Downpour continues to pummel south
　

WASHED AWAY: In Taitung County, stores were swept up by the Jhihben River and a hotel collapsed into the waters. Guests and staff had already been evacuated
　

By Meggie Lu, Shelley Shan and Flora Wang
STAFF REPORTERS
Monday, Aug 10, 2009, Page 1
　

Torrential rains brought by Tropical Storm Morakot, which was downgraded from a typhoon on Saturday, continued to wreak havoc in the south of the country yesterday.

As of 8pm yesterday, the Central Disaster Emergency Operation Center had confirmed seven fatalities, while another 32 were injured and 46 were missing.

A total of 6,301 people had been evacuated from their homes, the center said.

Though the center of the storm left Taiwan on Saturday, heavy rain from the rim of the system continued to cause major damage.

In eastern Taiwan, the Jinshuai Hotel in Jhihben (知本), Taitung County, collapsed into the Jhihben River just before noon after its foundations were eroded by surging floodwaters.

A report in the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) said the management of the hotel had begun evacuating guests on Saturday after roads leading to the town, which is popular for its hot springs, were washed away by the river.
　

Several stores in front of the six-story hotel were also washed away by the swollen river.

Hotel staffers were reportedly safe at another hotel nearby, while 400 visitors were trapped in Jhihben, unable to return home.

Meanwhile, the Central Weather Bureau said the rain belt had moved northward from the south to central regions. The highest accumulated rainfall from Morakot as of yesterday was in Alishan, which had received 2,654mm of rain.
　

The weather bureau estimated that mountainous areas in Chiayi County would receive an accumulated 2,900mm of rain, while mountains in Kaohsiung and Pingtung counties would see 2,700mm of rain and Nantou and Tainan counties 2,200mm.

Rainfall on Friday and Saturday alone in Kaohsiung City and County and Pingtung County was around the annual average in those areas. Average annual rainfall in Hengchun (恆春), Pingtung County, for example, is 2,017mm.

Lin Hsiu-wen (林秀雯), deputy director of the weather bureau’s forecast center, said that while Taiwan proper would soon be out of the storm’s range, southwest seasonal winds would bring more rain to central and southern regions.
　

“The rain is expected to continue until tomorrow,” she said.

Taichung, Kaohsiung, Chiayi and Tainan cities and counties, as well as Pingtung, Changhua, Nantou, Yunlin and Taitung counties canceled school and work for a third consecutive day yesterday because of flooding.

The disaster emergency center said a 78-year-old man was found dead at his home in Hsinhua Township (新化), Tainan County, and a 63-year-old disabled man in Pingtung County’s Kaoshu Township (高樹) drowned after becoming trapped in his home.

A 67-year-old woman was also confirmed dead on Saturday.

Cable news channels yesterday reported two more deaths in Tainan County’s Yongkang (永康) and Tanei (大內) townships.

In Tainan City and County, running water was disconnected to 280,000 homes because the county’s Nanhua Reservoir (南化) had been contaminated as a result of the rains.

Also in Tainan County, the banks of the Tsengwen River (曾文溪) collapsed in several areas, flooding townships including Shanhua (善化), Jente (仁德), Yongkang (永康), Tanei (大內), Guantien (官田), Houbi (後壁) and Beimen (北門).

Flooding in some of the townships was three stories deep.

Morakot’s rains have also wreaked havoc on public transportation and infrastructure, with the Ministry of Transportation and Communications reporting 123 damaged sections of road as of 6pm yesterday.

Twenty bridges, including the Dajin (大津) and Liukuei (六龜) bridges on Provincial Highway 27, Shuangyuan Bridge (雙園大橋) on Highway 17, Sinciwei (新旗尾) and Mingtzu bridges (民族) on Highway 21, No. 1 Bridge on Highway 24 and Ciwei Bridge (旗尾橋) on Highway 28, were either damaged or washed away.

Media reported that two cars may have been washed away when the Shuangyuan Bridge, which connects Kaohsiung and Pingtung counties collapsed. Three people were reported missing.

Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) express trains along the west coast could not go south of Chiayi yesterday because of the floods in Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung counties.

The TRA also suspended services on the South Link (南迴鐵路) because of flooding in Taitung’s Taimali Township and Pingtung’s Linbian Township (林邊).

TRA trains on the east coast had to stop at Chishang (池上) in Taitung County after the Luyeh River (鹿野溪) broke its banks, preventing them from continuing on to Taitung City.

The Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp (THSRC) also limited the number of trains on the Taipei to Taichung stretch yesterday.

As of yesterday afternoon, agricultural losses were estimated at NT$2.1 billion (US$641 million), with 20,432 hectares of farmland damaged by flooding and strong winds, the Council of Agriculture said.

