Territories offer visa-free entry
　

KINDLY WAIVER: Just as Guam and the Northern Marianas announced the new policy, the UK reminded Taiwanese students to be sure they had all the required documents

By Jenny W. hsu
STAFF REPORTER
Sunday, Aug 09, 2009, Page 2

Starting on Nov. 28, all Republic of China (ROC) passport holders will be able to enter Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands visa-free for 45 days, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Friday.

Ministry deputy spokesman James Chang (章計平) said Taiwan was included in the visa-waiver program because ROC passport holders have demonstrated an excellent track record while traveling abroad.

At present, Taiwanese nationals enjoy 15-day visa-free access to Guam — the only US territory that has extended such courtesy to ROC passport carriers so far, while those heading to the Northern Mariana Islands are required to have a sponsor and show a financial statement before being allowed entry.

Taipei has lobbied Washington in recent years to be added to the US visa-waiver program, but the US has been reluctant to approve it over concerns regarding Taiwan’s passport application process and other security matters.

After the Guam-Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Island Visa Waiver Program goes into effect, the visa-free stay privilege to Guam will be extended to 45 days and ROC passport holders will also be allowed to travel to the Northern Mariana Islands with no sponsorship required.

Chang said more details about the program would be announced soon.

In March and June, the governments of the UK and Ireland also granted Taiwanese nationals visa-free access to their countries.

The British Trade and Cultural Office in Taipei reminded Taiwanese students who intend to travel to the UK using the visa-free program before their student visa comes into effect to show evidence that they will be leaving the UK and re-­entering using their valid student visa.

Those who do not have the required documents, such as e-­tickets, to demonstrate that they will be leaving the UK will be refused travel by airlines or be refused entry upon their arrival in the UK.

Scuffles mark Melbourne film festival
　

SCREENING:: Rebiya Kadeer entered the venue via a side door amid tight security. Officials said the numbers of supporters and detractors were smaller than expected

REUTERS AND AFP, MELBOURNE
Sunday, Aug 09, 2009, Page 5
　

Pro-China protesters and Uighur activists argued outside an Australian film screening yesterday, each side condemning the other as “terrorists” who incited violence in restive Xinjiang region.

Police had to break up a heated exchange between supporters of exiled Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer and detractors who said Beijing was right to label her a “criminal” who started last month’s violence that left at least 197 dead.

Dozens of protesters from either side rallied outside the 1,500-seat Melbourne Town Hall, where a sell-out screening was underway of 10 Conditions of Love, a film about Kadeer’s life, at which she was the guest of honor.

“Two thousand years ago China was there [in Xinjiang],” yelled Stanley Li, objecting to the Kadeer biopic and her presence inside the venue.

“It’s not appropriate to show this film in public,” he said, according to the AAP newswire.

“I care about these people in China and they are being killed by terrorists,” added pro-China demonstrator Bruce Jiang.

Uighur advocate Hikmat Hason countered with an accusation that Li and his group were the terrorists, sparking a heated row which had to be broken up by police, AAP said.

Uighur supporters carried the blue and white flag of the independence movement of East Turkestan, the name by which the movement refers to Xinjiang.

One female supporter briefly clashed with a pro-China protester and had to be separated by police, witnesses said.

Kadeer, exiled head of the World Uyghur Congress, was escorted through the back door of the venue under tight security, organizers for the Melbourne International Film Festival said.

Police said there were extra officers on hand to deal with an anticipated crowd of up to 100 people, but the gathering had been relatively small and peaceful and no arrests had been made.

“It was all a bit of a non-event, it wasn’t anywhere near as big as anticipated,” a spokeswoman said.

The screening was moved to the Town Hall earlier this week due to unprecedented demand for tickets, fuelled by intense controversy surrounding the film and Kadeer’s visit, to which Beijing strongly objected.

Beijing had urged Australia not to give Kadeer a visa, and all Chinese films and funding were withdrawn from the festival program after it refused to pull the Kadeer biopic. The film festival’s Web site has twice been hit by cyber attacks mounted from China.

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith on Friday defended Kadeer’s visit, but assured China that Australia did not necessarily agree with her views and respected China’s “territorial integrity and sovereignty” over Xinjiang.

ECFA, NAFTA nothing alike

Sunday, Aug 09, 2009, Page 8

Martin Phipps’ letter (Letters, Aug. 6, page 8) requires a strong rebuttal. Phipps does not understand the basics of the issues he discussed.

