pursue independence and change its official title, the "Republic of China" -- moves that worry its key ally, the United States, which seeks to maintain the status quo between the two sides.

"Don't listen to local leaders," Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing told Taiwan reporters in Beijing, a reference to China's view that Taiwan is a province rather than a country. "Whoever wants to split away will become a criminal in history."      more ...

China presses U.S. envoy to reject Taiwan missile sale

By Joe McDonald
ASSOCIATED PRESS
4:25 a.m. March 3, 2007

BEIJING – China pressed visiting Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte on Saturday to reject a proposed sale of missiles to Taiwan, the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its own territory.

Negroponte was visiting Beijing on a three-nation Asian tour focused on North Korea and regional security.

In his meetings with Chinese officials, “the Chinese side expressed that it is firmly opposed to the export and sale of weapons to Taiwan and the United States maintaining official relations with Taiwan,” said Qin Gang, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman.

An American Embassy spokeswoman said the U.S. government had no comment on the meetings.

China and Taiwan separated in 1949 but the communist Beijing government claims the island as part of its territory and has threatened repeatedly to attack. The United States is Taiwan's main arms supplier, though Beijing vehemently objects to such sales.       more ....

China Keeps Its 800 Missiles Aimed at Taiwan

NewsMax.com Wires
Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2007

XIAMEN, China -- When Huang Xu was a young soldier in an artillery unit on the Chinese coast in the late 1980s, war with Taiwan always seemed imminent.

"We were on alert level one every day, and drilling for Taiwan (contingencies) all the time," said the driver in the booming coastal city of Xiamen just a few miles away from the self-ruled island.

Today, the dynamic across the Taiwan Strait has changed. Trade between democratic Taiwan and Beijing, which claims sovereignty over it, has blossomed and the two economies are increasingly intertwined.  more ...

228 crucial to Taiwan's political landscape

Taipei Times
By Shen Chieh 沈潔
Tuesday, Feb 27, 2007, Page 8

To understand Taiwanese politics, it is necessary to comprehend the political earthquake set off by the 228 Incident. US president Richard Nixon said in 1972 that he did not know what the Taiwan independence movement was. Today, the US administration says it does not support measures by Taiwan to clearly distinguish itself from China. One reason for this is that they do not understand the history behind the scars left on the Taiwanese people by the 228 Incident.

To deal with this situation, the Brookings Institution organized a symposium last Thursday to discuss the political implications of 228 in the hopes of facilitating the understanding in US academic circles of "Taiwan consciousness" and demands for normalizing Taiwan's national status.    more ...

Taiwan commemorates 60th anniversary of infamous communal massacre

The Associated Press
Published: February 27, 2007

TAIPEI, Taiwan: Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian accused the opposition Wednesday of ducking responsibility for decades of human rights abuses, speaking at ceremonies commemorating a 60-year-old massacre.

Chen condemned Taiwan's opposition Nationalist Party as the island geared up for a year of frenzied politics, with legislative elections in December and a presidential ballot in March 2008.

The president was speaking at the 60th anniversary of the "2-28 incident," a Nationalist-inspired crackdown that remains a key source of acrimony among many of Taiwan's 23 million people.

On Feb. 28, 1947, Chinese Nationalist soldiers beat a Taiwanese woman for selling contraband cigarettes near the train station in the capital, Taipei.

The episode triggered massive riots, which Nationalist reinforcement security forces quelled at the cost of thousands of lives across Taiwan.   more ...

U.S. lawmakers call for official ties between U.S. and Taiwan

Chine Post - 2007/2/18
WASHINGTON, AP

U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation Friday that urges the United States to resume normal diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Under current U.S. policy, the United States has no official diplomatic ties with Taiwan and has a so-called one-China policy, with Beijing as its capital.

A sponsor of the legislation, Republican Rep. Tom Tancredo, called that policy outdated. "It's time for the United States to stop living this lie and to formally recognize Taiwan for what it is: An independent and sovereign country," said Tancredo, a strong critic of China and champion of Taiwan.     more ...

Taiwan's renaming campaign hits sore spot

Beijing (sic.Capitol of Communist China) denounces the island's removal of 'China' references from state-run organizations.

By Mark Magnier and Tsai Ting-I, Special to The Times
Los Angeles Times - February 15, 2007

BEIJING — What's in a name? Quite a bit if you're talking about China-Taiwan relations. China on Wednesday blasted Taiwan's president for a recent name-change campaign that deletes references to "China" and "Taiwan province" at state-run organizations in favor of "Taiwan."

China considers Taiwan part of its territory and is deeply suspicious of any move that downplays the island's cultural and historical ties to China or suggests the island is an independent entity. The two sides split in 1949 when the Nationalists were forced to flee China after a protracted civil war.

Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party headed by beleaguered President Chen Shui-bian, however, favors a stronger Taiwanese identity. On Monday, Chunghwa Post, the island's postal service, became Taiwan Post Co., a move the government said was necessary to distinguish it from the mainland's China Post. Chunghwa is another term for China.       more ...

Taiwan is a democratic, independent nation now

Taipei Times
By Wilson Chen 陳春生
Monday, Feb 12, 2007, Page 8

Since March 1, 1950, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), separated by the Taiwan Strait, have been competing with each other to win the right to represent China in the international community. Both sides have regarded themselves as the only legitimate representative of China.

