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Liu Xiaobo (劉曉波), a prominent Chinese dissident who was sentenced to 11 years in jail by a Beijing court on Friday, said last year that he dreamed China could develop a democratic system similar to that in Taiwan.

Liu, who had been detained since December last year, was given the jail term on charges of “inciting subversion of state power,” a vague term that China uses to prosecute its dissidents.

Liu Xiaobo (劉曉波)

Taipei Times - archives

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The West wrings its hands as Beijing laughs at human rights

The risible process that led to the conviction of Liu Xiaobo is evidence enough that China thinks foreign pressure can be brushed off on matters of liberty

By Andrew Jacobs
NY TIMES NEWS SERVICE, BEIJING
Sunday, Dec 27, 2009, Page 9

The harsh sentence handed down on Friday to Liu Xiaobo (劉曉波), one of China’s most prominent campaigners for democracy and human rights, prompted strong rebukes in the US and Europe, but it also raised fresh questions over whether the West has much leverage over a government that is increasingly self-assured on the world stage.

By sentencing Liu to 11 years in prison for subversion, the Chinese government sent a chilling message to advocates of political reform and free speech. Liu, 53, a former literature professor who helped draft a manifesto last December that demanded open elections and the rule of law, was convicted after a closed two-hour trial on Wednesday in which his lawyers were allowed less than 20 minutes to state his case.

But many experts on Chinese politics said that Liu’s conviction on vague charges of “incitement to subvert state power” through his writing was also an unmistakable signal to the West that China would not yield to international pressure when it came to human rights. During his visit to China last month, President Barack Obama raised Liu’s case with President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤). Leaders of the EU have been pressing for his release.

But a spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry described such pressure on Tuesday as “gross interference in China’s judicial internal affairs.” The next day, more than two dozen US and European diplomats who sought to observe the trial were barred from the courthouse.

“If China’s Communist Party wanted to advertise to the world that they will do anything to protect their power and use the judiciary to accomplish that, then the persecution of Liu Xiaobo was a perfect vehicle,” Jerome Cohen, an expert on China’s legal system and a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said on Friday.

The US State Department issued a statement on Friday calling on China to release Liu, saying that the “persecution of individuals for the peaceful expression of political views is inconsistent with internationally recognized norms of human rights.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was “dismayed” by the sentence. The UN said Liu’s conviction had thrown “an ominous shadow” over China’s commitments to human rights.

Such pointed criticisms are unlikely to have much effect, many China analysts said. Hu assumed power in 2004 after a period of modest legal reforms. But under his leadership, the government has presided over a tightening of Internet restrictions, the repression of rights lawyers and the persecution of intellectuals who call for greater transparency and an end to single-party rule. Those who thought that the leadership might loosen its controls for the Beijing Olympics last year were disheartened by the crackdown that took place to prevent people who wanted to stage demonstrations.

Edward Friedman, an expert on Chinese politics at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, said many people in the West had been clinging to the misguided notion that China’s economic development would quickly lead to political liberalization.

“It’s clear that what matters most to the Chinese Communist Party is the survival of the regime and their monopoly on power,” he said.

Many human rights advocates partly blame Western political leaders for putting up with China’s growing intolerance of domestic dissent. They contend that as China’s economic power has expanded, the US and Europe have been softening calls for human rights.

They were especially critical of US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s visit to Beijing last February, arguing that human rights took a back seat to an agenda focused on economic concerns and efforts to gain China’s cooperation in dealing with Iran and North Korea.

Many human rights advocates were also critical of Obama’s decision to put off a meeting with the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, shortly before the president’s visit to Beijing. The move, they said, was designed to avoid offending China.

The White House insists that it is committed to promoting freedom, but says that it is trying to make its case without the public hectoring favored by the Bush and Clinton administrations. Hillary Clinton has called the approach “principled pragmatism.”

Phelim Kine, a researcher with Human Rights Watch in Hong Kong, said quiet diplomacy was valuable at times, but that without real pressure from the US, its largest trading partner, China had no incentive to improve its human rights record.

“In the aftermath of the tragic conviction of Liu Xiaobo, we really need to think about how the US is going to engage China and make sure that there are real benchmarks for progress,” he said.

He and others maintain that the US and its allies must break free from a mentality that fears the economic might of a rising China. The US can no longer prod China on human rights through the annual battle over “most-favored nation” trading status, because China is now a member of the WTO. But human rights advocates say that the White House still has substantial leverage when it comes to trade.

And while China may hold hundreds of billions of dollars of the US government’s debt in the form of Treasury bonds and other Treasury securities, some analysts play down concerns about the possibility of China retaliating against US pressure over human rights by selling off its holdings. Gordon Chang (章家敦), author of The Coming Collapse of China, said that the Chinese government simply had nowhere else to park its swelling foreign reserves.

China’s huge trade imbalance with the US, Chang said, is a potential cudgel that Washington should be prepared to use.

“President Obama can get on the phone with Hu Jintao and say these are the things you need to do,” he said.

“We are extremely indulgent about irresponsible Chinese conduct when it comes to human rights,” Chang added. “We are encouraging the very type of behavior we’re trying to prevent.”

The Chinese leadership is still nervous about the potential for domestic unrest that could threaten its power. Although not timid in its prosecution of Liu, the authorities made sure that coverage of his trial stayed out of the state-run news media.

Even as it questioned hundreds of people who put their signatures on Charter 08, the manifesto that Liu helped to draft, government censors made sure that any mention of the document was quickly scrubbed from the Internet after it became public a year ago.

There was one exception, however. On Friday, the English-language edition of Xinhua, the official news agency, published a brief item about Liu’s sentencing. The article said the court “had strictly followed the legal procedures in this case and fully protected Liu’s litigation rights.”

The Chinese-language version of Xinhua, however, made no mention of the verdict. Instead, it declared 2009 the “year of citizens’ rights.”
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liar ma

Published on Taipei Times http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2009/12/08/2003460439 ECFA to continue despite poll outcome TRANSPARENCY PROMISES: The president said he would forge ahead with the ECFA, but promised to keep the legislature informed and make the negotiations transparent By Shih Hsiu-chuan and Ko Shu-ling STAFF REPORTERS Tuesday, Dec 08, 2009, Page 1 “There is no need to fine-tune our cross-strait policy.” — Wu Den-yih, premier Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) said yesterday there was no need to revise the government’s cross-strait policies despite the party’s lackluster performance in Saturday’s local elections. Wu made the remarks when asked for comment on whether the poll results would affect the government’s plans for an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China or its other cross-strait policies. “There is no need to fine-tune our cross-strait policy,” Wu said, adding that the government would pursue policies in line with the principles of “putting Taiwan first” and “benefiting the public.” An ECFA can be signed as long as three conditions are met: The nation needs it, the public supports it and there is legislative oversight, he said, adding that the ECFA will proceed as scheduled — meaning that it should be inked at the fifth round of cross-strait talks early next year. “That’s the plan for now, but we need more public support,” Wu said. “Surveys conducted recently showed that approval rates were between 50 and 56 percent. If the rate goes above 60 percent and the disapproval rate falls below 20 percent that will be better for signing the ECFA.” The government has not dispelled the public’s misunderstandings concerning the ECFA, Wu said, adding that it would step up its efforts. “In southern Taiwan, there are people saying that the government has allowed [imports of] many agricultural products from the mainland since [President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) took office], but that’s not true … Also, on labor matters, there is a false rumor about [Taiwan importing] mainland workers [after singing an ECFA],” Wu said. At a separate setting yesterday, Ma vowed to forge ahead with the ECFA, but promised to keep the legislature informed and make the negotiations and content as transparent as possible. Ma said his administration would work to convince the public that not signing an ECFA would be detrimental to the nation. “Our policy is to take a Taiwan-centric approach,” he said. “We will further the interests of Taiwanese. Cross-strait negotiations will benefit both sides if they are conducted under the principle of equality and dignity.” Ma made the remarks while meeting winners of this year’s National Outstanding Manager Awards at the Presidential Office yesterday morning. With the fourth round of high-level, cross-strait talks scheduled to take place in Taichung later this month, Ma said there would not be any “politically sensitive language” in the agreements to be signed because they were “very technical” in nature. The talks between Straits Exchange Foundation Chairman Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤) and his Chinese counterpart, Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait Chairman Chen Yunlin (陳雲林), will address four issues: fishing industry cooperation, quality checks of agricultural products, cooperation on inspection and certification, and preventing double taxation. Ma said he has asked government agencies to make the four agreements as transparent as possible. Citing the financial memorandum of understanding (MOU) recently signed with Beijing, Ma said the public would know that it is not political as soon as the Financial Supervisory Commission makes public the content. In order to maintain the principles of equality and dignity, Ma said both sides had used less sensitive titles to dodge the sovereignty issue. “Because the public is very concerned about this, we are very sensitive in handling the matter,” he said. As the two sides will “exchange opinions” on an ECFA during the Chiang-Chen meeting, Ma said the government would report to the legislature before the ECFA is signed and send the agreements to the legislature for approval after they are signed. “Thus there will be discussion and the information will be transparent,” he said. “If not, the public could misunderstand and we would have greater difficulty pushing this policy.” Calling the ECFA necessary, Ma said it was not easy to sign free-trade agreements with the nation’s major trading partners because they were not diplomatic allies. “But if we can make a breakthrough in an ECFA with the mainland, other countries may be more willing to negotiate with us and this is very important for Taiwan,” he said. “If we don’t overcome such obstacles, it will have a negative impact on Taiwan’s trading business. This is a problem that no party in power can avoid.” On Chinese agricultural products, Ma said the government had not allowed imports of new products over the past 19 months, nor would they do so if the country signed an ECFA or “anything else,” he said. At a separate setting yesterday, KMT Legislator Huang Chao-shun (黃昭順) said the KMT risked another blow in future elections unless the government revises its cross-strait policies. “The ECFA, cross-strait policies and US beef [imports] caused the KMT to fail in [Saturday’s] elections. Voters taught the KMT a lesson. If it does not change, they will teach it another lesson,” she said. Meanwhile, at the legislature, Minister of Economic Affairs Shih Yen-hsiang (施顏祥) agreed with KMT Legislator Lai Shyh-bao’s (賴士葆) proposal that a TV debate be held to inform the public about the ECFA. Lai said the ECFA lacked public support mainly because the ministry had not succeeded in promoting the advantages of the pact. He suggested a TV debate could help. Shih said many people in farming regions remained unconvinced that the ECFA would not result in imports of Chinese workers and agricultural products, despite repeated assurances from the ministry. Some underground radio shows are misleading people about the ECFA, Shih said, adding that a TV debate “could be planned” as Lai suggested. In related news, Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) said that Taiwan must try to sign free-trade pacts with the US, Japan, Singapore, the EU and Southeastern Asian countries after inking an ECFA, as this would ease public misgivings about relying too much on China. Wu also said that a minor Cabinet reshuffle was planned for Dec. 20. Wu dismissed allegations that the reshuffle was related to the elections, but said: “It would be suitable for excellent county commissioners and city mayors to continue to serve the public in the Executive Yuan or at state-run enterprises once they retire as local government heads.”

Copyright © 1999-2009 The Taipei Times. All rights reserved.

