Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

Sunday, 5 December 2010



 

   Taiwan
   PRC
   US Policy
   Media
   Search
   About TSR
  


Korean Peninsula Crises

  [ News ] [ Papers ]
Officials State Beef Products No Longer Hurdle for TIFA(China Post, Dec. 5, 2010) The previous row over the imports of high-riskU.S. beef products is no longer an obstacle to Taipei-Washington talks over the signing of a trade and investment framework agreement, Taiwan officials were cited by a newspaper as saying.
Task Force to Monitor WikiLeaks: Minister
(CNA, Dec. 4, 2010) A special task force has been established by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to monitor Taiwan-related documents expected to be released soon by the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks.
Chen Transferred to Penitentiary
(Taipei Times, Dec. 3, 2010) Former president Chen Shui-bian was moved from a detention center to a nearby penitentiary to formally begin serving his sentence.
US Diplomat Burghardt Recognizes Taiwan’s Democratic Achievement (CNA, Dec. 2, 2010) President Ma Ying-jeou said he felt deep regret over a shooting incident on the eve of recent municipal elections, while the top U.S. liaison officer with Taipei lauded Taiwan's response to it as a sign of political maturity.
Taiwan-China Medical Cooperation Deal Planned
(Taipei Times, Dec. 2, 2010) An agreement on cross-strait medical cooperation that is expected to be signed in the next round of negotiations between Taiwan and China will serve to better safeguard the health and safety of Taiwanese, the Department of Health said.
Beijing Allows for ‘Very Broad’ ‘One China’ Policy: Wikileaks
(China Post, Dec. 1, 2010) In the cable wired on April 30, 2009 from the U.S. embassy in Beijing, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei said that “Taiwan's participation as an observer at the upcoming May World Health Assembly meetings demonstrated what could be achieved based on 'one China, very broadly interpreted.'”
Taiwan’s Opposition Party Proposes Dialogue with China
(AP, Dec. 1, 2010) Taiwan's main opposition leader said yesterday she will establish a think tank to help create “a peaceful and stable framework for interacting with China.”
US Aims to Deepen Its Trade Ties with Taiwan: AIT Head
(Taipei Times, Dec. 1, 2010) The US aims to deepen trade ties with Taiwan in areas of intellectual property protection, electronic commerce, customs administration and standards and technical barriers to standards, a top US official on Taiwan said.
US: China ‘Obligated’ to Press North Korea to End ‘Belligerence’
(VoA, Nov. 30, 2010) A White House spokesman is calling on China to press North Korea to end what he calls that state's "belligerent behavior."
ECFA Committee to Be Set Up Soon
(CNA, Nov. 30, 2010) An economic cooperation committee that will formally handle issues related to a Taiwan-China trade pact signed earlier this year could be established before the next top level round of talks between the two sides in December, Taiwan's top negotiator with China said.
Su Not Bowing Out from Presidential Race
(China Post, Nov. 30, 2010) Former Premier Su Tseng-chang is unlikely to give up his jockeying for president without a good fight to win nomination from the opposition DPP, although current DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen is already seen as a frontrunner in the 2012 presidential race to challenge President Ma Ying-jeou.
Tensions in DPP Heighten after Defeats
(Taipei Times, Nov. 30, 2010) Some in the party’s elder faction are pressuring Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen to step down, saying that others have done so after similar defeats.
U.S. and South Korea Begin Joint Naval Exercises
(New York Times, Nov. 28, 2010) The United States and South Korea began naval exercises on Sunday that were meant as a warning to North Korea for recent provocations.
KMT Wins Taipei, Xinbei, Taichung
(China Post, Nov. 28, 2010) The Kuomintang grabbed Taipei, Xinbei and Taichung, while the Democratic Progressive Party won in Kaohsiung and Tainan in mayoral elections that saw the opposition camp gain the largest share of the vote.
Taiwan Holds City Elections After Campaign Shooting
(Bloomberg, Nov. 27, 2010) Taiwan voters choose mayors in elections today after Sean Lien, son of Taiwan’s former vice president Lien Chan, was shot and wounded while campaigning for the ruling Kuomintang party on the eve of the ballots.
JCCI Urges Taiwan, Japan to Ink FTA
(Taipei Times, Nov. 27, 2010) Releasing its second annual White Paper, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Taipei urged Taiwan to sign more free-trade agreements with regional economies, especially Japan.
EU Approves Plan to Grant Visa-Free Entry to Taiwanese
(Taipei Times, Nov. 26, 2010) The Council of the European Union — the decision-making arm of the EU —agreed to grant visa-free treatment to Taiwanese visitors.
Taiwan Political Parties Clash in Key Mayoral Races
(Wall Street Journal, Nov. 25, 2010) The outcome won't derail Taiwan's moves to strengthen economic ties with the fast-growing giant next door, but it will give the Kuomintang and the DPP a chance to fine-tune policies ahead of a presidential election in 2012.
High-Level Cross-Strait Meeting Set for December in Taipei
(CNA, Nov. 25, 2010) Top negotiators of Taipei and Beijing will likely meet in Taipei in mid-December to sign two agreements to carry out a landmark economic pact sealed in June, sources familiar with cross-strait affairs said.
China’s Wen Calls for Peace, Stability on Korean Peninsula
(Bloomberg, Nov. 24, 2010) China’s Premier Wen Jiabao reiterated calls for stability on the Korean peninsula, without signaling any intention to fault allyNorth Korea for firing a deadly artillery salvo at a South Korean island.
Shots Fired between Two Koreas
(AP, Nov. 24, 2010) North and South Korea exchanged artillery fire after the North shelled an island near their disputed sea border, killing at least two South Korean marines.
U.S. to Send Carrier for Joint Exercises off Korea
(New York Times, Nov. 24, 2010) President Obama and South Korea’s president agreed Tuesday night to hold joint military exercises as a first response to North Korea’s deadly shelling of a South Korean military installation.
Ma Orders Alert on Korean Conflict
(China Post, Nov. 24, 2010) Both President Ma Ying-jeou and Premier Wu Den-yih have instructed government agencies to heighten alert on the ongoing developments on the Korean Peninsula.
El Salvador Ties Solid, MOFA Says
(Taipei Times, Nov. 24, 2010) Reports by the Associated Press and Reuters cited Salvadorean President Mauricio Funes as saying that he would do what was best business-wise.
Top KMT Aide to Quit If Party Fails to Win 3 Cities
(CNA, Nov. 23, 2010) The manager of the ruling Kuomintang's election campaigns in five municipalities in Taiwan said that he would step down if the party underperforms in the mayoral elections.
Canada Gives Taiwanese Visa-Waiver Privileges
(Taipei Times, Nov. 23, 2010) Canada became the 39th country to grant Taiwanese visa-free privileges, the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei (CTOT) announced on its Web site.
China Allows Yuan to Start Trading against Ruble
(Bloomberg, Nov. 22, 2010) China started allowing the yuan to trade against the Russian ruble from today in the interbank market as policy makers promote the currency’s use in global trade and finance.
Taiwanese Rally in Support of Govt
(AP, Nov. 21, 2010) Thousands of government supporters are waving banners and chanting in downtown Taipei to show support for the China-friendly administration ahead of key elections this coming week.

