MOFA confirms UN snubbed covenants
　

‘ONE-CHINA’ PRINCIPLE: The UN did not bother to consider the two human rights covenants that President Ma Ying-jeou signed because it doesn’t recognize Taiwan
　

By Jenny W. Hsu and Shih Hsiu-chuan
STAFF REPORTERS
Saturday, Nov 21, 2009, Page 1

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday confirmed that the UN in June rejected two human rights covenants signed by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) earlier in the year, but said the refusal did not indicate that Taiwan’s diplomacy had failed.

The two UN covenants — the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights — were ratified by the legislature and signed by Ma in March and May respectively.

However, the Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) reported that the global body refused to recognize Taiwan as an official signatory, citing the “one China” principle.

“This is a political reality we need to face. One must be a UN member state in order to participate in the two covenants. But [the rejection] will not deter the government from implementing the content of the two documents domestically,” MOFA Spokesman Henry Chen (陳銘政) said, adding that the ministry would “use other methods” to show the world Taiwan’s determination in upholding human rights.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said the UN’s rejection showed that Ma’s “China-friendly” policies had failed to win the respect of Beijing.

“It is very pitiful that Ma still cannot see the Chinese Communist Party’s true colors. It was wishful thinking that his unilateral declaration of a ‘diplomatic truce’ would discourage China from oppressing Taiwan in the international arena,” he said.

DPP Legislator Tsai Huang-­liang (蔡煌瑯) said Ma had singlehandedly ruined Taiwan’s efforts to improve human rights and that the world was fully aware of this.

He said the UN’s decision to exclude Taiwan from the two covenants showed that no matter how much favor Taiwan curried with China, Beijing would never waver in its goal of denigrating Taiwan’s sovereignty.

Meanwhile, the legislature yesterday referred the government’s document on how the UN dealt with the country’s ratification of the two covenants to its Foreign and National Defense Committee.

The legislature ratified the two covenants on March 31 and they were approved by the president on May 14.

In the document, MOFA said that UN Under Secretary-General for Legal Affairs Patricia O’Brien replied on June 15 that “UN ­Secretary-General [Ban Ki-moon] was in no position to accept Taiwan’s ratification because of UN Resolution 2758, which recognizes the People’s Republic of China as the sole and legitimate representative of China.”

Ban also cited the resolution in August 2007 when rejecting Taiwan’s request to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

China moving away from free market: US
　

By William Lowther
STAFF REPORTER IN WASHINGTON
Saturday, Nov 21, 2009, Page 1

As Taiwan moves toward finalizing an Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) with China, a US Congressional commission reports a “disturbing trend” by Beijing away from the development of a free market system and toward greater government control of the economy.

“Contrary to its claim of being a market-oriented economy, Beijing continues to comprehensively plan, direct, support and control its economy,” said Carolyn Bartholomew, chairman of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

Releasing the commission’s seventh annual report on ­Thursday, she said: “Many of China’s economic reforms over the past 30 years are, in reality, a government-directed industrial policy that seeks to promote ­export-led growth.

“Key industries including auto parts, machine tools, information technology, optics, photonics and clean renewable energy are targeted for government support,” she said, adding that Beijing provides massive loans from state-owned banks to industries already producing over capacity.

Bartholomew said: “This approach gives China’s exporters a substantial price advantage in international markets and disadvantages companies hoping to export to China.”

‘CHILLING’

A leading US economist, speaking on the condition that he not be named, said that Bartholomew’s words were particularly chilling for Taiwan in view of what the report itself said about an ECFA.

“There is widespread opposition to the plan [ECFA] on ­Taiwan,” the report said.

It added: “Some opponents of the plan, led by the Democratic Progressive Party, charge that a free-trade agreement would sell out Taiwan. Skeptics also maintain that it would be tantamount to a one-China market and eventually political reunification with the mainland.”

BEST OPTION

The report said that proponents of an ECFA, spearheaded by the administration of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and major industry associations, argued that signing the proposal with China represented Taiwan’s best near-term option for revitalizing its economy after the effects of the global economic crisis.