Dubai World and Chinese illusions

Published on Taipei Times http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2009/12/06/2003460251 THE LIBERTY TIMES EDITORIAL: Dubai World and Chinese illusions Sunday, Dec 06, 2009, Page 8 Is the world financial crisis rearing its ugly head again? Dubai World, the biggest state-owned conglomerate in Dubai, the second-biggest sheikhdom in the United Arab Emirates, has fallen into financial difficulties, and a few days ago asked its creditor banks for a half-year delay on repayments of nearly US$60 billion in debt. This move sparked fears among investors everywhere that the global financial crisis is heating up again and triggered big falls in European, American and Asian stock markets. The Dubai crisis could hit financial institutions in many countries hard. Statistics from the Financial Supervisory Commission on Tuesday showed that Taiwanese financial institutions’ exposure to Dubai equity investments totaled NT$34.7 billion (US$1.08 billion), including NT$21 billion in loans. Although the figure is small compared with their NT$80 billion exposure in Lehman Brothers, the end of the Dubai dream has significant implications for Taiwan. The past few years have seen “economic miracles” take place in several countries, with Ireland and Dubai, for example, hailed as fast-rising stars. However, the truth behind these “miracles” has yet to be fully analyzed. It is too early to say whether they were but an economic bubble that has visited many countries throughout history. Whatever the long-term outcome may be, the fact is, certain Taiwanese media and politicians have built these “miracles” into fairy tales, contrasting them with what they consider Taiwan’s isolationism and failure to keep up with the globalization trend that has left it marginalized. In reality, the fairy tale these people want to promote is that of China. They say that Taiwan needs to break free of the constraints of an island-state mentality and embrace the world by riding the tide of globalization and internationalization. Such proposals may sound attractive, but they are mere words that lack substance. Their real motive is to have Taiwan open wide its gates to China, without any kind of precautionary measure. In other words, what these pundits call globalization is really integration with China. When they talk about internationalization and embracing the world, they mean climbing the Great Wall and hugging the Chinese panda. We have seen these dreams crumble one by one in Ireland and Dubai among others. Will the Chinese fairy tale be the next to fall? Let us take a closer look at what happened in Dubai. Dubai is the second-biggest city-state in the United Arab Emirates. Its population is just 1.8 million — about 90 percent of whom are immigrants — and its area is just one-ninth that of Taiwan. It is a desert country with next to no rainfall all year round. These conditions are hardly favorable to its existence as an independent state. The only advantage Dubai enjoys is oil, which was discovered in 1966; but oil only accounts for 6 percent of its GDP. The main driving force behind the creation of the Dubai fairy tale is the ambition of its ruler, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid al-Maktoum, backed up by effective marketing. Dubai was willing to borrow a lot of money and invest it in major construction projects such as Burj Dubai, the world’s tallest building; the manmade Jumeirah Islands, which some have called the eighth wonder of the world; the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab, the world’s only seven-star hotel; and the world’s biggest shopping mall. Dubai has been touted as an international financial center, transshipment center, prime tourist destination and investment paradise. Hot money pouring in from abroad has made the Dubai bubble bigger and bigger, but now the economy is faltering and Dubai finds itself in a tight corner. However lacking in resources a country might be, as long as its people are willing to work hard, and as long as it chooses the right direction, it can build a bright future. Dubai, too, has development potential, but it ought to establish its own manufacturing base. Unfortunately, the ambitious Sheikh Mohammed chose to take a short cut, using borrowed money to make money the easy way. With this in mind, the country launched dream projects in the desert — skyscrapers, manmade lakes, sumptuous hotels, an airport and so on. It seemed like Aladdin’s magic lamp. All you had to do was rub it and make a wish, and a palace would appear right there in the desert sands. Sheikh Mohammed’s magic show did produce some amazing achievements. Dubai’s GDP grew 230 percent between 1995 and 2005, giving its population an average yearly income of about US$30,000. However, this show was built on money that was mostly raised through loans. It had all the features of a bubble, but greed won over wisdom. Investors could see there was a tiger lurking, but they convinced themselves they could tame it. Andrew Lawrence, an analyst with Deutsche Bank Securities in Hong Kong, has created what he calls a skyscraper index. Lawrence said economic recessions and stock market slumps often occur around the time that new tall buildings are built. New York’s Empire State Building was finished in 1931, just when the US was bogged down in the Great Depression. Malaysia’s Petronas Towers, then the tallest building in the world, were built in 1998, in the midst of the Asian Financial Crisis. Now the world’s new tallest building, at 160 stories high, is under construction in Dubai. The country’s present crisis seems to be proof of Lawrence’s skyscraper curse. In Taiwan, Ireland was first presented as a model for development, followed by Dubai. The dazzling show Dubai put on made it a place of pilgrimage for some Taiwanese politicians and media personalities, who used its example to attack pro-localization policies in Taiwan. Taiwan does not have many opportunities left, they say — and its biggest chance lies with China. If Taiwan does not grab this window of opportunity, its decline and fall would be inevitable, they warn. In reality, the Chinese economy is a super-bubble a hundred times as big as the Ireland and Dubai bubbles. If it bursts, the disaster will be worldwide, and there has never been a bubble that did not burst. It can only be a matter of time before the China illusion crumbles. Regrettably for Taiwan, the government of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) is committed to eventual unification. Ma’s policies have already made Taiwan over-dependent on China. When the China bubble bursts, the shock to Taiwan will be unimaginable. In its 18 months in government, the Ma administration has brought Taiwan to the edge of a precipice. If Taiwan perishes as a result, Ma will be a villain for eternity. TRANSLATED BY JULIAN CLEGG

Copyright © 1999-2009 The Taipei Times. All rights reserved.

China sentences another eight to death in Urumqi

Published on Taipei Times http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2009/12/05/2003460180 China sentences another eight to death in Urumqi RIOTING: More suspects were condemned to death for bludgeoning people with a club, killing a police officer with a brick and other crimes in Xinjiang AFP AND AP, BEIJING Saturday, Dec 05, 2009, Page 6 A woman leaning on a crutch shouts at Chinese soldiers wearing riot gear as angry locals confront security forces on a street in the city of Urumqi in China’s Xinjiang Autonomous Region on July 7. PHOTO: REUTERS A court in China’s restive Xinjiang yesterday sentenced three more people to death for their roles in July ethnic violence, Xinhua news agency reported, raising the total reported condemned to 17. On Thursday, the court handed out death sentences to five others. The Intermediate People’s Court of Urumqi also sentenced one person to life in prison, while three defendants were given varying jail terms for the violence that left nearly 200 dead and over 1,600 injured, the agency said. Last month nine people previously sentenced to death were executed for their roles in the violence, the worst strife in China in decades. Violence erupted in the streets of Urumqi on July 5, when Uighurs — a Muslim minority that has long complained of Chinese repression — reportedly attacked members of China’s Han ethnic majority. In subsequent days, mobs of Han roamed the city’s streets seeking revenge. Xinhua identified those sentenced to death yesterday as Heyrinisa Sawut and Ruzikhari Niyaz — both apparently Uighurs judging from their names — and Li Longfei. Sawut was convicted of beating one man to death and injuring three others by repeatedly bludgeoning them with a wooden club, Xinhua said, while Niyaz was convicted of killing a taxi driver. Li Longfei was convicted over the beating deaths of at least two victims, whose names suggested they were Uighurs. So far 41 people have been tried and sentenced in the unrest. Of the five sentenced to death on Thursday, Memeteli Islam was accused of killing a police officer by smashing him in the back of the head with a brick. Mamattursun Elmu and Memeteli Abburakm were accused of attacking a minibus and kicking a man and woman inside until they died. Mamattursun Elmu was also charged with setting fire to a grain distribution center, killing five people. Helil Sadir was accused of killing a bystander with a beer bottle and kicks to the face, and Kushiman Kurban was found guilty of stabbing a bystander to death. Rebiya Kadeer, leader of the Germany-based World Uyghur Congress, said in a statement e-mailed to journalists: “The Chinese government has brazenly ignored all standards of due process of law in a campaign to silence and intimidate the Uighur population through executions and mass detentions.”

Copyright © 1999-2009 The Taipei Times. All rights reserved.

this man -ma

Taipei Times - archives: "President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) owes the public an apology for using government money to campaign for Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidates, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus said yesterday, accusing Ma of spending at least NT$3.71 million (US$115,000) a day campaigning."

Let Taiwan no defense

Taipei Times - archives: "The US’ promises to Taiwan weakened and Washington violated its 1982 “six assurances” to Taiwan by endorsing cross-strait political talks.

With Obama’s endorsement, Hu is expected to pile on the pressure to achieve his dream of creating an irreversible framework for unification before he steps down in 2012."

That is Beijing orders

Taipei Times - archives: "Prosecutors investigating former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) alleged money-laundering activities yesterday said they were close to concluding their investigation and delivering another round of indictments to the former first family and businesspeople involved in the case.

Special Investigation Panel (SIP) spokesperson Chen Yun-nan (陳雲南) said the panel had recently questioned several witnesses and defendants suspected of helping the former first family launder money and it would soon summon former China Development Financial Holding Corp (中華開發金控) president Angelo Koo (辜仲瑩) for questioning."

some plots there

Taipei Times - archives: "Speaking in front of a large banner reading “Rise up and Shine — Building a Righteous, Merciful and Peaceful Country,” Ma said that in the past year, the country has transformed from a troublemaker into a problem solver and peacemaker."

扁家弊案／致靚怨媒體：對連、馬子女不同 | 政治 | 國內要聞 | 聯合新聞網

扁家弊案／致靚怨媒體：對連、馬子女不同 | 政治 | 國內要聞 | 聯合新聞網: "陳致中、黃睿靚夫婦昨天再度為洗錢案赴特偵組應訊，確認國外帳戶細目。陳致中向媒體表示，現在的社會風氣讓他覺得不公平，才會在接受媒體訪問時說如果真有三百億就要把電視台都買下來的話"

white terror

Taipei Times - archives: "The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday accused the police of sabotaging the pan-green camp’s campaign activities to give the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) an edge in next Saturday’s local elections and likened the situation to the White Terror.

In the last two days, police cracked down on pan-green camp campaign activities in Hsinchu and Keelung, saying the DPP had failed to apply for permission to canvass on the streets, the DPP said."

yes, I have guilty over political persecution

Taipei Times - archives: "Former first lady Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) and family members yesterday pleaded guilty to perjury charges at the Taiwan High Court, seeking lighter sentences than those handed down by the Taipei District Court in September.

The wife of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) appeared at the High Court for a pre-trial hearing on whether she asked members of her family to give false testimony regarding the family’s alleged money laundering and embezzlement."

beef

Taipei Times - archives: "US beef imports and US President Barack Obama’s recent trip to China were key points in the discussion yesterday between American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Chairman Raymond Burghardt and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), the DPP said.

Briefing reporters, DPP Director of International Affairs Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said that during the 70-minute meeting, Tsai told Burghardt the DPP was concerned about the US’ stance on Taiwan as a US-China joint statement released during Obama’s trip had not mentioned the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), the backbone of the Taiwan-US relationship since the two countries severed ties 30 years ago."

ECFA is Red

Taipei Times - archives: "The administration of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) insists on signing an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China and is using an assessment report by the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research as an endorsement. The institute has assessed the impact of the cross-strait economic pact based on the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) model. The Ministry of Economic Affairs then made “expert adjustments” to the report to minimize or eliminate any negative impact before concluding that an ECFA with China would raise the nation’s economic growth by about 1.7 percentage points and increase the number of employed by about 260,000."

china threat

Taipei Times - archives: "The second surprise came from Yang Jiemian (楊潔勉), president of Shanghai Institutes for International Studies and the younger brother of Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (楊潔篪), who said the possibility of a cross-strait war was almost zero.

Their views are very different from those of the Taiwanese public, and remarks made by both government and opposition leaders, who claim China’s missiles are devastating, and that a cross-strait war could break out anytime."

for Beijing happy

Taipei Times - archives: "The government’s regulatory agencies last week lashed out at a Hong Kong consortium’s plan to sell 30 percent of its stake in Nan Shan Life Insurance Co to Chinatrust Financial Holding Co. However, the Nan Shan deal has also put the regulatory agencies’ credibility to the test, with the public watching closely if they will approve the deal eventually."

