Top China negotiator to become new Taiwan premier

NF Reporter · 05-14-2007, 03:39 PM

Reuters - Taiwan will choose its top China negotiator as its next premier for lack of other job candidates as the former premier leaves to ease tension in the ruling party ahead of the 2008 presidential race, a source said on Sunday.

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08-01-2007, 12:41 PM

The mainland rattling its saber...

Chinese Army will have zero tolerance on Taiwan independence moves
Wednesday 1st August, 2007 : The People's Liberation Army (PLA) will have zero tolerance toward "Taiwan independence" moves, Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan has said.

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Speaking at a reception to mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese army, Cao said.the army would stop any activity that could lead to Taiwan "independence" in order to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. "Peaceful development across the Taiwan Straits is in the interest of not only Taiwan people and Chinese mainlanders, but also the international community," he added. He also noted that the army should modernize and "informatize" further.

He urged the armed forces to continue their efforts in social development by participating in natural disaster rescue operations, building a socialist countryside, developing the western regions and helping other key national projects. The 80th anniversary of the PLA is being marked by a new exhibition of Chinese military history in Beijing. The PLA boasts 2.3 million soldiers, 800,000 reservists, and an armed police numbering 1.5 million. Given the tumultuous 20th century history of China and its neighbouring region, the army has played a key role in determining the course of the country.

The PLA began life as a rag-tag assemblage of fighters relying mainly on guerrilla tactics. Several decades later, China's army is in the process of wide-ranging modernisation with the aim of reducing its size while upgrading its technological prowess. This year, Beijing announced an 18 per cent in military spending. The official figure for the military budget in this ongoing fiscal is said to be 44.94 billion dollars, but this has been disputed by both the United States and Japan. The Pentagon claims that the figure is more than 100 billion dollars, which China denies.

Chinese Army will have zero tolerance on Taiwan independence moves

waltky · 08-17-2007, 11:34 PM

China blocking Taiwan's membership in UN...

Rebuffing UN Bid, Beijing Says World Sees Taiwan as Part of China
August 17, 2007 - Fifteen diplomatic allies of Taiwan put forward a motion urging the United Nations to deal properly with the island's application for membership in the world body, but China quickly shot down the bid, saying the vast majority of the world's nations regard Taiwan as a part of China.

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In the latest move of a longstanding and escalating campaign, Taiwan's allies took issue with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's recent refusal to consider an application from Taiwan. Ban, a former South Korean foreign minister who succeeded Kofi Annan this year, cited a U.N. General Assembly resolution, which -- he said -- states that the U.N.'s policy is that Taiwan is part of China. The 1971 resolution, which handed China's seat at the U.N. to the communist regime in Beijing, did not in fact make any judgment as to Taiwan's status.

Taiwan protested Ban's stance, saying not only was he wrong in his interpretation of the resolution, but that only the Security Council and General Assembly -- and not the secretary-general -- have the authority to review and decide membership issues. Taiwan today is a self-governing democracy and one of the world's 20th largest economies, but because Chinese nationalists fled to the island from the mainland amid civil war six decades ago, China regards it as a rebel province.

Taiwan has been trying for 14 years to obtain membership in the U.N. and its agencies, but Beijing blocks all attempts at international recognition. China denied diplomatic ties to the 24 mostly developing countries that recognize Taiwanese sovereignty. Fifteen of those countries this week put forward a motion, asking that it be included on the agenda of the annual gathering of the General Assembly next month.

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waltky · 08-31-2007, 01:52 AM

Looks like China callin' the shots on this one...

'Taiwan move to join UN perplexing'
31 Aug 2007, A senior White House official called Taiwan's planned referendum on joining the United Nations "perplexing," saying it adds unnecessary tension to regional relations.