The report said, however, that other commentators believe that an ECFA would harm Taiwan’s economy by hollowing out its manufacturing and electronics industries, crowding out trade with the US, Japan, the EU and ASEAN nations, while increasing Taiwan’s economic dependency on China.

Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the US-Taiwan Business Council, said: “Ma doesn’t have support for the political/­military initiatives that China will demand post-ECFA and that’s when support drops off. Not for ECFA but for those initiatives that are political and military in nature.”

“ECFA will continue to enjoy support through the process — unless its roll out is handled poorly,” he said.

Bartholomew said it was the commission’s responsibility to focus on the difficult areas of the US relationship with China and “shine some light” on areas where there were problems.

FIGHTER JETS

Asked if the commission was in favor of the US selling advanced F-16 fighters to Taiwan, Larry Wortzel, vice chairman of the Commission, said that it was very clear that the balance of air power across the Taiwan Strait was tipping in favor of China and that Taiwan’s aging air force fleet needed to be improved to address the imbalance.

He said: “It’s not our place to recommend specific weapons systems.”

Bartholomew said, however, that the commission members were going to Asia next month and would spend some time in Taiwan where they would focus their discussions on air power.

Tsai optimistic on DPP election prospects

STAFF WRITER, WITH CNA
Saturday, Nov 21, 2009, Page 3
　

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) expressed optimism about the party’s chances in next month’s three-in-one local elections, saying the DPP was expected to retain its grip on Yunlin, Chiayi and Pingtung counties.

In a radio interview on Thursday, Tsai said recent polls showed a strong lead for DPP candidates in the three counties, while the candidate in Yilan County enjoyed a narrow lead over his Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) counterpart and there was hope for the DPP candidate in Taitung County.

“Overall, the situation for the DPP is moving in a positive direction, but close observation is still needed to see whether we can maintain this lead up to polling day,” Tsai said. “It would be disappointing if the DPP fails to hold on to power in Yunlin, Chiayi and Pingtung counties.”

SUPPORT

Tsai also spoke for the first time in public in support of Chang Chih-ming (張志明), an independent candidate for Hualien County, saying that the battle in Hualien was not about winning, but about choosing a good county commissioner.

While declining to predict the election results, Tsai said the biggest variable in local elections was vote-buying and that the key to winning lay in preventing bribery.

To that end, the DPP’s legislative caucus has already purchased video-taping equipment, she said.

More than 800 suspected cases of vote-buying in the run-up to the local elections for mayors and magistrates, city and county councilors and city and township heads have been reported as of last Sunday, of which 13 are under investigation, the Ministry of Justice said.

Next month’s elections will be held in 17 cities and counties only. Six cities and counties — Taipei County, Taichung City, Taichung County, Tainan City, Tainan County and Kaohsiung County — that will be upgraded or merged into municipalities will not elect new chiefs until late next year.

Asked whether she would run for a mayoral position in one of the new municipalities, Tsai said it was too early to discuss the matter, but added: “While sometimes the party chair might not be the best candidate, there are times when it is the chair’s responsibility to stand up and play the game.”

She urged party members who intend to run for mayoral positions in the new municipalities to first work together to win the upcoming local elections before sitting down to discuss the matter.

SPLIT

Tsai was referring to a recent dispute between Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) and Kaohsiung County Commissioner Yang Chiu-hsing (楊秋興), both of whom look set to vie for the DPP ticket for the Kaohsiung municipal elections next year, when Kaohsiung County is merged with Kaohsiung City.

Yang accused Chen of releasing a poll survey showing that both Chen’s support rate and satisfaction rate were higher than Yang’s.

Chen denied the accusation, saying she had not published any public opinion polls.