China’s Contradictions about North Korea By Zhu Feng(Project Syndicate, Dec. 5, 2010) Emotional ties, combined with the usual bureaucratic love of the status quo, are the real cause of China’s failure to overhaul its North Korea policy. Whenever a crisis erupts, China becomes agitated. However, instead of seeking a new path, it retraces its old steps.
Relations Should Be Virtuous Cycle: Yang(CNA, Dec. 5, 2010) It is imperative for China to respect the will of the people of Taiwan and make the development of cross-Taiwan Strait relations a virtuous, rather a vicious cycle, Foreign Minister Timothy C.T. Yang said in an interview.
WikiLeaks Cables: ‘Aggressive’ China Losing Friends around the World By Ewen MacAskill (Guardian, Dec. 4, 2010) Britain, India and Japan complain of Beijing’s diplomatic ‘muscle-flexing’, while Africans talk of coercion in aid-for-resources deals.
WikiLeaks: Hillary Clinton’s Question: How Can We Stand Up to Beijing? By Ewen MacAskill (Guardian, Dec. 4, 2010) Australia’s ex-PM Kevin Rudd advised US secretary of state to welcome Beijing onto world stage but keep force as a last resort. The Cable
South Korea and U.S. Reach Deal on Trade By Sewell Chan(New York Times, Dec. 4, 2010) American negotiators have completed a free-trade agreement with South Korea that will eliminate most tariffs on exports and solidify one of the nation’s most significant alliances in Asia, the Obama administration said.
Time for the DPP to Start a Dialogue with China By Tseng Chien-yuan (Taipei Times, Dec. 4, 2010) DPP needs to find a way to cooperate with the progressive forces within China, embracing them as strategic partners and allies of Taiwanese constitutional democracy.
Can China Afford to Confront the World?—Part II By PichamonYeophantong (YaleGlobal, Nov. 30, 2010) Historically, geographically and economically, China is the region’s major player, so outright confrontation is not an option. History suggests that powerful states diminish their own standing with reckless behavior, and ASEAN counts on China to keep its word for a peaceful rise.
Friends, or Else
(The Economist, Dec. 2, 2010) America wants China to become an active, responsible power in world affairs. Yet at the same time it feels threatened byChina’s growing economic, industrial, diplomatic and military might. This mix of partnership and rivalry is a recipe for confusion.
Taiwan Elections Put Pro-China Party in Lead for Presidency ByRalph Jennings (VoA, Nov. 29, 2010) Local election victories appear to have given Taiwan's pro-China Nationalist Party a head start in holding onto the presidency in 2012.
Chinese Export Regions Face Labor Shortages By Edward Wong(New York Times, Nov. 30, 2010) Two of China’s main export manufacturing areas are suffering from an acute shortage of migrant workers, giving laborers more leverage over wages and curtailing the expansion plans of some companies.
Concern Grows Over ‘Yeltsin Effect’
(CNA, Nov. 30, 2010) The regional divide between northern and southernTaiwan could be clearly seen in the Nov. 27 elections for five municipalities, which could also cause a so-called “Yeltsin effect,” scholars at a forum said.
U.S. Asked China to Stop Missile Parts Shipment to Iran By JohnPomfret (Washington Post, Nov. 29, 2010) The United States asked China in 2007 to stop a shipment of ballistic missile parts going from North Korea toIran through Beijing and indicated that the U.S. government was fed up withChina's unwillingness to crack down on such trade.
Election Results Should Sound Alarm Bells for President By Mo Yan-Chih (Taipei Times, Nov. 29, 2010) The Chinese Nationalist Party won three of the five mayoral seats in Saturday’s special municipality election, but saw a drop in its overall share of the vote that signaled a warning for President Ma Ying-jeou’s re-election bid in 2012, political watchers said.
Election Results Might Slow Cross-Strait Progress: Pundits
(CNA, Nov. 29, 2010) The Nov. 27 election outcome gave President Ma Ying-jeou a reason to be thankful, but beneath the glow of victory could be a warning call to slow down his China-friendly policy, said scholars at a forum.