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"Membership in the United Nations requires statehood. Taiwan, or the Republic of China, is not at this point a state in the international community," National Security Council senior director for Asian affairs Dennis Wilder said. "So we find the attempts by the DPP (Democratic Progressive) Party in Taiwan to call for a referendum of this subject a little bit perplexing as to why this would be useful, given the fact that Taiwan is not going to be able to join the United Nations under current circumstances, and that it only adds a degree of tension to cross-straits relations that we deem unnecessary."

On Thursday Lin Chia-lung, secretary general of the ruling DPP, hit back at an earlier condemnation of the referendum plan by US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, who called it a provocative step toward declaring full independence -- a highly sensitive issue, as China insists Taiwan is part of its territory. "Taiwan stands on the just and right side while a few US officials will be judged by history," said Lin.

"We hope the US would respect Taiwan's mainstream public opinion and not bow to pressure from the Chinese communists." Wilder said the long-burning issue of Taiwan would almost certainly come up in private talks between US President George W. Bush and Chinese leader Hu Jintao when they meet during the upcoming Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Australia.

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waltky · 09-08-2007, 12:56 AM

Fearless W talkin' to the mainland for `em...

Bush Pushes Democracy in Asia, as Taiwan Bristles Under Fresh Chinese Pressure
September 07, 2007 - President Bush on Friday called for democracies in the Asia-Pacific region to work together to support democratic values and help those working for free societies.

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President Bush called Friday for democracies in the Asia-Pacific region to work together to support democratic values and help those working for free societies. In a speech in Sydney, Bush listed Taiwan among the region's democracies. In contrast, he expressed the hope that when China hosts the 2008 Olympic Games, it would use the opportunity to demonstrate "a commitment to greater openness and tolerance."

Yet it is the government of democratic Taiwan, not communist China, that is expressing discontent about the news from Sydney, where the leaders of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) nations have gathered for a weekend meeting. On Thursday, Chinese President Hu Jintao met with Bush and, according to a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, asked the U.S. leader to join him in warning Taiwan against "separatist activities."

"[Hu] stressed that this year and next year is going to be a highly sensitive and possibly dangerous period of the situation in the Taiwan Strait," said spokesman Liu Jianchao. Taiwan's independence-minded president, Chen Shui-bian, is pressing ahead with a plan to hold a referendum next March on whether the island should be allowed to join the United Nations under the name "Taiwan."

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waltky · 09-18-2007, 02:08 AM

Will be interesting to see if China gets its way...

China Lashes Out at Taiwan's UN Push, Proposed US Arms Sale
September 17, 2007 - Beijing stepped up its Taiwan rhetoric over the weekend, condemning the island's leader for promoting a referendum on joining the United Nations and criticizing Washington for new plans to sell weaponry to Taipei clearly intended to defend it against potential Chinese attack.

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Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said the proposed arms sales constituted wanton interference in China's internal affairs and violated commitments the U.S. had made in joint communiques in the 1980s. The Xinhua news agency quoted her as describing the current situation across the Taiwan Strait as "complicated and sensitive" and saying the U.S. should stop sending "wrong signals" to secessionist elements in Taiwan.

Last Wednesday, the Pentagon's arms-sales agency -- the Defense Security and Cooperation Agency -- announced plans to sell Taiwan 12 P-3C Orion anti-submarine aircraft and SM-2 Standard missiles for its Navy destroyers "for self-defense against air and cruise missile threats." The combined value of the sale could be as high as $2.2 billion, it said.

Pentagon reports say the primary threat facing Taiwan comes from the communist-ruled mainland, which has vowed to use force if necessary to prevent the island -- a rebel province, in its view -- from formally breaking away. China is reported to have deployed more than 1,000 missiles along its coastline opposite Taiwan in recent years.

Although the U.S. cut normal diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1979 in favor of the People's Republic of China (PRC), it is committed under the Taiwan Relations Act passed that same year to protect the island from unprovoked aggression and provide it with military assistance.

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China urges US to cancel arms sales to Taiwan
19 Septermber 2007 - China has called on the US to immediately cancel plans to sell P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and SM-2 missiles to Taiwan.