Parents roam China to find abducted children

AFP , ZHENGZHOU, CHINA
Saturday, Nov 21, 2009, Page 4
　

“Often in the evenings I think of my child. Having seen on television how those kids suffered, how dirty they were, it’s hard to take.”— Li Yuqin, whose son disappeared nearly three years ago

Hu Xiaojiao was watching an undercover report about forced labor at a brick kiln in the midst of a slavery scandal in China two years ago when she saw her missing adult son in the video.

“I rushed to the factory, but my son was not there any more. I’m sure they moved him to another place. Since then, I have had no news,” the small but tough-looking factory worker said, her voice rising in anger.

Hu is one of a group of parents living in or near Zhengzhou, capital of central Henan province, who travel across China in a desperate search for their children, whom they believe were abducted and sold as slaves to factories.

Sitting in a shabby room in Zhengzhou rented by another group member, Hu — whose son disappeared in 2005 when he was 24 — said she had visited countless brick kilns with the group under the guise of job-hunting.

They began their quest in 2007 when a shocking slavery scandal erupted in China, revealing that laborers had been forced to work in appalling conditions in thousands of brick yards and mines across the nation. Many of them were abducted in Henan and neighboring Shanxi province, and then sold to factories and mines there with the apparent collusion of officials and police, state media said at the time.

Authorities said that about 600 enslaved workers were rescued after a huge government campaign, and more have since been found, but many are still believed to be trapped in illegal enterprises.

The group — who have taken matters into their own hands after countless pleas to the police went unanswered — last made a trip in July this year. Their travels have taken them to brick kilns in northern, central and eastern China.

“In some factories, we saw people working — their hair was really long, they wore ragged clothes, they had no shoes. Some had wounds on their bodies,” said Miao Lisong, whose son disappeared five years ago when he was 25.

“We tried to ask them where they were from, but we could see from their expressions they didn’t dare respond. I hear they beat them if they talk,” he said, staring sadly at a small photo of his son.

Some of the factories refuse the parents entry, but on one trip to Shanxi, Miao said people in three kilns said they had seen his son. But he was still unable to find him.

Joining the parents on their numerous trips is Li Yuqin, a soft-­spoken 37-year-old recycler whose son went missing nearly three years ago at the age of 16, when he was out with friends.

“Often in the evenings I think of my child. Having seen on television [in 2007] how those kids suffered, how dirty they were, it’s hard to take,” she said, tears ­rolling down her cheeks.

Li recounted the story of one mother in the group who was reunited with her teenage son in 2007, two years after he was abducted in the streets of Zhengzhou.

According to the mother’s written account, Hao Jiyong labored in a brick kiln in Henan with more than 200 others, and wore clothes with the number 203 sewed on. She says he saw six people beaten to death in his two years there.

Hao escaped from the factory and managed to run to a hotel, where the owner took him in for a month and gave him money to return to Zhengzhou, the mother said.

“He speaks very little now,” said Miao, who saw him on his return.

Aside from not knowing where or how their children are, some parents have also had to contend with unscrupulous people trying to profit from their grief.

Miao, who has spent much of his money on missing persons ads and trips to factories, said a man in the eastern city of Hangzhou once phoned him saying he had spotted his son in a factory there after seeing his photo online.

Miao rushed to Hangzhou, where the man asked him for money and then refused to meet him. Miao’s wife sent 100 yuan (US$14.65), and when the man asked for more, he realized he had been cheated.

“When I went, I had so much strength, so much hope that I would be reunited with my son. When I realized I’d been cheated, it was hard, so hard,” he said, his eyes welling up.

The parents say hundreds of others in Henan share their plight, but their vigilante search group has dwindled considerably over the years as relatives lose hope and drop out.

But Miao, Li, Hu and several others say they are determined to continue, despite a lack of help from local authorities.

“I’m asking the government ... to fight continuously, and to severely punish collusion between local officials and businesses, as it’s only with the protection of local governments that shady factories keep going,” Miao said.

