Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

Monday 15 December 2014

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2014-12-15 | NO.18(49) epaper |
Taiwan's 9-in-1 Elections
Future Society Indicator for Politics (2014-12-08)
(Taipei Times, By Wang Yeh-lih) This time, a group of independent voters joined forces with DPP supporters to deliver a rout for the KMT and to hand the DPP 13 cities and counties, plus Taipei. However, that does not mean that this coalition will necessarily identify themselves with the DPP over the long term.

Constitutional Reforms to be Pushed
 (2014-12-12)
(Taipei Times) KMT legislators were joined by colleagues from across party lines in proposing changes to the Constitution as a way of resolving the nation’s constitutional-political impasse, presidential unaccountability and the lack of a communication mechanism between the ruling and opposition parties.
Chu to Run for KMT Chiar, Not President (2014-12-13)
(China Post) Newly re-elected New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu confirmed via his Facebook page that he will not join the much anticipated 2016 presidential election, although he will run for Kuomintang party chairman.
New Taipei Mayor Proposes Vote on Parliamentary System (2014-12-13)
(CNA) New Taipei Mayor Eric Chu proposed putting a possible constitutional amendment to adopt a parliamentary system to a public vote in 2016 to coincide with the next presidential election.
US May Assist KMT After Defeat at Polls: Academic (2014-12-08)
(Taipei Times, By William Lowther) A specialist in US-Taiwan relations suggested that Washington might try to help the KMT recover from its crushing defeat in Nov. 29’s nine-in-one elections.

Taiwan a ‘Flashpoint’: US Group
 (2014-12-10)
(Taipei Times, By William Lowther) Taiwan is poised to become a “worrisome flashpoint” in US-China relations, according to a Washington think tank.

HK Protests Had Little Effect on Taiwan: Scholars (2014-12-13)
(CNA) Alan Romberg said it is Taiwan's development that has had more of an impact on Hong Kong, pointing to the student-led Sunflower Movement that occupied Taiwan's Legislature in March.
South China Sea Disputes
China Details Objections to Arbitration in Dispute with Philippines (2014-12-08)
(Wall Street Journal, By Jeremy Page and James T. Areddy) Even though China has not yet chosen to participate directly, the position paper is a positive development in that the Chinese appear to be taking the tribunal and its dispute resolution powers more seriously than in the past.

Beijing's & Washington's Dueling South China Sea Paper (2014-12-09)
(PacNet #87, Pacific Forum, CSIS, By Gregory B. Poling) Policymakers in Beijing and Washington recognize the value of occupying the legal high ground in the South China Sea and are eager to influence the arbitral tribunal even if they are not directly engaging in the case.
Diaoyutai Disputes Resurface
Detente for China and Japan (2014-12-09)
(New York Times, By Akio Takahara) Greater understanding between the two peoples will help Abe and Xi deflect pressure from nationalists. 
Cross-Strait Issues
More than Half of Taiwanese Favor Cross-Strait Agreement Supervision Act and Rep Offices in 2015 (2014-12-11)
As part of the latest Taiwan Mood Barometer Survey (in Chinese), participants were asked whether or not they thought the following items related to cross-Strait affairs should be completed next year (the corresponding percentage represents respondents answering in the affirmative):

No Way Out without Free Trade: ARATS Chief
 (2014-12-10)
(China Post) Chen Deming, president of China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, hopes that based on the previously established foundation, Taiwan and China can continue to strengthen their exchange.

China Will Wait 2 Years for Taiwan (2014-12-11)
(China Post) When asked by media if China would be waiting for Taiwan to pass the Cross-Strait Trade in Services Agreement, Chen Deming, president of China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, confirmed the sentiment though he emphasized that the time frame would be within two years and not after two years.
ARATS Chief Optimistic about Cross-Strait Future (2014-12-14)
(China Post) China's top negotiator with Taiwan expressed optimism about cross-strait relations as he continued a round-the-island visit.

Offshore Islands to Ease Chinese Travel from Jan. 1 (2014-12-11)
(CNA) Chinese visitors to Taiwan's outlying islands will no longer have to apply for travel permits in advance starting Jan. 1 next year, in a campaign aimed at promoting tourism in those areas, the Interior Ministry announced.
Beijing Set to Ramp Up the Pressure on Ma, US Congressional Report Says (2014-12-13)
(Taipei Times, By William Lowther) Beijing might increase pressure for political and military negotiations with Taiwan, a report by the US Congressional Research Service said.
PLA and Military Balance
China Ready to Arm Stealth Subs with Nuclear Missiles (2014-12-10)
(Bloomberg) China is preparing to arm its stealthiest submarines with nuclear missiles that could reach the US, cloaking its arsenal with the invisibility needed to retaliate in the event of an enemy strike.

Taiwan's Defense Ability Bolstered with UAV Fleet
 (2014-12-10)
(Taipei Times) The nation’s defense and air reconnaissance capabilities have been significantly enhanced with UAVs and other cutting-edge systems and devices, which were unveiled by the Chungshan Institute of Science & Technology.

Domestically Manufactured Submarine Prototype Possible by 2024, MND Says (2014-12-11)
(Taipei Times) MND estimates that design blueprints for a domestically manufactured prototype submarine could be drawn up between 2016 and 2019, with a domestically manufactured prototype possible as soon as 2024.
Officials Admit That Research Boat Was Used by Military (2014-12-11)
(Taipei Times) The Executive Yuan admitted that the Ocean Researcher V — the nation’s largest maritime research vessel — which sank near Penghu in October, had carried out secret missions for the military.
Navy Unveils New ‘Aircraft Carrier-Killing’ War Vessel (2014-12-12)
(Taipei Times) The navy unveiled a high-speed warship called the Tuo Jiang-class Corvette that officials said will reinforce the nation’s maritime defense capabilities and serve as a strong deterrent against enemy intrusion into Taiwanese waters.
Taiwan's Domestic Issues and Foreign Relations
Taiwan Mood Barometer Survey, First Half of December 2014 (2014-12-11)
(TISR) President Ma Ying-jeou's approval rating dropped 3.3 percentage points over the first ten days of December, according to the latestTaiwan Mood Barometer Survey (in Chinese).
Survey Shows DPP Acceptance of Constitution More Important than '92 Consensus  (2014-12-11)
According to the most recent Taiwan Mood Barometer Survey (in Chinese), the following public declarations by the DPP would increase the confidence in the DPP of the corresponding percentage of survey respondents:

Taiwan Ranks As US' 10th Largest Trading Partner
 (2014-12-11)
(CNA) Taiwan ranked as the 10th largest trading partner of the United States for the first 10 months of this year, according to statistics released by the U.S. Department of Commerce. 
China's Rise and Its Domestic Issues
Hong Kong Police Haul Away Demonstrators from Rally Site  (2014-12-12)
(AFP) Hong Kong police dismantled the city's main pro-democracy site, clearing tents and barricades after more than two months of rallies and leading away more than 100 demonstrators, who vowed their struggle lives on.

Hong Kong Protesters Lose a Last Bastion, But Vow to Come on (2014-12-13)
(New York Times, By Chris Buckley and Keith Bradsher) Even in their defeat, the protesters, most of them college students, left with a new sense of political identity, a willingness to challenge the almighty power holders in Beijing.
China Sets Economic Reform Targets for 2015 (2014-12-12)
(The Diplomat, By Shannon Tiezzi) China concluded its Central Economic Work Conference, putting in place a roadmap for furthering the economic reforms first called for at last year’s Third Plenum.

Executive Editor: Dalton Lin
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