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According to the Chinese government's official news agency, a spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on 16 September that China "firmly opposes the US arms sales to Taiwan - our position is consistent and clear".

The spokeswoman said the sales would "seriously violate" the US' commitments to China made under previous agreements between Beijing and Washington, and that the deals would constitute "wanton interference" in China's internal affairs.

China urges US to cancel arms sales to Taiwan - Jane's Defence News

waltky · 09-19-2007, 10:40 PM

Guess China got its way, looks like Taiwan ain't gonna get to go to the dance...

UNGA rejects proposal to include Taiwan's UN bid on agenda
Wednesday , Sept.19 , 2007 -- UN General Assembly on Wednesday thwarted Taiwan's attempt to join the UN; Chinese permanent representative to the UN said there is but one China in the world; "Taiwan is not entitled to apply for UN membership in whatever name," Wang stressed.

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The General Committee of the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly decided on Wednesday not to include the so-called issue of "Taiwan's participation in the United Nations," raised by the Solomon Islands and a very few other countries, into the agenda of the General Assembly. Since 1993, the General Assembly has for the 15th consecutive time thwarted Taiwan's attempt to join the world body composed of sovereign states.

Addressing the session, Wang Guangya, Chinese permanent representative to the United Nations, said that there is but one China in the world and Taiwan has been an inalienable part of China since ancient times, a fact that has been recognized by the United Nations and the vast majority of countries around the world.

"The Taiwan question is purely an internal affair of China," Wang said. "It should be resolved by the Chinese people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits." "Although China is not yet reunited, the fact that both Taiwan and the mainland belong to one and the same China has never been changed," Wang stressed.

UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, adopted in 1971, explicitly stipulates that the representatives of the government of the People's Republic of China are the only legitimate representatives of China in the United Nations, Wang said. "This resolution has very clear political and legal meanings," the ambassador said. "It is based on the important prerequisite that China is an integrated country and Taiwan is a part of China."

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waltky · 09-20-2007, 10:56 PM

China rubbin' it in...

Taiwan Regrets Yet Another Unsuccessful UN Membership Bid
September 20, 2007 - Taiwan said Thursday it regretted a decision by a key United Nations panel to exclude its application for U.N. membership from the agenda of the General Assembly that has convened in New York City.

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In the latest setback to the island's long campaign for representation, the U.N's General Committee on Wednesday turned down a request from 16 allies of Taiwan -- mostly small developing nations -- to add the issue to the agenda. The allied states wanted to include as a supplementary item a motion asking the Security Council to process Taiwan's membership application according to its rules of procedure and the U.N. Charter.

Last month, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon caused a furor when he declined to accept and pass on an application for membership, on the basis that the U.N. views Taiwan as part of China. The resolution he cited -- which expelled Taiwan from the U.N. in 1971 and gave the "China" seat to the communist People's Republic of China (PRC) -- did not pass judgment on Taiwan's status.

In Taipei, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Chien-yeh accused the incoming General Assembly president, Srgjan Kerim of Macedonia, of violating procedures by not allowing a full discussion before ruling that the motion should not be included on the agenda. Wang said the government would continue to promote the bid.

Taiwan has applied for U.N. membership each year since 1993, but this year for the first time did so under the name "Taiwan" rather than its original and formal title, the Republic of China. The difference is significant because it implies a request for a new seat, rather than for a return to the seat it once held, which is now occupied by the PRC. Beijing, which regards the self-governing island of 23 million people as a rebel province, has together with its allies ensured that the bid fails each time.

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China hails failure of Taiwan's UN bid
20 September 2007 - China reacted promptly on Thursday to a failed bid by arch rival Taiwan to join the United Nations, saying it underlined that the island was "an inalienable part" of the mainland.