Six counties — Kaohsiung, Pingtung, Hualien, Taichung, Tainan and Taitung — are qualified for aid according to the Agricultural Natural Disaster Relief Regulations (農業天然災害救助辦法), the council said, adding that farmers in these areas could apply for relief money and low-­interest loans.

The council said NT$894 million in crops had been damaged, with banana crops taking the hardest hit. A total of 2,172 hectares of banana trees were ravaged by the storm.

Approximately NT$44.29 million in poultry perished in the flooding, while losses to the aquaculture sector totaled NT$63.19 million, with 107 hectares of fish farms in Pingtung County’s Jiadong (佳冬) and Gaoshu (高樹) townships damaged.

In Tainan’s Hsuehchia Township (學甲), thousands of pigs drowned, posing a serious risk of disease, in addition to the economic losses, officials said.

Damage to agricultural facilities amounted to NT$85.53 million and damage to the forestry industry was estimated at NT$8.58 million.

Meanwhile, the council issued “red alerts” yesterday for 452 riverside areas in 11 counties.

The areas, in 206 villages in ­Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung, Taitung, Taichung, Nantou, Yunlin, Taoyuan, Hsinchu and ­Miaoli counties, were on “red alert” because of the risk of soil saturation and landslides.

The council said that once a “red alert” has been issued, the local government is responsible for warning residents and evacuating them if necessary.

The council also issued “yellow alerts” for 328 areas in 129 villages in 12 counties that were at risk from rockslides and mudslides over the next few days.

Also yesterday, Vice Premier Paul Chiu (邱正雄) established a disaster relief command center in Pingtung County, headed by Minister of the Interior Liao Liou-yi (廖了以).

Premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄) traveled to the Linbian Interchange, Pingtung and Kaohsiung counties to inspect flooded areas.

Liu said he would stay overnight in southern Taiwan to monitor the disaster relief efforts.

Meanwhile, the Kaohsiung City Government dispatched personnel to assist flood-ravaged Kaohsiung and Pingtung counties.

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) said at a city government meeting that 81 officials, 24 lifeboats and three ambulances were headed to Tungkang (東港), Kanding (崁頂) and Chiatung (佳冬) townships in Pingtung County, and Cishan Township (旗山) in Kaohsiung County as of 10am yesterday, adding that five lifeboats would also be dispatched to Tainan.

The city’s Social Affairs Bureau had also arranged for food, drinking water and thousands of towels and sleeping bags to be sent to flood victims, Chen said.

In related developments, ­Kaohsiung County Commissioner Yang Chiu-hsing (楊秋興) returned from Germany at noon yesterday amid criticism of his absence during the storm’s onslaught.

Yang, who led a delegation of county government officials to Britain and Germany on Aug. 1, said he tried to return as soon as he heard of the flooding, but was unable to get a ticket for an immediate flight.

KMT Legislator Chiang Lin-chun (江玲君), who represents a constituency in the county, said Yang should have canceled the trip after the weather bureau forecast the typhoon would bring torrential rains.

Meanwhile, the Taipei City Government said yesterday it had sent rescue teams and equipment to flooded regions.

More than 80 rescue staff, 16 rafts, seven fire trucks, three pumps, satellite phones and food were sent to Pingtung County on Saturday and yesterday.

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) said the city’s Fire Department had dispatched the first rescue team to Pingtung County on Saturday night after receiving a request from the county government.

“We will spare no efforts in helping. More rescue teams will be dispatched if necessary,” he said at the city’s emergency operation center.

Hau said the city government also sent 23 rescuers, three fire trucks and 10 rafts to Tainan County after he had spoken to Tainan County Commissioner Su Huan-chi (蘇煥智).

The city government also sent a rescue team and rescue equipment to Chiayi County after it contacted the city government and offered assistance, he said.

Hau said the city government contacted the Kaohsiung County Government and was prepared to offer any necessary assistance.

Fire Depatment Commissioner Hsiung Kuang-hua (熊光華) said the rescue work was expected to continue for two or three days.

Meanwhile, Democratic Progressive Party spokesman Cheng Wen-tsang (鄭文燦) said yesterday that the party had launched a disaster relief campaign.

“All campaign activities [for the year-end local government elections] have been suspended and our volunteers will join disaster relief efforts,” Cheng told a news conference in Taipei.

He also said the Kaohsiung City Government had created an emergency response center to accept donations of necessities such as water, food, medicine and flashlights for flood victims across the south.

Those who wish to donate items can contact the center at (07) 337-3375 or deliver items to Kaohsiung City Hall at No. 2, Sihwei 3rd Rd, Lingya District, Kaohsiung City.

DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) donated NT$1 million to the relief efforts.

Cheng said the central government reacted too slowly.

