Yuan deposits put banking industry at risk: lawmaker

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

Increasing yuan deposits in Taiwan without sufficient regulation could exacerbate the nation’s economic dependence on China in the future and leave the banking industry open to Chinese manipulation, a Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) lawmaker said yesterday.

Citing central bank statistics, TSU Legislator Lai Cheng-chang (賴振昌) told a press conference that the total amount of yuan in Taiwan as of May this year was more than NT$290 billion (US$9.63 billion), of which more than 60 percent was deposited at the Bank of China’s Taipei branch.

Taiwan should upgrade Japan ties: think tank

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

Taiwan should seize the opportunity presented by Japan’s recent removal of a ban on collective self-defense and seek to upgrade bilateral relations on economic and security cooperation, a think tank said yesterday.

“As a think tank, we support Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s removal of the ban on collective self-defense rights because it benefits Taiwan’s security,” Taiwan Brain Trust executive director Liu Shih-chung (劉世忠) told a symposium.

TAO visit shows fragility of democracy: symposium

YOUNG AND DISCONTENTED:：During the symposium participants said that the majority of protesters were young people which showed the changing political climate in Taiwan
By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter
Mon, Jun 30, 2014 - Page 1

The recently concluded visit of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) Minister Zhang Zhijun (張志軍) exposed the danger of the President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) administration’s attempt to merge “two distinctively different civilizations and the fragility of Taiwan’s democracy and civic society,” panelists at a symposium said yesterday.

“Never think that the tragedy of the 228 Incident cannot happen in the 21st century,” retired National Taiwan University professor Kenneth Lin (林向愷) told the symposium, organized by the Taiwan Association of University Professors.

Deport Zhang if mentions ‘one China’: DPP caucus

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

If China’s Taiwan Affairs Office Minister Zhang Zhijun (張志軍) mentions the “one China framework” and says Taiwan’s future should be decided by all Chinese people in his four-day visit to Taiwan, the government should immediately deport him, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislative caucus said yesterday.

As Zhang’s visit between tomorrow and Saturday is to mark the first visit of a Chinese official in their official capacity, the DPP and pan-green camp supporters were closely watching his itinerary, potential moves and the political implication of his trip.

Pro-independence groups oppose TAO official’s tour

‘DOUBLE STANDARD’:The groups said Zhang Zhijun’s visit comes at a bad time after the TAO’s recent remarks, and Ma was weak on China, but hawkish on other nations
By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

Pro-independence groups yesterday said that they opposed the upcoming nationwide “inspection tour” by China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) Minister Zhang Zhijun (張志軍) and called for President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to stop applying “double standards” to Taiwan’s engagement with China compared with other foreign countries.

“We have a three-point statement for recent political development. First, Taiwan’s future should be decided by its 23 million people and no one else. Second, Ma should stop his ‘double standards’ and, third, the itinerary of Zhang’s visit to Taiwan should follow conventional diplomatic practice,” Taiwan Society president Chang Yen-hsien (張炎憲) told a press conference.

EDITORIAL: World Cup fever typifies Taiwanese

The great urge to learn everything about soccer during World Cup tournaments has become the norm in Taiwan every four years.

If a visitor was to browse the news, they might assume that the nation’s craze for soccer was similar to that in other parts of the world, going hand-in-hand with a professional soccer league and a couple of star players.

That is not the case. Taiwan ranks 176th among 207 members in the latest FIFA world ranking. It has neither a pro league, nor any soccer stars to speak of. The sport, like many others, has never caught the public’s attention and perhaps nine out of 10 Taiwanese have never watched a non-World Cup soccer game.

EDITORIAL: China, not Taiwan, lacks confidence

Tue, Jun 10, 2014 - Page 8

As much as Taiwan craves international attention, sometimes it has found itself in international headlines through no action of its own. More often than not, this has happened because of its neighbor across the Taiwan Strait.