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The UN General Assembly's 22-member general committee agreed by consensus on Wednesday not to put the issue of Taiwan's membership onto the agenda of the assembly's 62nd session, marking the island's 15th failed attempt. "This shows once again no one can change the fact that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said in a statement posted on the ministry's website. "Anyone who challenges the one-China principle and plots to split China will utterly fail," she said.

The one-China principle states that the mainland and Taiwan both belong to the same entity. Taiwan, under its official name Republic of China, lost its UN seat to China in 1971. Taiwan's bids to rejoin the world body using its official title have been repeatedly shot down by Beijing, which sees the island as simply awaiting reunification. The issue is attracting more attention this year as Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian has vowed to hold a referendum – on whether to apply to join the UN under the name "Taiwan" – alongside a presidential poll in March 2008.

In Taiwan, which is recognised by only 24 countries, officials said on Wednesday they might file a lawsuit in the International Court of Justice if Taipei's latest bid for UN membership was blocked. Taiwan and China have been governed separately since the end of a civil war won by the communists in 1949. Beijing has repeatedly threatened to use force if the island were to declare formal independence.

Source

waltky · 09-29-2007, 10:09 AM

China flexin' its muscle...

China asks world to stop Taiwan's UN admission campaign
Saturday 29th September, 2007 China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi has asked the United Nations to 'oppose and repulse' Taiwan's campaign to gain UN membership, and warned countries supporting Taiwan.

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Yang Friday spoke strongly about not permitting any challenges to the so-called 'one China' policy and UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, which in 1971 ousted the Republic of China on Taiwan from the UN and gave the seat to the People's Republic of China. The Republic of China was one of 50 founders of the world body in 1945 when it was still in power in mainland China. But communist forces under Mao Zedong defeated nationalist troops under Chiang Kaishek, leader of the Republic of China, and drove them to the island of Taiwan in 1949.

'We hope the international community will continue to support China's cause of peaceful reunification, support the Chinese people in opposing and repulsing separatist activities for Taiwan independence and work with us to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and in the Asian Pacific region,' Yang said in an address to the UN General Assembly.

The Taipei government this year reissued its application to enter the world organisation under the name of Taiwan -- dropping the name Republic of China that it used in applications for the past 14 years -- in an effort to distance itself from mainland China. Beijing authorities considered the Taiwanese move a further indication of it moving toward independence, which Beijing strongly opposes and has threatened to use force to stop.

More China asks world to stop Taiwan's UN admission campaign

waltky · 10-22-2007, 03:37 PM

This should agitate China...

Taiwan working on top secret blackout bomb
Oct.22, 2007 : Taiwan is developing a bomb designed to wipe out China's electrical system, according to the United Daily News.

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The newspaper claims that Taiwan, which is still dubbed a "renegade province" by China, is working on a graphite bomb similar to one the U.S. reportedly used against Serbia in 1999.

The so-called "blackout bombs" would be carried by Hsiungfeng 2E cruise missiles to paralyze power systems of China's southeastern coastal cities, the United Daily News said. The bombs work by sprinkling a cloud of chemically treated carbon fibers over power supplies, causing them to short-circuit, but without killing people.

If approved by parliament, the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology, Taiwan's top arms research unit, would begin research and development of the weaponry at a cost of up to 5.34 million dollars, beginning next year, according to the report. Taiwan's defense ministry declined to comment on the claims.

Taiwan working on top secret blackout bomb

waltky · 11-10-2007, 12:13 AM

New move to recognize Taiwan...

US introduces bill backing UN membership for Taiwan
10 Nov 2007, Nineteen US lawmakers, nearly all of them from President George W Bush's Republican Party, have introduced a bill in the House of Representatives backing UN membership for Taiwan, a move that could anger China.

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It was introduced on Thursday at the House Foreign Affairs Committee by 18 Republican legislators and one Democrat, with the move led by New Jersey Republican Representative Scott Garrett, congressional records showed. The bill said Taiwan and its 23 million people "deserve membership in the United Nations" and that the United States should fulfill a commitment "to more actively support Taiwan's membership in appropriate international organisations."