Obama’s Chinese lesson

Saturday, Nov 21, 2009, Page 8

US President Barack Obama’s visit to China was most notable for his hosts’ refusal to play his game. Nothing could have been more symbolically ludicrous and deflating for Obama and the dignity of the office of US president than speaking before a bunch of hand-picked university students taking part in a “town hall” address in Shanghai. Never mind that the students were mostly or all members of the Chinese Communist Party, that they asked vetted, even infantile, questions or that the students who sat behind Obama — and were thus visible to TV and online audiences — behaved as if they couldn’t understand a word.

Not that it mattered. Even this sanitized and tortuously negotiated speech was blocked from most Chinese viewers who might have been interested in what Obama had to say.

Toward the end of his trip Obama gave an exclusive interview to the publication Southern Weekend, but even this benign interview seems to have been interfered with, arriving on newsstands and in mailboxes without the wraparound cover that contained the text of the interview.

Welcome to China, Mr President. Thanks for the chat. Now get out.

There is a worrying number of US officials, advisers and think tank members who are willing to take this kind of behavior from the Chinese government. Some of these are, or will be, conducting business with China in a private capacity, so acts of disrespect against their leader can be rationalized in proportion to the opportunities that China offers them for their cooperation. Others seem to think that accommodating Beijing’s boorishness is best diplomatic practice, whatever the cost for Americans or ordinary Chinese.

What this trip has done is give Obama something very personal that might challenge the stance of those under him that the Chinese government should, in effect, be afforded diplomatic unaccountability. With direct experience of the ill will and hubris of Chinese politicians and media appointees, together with predictably limited progress on regional, environmental and human rights issues, Obama will not take home anything like the awe for Chinese might and history that Mao Zedong (毛澤東) inculcated in former US president Richard Nixon when they met in Beijing.

The part of the US establishment that allows North Korean autocrats to be named as such and Chinese autocrats to be feted and empowered, therefore, may find that Beijing’s refusal to find common ground with the West on basic levels of diplomatic courtesy will impress itself on the US president. Taiwan can only gain from this, though the effects are likely to be subtle and gradual, and certainly not enough to justify a reduction in vigilance.

It has been said before, but it needs to be said again and again: Beijing’s communist government regards open displays of goodwill from the West patronizingly at best, but more often with suspicion and open contempt. In Obama’s case, however, Beijing has adopted an astonishingly cavalier approach at a symbolic level with the one world leader whose friendship it could have employed for the betterment of all.

Even by the complex and inscrutable standards of much statecraft, Beijing has presented Obama and the American people with a regrettable message: Give us face when making deals — but leave your principles at home.

Passing of James Lilley a great loss for Taiwan
　

By James Wang 王景弘
Saturday, Nov 21, 2009, Page 8

‘As soon as we identify with China, we will be blind to its defects and errors.’

For the past three decades and up until his death on Nov. 12, James Lilley was one of the few people in US diplomatic circles that truly understood and cared for Taiwan’s interests.

Born in Qingdao, China, Lilley called himself a “Shandongese” and served as US ambassador to China and director of the American Institute in Taiwan, but his heart was still in Taiwan.

Lilley was a man of integrity and principle and he loved Taiwan. Because he was able to rationally look at the mutual interests of the US and Taiwan, as well as China’s shortcomings, he was not deceived by Beijing’s anti-imperialism or the view that the US was indebted to China.

Taiwan’s most important interests are its sovereignty and security. Since the Korean War, the US’ security interests in East Asia have included preventing Taiwan from being conquered by a hostile state. The US’ role in protecting Taiwan’s sovereignty and security is legally based on Taiwan’s undetermined status and politically on the fact that the people of Taiwan are not willing to be annexed by China.

Lilley contributed to the consolidation of common US and Taiwanese interests. Even though he failed to stop Washington from signing the three joint Sino-US communiques, he made possible the Six Assurances between the US and Taiwan, which reiterated that the US would not alter its position regarding sovereignty over Taiwan or set a date for ending arms sales to Taiwan, nor would it exert pressure on Taiwan to enter into negotiations with China.