Phipps refers to the US’ NAFTA agreement with Canada and Mexico. That was a trade agreement between states that recognize each other’s sovereignty. He should be reminded that China does not recognize Taiwan’s sovereignty and is expanding its military with the intention of coercing Taiwan into submission.

Beijing sees in the economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) a tool to smother Taiwan’s de facto independence.

The debate in Taiwan, pitting the Democratic Progressive Party against the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), has nothing to do with “protectionism” as Phipps claims. On the contrary, the position put forward by the DPP has to do with protecting Taiwan’s sovereignty and future as a free and democratic nation.

The KMT, on the other hand, is cuddling up to a repressive — and still very communist — China.

The policies of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and his administration seem designed to push Taiwan into an ever tighter economic embrace with China at the expense of its hard-won freedom and democracy.

Phipps claims that: “By signing the ECFA with China, Taiwan would be free to negotiate trade deals with other Asian countries.”

This is wishful thinking: If this were the case, it would be part of the ECFA negotiations. However, China has only indicated that after the ECFA is signed, it could consider it. History shows it would be naive to trust China based on this.


GERRIT VAN DER WEES
Washington

Martin Phipps is apparently not familiar with the history of Taiwan and China. The two sides have basically been hostile until now. Any agreement between them is fragile.

The example Phipps cited — NAFTA — concerned independent countries with friendly ties. His argument in favor of an ECFA is not logical as it ignores the fact that China claims Taiwan belongs to it.

For Beijing, the precondition of any agreement is that Taiwan is part of China. After signing an ECFA, Taiwan would be part of China economically. Would Taiwan be able to sign free trade agreements with other countries in Asia? Of course not — China would object.

Martin Phipps ignores the history of aggression between Taiwan and China, and China’s threat to use military force against Taiwan. He should be ashamed.

NI KUO-JUNG
Hsinchu

NCC should play a role in fighting Web fraud
　

By Yang Yung-nane 楊永年
Sunday, Aug 09, 2009, Page 8

In response to rampant fraud in Taiwan, the Control Yuan on Thursday said it intended to impeach members of the Cabinet. The reaction of the Control Yuan and the Cabinet implied that they see anti-fraud activities as the domain of the Criminal Investigation Bureau and its “165” anti-fraud hotline, but anti-fraud activities cannot be handled by a hotline or the bureau alone.

Government streamlining means the bureau will have to make cutbacks, while ignoring the two main sources of fraud: personal information leaks and the integration of Internet and telecommunications services. Because of the government’s inability to integrate its resources to respond to these two key problem areas, police have been unable to deal efficiently with fraud. The police only respond to crimes — they cannot change policies or information management measures.

In April, I was informed that an online shopping site had problems protecting the personal information of its customers. In mid-June, 8,000 personal details were leaked from the EHS Web site. This was only discovered when a reporter gained access to the information by registering as a customer.

It was only then that many people who had received fraudulent or threatening telephone calls realized where the perpetrators had obtained their personal information.

It is very possible that millions of private details have been leaked on the Web, yet customers can do nothing because they may not even be aware that their information has been leaked.

Even though leaks of personal information are a main source of fraud, Taiwan has no authority in charge of closing down Web site operators guilty of this type of neglect. Instead, customers continue to shop at Web sites that leak their personal details and fraud continues.

The National Communications Commission (NCC) should be charged with overseeing the Internet, but because the Web never has been within its remit and because overseeing Web sites touches on commercial operations, information security and other areas not under its jurisdiction, it has been difficult for the NCC to take up the role as regulator.

The information industry’s gradual integration of information, communications, telecommunications and broadcasting complicates government oversight.

While criminals have increased flexibility in accessing information through integrated technology, government authorities ruled by a rigid framework of rules are still working independently of one another.

The government must speed up integration, lest it be unable to respond to fraud. For example, criminals suspected of fraud avoid being caught by using IP telephony to call from China or other countries, changing their caller ID to a government number or even 165 to foil investigators.

Unless the government designates an agency to oversee the Internet and get a handle on key sources of fraud, it will be difficult to resolve these problems, even if the number of police officers dealing with fraud is increased substantially. Criminals are constantly improving their technology and approaches.

The Cabinet should assist the NCC with integrating the concerned agencies to establish a mechanism for overseeing the Internet. Regulating the problems that are leading to massive leaks of personal information is a crucial first step to fighting fraud.

Yang Yung-nane is a professor of political science at National Cheng Kung University.