Taiwan no no no

Taipei Times - archives: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday confirmed that the UN in June rejected two human rights covenants signed by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) earlier in the year, but said the refusal did not indicate that Taiwan’s diplomacy had failed.

The two UN covenants — the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights — were ratified by the legislature and signed by Ma in March and May respectively."

Red china over Taiwan

Taipei Times - archives: "The agreements signed during the previous three rounds of SEF-ARATS talks were all limited to economic issues, ranging from cross-strait postal services and regular flights to Chinese tourists and investment coming to Taiwan. However, now there are reports that the regular flight services may be reduced. Not only is the inflow of Chinese tourists to Taiwan unsteady, but China’s political maneuvers include its tourist boycott of Kaohsiung following the screening of a documentary on World Uyghur Congress president Rebiya Kadeer at the Kaohsiung Film Festival earlier this year. The contaminated Chinese milk powder scandal also remains to be settled."

Taiwan culture

Taipei Times - archives: "Taiwan has a unique culture, Huang said, which mixes Chinese culture, Western culture and maritime culture. Despite its uniqueness and advanced character, Taiwan seems to lack self-confidence, he said."

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That is plots by KMT

Taipei Times - archives: "he Council of Agriculture (COA) said yesterday it would purchase rice at guaranteed prices from Tainan County farmers who are having difficulty selling their crops after their paddies were found to be contaminated with heavy metals.

Council Chairman Chen Wu-­hsiung (陳武雄) said he would instruct the Agriculture and Food Agency to study the details of purchasing rice from the farmers, though he suggested that rice from paddies in Houbi Township (後壁), where excessive amounts of chromium were found, could not have been contaminated and was of good quality."

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no Taiwan only china

Taipei Times - archives: "A new study by US economist Daniel Rosen forecasts that a proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China would increase Taiwan’s GDP by 4.5 percent over the next 10 years, but also cautioned that China’s motivation for signing the pact was solely concerned with unification.

“It would be difficult to find any other policy choice that would give that kind of boost,” Rosen told a conference in Washington on Tuesday.

He said, however, that an ECFA was “absolutely not a strategy for assuring [sic] Taiwan’s prosperity.”"

公視新聞網 PTS NEWS ONLINE

公視新聞網 PTS NEWS ONLINE: "胡志強強調,合法的集會遊行一定會受到尊重,不過為了防止暴力事件重演,已經和警政署協商,考量增加警力的必要性"

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not so happy to see that Obama

Taipei Times - archives: "Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday expressed regret over US President Barack Obama’s remarks that “the US respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China.”

“[The remarks] did not clarify the fact that Taiwan does not belong to China and disregarded the fact that the 23 million Taiwanese are under threat from the 1,400-odd missiles [deployed] by China. The result is regrettable,” Tsai said in a statement.

Tsai’s remarks came after the US and China issued a joint statement in which Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) underscored the importance of the Taiwan issue in US-China relations."

one china constitution????

Taipei Times - archives: "n the speech, Ma said that as the Republic of China Constitution is a “one China” constitution, “it does not rule out the option of eventual reunification between Taiwan and Mainland China if the overall conditions across the Taiwan Strait are ripe.”

To attain that goal, Wu said, the Ma administration will create the most favorable environment, adding that he is worried the administration will leave Taiwanese with the sole option of unification under a “one China” framework."

KMT cluture

Taipei Times - archives: "As for the township chief elections, 286 allegations of suspected bribery and eight allegations of violence have been documented, the official said. Eight cases have been open for investigation and two suspects have been detained."

great man

Taipei Times - archives: "After his ambassadorship in Beijing, Lilley became a forceful — and public — proponent of greater US support for Taiwan, efforts that he continued after being appointed assistant secretary of defense for international affairs from 1991 to 1993. He often clashed with the US Department of State over arms sales to Taiwan, arguing that it would be unwise to grant Beijing the cutoff date that it sought."

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independence

Taipei Times - archives: "Pro-independence groups yesterday dismissed comments by a visiting Chinese official after he told a seminar in Taipei that the Taiwan independence movement was “doomed.”

Zheng Bijian (鄭必堅), a former vice president of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) Central Party School, said yesterday in Taipei that Taiwanese efforts to seek independence were doomed because most Taiwanese expected continuous development of cross-strait relations.

“To this day, the contest between seeking independence and anti-independence has yet to end,” Zheng said at the seminar titled “60 Years Across the Taiwan Strait.”

“Because mainstream public opinion is for a continuous, peaceful and stable development of cross-strait relations, however, efforts to seek independence are doomed to decline and fall,” he said."

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KMTsaying

Taipei Times - archives: "The latest episode in these risible efforts came on Wednesday when Control Yuan member Frank Wu (吳豐山) produced a report in which he claimed the prosecutors’ investigation had several flaws. In the report, Wu said that Chen Yi-hsiung’s motive was not fully explained and that the scene of his death was not properly described. Wu also cast doubt on the conclusions of the ballistics studies."

Thisman ma and gangster

Taipei Times - archives: "The recent controversy over alleged links between criminal figures and politicians showed no signs of abating yesterday, as pan-blue and pan-green legislators continued to trade accusations over who had closer ties with a Nantou County convict.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chang Hsien-yao (張顯耀) threw the first blow, telling a press conference that a number of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) figures had been close to Chiang Chin-liang (江欽良), a paroled former gangster from central Taiwan."

fire with serious tension

Taipei Times - archives: "This might be an intentional clash aimed at heightening tension ahead of Obama’s trip,” Kim Yong-hyun, a professor at Dongguk University, told YTN television.

“I believe North Korea is trying to show Obama the volatility of the peninsula. North Korea has demanded a peace pact be signed with the US to replace the truce agreement,” he said."

mafia

Taipei Times - archives: "Lee said that Wu, Chiang Chin-liang (江欽良) — a convicted felon on parole — and Nantou County Commissioner Lee Chao-ching (李朝卿) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) were on a trip together to Bali, Indonesia, last December to settle the distribution of profits from the local gravel trade as well as select a new Nantou County Council speaker and vice speaker."

Human rights

Taipei Times - archives: "China said yesterday it had put to death nine people over deadly ethnic unrest in Xinjiang, the first executions since the violence erupted in July.

Authorities convicted 21 defendants last month — nine were sentenced to death, three were given the death penalty with a two-year reprieve, a sentence usually commuted to life in jail, and the rest were handed various prison terms."

Taiwan culture

Taipei Times - archives: "he internationalization of education will also encourage Taiwanese students to go overseas in greater numbers. Minister of Education Cheng Jui-cheng (鄭瑞城) has initiated an international student exchange plan that promises to enrich the international perspectives of Taiwanese while expanding foreign students’ understanding of Taiwan and Taiwanese culture. This plan should be expanded."

apologize for downplaying the threat from China.

Taipei Times - archives: "Su’s apology on this issue is therefore accepted.

But if apologies are his new thing, then I want him to say sorry for all the sinister shit he got up to after Chen was shot in 2004 on the eve of his re-election. Propaganda booklets, mailouts to the US Congress, ludicrous conspiracy theories ... all of it insulting, cynical and demeaning.

I want him to apologize for downplaying the threat from China.

I want him to apologize for inventing the term “1992 consensus.”

I want him to apologize for fraternizing with top People’s Liberation Army officers and security officials in Beijing in November 2005 — and tell us exactly what he said in his speech to them on Nov. 12.

But most of all, I want him to apologize for picking at his dentures with a toothpick in full view of photographers while the prez met foreign diplomats in April last year. Man, that was gross ... who taught you manners?

But because Su is Marky Mark Ma’s Main Man, and one of the prez’s most loyal deputies and buddies, he won’t be apologizing again anytime soon."

liar ma

Taipei Times - archives: "On Tuesday, Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Secretary-General Kao Koong-lian (高孔廉) met with Zheng Lizhong (鄭立中), deputy chairman of China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, in Taipei and settled on four issues that SEF Chairman Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤) and his Chinese counterpart Chen Yunlin (陳雲林) will discuss in their meeting in Taichung next month.

While the government’s proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with Beijing will not be on the agenda, SEF spokesman Maa Shaw-chang (馬紹章) said both sides would “exchange opinions” on the matter nonetheless."

a dream of referendum

Taipei Times - archives: "Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) yesterday rejected calls for a referendum on the government’s relaxed beef policy, while Democratic Progressive Party Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday pledged support for one in an open letter.

In an interview with the UFO Network radio station, Wu said a referendum would be inappropriate and there was no good reason for one. There is a risk that the matter of US beef imports would become “tainted by populism,” making a rational debate impossible, he said."

surrender is peace?

Taipei Times - archives: "All this makes one wonder whether the five members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee have lost their minds as they have destroyed the prize’s prestige and credibility.

If a Taiwanese thinks there is a Nobel Peace Prize to be had by making peace with China by signing a so-called “peace accord” and getting Beijing to remove the more than 1,000 missiles it has aimed at the country, he would be bringing catastrophe to the nation."

fear of plebiscite

Taipei Times - archives: "In the absence of anything substantial — and with so many substantial problems to choose from — the political world has moved on to the next helping of a controversy that is contemptible in the way it takes ordinary people for fools and elevates the voices of the foolish.

Joining these disingenuous legislators, councilors and party hacks in their attacks on US beef are a number of interest groups whose contributions to the debate have been uninformed, unintelligent and even deceitful. The main offender is the Consumers’ Foundation, which over the years has launched consumer crusades of dubious priority and zero scientific rigor.

If this organization applied its ferocious strictness on US beef imports to all other health matters affecting consumers, it would extend its campaign to instituting bans on imports and local production of alcohol and tobacco, introduce bans on betel nuts, motorscooters, sports cars, meat with high levels of fat and night market food. This would just be the start.

The fact that the Consumers’ Foundation does not engage in such quixotic behavior points to opportunism and cynicism, not a sense of proportion or respect of the right consumers should enjoy to choose what they wish to consume."

Beijing saying

Taipei Times - archives: "Hsiao said Beijing threatened to cancel a planned visit by the Chinese foreign minister to Cairo if Egypt allowed Lu to attend the LI congress because China did not want the two to be in Cairo at the same time.

Hsiao said the DPP later found out that it was Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (溫家寶) who visited Cairo.

Expecting Cairo to deny Lu’s entry should she make the trip, Hsiao said the party decided to cancel Lu’s visit. Hsiao and three others, however, managed to attend the event.

Lu had also planned to transit in Thailand, but her Thai visa application was denied, Hsiao said.

Lu had planned to give a speech at the Cairo event, whose theme this year was “Education for the 21st Century.” The event opened on Thursday and ended yesterday."

no justice on judicial sysytem at Taiwan

Taipei Times - archives: "The Judicial Yuan released a draft bill for “fair and prompt” criminal trials (刑事妥速審判法) on Aug. 5, and has held six public hearings across Taiwan since Aug. 18. Most academics who attended the hearings seemed to believe the draft would not have an immediate and obvious effect on pending cases, and that it might lead to unpredictable risks.

Even so, the Judicial Yuan quickly passed a slightly amended version of the draft on Oct. 15 and immediately submitted it for legislative review. It also sent out press releases to promote the advantages of the draft, as if it were absolutely necessary to pass the draft before the end of the current legislative session.

On May 14, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, both of which had been approved by the legislature. Article 14 of the former states that, “Everyone shall be entitled to be tried without undue delay.”"

Evil China

Taipei Times - archives: "Once relations between Taiwan and China improve,” asked a young man — an undergraduate exchange student from Dongguan, Guangdong Province — “do you think Beijing might, given the importance of the relationship for the Chinese Communist Party [CCP], decrease espionage activity against Taiwan?”