“It’s unimaginable that the central government does not have updated information about the disaster — some local government heads had to issue calls for help through the media,” Cheng said. “Certainly helping the victims is the priority at the moment. The Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of National Defense will have to shoulder the political responsibility afterwards.”

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY MO YAN-CHIH, LOA IOK-SIN AND CNA

Also See: morakot strikes

Also See: EDITORIAL: Typhoon highlights old inefficiencies

Also See: Typhoon won’t hurt recovery: analysts

Typhoon highlights old inefficiencies

Monday, Aug 10, 2009, Page 8

Typhoon Morakot brought more than 2,000mm of rain in several places and the worst flooding in the south in 50 years. Many roads and bridges were destroyed and houses flooded, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people.

While the main reason for the disaster was the enormous rainfall, it is clear that government preparations, public construction and emergency response abilities leave much to be desired. This is nothing new. Despite decades of having to deal with typhoons and flooding, it appears the government’s institutional ability to handle such problems is as water-logged as the homes in Pingtung. There are three clear shortcomings that need to be rectified and quickly.

First, the Central Weather Bureau’s (CWB) forecasting must be improved. The bureau issued a warning on Thursday for torrential rain in the areas north of Chiayi. The hardest hit areas, however, turned out to be Kaohsiung and Pingtung counties, while Taipei and Taichung saw just light winds and moderate rainfall. The original estimates said Kaohsiung and Pingtung would receive about 300mm of rain, but as soon as the typhoon reached Taiwan, this was adjusted upward several times, to more than 2,000mm. Nevertheless, southern residents lost precious preparation time.

When the bureau misjudged Typhoon Kalmaegi in July last year, it was criticized by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and received a warning from the Control Yuan. Morakot has highlighted the bureau’s inadequacies once again. However, as Kao Chia-Chuen (高家俊) pointed out in his opinion piece last year (“Accurate forecasting takes money,” July 30, 2008, page 8), budget constraints have left the bureau without any sea-based observation platforms to monitor typhoons. If more money is needed to improve the storm forecasting, the government and the legislature must ensure such monies are found.

The government has initiated several flood prevention projects in the past few years, investing more than NT$80 billion during Frank Hsieh’s (謝長廷) term as premier, and Premier Liu Chao-shiuan’s (劉兆玄) Cabinet approved several bridge maintenance projects in its economic booster scheme.

Morakot’s onslaught, however, highlighted the inefficiency and slow implementation of these projects. The flood-prevention portion of the many river dredging projects in central and southern Taiwan have not gone far enough, the subcontracting process is too slow and quality controls are too lax. It’s not so much that these projects can’t stop flooding, but rather that they were only half finished when the flooding began and then the floodwaters either damaged whatever progress has been made or washed it away.

There have also been serious communication problems. Mobilization and direction was too slow, leaving residents nowhere to turn for help. Although government disaster prevention centers have been established at both the national and local levels, there were many complaints that the centers’ telephone numbers didn’t work. People were forced to rely on TV talk show call-in lines instead of the government’s rescue hotlines.

When the government was asked to deploy disaster relief teams after the typhoon struck, the response was slow; the army was not mobilized until Saturday, thus extending the suffering of many people. The disaster centers’ ability to coordinate resources and manpower showed great shortcomings, and communication between the local and central levels was ineffective, and was subsequently criticized by the premier. For example, in Pingtung County a request for rubber boats was reported as a need for vehicles.

The typhoon season has only just begun, and Morakot has given the government a brusque wake-up call. The disaster prevention system is coming apart at the seams, and if nothing is done quickly, the next typhoon will exact another heavy toll.

DPP must develop a China policy
　

By Lin Cho-shui 林濁水
Monday, Aug 10, 2009, Page 8

For the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the united-front strategy is a matter of combining all possible strengths and playing on its opponent’s weaknesses. It was used to emancipate the working class, and now it is being used to annex Taiwan. Because China believes these to be sacred tasks, it set up the United Front Work Department. For Taiwan, the strategy is a threat that aims for cooptation and division. The great difference between how the two sides understand this concept means that exchanges are filled with suspicion and attempts to outsmart each other.

After the re-establishment of Beijing-Washington diplomatic relations, a self-satisfied China issued an “Open Letter to Taiwanese Compatriots” in which it pinned its hopes for unification on the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwanese, thus singling out the authoritarian government and the people of Taiwan. The answer from then-president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) was “three noes”— no contacts, no talks, no compromise.

Following a major change in KMT policy in 1986, Mainlander veterans were allowed to return home and cross-strait trade was opened up, giving China its first chance to leverage business interests as a way to control Taiwanese politics.