Last week, actress Angelina Jolie drove the Middle Kingdom into a frenzy by telling the Associated Press that she admired director Ang Lee (李安), adding: “I’m not sure if you consider Ang Lee Chinese, he’s Taiwanese, but he does many Chinese-language films with many Chinese artists and actors.”

Ma must support Chinese democracy, advocates say

‘HE IS A LIAR’:Activists said although Chinese democracy is crucial for Taiwan’s future, Ma has toned down any criticism when marking the Tiananmen Square Massacre anniversary
By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

Advocates yesterday called on Taiwanese, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) in particular, to show strong support for China’s democratization on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, saying that China’s democratic movement will be crucial to Taiwan’s future.

“No democratic country in the world would stand on the sidelines as its neighbors abuse human rights. In the case of Taiwan, China’s democratization matters for Taiwan’s future,” Association of Taiwan Students’ Promotion of Chinese Democratization director Henry Kwok (郭豫謙) told a press conference in Taipei.

Majority view cross-strait ties as ‘state-to-state’: poll

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

The majority of respondents in a survey on cross-strait affairs view the relationship as “state-to-state” and do not support unification in the future, a poll released by Taiwan Indicators Survey Research (TISR) yesterday showed.

Asked whether the relationship between Taiwan and China is “state-to-state,” 59.7 percent gave a positive response, up from 56.2 percent in a similar survey conducted by TISR in April last year, with 25 percent saying “no” and 15.3 percent declining to answer.

New group to highlight nation’s missing history

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

The more than 3,000 Taiwanese who died in the Allied forces’ raid on Taipei at the end of the World War II are to be commemorated on Saturday in front of the Presidential Office Building by a new pro-independence group.

Established in February, Jiawu Regime Change (甲午變天) group lists its position as “anti-China and anti-President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九)” and its mission as advocating a new constitution, a new country and Taiwan’s bid for a UN seat.

Cross-strait initiative denies name report

‘OUR APPEAL’:：The cross-party group said the name of their initiative would not include ‘one China’ or ‘one country,’ and that it is similar in concept to ‘nations of brotherhood’
By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter
Sat, May 24, 2014 - Page 3

A group of politicians and academics are scheduled to unveil their proposition for a new framework for cross-strait relations on Tuesday, and yesterday denied that the official name of the initiative would contain sensitive terms such as “one China” or “one country.”

The seven-member group across party lines included former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman Shih Ming-te (施明德), former Mainland Affairs Council minister Chen Ming-tung (陳明通) under the former DPP administration and former National Security Council secretary-general Su Chi (蘇起), who served under President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration, according to a report published yesterday by Storm Media, an online news Web site.

EDITORIAL: Exploiting the name of Taiwan

Tue, May 20, 2014 - Page 8

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been at the center of attention and criticism for the creation of 20,000 stickers with the slogan: “I am Taiwanese. I am from Taiwan” in Vietnamese and English, which it sent to Vietnam, hoping it would help anti-China protesters distinguish Taiwanese from Chinese.

The property of hundreds of Taiwanese businesses and the lives of thousands of Taiwanese were at risk after the protests broke out in southern Vietnam last week which later devolved into riots against foreign companies and factories, in particular those from Taiwan because, according to the ministry, Vietnamese had trouble differentiating Taiwanese from Chinese.

Taipei to ask Hanoi for riot reparations

DAMAGE CONTROL:：The government aims to use bilateral pacts to find a legal basis to seek indemnity for damages to Taiwanese citizens or property in the Vietnam riots
By Shih Hsiu-chuan and Chris Wang  /  Staff reporters, with CNA
Fri, May 16, 2014 - Page 1

Taiwan is looking to cooperate with other countries affected by the recent anti-China protests in Vietnam to solicit compensation for the damage caused to foreign factories during the unrest sparked by Hanoi’s territorial disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea, Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lin (林永樂) said yesterday.

Lin told a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee that the ministry is studying two agreements signed between Taiwan and Vietnam on judicial assistance and investment protection to find a legal basis for compensation claims.