The move came after the chief US diplomatic representative in Taiwan earlier yesterday reiterated Washington's official opposition to President Chen Shui-bian's apparent determination to push ahead with a referendum on UN membership for the island under the name "Taiwan." The Bush administration has tried to discourage Chen's effort, which has touched a raw nerve with China, which considers it a provocative step towards independence.

Taiwan, under its official name the Republic of China, lost its UN seat to China in 1971. Its efforts to rejoin using its official title have been repeatedly blocked by Beijing, which sees the island as part of its territory. During a recent Asia-Pacific summit in Sydney, Chinese President Hu Jintao told Bush that Taiwan's referendum plan had propelled the cross-strait situation into a "possibly dangerous period."

Source

waltky · 11-17-2007, 02:19 AM

Maybe a deal could be made for a Taiwan UN seat...

China demands US stop Taiwanese Patriot 2 upgrade
15 November 2007 - A proposed sale of US Patriot 2 missile upgrade equipment to Taiwan has sparked firm opposition from Beijing

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China has again called on the United States to cancel immediately plans to sell military equipment to Taiwan. The US Defense Security Co-operation Agency notified Congress late last week of a possible sale to Taiwan of Patriot 2 upgrade systems and associated equipment worth up to USD939 million.

Speaking through China's state-run media on 13 November, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Liu Jianchao said that China "firmly opposes" the potential deal, adding that Beijing had already communicated its "strong objection" to Washington.

Liu was quoted as saying that the sale proposal had "rudely interfered in China's internal affairs, endangered Chinese national security and peaceful unification, and disturbed the improvement and development of China-US relations".

China demands US stop Taiwanese Patriot 2 upgrade - Jane's Defence News

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China urges US to cancel arms sales to Taiwan
19 September 2007 - China has called on the US to immediately cancel plans to sell P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and SM-2 missiles to Taiwan.

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According to the Chinese government's official news agency, a spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on 16 September that China "firmly opposes the US arms sales to Taiwan - our position is consistent and clear".

The spokeswoman said the sales would "seriously violate" the US' commitments to China made under previous agreements between Beijing and Washington, and that the deals would constitute "wanton interference" in China's internal affairs.

China urges US to cancel arms sales to Taiwan - Jane's Security News

waltky · 12-22-2007, 02:32 AM

Looks like China gonna get its way...

US slams Taiwan referendum to UN
22 Dec 2007, The US supports a one-China policy and opposes Taiwan's referendum to join the United Nations as provocative, Condoleezza Rice said on Friday.

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"In the Taiwan Strait... the United States remains committed to peace and security. We have a one-China policy and we do not support independence for Taiwan," Rice said in firm and clear opening remarks at a press conference. "We think that Taiwan's referendum to apply to the United Nations under the name Taiwan is a provocative policy," she said at the year-end conference that touched on her priorities for next year. "It unnecessarily raises tensions in the Taiwan Strait and it comes with no real benefits for the people of Taiwan on the international stage. That is why we oppose this referendum," Rice said.

US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said in August that Washington opposed a referendum because it would be a step to declaring full independence -- a highly sensitive issue with China insisting Taiwan is part of its territory. Taiwan, under its official name the Republic of China, lost its UN seat to China in 1971. Efforts in the past 14 years to rejoin the world body using the name "the Republic of China" have been repeatedly blocked by Beijing, which regards the island as part of its own territory awaiting reunification. The two sides split at the end of a civil war in 1949. Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is pushing for the controversial vote to be held alongside the March 22 presidential elections.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates dismissed concerns raised at a separate press conference that the referendum push could trigger a military reaction in the region. "No, I'm not worried that there will be a military reaction. We obviously are watching it very closely," Gates said. "The United States has spoken out on this quite clearly to the Taiwanese government. And the Chinese government knows that we have spoken out. They made reference to it while I was there," he added. He said the Chinese would like the United States to speak out more, while Washington has urged Beijing to "continue to handle this matter in a political way."