It was not until Oct. 25, 1971, when UN Resolution No. 2758 was passed, that the issue was resolved.

The resolution states that "[the UN decides] to expel forthwith the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek (蔣中正) from the place which they unlawfully occupy at the UN and in all the organizations related to it."

Today, the international community recognizes the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) as the only legitimate government of China. As a result, the government of the Republic of China (ROC) has lost the legitimacy and legal right to act as the government of China.

This does not mean, however, that the PRC can can assert sovereignty over the ROC's territory. The reasons for this are two-fold.

First, the ROC refers to the Chiang regime, which had no legal claim to sovereignty over Taiwan's territory.     more ...

The US relationship with Taiwan

Taipei Times
By Nat Bellocchi 白樂崎

Sunday, Feb 11, 2007, Page 8

Advertising Advertising
The attention of the US has been focused on the Middle East, especially Iraq, for a long time. The recent mid-term elections in the US have resulted in even greater emphasis on the Middle East, further limiting the emphasis on relations with China and Taiwan.

China will have its People's Congress this year and thereafter finish preparations for next year's Olympics, while Taiwan will face two important elections.

Is this the right time to make some changes in the way the US conducts its relations with Taiwan?    more ...

Lee's Taiwan independence comments must be clarified

The China Post - 2007/2/10

To defuse the political storm over his recent statements about the "false issue" of Taiwan independence, former President Lee Teng-hui on Feb. 4 reaffirmed that "Taiwan is already a sovereign state" and hence "there is no need for Taiwan to pursue independence." True, Taiwan is a de facto sovereign state but only under the official name of the Republic of China (ROC). According to the existing ROC Constitution, the ROC on Taiwan still legally represents China whose territory encompasses the whole Chinese mainland. In other words, if "Taiwan independence" is interpreted in this way, it means there is only one China, and Taiwan is part of China as stipulated by the ROC Constitution.

However, the Chinese term "tai-du" or "Taiwan independence," as generally known for a long time, refers to the establishment of the "Republic of Taiwan," completely independent of China, which is currently represented by the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the international community.    more ...

Taiwan president sees military balance with China slipping

The Associated Press
Published: February 6, 2007

TAIPEI, Taiwan: China's military strength is growing exponentially, making it imperative for rival Taiwan to upgrade its weaponry to maintain the military balance, Taiwan's president said Tuesday.

China and Taiwan split amid civil war in 1949, but Beijing still claims sovereignty over the democratic island and threatens to use force if Taipei moves toward formal independence.

"This year, (China) will have the readiness to respond to an emergency military conflict. By 2010, it will be prepared to fight a large-scale war, and before 2015, it will achieve the decisive capability to win a war," President Chen Shui-bian said Tuesday, without elaborating.     more ...

China and Taiwan divide the Caribbean

Antigua Sun
Tuesday February 06 2007

The continuing dichotomy within the Caribbean Community (Caricom) over the Peoples Republic of China and Taiwan could begin to hurt the grouping which has been unable to establish a joint policy toward China, now the fourth largest economy in the world and growing fast.

Belize, Haiti, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, and St Kitts/Nevis continue to recognise Taiwan while the rest of the Caricom countries have diplomatic relations with China.

This division within Caricom has kept the development of a trade, aid and investment policy for China off the agenda of Caricom Heads of Government even though China is now involved with the region in a number of ways including as a lending member of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

From the archives of the Antigua Sun newspaper reflecting on the character, values and eccentricities of the people of Antigua

It is a favourable mark for China that even though it is unhappy about the continuing recognition of Taiwan by the four Caricom countries, it has not sought to block their use of its CDB funds.

The Chinese position is a stark contrast from the position taken by the US in 1979 when the New Jewel Movement seized power in Grenada and the US broke off diplomatic relations. Washington had laid down a condition to the CDB that Grenada could not access US funds.

The importance of China in the world and its potential value to Caricom countries was underscored recently by two events.     more ...

Taiwan statue removal fuels spat

BBC News
Last Updated: Tuesday, 6 February 2007, 17:35 GMT

Tourists at Chiang Kai-shek memorial in Taipei
Chiang Kai-shek is no longer as revered as he was in Taiwan
A Taiwan government decision to remove statues of late Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek from military premises has caused outrage in opposition ranks.

The Kuomintang (KMT), which Chiang once led, said the move was another example of the ruling DPP party trying to cut off Taiwan's Chinese heritage.

The DPP said the statues represented Chiang's authoritarian rule and were thus not in keeping with democracy.

Chiang Kai-Shek died in 1975 after ruling Taiwan for 26 years.

The KMT said the removal was intended to unilaterally change history and has charged that the statues are being taken down to appease President Chen Shui-bian.     more ...

Taiwan's Lunar New Year celebrations

06 February 2007

Taiwan is gearing up for the Lunar New Year, with celebrations having already begun ahead of the 18 February event.

The coming year is 4075 and is the Year of the Pig, although there are rumours that it will be the Year of the Golden Pig, an event which only arrives every 600 years.

It is not known whether this year will be that of the golden pig but if it is, it means that it is a lucky time to have a baby - according to tradition.

To help mark the celebration, a special wedding took place in a small north-eastern town in Taiwan, with two pigs tying the knot.       more ...

'Renegade province?' Taiwan never has bee