My answer was that regardless of how important Beijing sees its relationship with other countries, its collecting of intelligence continues unabated. In fact, while there is no arguing that China’s most important bilateral relationship is with the US (and increasingly so), the Chinese intelligence apparatus continues to engage in Cold War-style espionage, targeting the government, the military and the high-tech sector in the US. There is, therefore, no inverse correlation between the quality of the relationship and the breadth of espionage activity.

Capability of the People’s Republic of China to Conduct Cyber Warfare and Computer Network Exploitation, a report released on Oct. 22 by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, said that the Chinese government is ratcheting up its cyberspying operations against the US, using, as the Wall Street Journal wrote the same day, “a carefully orchestrated campaign against one US company that appears to have been sponsored by Beijing.”"

big brosay no-as red terror go on

Taipei Times - archives: "Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said yesterday he was surprised at China’s protest against his planned visit to an area of India claimed by Beijing, hinting he backed India on the border issue.

The Dalai Lama also criticized China’s one-party rule and its state-controlled media, while praising India’s “successful” democracy.

The Buddhist monk, who arrived in Tokyo on Friday for a week-long stay in Japan ahead of a Nov. 8 visit to Arunachal Pradesh state in the northeast of India where China and India fought a border war in 1962.

“I was surprised” at China’s criticism of the planned visit, the Dalai Lama told reporters when asked about the motive behind his trip."

narrow Taiwan space

Taipei Times - archives: "The dwindling number of Chinese and other foreign tourists visiting Taiwan since the government opened up to Chinese passport holders last year is evidence that the “three links” policy has been ineffective, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday.

“When Taiwan first opened up to Chinese tourists in July last year, the initial figure was around 300 to 400 a day. At that time, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) promised that the numbers would pick up over the following months and reach 3,000 a day. Except for April and May, however, the average has only been 1,307 Chinese tourists a day,” DPP policy division deputy executive-secretary Liu Chien-hsin (劉建忻) said.

The DPP is expected next week to release an assessment report on the impact on tourism, air and sea routes, and agriculture since the opening of the “three links” — direct air and sea transportation, as well as mail services across the Taiwan Strait — in November last year."

no quarrel?

Taipei Times - archives: "NO QUARRELS?

Every US president since Wilson has, at least once while in office, uttered the phrase “have no quarrel with” a foreign enemy. Such statements are typically made only days, sometimes hours, before the first US bombs fall. Former US president Bill Clinton promised on the eve of the bombing of Serbia that “I cannot emphasize too strongly that the United States has no quarrel with the Serbian people.”

US President Barack Obama promised from the campaign trail that “We have no quarrel with the Iranian people. They know that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is reckless, irresponsible and inattentive to their day-to-day needs.”

Presidents employ such language for good reason. They know their public, a self-styled melting pot of peoples, would rather fight dictators than brothers and cousins abroad.

Indeed, Wilson’s initial formulation grew from a demographic and political quandary. More than one-third of Americans in 1917 could trace their heritage back to Germany and its allies. Wilson could not implore his people to “kill the Krauts,” as British or French leaders frequently did, because so many of Wilson’s soldiers were, by ethnicity at least, Krauts themselves.

He instead rhetorically transformed US soldiers from fratricidal killers into liberators of their ancient fatherland."

KMT doing as evil

Taipei Times - archives: "On June 24, 2006, you wittily introduced your readers to that very bizarre — and, in my opinion, very dangerous — KMT legislator by the name of Chiu Yi (邱毅). The name sends shivers down my spine and twists my gut into paroxysms of abject nausea.

As you know, the bewigged one was recently elected to the KMT’s Central Standing Committee [Johnny’s note: He resigned after this letter was received].

Yes, the bug with a rug got himself a nifty ole promotion to the rarefied, upper echelons of the Kuomintang.

If that’s not enough to make a guy’s nut-sack shrivel and retreat into the abdomen, I don’t know what is.

Only in Taiwan, I say, only in Taiwan could this happen. I mean, this guy has a rap sheet longer than a donkey’s dong."

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peace

Taipei Times - archives: "By tracking Facebook friendships and crunching the numbers, the site provides a daily snapshot of who is talking to whom and where.

Thursday afternoon, for example, peace.facebook revealed that over the previous 24 hours, there had been 7,339 India-Pakistan connections; 5,158 Israel-Palestine connections and 13,790 Greece-Turkey connections.

A click on the button for religious contact showed that over the same 24 hours, there had been 53,100 Christians and atheists in touch with each other, 1,250 Muslims and Jews talking, and 667 Sunni-Shiite connections. In the US, meanwhile, the number of conservative-liberal connections was 27,896."

involved in Taiwan

Taipei Times - archives: "Wang Xiulian, a Chinese woman who married a man from Taiwan and has been living here for eight years, hates going to the market to buy vegetables.

Some vegetable sellers, knowing she is from China, often ask her: “Do you want to buy 'dalumei'?”

Dalumei means “mainland sister,” a pejorative term for Chinese brides, but also a moniker for a kind of lettuce.

“They do that on purpose. So I turn around and walk to another vegetable stand,” Wang said."

liar mahave no confidence

Taipei Times - archives: "In an interview at the Presidential Office with Reuters on Oct. 19, Ma said he would not rule out meeting Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤). His stance won the approval of 43.9 percent of respondents of the recent poll, while 36.5 percent opposed it. This shows Ma must increase public trust in his cross-strait policies if a “Ma-Hu” meeting is to have any significance and to push ahead with an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China.

Ma’s approval ratings plummeted in the wake of Typhoon Morakot, which caused the worst floods in 50 years. We should not forget that he won last year’s election mainly because of his promises to clamp down on corruption and ease strained cross-strait relations."

no real free at Singapore

Taipei Times - archives: "The process of negotiating and preparing a charter was spearheaded by Singapore, which itself was cause for skepticism. But criticism came to a head when an internal report was leaked indicating that the commission would hopefully stop foreign countries from “attempting to interfere in the human rights issues” of ASEAN countries.

Concerns resurfaced on Friday, the day of the body’s inauguration, when half of ASEAN’s member states blocked human rights activists from their countries from taking part in an ASEAN forum. Singapore was one of these, as was Myanmar."

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Taiwan citizens are not ECFA Pavlovian dogs - Taiwan News Online

Taiwan citizens are not ECFA Pavlovian dogs - Taiwan News Online: "Prospective contestants are also required to confirm what issues will not be involved in the ECFA, which is defined to 'only be concerned with economics,' including 'the denigration of sovereignty,' 'selling out Taiwan' or 'unification or independence.'"

liar ma

Taipei Times - archives: "In his first interview with an international news agency after taking over as chairman of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said “he does not rule out the possibility of meeting Chinese Communist Party [CCP] General Secretary Hu Jintao (胡錦濤).”

Ma also announced in his national day address that “although this year’s Double-Ten Day celebration was canceled because of the Typhoon [Morakot] disaster, [his] government will spend the next year celebrating the centennial anniversary of the Republic of China.”"

don't tell the people?

Taipei Times - archives: "Many people think they have a right to know how the government forms a public policy that is going to have an impact on their daily lives. If they think the government agrees, they’d better think again.

Following recent policy flip-flops on plans to impose a capital gains tax on stock investment and a new energy tax, Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) said on Thursday that, under the direction of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), government officials should be cautious in releasing details of policies still in the making to avoid causing unnecessary public concern.

Academics commissioned by government agencies to conduct studies on public policies were also advised by the premier not to talk to the press about their research about policies that are still under discussion."

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美國牛耍了楊志良？！this man -ma

NOWnews【重點新聞】看問題／行政院用美國牛耍了楊志良？！: "如今，吳揆說楊志良「表示遺憾」的發言，是因為沒有參與談判過程，顯然行政院對參與談判的蕭美玲，已經下了指導棋。

而如果楊志良所謂推派副署長參加對美談判的做法是一種策略運用，這個策略顯然破了功。因為，從過程到結果，楊志良明顯都是狀況外，國民黨立院黨團23日揚言「誰開放誰下台」，但從事件發展結果來看，這口號還喊得下去嗎？！"

liar ma

Taipei Times - archives: "Since labor costs and rent in China are far lower than in Taiwan, cheap and inferior Chinese products and agricultural produce will likely enter the nation on a large scale under zero-tariff preferential treatment. The influx of Chinese products will cause domestic agriculture and industry to collapse — especially small and medium-sized enterprises manufacturing towels, ready-made garments, shoes, bedding and ceramics — and raise unemployment levels even higher.

The result of increasing unemployment in Taiwan will be depressed wages and increased income inequality."

This man -ma

Taipei Times - archives: "“The decision to reject Kadeer's visit was made on the basis of national interests. It is the exercise of a country's sovereignty and has nothing to do with the issue of freedom or democracy,” it said.

The statement was issued in response to Kadeer's interview in the Liberty Times yesterday."

吃定老百姓

自由電子報 - 吃定老百姓: "從另一角度來看，社會欠缺改革的熱情亦是原因，韓國李明博總統不過進口美國牛肉而已，竟有百萬人民上首爾街頭，最後迫使總統收回成命，撤換內閣，反觀台灣，過去人本教育基金會曾就軍教免稅問題，在街頭展開連署，希望透過公民投票的方式，迫使行政部門加快腳步實施，結果連署未達公投門檻，胎死腹中。人民冷漠如此，也難怪政府官員虛與委蛇，難得理你。"

台灣坐失全球利益 讓南韓超前

自由電子報 - 台灣坐失全球利益 讓南韓超前: "〔駐歐洲特派記者胡蕙寧／綜合報導〕台灣政府鼓吹與中國簽署ＥＣＦＡ，卻對爭取與美、日、歐盟簽定自由貿易協定（ＦＴＡ）毫無作為，反觀台灣競爭對手南韓上週末已和歐盟簽署ＦＴＡ草約。"

This man -ma

Taipei Times - archives: "But for President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), doing things this way is outmoded. Right after Ma took office, opposition parties started accusing him of being an agent of China. At the time they could not produce much proof to back up the accusation, but since then, more evidence has come to light through Ma and his government’s policies."

Beijing saying

Taipei Times - archives: "As it turns out, Taipei has since delayed the meeting until the end of the month, but the major artillery test — which reportedly included the highly sensitive Hsiung Feng-2E (HF-2E) surface-to-surface missile — does not appear to have been the cause. In fact, Beijing’s reaction, which one would have expected to be more strident than its opposition to a visit by Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, was to say nothing whatsoever."

ma for what?

Taipei Times - archives: "Now Ma is speeding up his stubborn push for an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China and ignoring all advice, so that even members of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) have begun to feel uneasy, asking in media interviews why the government has not explained the ECFA publicly."

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Let us free

Taipei Times - archives: "Saying that China should respect the choices made by Taiwan to safeguard human rights, freedom and democracy, Wu said China should also respect the rights of its people to travel where they wanted.

Intervention in the travel agency itineraries shows disregard for the tourists’ right to make their own travel plans, he said."

such judge-no guts

Taipei Times - archives: "Speculation is rife that the judges were switched for political reasons because Chou once ruled to release Chen from detention, while Tsai has repeatedly ruled to keep him in detention.

In addition, the Council yesterday said that in accordance with the Code of Criminal Procedure (刑事訴訟法), it is constitutional for prosecutors to appeal the ruling if judges were to release Chen from detention."

Beijing do control judgement in Taiwan

Taipei Times - archives: "When the new director of the American Institute in Taiwan, William Stanton, visited Minister of Justice Wang Ching-feng (王清峰) on Sept. 30, he said that “people overseas had some different thoughts” on the trial of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁). Why would he risk being accused of interfering with Taiwan’s internal affairs by bringing up this case? Clearly because the US now feels it is no longer a clear-cut judicial matter."

what's education without Taiwan

Taipei Times - archives: "A notice on Oct. 2 that the ministry issued to all local government education bureaus demanded they provide schooling assistance to Chinese spouses’ adopted children or children from previous marriages, as outlined in the Guidelines Governing the Education of the Children of Outstanding Overseas Science and Technology Talents (境外優秀科學技術人才子女來台就學辦法)."