To handle cross-strait contacts, Taipei established the Straits Exchange Foundation, while Beijing set up the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait. Within a few years, however, contacts between the two organizations were discontinued and Taiwan implemented its “no haste, be patient” policy while China started to lob missiles toward Taiwan in military exercises.

After the KMT lost its hold on power, the united front approach changed and Beijing pinned its hopes on the Taiwanese alone, leaving the KMT out of its slogans. It also tried to establish contact with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). In 2001, then-Chinese vice premier Qian Qichen (錢其琛) said Beijing was willing to establish contacts with Taiwanese independence activists if they gave up their separatist ways. In 2002, he welcomed DPP members to visit China “in an appropriate status.”

In 2004, then-president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) believed passage of Beijing’s “Anti-Secession” Law placed Taiwan in a dangerous military situation. He mobilized the public to use as a bargaining chip and tried to clarify his stance to China.

He organized a meeting with People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜), where he reiterated his adherence to his four noes pledge: That so long as Beijing had no intention of using military force against Taiwan, he would “not declare Taiwan independence, change the national title, push for the inclusion of the “state-to-state” model of cross-strait relations in the Constitution, or promote a referendum on independence or unification.He then agreed to send Soong to Beijing on a bridge-building visit.

As a result of Chinese pressure and threats, the meeting was followed by a competition between then-KMT chairman Lien Chan (連戰), Soong and Chen over who would visit China first. After a strong backlash within the DPP, Chen’s contacts with Beijing came to naught.

Lien won the race and went to Beijing to declare that the KMT would work with the CCP to suppress Taiwanese independence. The KMT then announced its participation in a KMT-CCP forum that would accomplish the things the DPP had not. The KMT’s attitude was that the CCP threat was located far away on the distant shore across the Taiwan Strait, while the threat from the DPP was staring it right in the face.

In other words, Lien directly copied Mao Zedong’s (毛澤東) united-front strategy — to work with tomorrow’s enemy to defeat the enemy of today, and with the secondary enemy to fight the main enemy — in effect creating a CCP-KMT united front. That was how China’s approach to work with business interests to control the political situation in Taiwan was expanded to give it strong direct political leverage over Taiwan.

In 2006, one pan-blue leader after another visited China. Jia Qinglin (賈慶林), then-chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, addressed the pan-green camp, saying: “We’ll even meet with die-hard pan-green members.”

Although the pan-blue camp regained power last year and government policy leaned heavily toward China, Taiwan and Taiwanese independence awareness increased.

To complete the united-front strategy, Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) formulated his six points, in which he — in addition to responding to Ma’s pro-China stance by moving Beijing’s Taiwan policies from the anti-independence and peaceful development stance adopted during Chen’s presidency toward promoting peaceful unification and “one country, two systems” — moved away from defining localization, Taiwanese culture and Taiwanese awareness as desinicization and the creation of an independent Taiwan and stressed the need to strengthen cultural exchanges.

Hu expanded the united-front strategy to include the cultural sector, making it the main focus of the CCP-KMT forum this year and the DPP the main goal of the new cultural approach.

This is why Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) could travel to Beijing to promote the World Games in Kaohsiung and then hold the Games without any serious opposition. It is also why she and International World Games Association president Ron Froehlich could call Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) the president of the Republic of China in a practical implementation of the “mutual non-denial” policy the KMT likes to talk about but dares not practice.

It was also the reason the national flag, which Ma has frequently banned at venues where Chinese visitors have been present, for the first time in many years could fly over an international sports event in Taiwan.

In addition, a visit by Yang Yi (楊毅), the director of the information department of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, to SETTV was also smoothly carried out during a sailing competition jointly organized by China and Tainan City.

The example of the most far-reaching cooperation under the united-front strategy is no doubt the soap opera coproduced by Formosa Television — led by DPP bigwig Tsai Trong-rong (蔡同榮) — and a Chinese TV station. By comparison, the participation of former DPP legislator Hsu Jung-shu (�?Q) in the CCP-KMT forum is trivial. By dealing so strictly with Hsu while not even mentioning Tsai really puts the DPP in an untenable situation.

China’s united-front strategy has expanded from the pan-blue into the pan-green camp and from the economic and political sectors to the cultural sector, and it is becoming increasingly flexible in how it deals with the DPP.

Unless the pan-green camp severs all contacts with China, it will not be able to stop party members from engaging with China simply by referring to the united-front strategy.

The DPP must deal with individual cases as they occur, but must hurry to formulate a strategic and tactical approach to dealing with China.

If the DPP can develop its own strategy, it will not have to duck every time it encounters the united-front strategy. The Chinese strategy is becoming increasingly intense, and unless the green camp comes up with its own strategy, it will soon run out of responses.

Lin Cho-shui is a former Democratic Progressive Party legislator.