Source

waltky · 01-12-2008, 09:58 PM

Chen out, pro-China party wins...

Taiwan's Pro-China Party Claims Landslide Victory In Legislative Elections
Taiwan's opposition Nationalist Party or Kuomintang won a landslide victory in legislative elections on Saturday. His victory boosted his chances of reclaiming the presidency in March and improving ties with China.

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The opposition party, KMT, claimed victory in 81, which will lead the party to gain three-fourth majority with four pro-Nationalist independents, of the 113 seats, according to the party spokesman Su Jun-pin. Before the elections, some political analysts had projected for the party to claim 75 seats. The reports said that President Chen Shui-bian resigned from the Democratic Progressive Party as a chairman after he received the news that his party was close to losing the elections. President Shui-bian was criticized for aggravating relations with China by endorsing policies to formalize Taiwan's de facto independence.

The president had lost popularity after he was accused of corruption charges by his family. He was also rebuked by the U.S. and China for his focus on the island's sovereignty. According to Taiwan's Central Election Commission, the Nationalist party was leading with 51.2 percent of the total votes against 36.9 percent of the Democratic Progressive Party. "We have given Chen a chance for eight years," Chang Yi-shue, 57, a community bus driver, told Bloomberg. "What we want now is to improve the economy and have better relations with China. We want the status quo, but we want jobs and a better economy."

On March 22, presidential election will be between Frank Hsieh representing Democratic Progressive Party against the Nationalists' Ma Ying-jeou. "We need to be cautious about the presidential poll, and hopefully we can win," Ma said while speaking at Nationalist headquarters in Taipei, according to The Associated Press. "With a Nationalist presidency and Nationalist-controlled legislature, we can push forward the reform expected by the Taiwanese people." After a surprising defeat, the president, who served two four-year terms, is expected to leave office in May.

Taiwan's Pro-China Party Claims Landslide Victory In Legislative Elections | January 12, 2008 | AHN

waltky · 01-21-2008, 01:43 AM

Most voters prefer status quo...

Taiwanese Question Independence Push
Jan 20, 2008 - Disgruntled voters gave the thumbs-down to President Chen Shui-bian's vision of an independent Taiwan this month, propelling the opposition Nationalist Party to a landslide victory in legislative elections.

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People like 32-year-old Daphne Hwang are a big part of the reason. Hwang is one of many Taiwanese who feel that Chen is pushing too hard, too fast, for formal and permanent separation from China - a move Beijing says would compel it to attack. The island of Taiwan already enjoys de facto independence, and most of its 23 million people don't want to antagonize their militarily powerful neighbor. Moreover, with the local economy struggling, Taiwanese such as Hwang are cashing in on the mainland's economic boom, moving away to China to try to further their careers.

"Working (on the mainland) allows me to understand the greater China market and compete more successfully," said Hwang, a marketing specialist for an American technology company in Shanghai. "It's better than staying in Taiwan." Chen's contentious independence push, which includes restricting Taiwanese investment in China, will be put to the test in a March 22 presidential election to select his successor. A victory for Nationalist candidate Ma Ying-jeou, who favors closer economic ties with China, would almost certainly put Chen's independence dream on ice for years to come.

That would delight not only China, but also the United States, which worries about the Chinese threat of attack. Ma enjoys a big lead in opinion polls over Frank Hsieh, the candidate of Chen's Democratic Progressive Party. The Nationalists' big win on Jan. 12, when they took 81 of the 113 seats in the legislature, gave him a further boost, according to polls. Nearly 60 years after Taiwan split from China, most Taiwanese favor a continuation of the ambivalent status quo, in which Taiwan operates independently but holds out the possibility of unification with China sometime in the future. In government surveys over the past six years, the status quo option consistently outpolls the independence-now option by at least a 5-1 margin.

More My Way News - Taiwanese Question Independence Push