控美落幕 地位未定

自由電子報 - 控美落幕 地位未定: "不過，中華民國政府流亡台灣雖然曾經得到美國的承認與協助，但是「台灣與澎湖的地位問題迄未確定（其實就是不屬中國的意思）」，為何每在關鍵時刻如一九五四年、一九七一年乃至最近的二○○四、二○○七年，美國官方都一再表述？必須從上述的背景才能理解。何況自從一九七九年台灣關係法生效以後，連中華民國「政府」也不被承認了。在國內，一九九九年民進黨「台灣前途決議文」對中華民國的暫時承認，實與九○年代李登輝的民主化台灣化密切相關，如今馬英九的路線顯然與李登輝時代背道而馳，如此下去確實有重新釐清、重新「決議」的必要。"

寡人有疾，總統何疾？

"# ]]>
# 寡人有疾，總統何疾？(林保華)
# 總統兼黨主席的效應發酵(陳茂雄)
# 中國「少數民族」的獨立運動(史明)
# 面對集遊法的威脅(張銘祐)
# 台灣，你的滿意度有多高？(Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.)
# 台灣人要相挺(勇士阿)
# 台灣的熱比婭「熱」 (林保華)
# 記赴美宣達與學習之旅 (羅榮光)
# 國共同心協力否定「中華民國」 (陳茂雄)
# 台灣選舉獻金貪污的真正根源(Jerome Keating)
# 熱比婭紀錄片「愛的十個條件」： 十月一日北中南19:00同步播放
# 由雲林立委補選看政治生態 （陳茂雄）
# 教訓馬英九，綠營有方向 （林保華）
# 台灣青年反共救國團抗議馬政府拒絕熱比婭入境的聲明 2009.9.26
# 駭人聽聞 (陳軍)
# 異議二則(Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.)
# 活動通知：敬邀 9/22(二)下午1：30【沒有「愛」、沒有人權，抵制高雄電影節】抗議活動
# 重建心靈, 重建政府, 重建災區 (戴正德)
# 洪英花﹑黃瑞華的發聲帶來台灣自救的曙光 (莊秋雄)"

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never sign any paper he issues.

Taipei Times - archives: "he office of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday expressed regret over the connection between Chen and a lawsuit filed by Taiwanese activist Roger Lin (林志昇), saying the former president would never meet Lin again or sign any paper he issues.

In a statement issued yesterday, Chen's office said the former president endorsed Lin's lawsuit because he thought it could help clear up Washington's position on Taiwan's status and its Taiwan policy."

after China showed off military weaponry

Taipei Times - archives: "The two nations also need to develop “rules of the road for how we cooperate in the future,” he said on a trip to Beijing that comes two weeks after China showed off military weaponry in its National Day parade.

Campbell, whose visit is partly aimed at laying the groundwork for US President Barack Obama’s visit to China next month, was due to meet Chinese defense officials later yesterday.

“It is incumbent on the United States and China to take steps ... so that as our two militaries increasingly operate in proximity to one another, that we establish procedures ... so that we can avoid crises and miscalculations on either side,” he said."

地下文學、地下詩的聲音

中央廣播電台新聞頻道: "法蘭克福書展主席布斯（Juergen Boos）指出，書展必須確保可以呈現不同的聲音，他期待一個有爭議而不總是合宜的書展。

　　中國大陸異議詩人貝嶺在另一場由國際人權協會（International Society for Human Rights）贊助的記者會上表示，他和其他大陸異議作家期待，參觀法蘭克福書展的民眾不只是聽到「官方作家」的聲音，因為，還有另一種聲音，就是地下文學、地下詩的聲音。"

political persecution and worry

Taipei Times - archives: "The office of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday expressed regret over the connection between Chen and a lawsuit filed by Taiwanese activist Roger Lin (林志昇), saying the former president would never meet Lin again or sign any paper he issues.

In a statement issued yesterday, Chen's office said the former president endorsed Lin's lawsuit because he thought it could help clear up Washington's position on Taiwan's status and its Taiwan policy."

KMT and political survival

Taipei Times - archives: "On the surface, Ma seems to be saying that he would rather gloriously sacrifice himself than compromise with local factions, but he is actually evading responsibility for the KMT’s recent defeats. It reminds one of the words of Tu Yueh-sheng (杜月笙), the boss of Shanghai’s Green Gang (青幫) who said: “Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) treats me like a chamber pot. When he’s done with me, he sticks me back under the bed.”

Tu’s words shed an interesting light on the present situation. The circumstances may differ, but the essence of the problem is the same."

http://help.funp.com/lib/exe/fetch.php/funp/tools/tools_postbtn_script.png?cache=cache

林保華專欄／馬英九使美國不舒服

自由電子報 - 林保華專欄／馬英九使美國不舒服: "美國在台協會（ＡＩＴ）新任台北辦事處長司徒文，九月三十日拜會法務部長王清峰時表示，國外有些人對扁案有不同看法。司徒文為何冒著「干涉台灣內政」之嫌來談扁案？顯然因為美國覺得它已經不是單純的司法問題。

十月七日紐約時報的包雲專欄也說：陳水扁無故挑釁北京，失去布希總統這位盟友的支持，現在國民黨似乎走到另一個極端。而對某些人來說，扁案意味著主張統一者藉由妖魔化支持獨立並打破國民黨威權統治的陳水扁來討好北京。"

ECFA的糖衣毒藥

自由電子報 - 海西試點 ECFA的糖衣毒藥: "但，這是不合乎邏輯與經驗法則的。過去，由於中國的打壓，台灣才在國際間簽訂ＦＴＡ的嘗試中屢屢碰壁，所謂「邊緣化」由此而來，這是既存的因果關係。何以簽訂ＥＣＦＡ就可以直通ＦＴＡ？馬統說不出所以然來，中國官方則早已直言，ＦＴＡ是主權國家之間的事，隱含台灣想要與主要貿易夥伴簽署ＦＴＡ是不可能的，或者說，操之在中國。在這個前提下，試點與不試點，又有何差別？有何意義？"

say what's human rights?

Taipei Times - archives: "Obama’s tendency to please enemy states while overlooking allies and the way he has dealt with Poland and Tibet make one wonder whether he might postpone the sale of F16C/D fighter planes to Taiwan because of Chinese opposition. This is something that Taiwan cannot afford to ignore.

Obama administration officials have repeatedly said the US has the responsibility to provide defensive weapons to Taiwan according to the Taiwan Relations Act. However, he has also extended strategic guarantees to Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤). While the Obama administration slapped 35 percent tariffs on Chinese tires and sent the USS Chung-Hoon destroyer to protect the US’ naval right of passage in the South China Sea, his postponing of a meeting the Dalai Lama, muted criticism of China’s human rights and finance policies and increasing China’s voting power in the IMF all show that moral principles are losing to practical concerns."

中國維吾爾.doc

中國維吾爾.doc: "下載原始附件

中國「少數民族」的獨立運動 史明 著

(一)「中華思想」是民族矛盾的濫觴

中國新疆省維吾爾（Uighur）自治區烏魯木齊（Wūlŭmûgi）市政府，在七月六日，宣稱：「五日夜發生維吾爾族人暴動，死亡一四○人，負傷八二六人」（日本記者野口東秀，由烏魯木齊電告產經新聞）。

「維吾爾人蜂起，飛速發展於同一自治區的喀什（kashgal）」（AP通信，美國通信）。

在中國史上，大小民族的對立矛盾，是所謂「社會動亂」的火藥庫，其根源，一貫是在漢族對他族所採取的優越與差別。

中國漢族定住於黃河下流地域，從古就誇稱自己為華夏‧中華‧中原，對周遭的其他族群，反卻以低賤的番族叫稱，即東夷‧北狄‧南蠻‧西戎（古代的匈奴‧鮮卑‧羯‧氐‧羌等族），而把其卑視‧睥睨在其威壓之下。

這種優越與差別之名稱，均內涵著：「漢族文化‧生活都高於其他異族」「中華是世界上最高峰的地理中心」「中原帝王君臨世界」「華夏帝王受異族朝貢」等漢族至尊的優越思想。這稱之為「中華思想」（Sino│Centrism）。

中華思想在史上，再發展為漢族帝國干犯緣邊異族的「五服制」。「古代王畿外圍地域，以五百里為率，視距離遠近分為五等，即甸服‧侯服‧綏服‧要服‧荒服」（尚書‧禹貢）。若有傷害中華至尊或危及其霸權，立即興兵問罪。

台灣古來被稱為「荒服地」（清‧劉良璧「台灣府志」），被認為距離中華最遠的化外異地。

公元一八世紀，西力東漸後，近代的西歐帝國民族主義概念，打垮封建的中華思想，才遽變以「大漢沙文主義」（Han Chawvinism）為禍胎的「中華民族主義」。

中華民族主義，在反帝反封建及抗日戰時，固然是解放的‧革命的。然而第二次世界大戰終結後，遽然再急轉直下成為侵略‧反動的帝國殖民主義，蔣家中國國民黨中華民國即以侵略並殖民統治台灣（1945），中國共產黨中華人民共和國（1949），則以抑壓‧屠殺中國的弱小民族，及叫囂要武力進攻台灣。

（二）「中華民族」概念的虛構性

中國共產黨，即以佔人口絕大多數的漢民族為政治統治基礎，實行一黨專政，並徹底利用漢民族的「中華民族主義」，把居住中國領土的大小民族，虛構的（false）編為中華民族的一員。

實際上，現在中國，惟有漢民族才能稱得起是中華民族，其他五五個弱小民族，毫無例外的均擁有單一性（unify）與主體性（identity）的社會集團。故不能被包括在中華民族的範疇（希臘Kategoria, 英category）之內。在中國史上，何時何地都沒有這種「中華民族」的存在（羅馬esse, 英being, 德Sein, 法être）。現在中國也不可能有這種中華民族的存在。這種包括許多單一民族的中華民族，不過是從政治目的造成出來的一種虛構的民族概念（羅馬conceptio, 英‧法concept, 德Begriff）（日本‧中國問題評論專家，中國‧四川出身人，歸化日本，石平「本当中國33」這就是中國真正的33個問題的焦點，2008）

（三）中國政府及漢民族壓制國內其他弱小民族

中國的總人口，現在約有一三、四億人（2007年數字），分為五六個單一民族。其中，漢民族人口佔總人口的絕大多數，九一‧六％，一一億五千九四○萬人。

人口少數的五五個小民族，主要的有：壯民族（人口一六一八萬人，住廣西自治區），回民族（人口九八二萬人，住寧夏自治區），維吾爾民族（人口八四○萬人，住新疆自治區），蒙古民族（人口五八一萬人，住內蒙古自治區），西藏民族（人口五四二萬人，住西藏自治區）等。

但是從一九四九年中國共產黨取得中國政權以來，一貫以恐嚇政治手段對弱少數民族的同化政策，對全國異民族的自治區進行滲透性漢族移民政策，結果，蒙古自治區的漢人人口已佔蒙古自治區全人口的八二％，維吾爾自治區漢人人口佔四三％，西藏自治區漢人人口超過五○％（2008統計數字），弱小民族的傳統‧文化以及生活均遭破壞，以致能講母語的弱小民族，逐步減少。

壯‧回‧維‧蒙‧西藏等五五民族，有史以來就居住於中國王權的行政區域之外，各族都有個別的居住地域，各有各的歷史‧文化‧語言或文字，而且擁有自己的領土與政府，所以不管人口多數或少數，從歷史觀點或社會概念來說，他們都擁有與漢民族完成不同的一個民族存在。然而因中央亞細亞與中國的歷史過程，他們才現在居住於漢民族為中心的中華人民共和國版圖之內。

