Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

Sunday, 9 May 2010

Weekly Report from Taiwan Security Research (May 9, 2010)

For full text, click on the title or visit the TSR web page at taiwansecurity.org

ECFA Issues

ECFA Would Be Scrapped If Vetoed in Referendum: Minister

(CNA, May 6, 2010) The government would seek to terminate the future economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China if the deal were vetoed by the people in a referendum, Minister of Economic Affairs Shih Yen-shiang said.

ECFA Will Boost Taiwan’s Economic Growth: Kumar

(CNA, May 7, 2010) A proposed cross-Taiwan Strait economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) will help Taiwan achieve sustained economic growth once it is signed, an economist with the United Nations said.

Short-term Benefits Erode Vitality: Tsai

(China Post, May 9, 2010) Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen of the opposition DPP criticized that what the Kuomintang-ruled government is doing is aimed at pursuing short-term political benefits, gradually undermining the vitality of the nation's cornerstone.

Optimizing Taiwan’s Development By Tung Chen-yuan

(Taipei Times, May 5, 2010) Taiwan has got to come out fighting and be more pro-active in promoting global economic integration, while pushing unilateral and domestically agreed upon deregulation. This is the only way we can avoid getting caught in a geopolitical quagmire and circumvent the political obstructions that China is laying before us.

Cross-Strait Issues

Taiwan President: ‘A Long Way to Go’ before Talks with China By Howard Schneider (Washington Post, May 7, 2010) Despite warming relations and deepening trade ties, it is "premature" to consider a meeting between the leaders of Taiwan and China, Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou said.

DPP Leadership Signals Willingness to Talk to Beijing

(Taipei Times, May 3, 2010) Speaking on the party’s future China policy, DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen said that, stripped of political preconditions, the DPP “does not discount the idea of entering into direct and realistic dialogue with China.”

Talks Must Be Based on ‘One China’: Xu

(China Post, May 4, 2010) Any dialogue between China and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) must be based on the “One China” principle, a professor with Beijing Union University said.

Taiwan Opens Tourist Office in Beijing

(Wall Street Journal, May 5, 2010) Taiwan has opened a tourism office in Beijing, the island's first official presence in China's capital since the two sides split amid civil war in 1949.

China Opens First Office in Taipei

(CNA, May 8, 2010) China's top travel administrator presided over the opening in Taipei of mainland's tourism office, the first agency of any kind established by China in Taiwan.

Ranking China Leader to Stay in South for First Time in Two Years

(AFP, May 6, 2010) A business delegation led by Fujian provincial Governor Huang Xiaqing arrived in Taiwan for a 6-day trip in which Huang will visit major cities including the southern cities of Tainan and Kaohsiung often seen as “off limits” by Chinese officials.

Record High Percentage of Taiwan’s Exports Sent to China in April

(CNA, May 7, 2010) Over 44 percent of Taiwan's exports in April went to China, the highest ratio in history for the same month, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said.

U.S. Policy and U.S.-China Engagement

AIT Welcomes Ma’s CNN Comments

(CNA, May 5, 2010) The United States reacted favorably to President Ma Ying-jeou's recent interview on CNN, while Chinese scholars saw a controversial remark he made as signaling his determination to pursue better ties with China.

China’s Industrial Policy Is Bigger Concern Than Yuan, U.S. Executives Say By John Pomfret (Washington Post, May 7, 2010) Congress and the Obama administration are paying too much attention to China's currency and not enough to other market-distorting tactics by China's government, said a delegation of senior U.S. executives.

Taiwan's Domestic Issues

Prediction Market Shows Boost for Ma Poll Hopes

(Taipei Times, Apr. 30, 2010) The odds of President Ma Ying-jeou being re-elected in 2012 rose slightly after the debate with Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen on a trade pact the administration seeks to sign with Beijing, according to a university prediction market.

Rising Sea Levels Threaten Taiwan

(AFP, May 8, 2010) Mountains cover two thirds of Taiwan, but the heart of the island's economy is concentrated in the remaining third, which stretches down the west coast and consists mostly of flat land near sea level.

China's Rise and Domestic Issues

China to Force Internet Users to Register Real Names By Peter Foster (Telegraph, May 5, 2010) China is considering measures to force all its 400m internet users to register their real names before making comments on the country’s myriad chat-rooms and discussion forums.

Regional Issues and Japan Policy

North Korean Leader Reaffirms Commitment to Weapons Talks By Choe Sang-hun (New York Times, May 8, 2010) Kim Jong-il, the North Korean leader, told officials in Beijing that his government would try to restart talks on ending its nuclear weapons program.

Japanese Leader Backtracks on Revising Base Agreement By Martin Fackler and Hiroko Tabuchi (New York Times, May 5, 2010) Backtracking on a prominent campaign pledge, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama told angry residents of Okinawa that it was unrealistic to expect the United States to move its entire Marine Corps air base off the island.