Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

Weekly Report from Taiwan Security Research (Mar. 27, 2011)

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

Dear readers: TSR has set up two new database pages to track two issues that start to unfold: Taiwan's 2012 presidential election and China's economic transition. We hope they will be helpful.

Cross-Strait Issues

President Calls for Cross-Strait Cooperation on Nuke Safety
(CNA, Mar. 24, 2011) President Ma Ying-jeou called for cross-Taiwan Strait cooperation on nuclear power safety in order to prevent an incident that could pose a threat to the entire region.

ECFA Benefiting Wealthy: Report
(Taipei Times, Mar. 27, 2011) People who possess large amounts of capital appeared to reap benefits from the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), while those on the lower end of the economic scale absorbed the costs, a recently released report suggested.

PLA and Military Balance

Understanding China’s Defense Budget: What It Means, and Why It Matters By Andrew S. Erickson and Adam P. Liff (PacNet #16, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Mar. 9, 2011) The PLA budget remains unclear in many respects, but it is not necessary to count every single RMB to know that the PLA can and will do a lot more in the foreseeable future.

US Jet Success May Be Good for Taiwan By William Lowther(Taipei Times, Mar. 23, 2011) Given the capabilities of EA-18G “Growler,” the aircraft could play a vital role in the defense of Taiwan should the US intervene in any armed conflict in the Taiwan Strait.

Military Pledges Review After 2nd Missile Test Flop Since Jan.
(CNA, Mar. 24, 2011) Taiwan's Air Force said that two out of four missiles missed their targets during a drill earlier this week, two months after a similar failure left military leaders red-faced.

Taiwan's Domestic Issues and Foreign Relations

Survey on President Ma Ying-jeou’s Approval Rating
(GVSRC, Mar. 21, 2011) 35 percent of the interviewed were satisfied with President Ma Ying-jeou’s performance while 52 percent were not.

Su Announces Presidential Bid
(Taipei Times, Mar. 23, 2011) Former premier Su Tseng-chang formally announced his bid for the Democratic Progressive Party’s nomination for next year’s presidential election.

Annette Lu Drops Bid for DPP’s Nomination
(Taipei Times, Mar. 23, 2011) Former vice president Annette Lu unexpectedly dropped her bid for the Democratic Progressive Party presidential nomination.

Third Candidate Vie for DPP Ticket
(Taipei Times, Mar. 26, 2011) Former Democratic Progressive Party chairperson Hsu Hsin-liang submitted an 11th-hour presidential bid before registration closed, making him the third candidate to vie for the DPP ticket.

ROC Is Alive and Well in Taiwan By Dennis Hickey(Taipei Times, Mar. 21, 2011) There is ample reason to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty. That momentous event led to the establishment of the Republic of China — a responsible state that continues to play an important role in the global community to this day.

Taipei Storm Greets US Evacuees By Jens Kastner and Wang Jhy-perng (Asia Times, Mar. 25, 2011) After the massive earthquake wrecked Japan's Fukushima nuclear reactors, the United States evacuated its embassy personnel and, as unconfirmed reports have it, members of the United States Marine Corps to Taiwan. Not everybody believes that Washington's location choice was as innocent as claimed.

Former US Deputy Secretary of State to Visit Taiwan
(CNA, Mar. 25, 2011) Former US deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage will lead a delegation of think tank academics on a visit to Taiwan later this month, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

China's Rise, 'Jasmine Revolution' and China's Domestic Issues

China Steps Up Denunciations of Allied Campaign in Libya
(New York Times, Mar. 23, 2011) China escalated its opposition to American-led airstrikes on Libya, joining Russia and India in calls for an immediate cease-fire.

Syrian Sauce for the Chinese Gander By Peter Lee(Asia Times, Mar. 26, 2011) For the Chinese leadership, the ominous tottering of Middle East dominoes - and the foundations of authoritarian doctrine - continues. The Chinese media have become fixated on Libya as an object lesson of the dangers of revolutionary and humanitarian enthusiasm run amok.

Beijing’s Blueprint for Tackling Mass Incidents and Social Management By Willy Lam (China Brief 11(5), Jamestown Foundation, Mar. 25, 2011) The outline of China’s 12th Five-Year Blueprint on Economic and Social Development for 2011 to 2015 had a lot to say about the Chinese Communist Party’s new imperative of imposing tighter control over the populace.

China Denies Obstructing Google’s Gmail Service By Tania Branigan (Guardian, Mar. 22, 2011) China has dismissed Google's allegation that Beijing is hampering access to its email service as "unacceptable". The internet provider said it believed government blocks were responsible for technical problems using Gmail from China.

A Chinese Assessment of China’s External Security Environment By Dingli Shen (China Brief 11(5), Jamestown Foundation, Mar. 25, 2011) An assessment based on a Chinese government white paper and recent report published by a leading think tank on China’s external security environment suggest that Beijing perceives that it is facing unprecedented external challenges.

Regional Issues

US Asserts Its Power in Indochina By Chen Hurng-yu(Taipei Times, Mar. 25, 2011) The administration of US President Barack Obama has rapidly adjusted its policy toward Southeast Asia, especially Indochina, and has shown a strong interest in matters related to the South China Sea.

The Implications of China’s Active Defense Strategy By Balbina Y. Hwang (PacNet #16A, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Mar. 10, 2011) China’s rise seems to be different not just due to the sheer magnitude of its size and breadth but because it has been accompanied by a shift in its foreign policy.

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Regards,

Dalton LinEditor, Taiwan Security Research
E-mail: daltonlin@ntu.edu.tw, Taiwan Security Research: taiwansecurity.org