中國共產黨中華人民共和國，把這五五個異民族置於政治統治之下，並以漢民族為主體，卑稱這些五五民族為「少數民族」（national minorities, minority race）。

中國政府，雖然把這些異民族的居住地域，行政上使用「自治區」的名稱，在實質上，這些自治區的最高權力者，毫無例外的皆由中國共產黨「區黨委」漢人書記所佔，是絕不允許異民族行使自治權，或主張獨立權，而是加以無底洞的壓制與殘殺。

（四）中國弱小民族的獨立運動

一九四九年中國共產黨取得中國天下，中國弱小民族才一律受到近代的‧有組織的政治侵佔，即：漢人移民浸透‧民族差別深化‧宗教彈壓熾烈‧文化破壞徹底‧壓殺獨立運動，以及資本侵略與經濟掠奪等等，所以無論大小的諸異族都起來反抗，企圖脫離中國，而達成民族獨立。

特別是新疆的維吾爾民族與西藏民族，因各有伊斯蘭教（Islam）與西藏喇嘛教（Tibet Lamaism）為精神支柱，所以對抗共黨政府及漢人的獨立運動頻仍發生。

中國政府對異族的壓殺，開始於一九五七年的「反右派鬥爭」，許許多多的蒙古‧維吾爾‧西藏等異族黨幹部，都被淘汰（此時，以地方民族主義為名，海南島的馮白駒等抗日領袖遭慘殺，台灣的謝雪紅‧江文也被清算）。

西藏民族從一九五九年開始，遭共黨機械化大軍入侵，而掀起全西藏第一次大反抗，西藏佛教法王（也是西藏族政治領導人）達賴‧喇嘛等僧侶與獨立人士，成群越過喜瑪拉雅山脈，逃亡印度，在印度西北部樹立了亡命獨立政府（參加的西藏人據聞有十幾萬人）。達賴‧喇嘛屢次要求共黨政府一起舉行和談，期以實現「自治」，但是共黨政府不但不應自治，而且在西藏內部進行大屠殺。一九八七、八九年，共黨西藏地區黨委書記胡錦濤（現任中共中央黨總書記），指揮大軍進行大彈壓大屠殺。雖然遭到這種非人道的大彈壓，然西藏族人要求民族獨立的抗爭不但未遭毀滅，且更加強盛熾烈。

滿清朝廷曾在一八世紀中葉，侵佔距北京三千餘公里的西北角，東突厥斯坦（Eastern Turkistan），這因被認為是新的中國領土，故名稱「新疆」。新疆擁有一六六萬平方公里面積，佔全中國六分之一的領土。

新疆在滿清時代，即以伊斯蘭教徒維吾爾人崛起，宣告「東突厥斯坦運動」（突厥斯坦屬於土耳其族人住地，今的維吾爾自治區），一九三三年興起第一次獨立運動，宣言「東突厥斯坦伊斯蘭共和國」，一九四四年第二次獨立運動時也宣言「東突厥斯坦共和國」，但均遭鎮壓，然而維吾爾獨立運動其後也繼續不斷的發生。

共黨中國政府於一九四九年設立維吾爾自治區，是維吾爾族‧回族‧哈薩克族等弱小民族的共住地，然共產政府入侵後，漢族人大規模的被送入該自治地區，使漢族人在自治區佔最大人口勢力。同時，共黨政府派遣毛澤東左右手的大將王震，率領「新疆建設兵團」（下設一四個兵團，一○萬大軍，裝甲兵團‧砲兵團，以及三萬武裝警察，以隔絕漢維兩族關係，鎮壓反抗，駐防屯墾等為任務）。如一九九○年維吾爾獨立運動興起「東突厥斯坦伊斯蘭運動」，立即遭北京直接指揮的新疆建設兵團的武裝大兵所鎮壓。「一九九七年六月，烏魯木齊的維吾爾族人一萬五千，以木棒‧石器等蜂擁而起，結果，二百餘維吾爾住民遭屠殺，六千人被送入勞動營，一九四九年至七二年，記錄著反共黨政府的蜂起共有五四八件，三六萬維吾爾族人被殺害」（香港，Forien Report，1997，2，28）。

維吾爾人的世界著名作家，阿部突烏爾灰骨證言，「維吾爾教師，幾乎遭新疆建設兵團武警捉去坐牢，僅只數年，被認為有獨立思想的維吾爾人遭到綁架，而永不能回家的有二五萬人」（日本‧產經新聞）。

這幾年，中國西北部頻頻發生弱小民族反中國政府事件，如在維吾爾自治區帕米爾高原（Pamir），維吾爾自治區西南部（天山南路）大城市喀什（Kashgal），從烏魯木齊飛往北京的客機上，雲南省昆明市內公車上，或青海省克爾庫等地，相繼發生反中國政府的爆炸事件。

（五）烏魯木齊維吾爾人蜂起

烏魯木齊是新疆維吾爾自治區首邑，天山北路的大都市（「絲路」上的一個綠洲oasis），古代駱駝商隊的貿易中心。

因廣東韶關一家玩具廠的二個維吾爾工人被漢人殺害，七月五日夜，在烏魯木齊發生數千人維吾爾人蜂起抗議，官方宣佈死亡一四○人，受傷八二八人。

當場目睹的日本旅行者說：「最初是維吾爾族人與漢族人互相破口罵街遊行，然而中國政府武裝部隊突然出現，向維吾爾人開槍，引起遊行群眾爆發憤懣，進而同族住民陸續捲入抗議行列，維漢互相打鬥‧破壞對方的商店‧住所等，遂成為刀‧棒‧石塊對機槍的大規模抗爭，眼看各處血跡斑斑，有如人間煉獄。」（日本‧產經新聞）。

北京政府，聞信急遽派遣中國武警部隊（據稱有百萬人馬）司令員吳雙戰，及國家安全部長孟建柱趕至烏魯木齊，投入千餘武裝警察，軍隊‧鎮暴車‧戰車等，直接向維吾爾人開槍‧施放催淚彈‧水柱‧或以電棒打人，其中更有鎮暴車直接衝入維吾爾人的遊行群眾中，一七人被壓在鎮暴車下當場死亡（AFP，法國通信）。

「武裝警察抓到遊行行列中的維吾爾人，將其身上衣物剝光，且推倒在地，穿軍靴的腳踩在頭顱及臉頰，然後當成暴民捉走，……數百維吾爾婦女，舉拳掩面泣訴，口口聲聲要求“還我丈夫”」「維漢兩族均各自組織自衛隊，在大街上‧小巷內到處大血戰」（日本‧產經新聞）。

烏魯木齊市政府當局，七月七日在記者會上強調：「此次暴動不屬民族問題或宗教問題，而是亡命外國的維吾爾人，組織世界維吾爾會議，為了分裂祖國，有計劃並煽動的。此次暴動死亡一五六人」。

新疆埋藏石油‧天然瓦斯等地下資源豐富（佔全中國的三○％），並廣設有核能諸設施，所以共黨聲稱：「新疆是中國的生命線，是與維吾爾獨派打仗的最前線」（日本‧野口東秀記者，由烏魯木齊電告）。

維吾爾族蜂起抗議，實以共黨政府利用漢族人的優越性實行抑壓統治為因，所以新疆‧西藏等這種弱小民族對中國的民族產生反感，此後是更加深化對立，共黨政府的血腥彈壓政策也會更加殘酷。

共黨政府對於新疆自治區的交通等經濟基本建設，是從一九九○年代開始，突飛猛進的發展，導致新疆的GDP年平均為一○％的成長。然而這些國營產業的高幹地位及巨大利益，完全由新移民的漢民族人所壟斷，而且，強制以中國話為普遍通用語言，弱小民族的母語‧文化‧宗教等盡遭干涉，所以維吾爾族人認為共黨與漢人是資源掠奪‧文化破壞‧毀滅民族的元凶，維吾爾獨立運動只要有機會就會爆發。（維吾爾經濟學者談話│日本‧產經新聞）

共黨政府對外發表：「烏魯木齊暴動是海外的分裂勢力“世界維吾爾會議”所指揮的有計劃有組織的暴動」，但是，國際社會並不相信，大體上都認為這是為要執行恐怖與屠殺勾當的藉口。

國際特赦組織，呼籲中國政府立即釋放被捕維吾爾人。

聯合國秘書長潘其文聲明：「國內或國際上的不同意見，均應透過對話來和平解決」。

美國國務卿希拉蕊七日發言：「美國對此深感關切，將盡全力了解真相，……目前當務之急是設法結束衝突」（日本記者古森義久，由華盛頓報導）。

然而，中國政府與維吾爾民族的衝突事件延及海外，中國駐荷蘭‧德國‧挪威‧日本等地大使館或領事館，均遭維吾爾族人及其國際朋友示威或攻擊，他們都高舉「中國人滾回中國」的旗幟。

中國國家主席胡錦濤（黨中央總書記），在義大利擬以舉行八國高峰會（G8），因新疆形勢告急，隨之取消行程，於七月八日搭乘專機返回北京，立即發表聲明：「世界維吾爾會議議長熱比婭‧卡提爾為暴動的主謀」。

被中國政府責難為「煽動暴動的國家分離者」的熱比婭‧卡提爾（62歲），於七月二八日，從美國訪問日本。她曾在中國因政治犯而坐牢六年，她丈夫坐牢九年，二人的孩子各被判七年與九年徒刑，兩人現仍在監獄服刑。她在二○○五年亡命美國，○六年就任「世界維吾爾會議議長」，被稱為「維吾爾之母」，諾貝爾和平賞候補。

她二九日在東京，日本記者俱樂部會見內外記者（包含「人民日報」記者在內），她說：「烏魯木齊發生遊行運動以降，萬人單位的維吾爾人行方不明，中國政府的恐怖彈壓（terrorigm）現仍繼續進行」。

「由中國共產黨侵略後，祖國東突厥斯坦被置於中國支配之下，約已六○年，維吾爾人的和平的生活被剝奪，青年人不能住在故鄉，均為服務都市的勞動而被捉走，若不去，馬上以反政府‧國家分裂主義者‧恐怖份子羅織罪名，維吾爾的語言‧文化‧宗教都被禁止或抹殺……」。

「集結在烏魯木齊的維吾爾人的遊行，事前有發聲明，所以，中國當局的鎮壓措施也早有準備。維吾爾人與漢人互相攻擊因而造成死傷者眾的初期階段，武裝警察故意不出手干預，先將混亂的現場攝影後，目的是要當成維吾爾人的暴力行為的證據而將之公諸於世」。

「到當晚九點，全市全面停電，在漆黑的暗夜裡，從數個地方同時響起猛烈的機關槍的槍聲，武裝警官的無差別攻擊開始」。

「但是一到翌日早上，維吾爾人的遺體都被清理乾淨，只獨留漢人死屍在現場的場面，以這樣的現場佈置企圖讓人誤認為是維吾爾人襲擊漢人，並發表犧牲者一九七人皆是漢人。」

「實際上，從中國政府的映像，可以看出手拿武器的都是漢人，維吾爾人是手無寸鐵，擺明就是“武裝漢人與武裝警察及軍隊”對待“手無寸鐵的維吾爾人”的情況下，有武裝的漢人能被無武裝的維吾爾人殺得那麼多？實際上，被殺的都是無武裝的維吾爾人，我們估計千人以上的維吾爾人被殺害。」

「一夜之間，在烏魯木齊消失了上萬人，不是被抓走就是被殺害」。

「中國政府發表：從翌朝在自治區挨家挨戶搜索，拘捕維吾爾的男人四千以上」。

當場的「人民日報」記者，最後，惡意的詢問：「妳在新疆是大富豪，卻說維吾爾人沒有自由」。她立即反問的說：「我們因不要受壓制而遭彈壓，我們夫婦及孩子都被抓而坐牢。若是真正的新聞記者必須是睜大眼睛，挖掘事實的真相，做真實的報導才對吧」（著名日本政治評論家‧櫻井｜「週刊新潮」九月七日號）。