Taiwan Election Result May Accelerate Efforts on China Ties ByJanet Ong and Weiyi Lim (Bloomberg, Nov. 28, 2010) Taiwan may speed up steps to improve relations with China after the ruling Kuomintang party did well in key local elections, an indication voters support President Ma Ying-jeou’s cooperation with the mainland.
Asking China to Act Like the U.S. By Helene Cooper(New York Times, Nov. 28, 2010) A key part of America’s relationship withChina now turns on a question that is, at its heart, an impossible conundrum: How to get Beijing to make moves that its leaders don’t think are good for their country?
Mayoral Elections Show Increase in Support for DPP By David Young (China Post, Nov. 28, 2010) The political topography did not change after the mayoral elections, but the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party's gains in Xinbei and Taichung were alarming for the ruling Kuomintang.
Taiwan Elections May Hinge on China By Michael Wines(New York Times, Nov. 27, 2010) The nation’s overriding diplomatic issue, relations with the Chinese mainland, is likely to be foremost in analysts’ and scholars’ minds as they parse the results.
China Address Rising Korean Tensions By Ian Johnson and MartinFackler (New York Times, Nov. 27, 2010) China engaged in a flurry of diplomatic activity, three days after a North Korean artillery attack on South Korean civilians, but its most public message was directed at the United States, which is about to begin joint exercises with South Korea’s Navy.
Pyongyang Tests China’s Patience By Jeremy Page and Jason Dean(Wall Street Journal, Nov. 26, 2010) North Korea's latest act of aggression against the South has prompted a new round of public debate in China on how to manage ties with a neighbor that is at once a close ally but, increasingly, a source of international embarrassment.
China Turns Up Heat on Taiwan to Talk Politics By Ralph Jennings
(Reuters, Nov. 24, 2010) Chinese officials are mounting pressure on  Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou to move toward political agreements as he shrugs them off despite a recent easing of tension after decades of hostility, analysts say.
U.S. Aircraft Carrier’s Arrival off Korean Peninsula Also Sends a Message to China By John Pomfret (Washington Post, Nov. 24, 2010) The carrier - with 6,000 sailors and aviators and 75 warplanes - has another audience: China. Exasperated with a lack of help from Beijing on the KoreanPeninsula, the Obama administration is trying to pressure China to constrain North Korea.
Taiwan Exclusion to Last a While By Honigmann Hong(Taipei Times, Nov. 25, 2010) The TPP is Washington’s grand strategy for its Asia-Pacific deployment. Even if Beijing, a complex factor, is excluded,Taiwan is not the US’ first priority at a time when the economic and trade order in the Asia-Pacific is being realigned.
North Korean Blackmail By Andrei Lankov(IHT, Nov. 25, 2010) The world is likely to say that the North Koreans are again acting “irrationally.” But this is not the case — they are a very rational regime, actually the world’s most Machiavellian.
China Faces a Nettlesome Neighbor in North Korea By Ian Johnsonand Michael Wines (New York Times, Nov. 24, 2010) North Korea’s unending appetite for confrontation has left many wondering what its bottom line is, none more so than its supposed patron and big brother, China.
Survey on the Approval Rating of President Ma Ying-jeou and His Administration (GVSRC, Nov. 22, 2010) 34.2 percent of the polled were satisfied with Ma’s performance, dropping 4 percentage from last month.
Who Needs Who? America and China Must Avoid Making Past Mistakes Again By Stephen King (Independent, Nov. 22, 2010) We are witnessing a true revolution in global economic affairs. The engine of economic expansion is no longer to be found in the debt-ridden West. Instead, the emerging nations find themselves in the driving seat of global growth.
Posted by Roberto Abraham Scaruffi at 15:18