MOFA condemns protests against China in Vietnam

RIOT ACT:The foreign ministry urged Hanoi to protect Taiwanese there after protests over China’s territorial spat with Vietnam devolved into a rampage on foreign factories
By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

The government yesterday condemned the violent anti-China protests in Vietnam over Hanoi’s ongoing territorial dispute with Beijing, demanding that the Vietnamese government get the situation under control after the factories and offices of Taiwanese businesses in the country’s southeast were damaged during what it called “acts of rioting” by the protesters.

Speaking at a hastily convened press conference yesterday morning, Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lin (林永樂) said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) was still trying to gather information on the factories damaged in the unrest in Binh Duong and Dong Nai provinces that ensued after an anti-Chinese protest devolved into a violent attack against foreign businesses on Tuesday afternoon.

Experts call for a return to family farming model

BAVARIA EXAMPLE:：Experts said that the government should encourage small-scale farming like the German state did, which also saw a lift in the number of tourists
By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter
Mon, Apr 21, 2014 - Page 3

Agricultural experts yesterday called for more governmental engagement in revitalization of the family farming model to save the nation’s agricultural sector from the threat of the free-trade system and the failure of past policies.

With the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) designating this year the International Year of Family Farming, experts told a forum organized by the New Century Foundation that although Taiwan is not a UN member, it should take note of the organization’s ideas and make changes.

TAO rejects renegotiating pact

NO PRECEDENT:The Chinese official said agreements between countries should not be reconsidered, after a referendum was proposed for the cross-strait trade pact
By Peng Hsien-chun, Chris Wang and Stacy Hsu  /  Staff reporters, with staff writer

Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) spokesperson Fan Liqing (范麗青) yesterday said that there is no precedent for reopening negotiations on signed agreements between countries and that the “authority” of treaties inked by authorized representatives from both sides of the Taiwan Strait must be defended.

Fan made the remarks at a routine press conference in China yesterday amid growing calls for the government to renegotiate the controversial cross-strait service trade agreement it signed with Beijing on June 21 last year.

Academics urge review of Constitution to fix Taiwan

THORNY ISSUE:：The academics said interpretations of the Constitution, which Annette Lu likened to outdated ‘grandmother’s pajamas,’ will help solve pressing national issues
By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter
Wed, Apr 16, 2014 - Page 3

Following the conclusion of the Sunflower movement, interpretations of the Constitution are required if Taiwan is to resolve a wide range of thorny, imperative issues regarding its constitutional and political system, as well as the nature of cross-strait relations, academics said yesterday.

While the three-week student-led movement was ignited by protesters’ dissatisfaction with the nation’s representative democracy, several professors said the follow-up “rebuilding process” would be more of a constitutional than legislative reform drive, which was the topic of a forum organized by Citizen’s Congress Watch where they made their remarks.

Taiwan needs to woo India: Philip Ong

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

Taiwan should adopt a “pivot to India” strategy to take advantage of the South Asian country’s market potential and decrease its economic dependence on China, former representative to India Philip Ong (翁文祺) said yesterday.

“I would say that for all the strategies about Malaysia, Vietnam and other countries being planned by government agencies, such as the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs [MOFA], Taiwan would be better off adopting an ‘India strategy’ because it is be our best option,” Ong said on the sidelines of the inaugural ceremony of an India-Taiwan parliamentary friendship group.

EDITORIAL: A sad yet great day for Taiwan

March 24, 2014, is guaranteed to go down as one of the days permanently etched into the history of Taiwan’s democratic movement. It was a very sad, but also a great day for the nation.

In a crackdown on thousands of students and citizens who occupied the Executive Yuan compound, riot police evicted the protesters with water cannons and excessive force, injuring dozens.

Foundation unveils new historical fiction contest

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

A private foundation has offered a top prize of NT$1.2 million (US$39,600) for a historical fiction competition that encourages local writers to write about people and historical events in Taiwanese history.

The New Taiwan Peace Foundation, founded by Taiwan independence advocate Koo Kwang-ming (辜寬敏), announced the competition format yesterday at a press conference.