卡提爾，亦去過澳大利亞，因為她的自傳作用「關於愛的十個條件」，被澳大利亞‧墨爾本（Melbourne）的國際電影展覽會時提出特別演出。她在澳大利亞說：「維吾爾人，好似西藏人的兄弟，在國際社會老是不能發言」。

但是，以卡提爾作品被上演為理由，中國政府卻從墨爾本國際電影展取消七個中國參展的作品。

奇怪的是，應該與中共政府無相干的「台灣」中華民國，也與中共政權同聲附和，將要展出的作品也一併退出電影展（日本‧產業經濟新聞華盛頓支局長‧山本秀也的報導）。後來，馬英九政權，更以「恐怖份子」為由拒絕卡提爾來台灣，這無形中讓人看到中國共黨當局的政治力之大，及馬英九對中共的卑躬屈膝。

（六）維吾爾民族起義與台灣獨立運動的節操

此次目睹中國共黨政府手拿機關槍，帶著大砲坦克的武裝警察，對付一群手無寸鐵的維吾爾的抗議民眾，立即讓我想到台灣的二二八事件，當時也完全是由有武裝的軍隊、警察及特務，以機關槍、大砲來對付無武裝的台灣民眾，新疆這次的起義所被彈壓、殺害，在台灣人看來儼然是二二八的翻版。

中共政權，以中華民族主義來恐怖統治所謂的中國少數民族，特別是圖博（西藏）民族和維吾爾民族。然而，這兩個被壓迫民族，百年來，不但沒有衰亡，也沒有失去其做人應有的志氣，更加地繼續不斷的在中國各地，以集體行動或單獨個人的犧牲性命，去對抗中共政府和中華民族的優越‧差別和鴨霸的凌辱，實是令人敬佩！

反觀台灣，二二八時犧牲無可計數的台灣人的性命，不但在政治上、經濟上被壓迫、被掠奪，尚且台灣意識更被以恐怖洗腦的方式受到摧殘，台灣人在如此殘暴不堪的殖民地統治之下，二二八之後的台灣人卻僅以微小的抗議活動，或動嘴吧與國民黨謾罵，就自以為夠了，更有的在光天化日下與敵人妥協，有的或明或暗和中國共黨眉目傳情。當這些人曾高喊台灣獨立時，影響了多少的台灣大眾，台灣人受到他們的感召都挺身而出為台灣打拚，其後招到這些台灣獨立號召者的敵前投降，台灣大眾又該要如何自處？

在面對維吾爾民族如火如荼的爭取獨立自主，台灣獨立運動民眾更應該以這次新疆事件為殷鑑，由歷史中學習祖先們不屈不撓的反抗外來政權的志氣，體認到唯有台灣實現獨立建國，才是台灣人唯一的活路。"

autocracy and democracy

Taipei Times - archives: "Is it just me, or is Taiwan heading toward being the first country in the world to turn away from its young and troubled but fully functioning democracy to become part of a gravely troubled autocracy?

China is facing troubling economic problems, with 25 million recently unemployed workers adding to a real possibility of unrest across the nation. The apparent increase in corruption at all levels of government; the rapidly widening gap between the abominably poor and the obscenely rich; and non-existent quality control mechanisms make China a very bad choice for any kind of trade agreement, especially under a “one China” policy.

Is our government really that weak, naive and shortsighted? Does it truly believe that the territory of the Republic of China includes the territory of the People’s Republic of China and that signing an agreement under the “one China” policy is therefore acceptable"

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自由電子報 - 一國兩制? 太抬舉了!

自由電子報 - 一國兩制? 太抬舉了!: "馬政府罄竹難書者，何只拿著世維秘書長是紅色通報對象，就說世維主席入境將影響國家安全，這一樁才可笑？兩個銅首不是活生生的人，既不會說話、也不會行動，就可以讓馬英九如臨大敵，拒絕法國收藏者的相贈，何況是一位堅決抵抗中國對少數民族暴政的勇敢女性呢？

周功鑫這位在上海置產引起軒然大波的「地區院長」，為何這麼做？很簡單，看看來訪的北京故宮院長鄭欣淼的讚賞，就知道是奴才摸順了主子的心。這位「總院上級領導」不但管周功鑫，還管起有意接受的台灣史博館，居然不知禮數的稱「明顯要挑起兩岸不必要糾紛的做法應當審慎」，是誰讓這些中國官員在台灣的土地上大言不慚的？不就是台上的窩囊廢政府嗎！"

Obama go go go

Taipei Times - archives: "The Norwegian Nobel Committee praised Obama for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.”

The first African-American to hold his country’s highest office, Obama has called for disarmament and worked to restart the stalled Middle East peace process since taking office in January."

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財團法人台灣大地文教基金會 - 台灣人拜台灣神 不做無根之民 - 熱情為台灣－我讀我見（4）

財團法人台灣大地文教基金會 - 台灣人拜台灣神 不做無根之民 - 熱情為台灣－我讀我見（4）: "我的募款，從來沒有一塊錢發生毛病。FAPA前會長、民視董事王桂榮(台聯僑選立委王政中的父親) 在民視一次董事會中表示，如果蔡同榮會貪污，他願意被砍頭。會後我告訴王桂榮，20幾年的交情，贏得他如此的信任，令我十分欣慰。

陳哲芳在美國找不到我的毛病，反過頭來說我在台灣有貪污的情事。12月17日，在選舉前二天，陳鏡仁在各大報刊登頭版半頁的廣告，誣指我貪污「公投會」的錢。看了這個廣告後，我打電話給麗蓉，她同意提起告訴，於是我們一起到嘉義市地檢署按鈴控告陳鏡仁毀謗、違反選罷法，不久改提自訴。

我不必證明我沒歪哥，陳鏡仁是被告，應負舉證的責任，証明我A錢。開庭時，法官要求陳鏡仁提出我貪污的證據，他完全拿不出來，反而拜託許多人來找我，說我既然當選了，為了嘉義市的團結，別再追究告訴。
蔡同榮，2008，'民視董事長'，《熱情為台灣》，民視，台北市，pp.167-168。"

自由電子報 - 《澄社評論》歐巴瑪政府 轉向中

自由電子報 - 《澄社評論》歐巴瑪政府 轉向中: "歐巴瑪政府官員多次表示依據「台灣關係法」，有提供台灣防衛性武器的義務，但歐巴瑪總統對胡錦濤也有戰略保證。歐巴瑪雖然對中國傾銷美國的輪胎課徵三十五％關稅、派遣「鍾雲號」驅逐艦捍衛美國在南海的航行自由，但延遲與達賴會晤、減少批評中國的人權與金融政策、加大中國在「國際貨幣基金」的投票比重，顯示道德原則向現實政策低頭的一面。"

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forgivethis man but the order from Beijing

Taipei Times - photo: "IDENTITY CRISIS
Workers at the Taipei Arena yesterday replace the word “Taiwan” with the word “Taipei” ahead of tomorrow’s Indiana Pacers vs Denver Nuggets NBA basketball game.
PHOTO: CHANG CHIA-MING, TAIPEI TIMES

# Advertising"

red china control your human rights

Taipei Times - archives: "Blogger Jeremy Goldkorn has something in common with Twitter, Facebook and YouTube:They’ve all been barred by China’s regulators

By Jeremy Goldkorn
THE GUARDIAN
Friday, Oct 09, 2009, Page 9

ILLUSTRATION: MOUNTAIN PEOPLE

On July 3, Chinese government censors blocked access to Danwei.org, the Web site I have edited from my home in Beijing since 2003. It is hosted outside China, so it’s easy for zealous regulators to flip an electronic switch and restrict access. Most of our content is translated from the Chinese media and Internet, which gave us a certain amount of protection: Most Chinese people who write or publish in China self-censor, and this is why we had escaped the censor’s wrath. Until July."

Beijing is world's Boss

Taipei Times - archives: "China’s rulers put on a big show to celebrate the 60th anniversary of their revolution. But the show was not open to the people of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), except on TV screens.

Beijing residents with houses and balconies with a view of the parade were barred from looking out. Nearby hotels were barred from accepting guests. This says a lot about the regime that doesn’t trust its own people while celebrating the country’s achievements over a 60-year period. What are they afraid of?"

Taipei Times - archives

Taipei Times - archives: "Presiding Judge Teng Chen-chiu (鄧振球) explained the appeals court’s decision to extend Chen’s detention by saying he was suspected of committing serious crimes and, as a former president, he has more ­channels to flee the country than an ordinary citizen."

自由電子報 - 校尉軍官 流浪貓

自由電子報 - 校尉軍官 流浪貓: "先不論行政院是否為維護高官轉任肥貓，轉移焦點的把這二三六人扭曲為肥貓，但吳院長及國防部的說法顯然是在轉移焦點。筆者認為這二三六人中多係轉任至退輔會轉投資的一些所謂「民營機構」，且多為將級軍官，而真正需要照顧的校、尉級軍官只好自找出路了。因此嚴格來講，這些隱身在所謂的「民營機構」中的退役將領的確是肥貓，但只是小肥貓而已，真正的大肥貓是那些公務部門轉任公營企業領雙薪的退休人員。"

自由電子報 - 台灣發券 中國發財

自由電子報 - 台灣發券 中國發財: "檢視過去一年半以來馬政府擴大對中國經貿交流，包括其最引以為傲的「消費券」政策，最後大都流向國外品牌廠商的口袋裡，而這些商品大部分都是中國製造，變成「台灣發券，卻是中國在受益」的結果，就更不難理解到為什麼台灣今年的經濟表現會在亞洲敬陪末座，台灣對中國的出口反而較之民進黨執政時被中國國民黨稱為「鎖國」的時期萎縮得更厲害。"

Taipei Times - archives

Taipei Times - archives: "A recent controversy over the use of the word “Taiwan” at an event in Taipei City has highlighted the absurdity of China’s sensitivity to the name and cast doubt on the city government’s commitment to upholding the nation’s dignity.

With the Denver Nuggets and the Indiana Pacers in Taipei this week for exhibition games, preparations were under way at the Taipei Arena ahead of the first game today.

But a banner on the side of the stadium to welcome the US National Basketball Association (NBA) teams was changed at the last minute to replace the word “Taiwan” with the word “Taipei.”"