Although he failed to push through the sale of new US combat aircraft to Taiwan during former US president Ronald Reagan’s terms in office, Lilley persuaded former US president George H.W. Bush’s administration approve the sale of F-16A/B jet fighters to Taiwan.

In a speech at the University of Pennsylvania after he retired from politics, Lilley criticized the US government for confining itself to the three Sino-US communiques and said the Chinese concept of sovereignty was outdated.

He said the US should recognize Taiwan’s democratization and that US policies must reflect this new reality. He said Taiwan and China had evolved into separate entities.

Lilley witnessed the Tiananmen Square Massacre in Beijing and the Chinese government’s suppression of dissent.

He once said that we couldn’t use our emotions to sympathize with Beijing because as soon as we identified with China, we would become blind to its defects and errors. Lilley understood China so well that he became an unwelcome figure in Beijing.

It is rare for US politicians and experts on Chinese affairs to be able to look at China as Lilley did. For the past 60 years, Taiwan has obtained US support for its anti-communist and democratic developments.

Now that President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) is leaning full-tilt toward China and abandoning both opposition to communism and the drive for democracy, it is not surprising to see that Americans are starting to wonder why they should support Taiwan.

James Wang is a media commentator.

Taiwanese student scoops world computer game prize

Saturday, Nov 21, 2009,Page 13

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A Taiwanese student has won the World Cyber Games (WCG) title. Following the lead of Tseng Jeng-cheng, who won the WCG world championship in the Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Expansion group in 2001, 24-year-old Liu You-chen on Nov. 15 defeated Jared Beins from Singapore to become world champion in the Asphalt 4 mobile phone game group. As thousands of onlookers exploded in celebration, Liu said, “It’s very cool. It feels like sitting on top of the world!”

The WCG championships were held in Chengdu in China’s Sichuan province. Liu, who studies at the Language Center at Nan Kai University of Technology has represented Taiwan’s national team for the past four years. Liu, who won a bronze two years ago, battled with last year’s winner, slyfoxlover, from Singapore. He won a clear victory over his opponent in the first round, but then he lost the second round. In the third round, slyfoxlover tried to use the trick from the second round, but Liu saw through him. He elegantly dodged his opponent’s attempt to crash into him and instead overtook him to the praise of thousands of onlookers.

After winning the championship that Taiwan has long missed, Liu, with a nasal voice from a heavy cold, could not suppress his excitement: “Every day I came to the competition sick, coughing and with a headache, but I felt very happy and excited during the competition! Thanks to computer games, I’m on the world stage, and the whole audience cheered for me, I was so excited I couldn’t even cry! That’s an experience money can’t buy.”

Taiwan’s team leader Liu Chun-hung said with a laugh that, “He is incomparable! Thousands of onlookers paid to come and watch, it was sensational.” Liu Chun-hung said that in addition to Liu You-chen’s gold, Taiwan made it to the final eight in StarCraft : Brood War and the final sixteen in TrackMania Nations Forever, all outstanding achievements.

After winning the championship by defeating skilled competitors from Singapore, South Korea, the UK, France, Germany and 10 other countries, Liu immediately called his mother and his university to deliver the good news. His mother was happy and asked him to take good care of himself while Hsu Tsung-hsin, vice president of Nan Kai University, said that after Liu You-chen’s father passed away last year, he helped care for his younger sister and worked after school, and added that “Liu You-chen is a good kid, very considerate.” After the win, an emotional Liu said that, “I wish my dad could see this, I think he would have been happy.”

Liu revealed that he practiced mobile phone games every day before the competition: “On average, one to two hours per day. Every day I was wondering how I could become a little faster.” He added, frankly, “Before, I simply played games, but now it’s become a job. Of course it’ll be tiring, but luckily I am still interested.” In future, he plans to continue to move toward computer games and let Taiwanese parents know that, “Computer games really aren’t a bad thing.”

(TRANSLATED BY PERRY SVENSSON, LIBERTY TIMES)