馬政府砸九億八推廣孔廟君君臣臣儒家教條記者會

馬政府砸九億八推廣中國帝王思想

新聞快報 - TWIMI | 獨立媒體

作者 TWIMI | 獨立媒體

2009/10/07, Wednesday

馬政府砸九億八推廣孔廟君君臣臣儒家教條記者會 更多照片，請點擊上圖，連結至 活動相簿 台北市議員簡余晏、李慶鋒、陳建銘上午在台北市議會召開記者會表示，民政局假其他局處去跟交通部觀光局要到了三億元預算，目標是要大大擴充去年讓馬英九孔廟走中門的門面，這次，他們還要成立一個「儒道基金會」，把預算藏進這個還未成立的基金會，全力推動儒家的「儀式」。 穿古裝走孔廟中門的古禮封建儀式留給電視八點檔去演即可，政府財政困難，九億八應該花在地方更多的文化活動上。議員表示去年馬英九走孔廟中門的「古禮祭典儀式與體驗活動」預計以1千萬元預算重新體驗，而這樣的活動未來也要花2500萬元來「定時展演」。 議員質疑，台灣人的文化遺址在馬政府九億八預算隻字未提，反而要動用大筆預算來重現馬英九穿古裝走中門的「古禮祭典儀式」要花1千萬元，這個活動的定期展 演要花2500萬元、推動「中華傳統文化及儒道體驗」還要開發軟體等共編1200萬元、六藝體驗活動要花1700萬元、漢字文化體驗要花2850萬元、虛 擬實境劇院要花3000萬元、孔廟情境劇要花1000萬元、語音導覽系統就要花1100萬元…，這種預算編列實在太浮濫了。 議員表示，台灣作為現代化民主國家，我們可以強調孔子對於文化與教育的貢獻，也可以祭孔，但在國家財政困難的同時，挪撥健保及社福預算九億八來重現代表 「中華文化」、封建儀式的祭孔，而絲毫不重視在地聲音及文化，這根本是對於台灣在地文化的歧視，重現封建。議員要求市府應就大同文化園區的發展舉行公聽 會，好好傾聽在地的聲音。 獨立媒體 採訪報導 source: TWIMI | 獨立媒體 延伸閱讀： 簡余晏部落格- 天啊！封建古劇交給八點檔演才對，馬政府竟砸九億八重現孔廟走中門情境劇，不還健保費卻把錢送基金會迴避監督 噗浪相關討論 分享：

 

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Taipei Times - archives

Taipei Times - archives: "While Taiwan has a high home ownership rate, many elderly have real estate but no money to live on. Such people often have to ask their children to cover their living expenses. If their children are less than filial, this often leads to argument. After the elderly die, their children inherit their real estate assets and enjoy the wealth that took their parents a lifetime of hard work to build.

It is also hard for the elderly to ask their children to help cover their living costs in a dignified manner. The mechanism proposed above would allow the elderly to rely on themselves while ensuring they retain their dignity."

Taipei Times - archives

Taipei Times - archives: "News that New Tang Dynasty TV (NTDTV, 新唐人電視台) broadcasts by carrier Chunghwa Telecom experienced a series of blackouts last month could be the most disturbing and direct effort yet on the part of Beijing to censor the flow of information in Taiwan.

The station reported a series of interruptions to its broadcasts in the run-up to the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and a complete blackout on the day of the anniversary last Thursday.

Chunghwa Telecom is attempting to locate the cause of the problem and the National Communications Commission (NCC) has launched an investigation. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator William Lai (賴清德), meanwhile, expressed concern that Beijing was the culprit."

PO文引戰 蝦米麥卡錫

自由電子報 - PO文引戰 蝦米麥卡錫: "「麥卡錫主義」為何，請大家自己去Google或Wiki一下，自然可以得到解答；這次台灣主政當局，並沒有因為陳昭榮的言論而對他進行調查、審問、拘捕與禁演，政府公權力沒有介入，那何來「麥卡錫主義」之有？真的要說，當年張惠妹在台灣國慶唱了國歌，之後立刻在中國被禁足禁唱，那才有點「麥卡錫主義」的味道。"

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自由電子報 - 記者被打的紅與黑

自由電子報 - 記者被打的紅與黑: "九月，三名香港記者在烏魯木齊被武警毆打，事後更被新疆當局誣陷。後來有日本共同社記者在北京酒店房內也遭遇類似橫逆。時值中共建政六十周年，身為文明人，我們除了可以用文明社會的標準來檢討當局的暴行，或許也可試圖從半野蠻半文明人類的價值觀念出發，相信更能掌握這些人的知識框架、善惡標準，既避免對牛彈琴，又能直擊要害"

great China

Taipei Times - archives: "When US President Barack Obama gives Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama the cold shoulder (the first time since 1991 that a US president will not meet the spiritual leader while he is in Washington) lest meeting him anger Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) ahead of the Obama-Hu meeting next month, it sends the wrong signal. If there is one place where the president of the most powerful country in the world should do as he chooses, it is on US soil.

The same could be said of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), who snubbed the Dalai Lama during his trip to Taiwan last month, or of Taiwan’s — and now perhaps New Zealand’s — refusal to allow Uighur rights activist Rebiya Kadeer to visit."

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Ma want sell out Taiwan ?

〈名家專欄〉當前北京對台策略剖析 / 陳明通

10/02/2009 02:49:00 下午 張貼者： 台灣通訊
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隨著台灣去年的總統大選，國民黨重新取得執政地位，北京當局根據「一法兩公報」（反分裂國家法、連胡公報、宋胡公報）對台框架，進一步發展出一套對馬總統及其所領導政府的新策略，具體而言是一套「圍馬統一戰線」，以「馴服」馬英九，讓其政府按照「連胡所簽的五點願景辦事」，最後更提出「胡六點」，正式宣告馬政府時期北京對台的基本政策框架，由過去的「反獨不促統」，轉成「化獨促統」，清晰明白，毫不隱晦。

北京這一套戰略與策略，在過去的一年中已逐漸奏效，舉凡兩岸互動的重大議題，包括海基海協兩會的復談、談判議題及議程的設定、談判結果的落實，兩岸爭議事件的溝通，以及未來兩岸的主要議題與議程，都在這一套戰略與策略下運作得「虎虎生威」，台灣方面只能配合或遷就而已。

去年12月31日，胡錦濤提出「胡六點」，要馬總統「恪守一個中國」，並直指這是雙方的「互信基礎」，否則什麼事都不好商量，可能無法繼續兩岸談判。但是馬總統並沒有公開接受「一個中國」原則，不僅完成三次「江陳會」，達成九項協議，一項共同聲明，而且北京國也同意今年下半年要進行第四次「江陳會」，包括願意談判台灣政府目前極力推動的ECFA。北京為何如此遷讓馬政府，是否其對台政策或策略有所調整？其實不然，北京既沒有讓步也沒有調整其對台策略，而是透過「養、套、殺」的方式，分階段逐步加以落實。

目前只是處於「養」的階段，給一些胡蘿蔔，讓馬政府吃到甜頭；再來就是「套」，將馬政府套牢，為此必先進行國內外的佈局，然後用「兩岸和平協議」將台灣套牢；最後則是「殺」，即完成統一台灣的目的，但這一階段可以放得比較遠，不一定要在馬政府任內完成。

面對北京毫不含糊的對台攻勢，馬政府將如何因應，基本上我們可以從三個可能的場景來加以分析：

(一) 完全依循北京所設定的對台政策框架，亦步亦趨。此一場景暫時應該不會發生，雖然反對黨及社會上一直有批評馬「傾中」的聲音，但是我們寧可相信馬總統仍會努力維持台灣海峽的現狀，以繼續當他的中華民國總統。

(二) 完全拒絕北京所設定的對台政策框架，不惜翻臉，即使造成兩岸關係倒退，亦無所謂。此一場景基本上並不符合馬總統的行事風格，同時目前的情境也沒有走到這樣的地步。

(三) 對北京所設定的對台政策框架，並非完全配合，馬仍有自己的想法和堅持。此一場景比較符合目前馬政府的回應策略，我們從前述馬總統藉接見錢復等參與「博鰲論壇」部分回應「胡六點」的講話看來，馬仍繼續堅持他的「一中各表」、以及「不統不獨」的「三不」政策，只是態度更放軟一些，不再堅持北京必須「正視現實、互不否認」，修改成期待與胡錦濤「同舟共濟、相互扶持、深化合作、開創未來」。
問題是這樣的回應規避了「胡六點」開宗明義所要求的，「兩岸在事關維護一個中國框架這一原則問題上形成共同認知和一致立場」，胡的意思相當清楚與堅持，須有這塊「構築政治互信的基石」，兩岸才「什麼事情都好商量」，否則恐怕「什麼事情都不好商量」，胡更不會跟馬「同舟共濟、相互扶持」。

馬繼續掙扎，不答應給胡這塊「構築政治互信的基石」，很多事情就愈來愈不好商量，兩岸關係恐怕逐漸走入僵局。兩岸關係一旦逐漸走入僵局，馬政府感覺很多事情都不像以前那樣好商量時，將如何應對？

馬政府如果對中共採取激進強硬的策略，將會得不償失，不僅深藍不支持，綠營也不會領情，更撕破了與北京的「政治互信」，結果只能「坐困愁城」，弄得一事無成。如果不採取激進強硬的策略，為了打破僵局，只好走向前面所設定的第一個場景，完全依循北京所設定的對台政策框架，照單全收北京所設定的「正式結束敵對狀態」議題，同時簽署北京所主導的「和平協議」，如此胡錦濤將在中南海滿懷高興地慶祝台灣終於「回歸祖國」，台灣社會則陷入另一場統獨大戰，剛好給北京出兵平亂的藉口。當然也有一種可能，就是馬政府讓僵局繼續持續下去，這就比賽雙方的耐力，但是2012年馬要競選連任，胡錦濤則要卸任，誰比較有本錢讓僵局繼續下去，則有待進一步的觀察。

（全文摘錄陳明通教授發表於東吳政治學報/2009/第二十七卷第二期同名之論文）"

苟活於天災亡於人禍

自由電子報 - 苟活於天災亡於人禍: "風災尚且如此，但說到政策的錯誤，譬如馬政府的親中路線，外交休兵、鬆綁對中投資、開放中資來台、計畫簽署ＭＯＵ、ＥＣＦＡ等，卻是明知對台灣經濟已造成重大衝擊，使失業人口激增，嚴重性實百、千倍於風災，甚至導致台灣滅亡，仍執意不改，非做不可。

兩相對照之下，顯然馬政府只願做一些討好民眾的表面工作，提升它的支持度，但是對於它在意識形態與認同的偏執與錯誤，因為涉及基本價值觀，則是無論如何都不會改正的。"

自由電子報 - 晶圓面板登陸 員工怕失業

自由電子報 - 晶圓面板登陸 員工怕失業: "產業赴中 優秀人才流失

有兆元產業光環的面板廠，則是吸納許多國內優秀理工人才投入，開放赴中投資，不只外移恐造成產業空洞化、失業率提高，國內優秀人才也有流失或斷層危機。

國立大學電機碩士的面板工程師小王說，因為成績不錯，畢業時同時有好幾家公司找上門，他因看好當時正在浪頭上的面板業，於是選擇進入面板廠。這幾年來隨公司成長身價翻倍，還在新竹買了人生的第一間屋子；但去年第四季之後，面板業受金融海嘯衝擊，產能利用率低到不能再低，首度嘗到無薪假的滋味。"

doggy rights

Taipei Times - archives: "“We want to use the opportunity ... to tell the people of Taiwan that adoption saves, abandonment kills.”

— Rosa Huang, Animals Taiwan secretary-general"

But is Kadeer really a terrorist?

Taipei Times - archives: "But is Kadeer really a terrorist? Ten days before the opening of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games last summer, then-US president George W. Bush received a group of five well-known Chinese dissidents, including Wei Jingsheng (魏京生), at the White House. Kadeer was one of them. At the meeting, Bush reiterated his support for the Uighurs’ pursuit of human rights and democracy. Kadeer said Bush’s decision to receive them at that moment was a strong message to the Chinese government that it must stop suppressing human rights."

就別再染髮吧！MA

自由電子報 - 就別再染髮吧！: "馬英九總統健檢，被藍營媒體搞成大條新聞，說他「減重有成」，「中國」報還用超大篇幅報導，透露他的瘦身秘訣：清水燙青菜、晨起用跑步機運動…因而從「肉男」變「型男」云云，還引述台北榮總院長林芳郁連說Perfect云云。"

The rich, not the poor, are burning the planet

Taipei Times - archives: "A paper published on Monday in the journal Environment and Urbanization shows that the places where population has been growing fastest are those in which carbon dioxide has been growing most slowly, and vice versa. Between 1980 and 2005, for instance, sub-Saharan Africa produced 18.5 percent of the world’s population growth and just 2.4 percent of the growth in carbon dioxide. North America turned out only 4 percent of the extra people, but 14 percent of the extra emissions. Sixty-three percent of the world’s population growth happened in places with very low emissions."

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