Ma urges caution on blocking US beef
　

RESTRICTIONS: The president said buyers could boycott the product, but legislative changes could not include a ban on US beef because that would violate the protocol
　

By Ko Shu-ling
STAFF REPORTER
Thursday, Nov 12, 2009, Page 1

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday urged the legislature to be cautious in blocking imports of US beef, saying any legal revisions should not violate the protocol that Taiwan has signed with the US.

“Unless we have a very convincing reason, it is very hard to turn down [the US’] request for ‘free trade’ because we are both WTO members,” Ma said. “The most important thing is to always put public health and safety first during negotiations.”

Ma made the remarks in a meeting with Cabinet officials and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislative caucus at the Presidential Office.

Under the terms of the protocol signed by the US and Taiwan, US bone-in beef, ground beef, bovine intestines, brains, spinal cords and processed beef from cattle younger than 30 months that have not been contaminated with “specific risk materials” will be allowed into Taiwan starting on Tuesday.

In response to criticism that the market opening could endanger public health, the government said last week it would use administrative means to block the import of ground beef and bovine intestines.

As the legislature is planning to complete the amendments to the Act Governing Food Sanitation (食品衛生管理法) around Tuesday, Ma yesterday said the government could adopt administrative measures and strengthen inspections to block the import of controversial US beef products, but the legislation could not stipulate a ban because it would violate the protocol.

“But if consumers don’t eat or buy and importers don’t bring in the products, we will not be violating the protocol,” he said. “When they see there is no profit in selling the products, there won’t be any in the market.”

“Besides, there are many limitations and inspection procedures that the products have to go through before they come in. They may well quit after learning of the difficulties,” he said.

This way, Ma said, when his administration talks to the US, it could say the government has relaxed the restrictions but it is not responsible for promoting the products and that the public is free to choose what it wants to eat.

Ma said this would ensure public safety, secure relations with the US and protect the nation’s credibility.

The president dismissed speculation that there was any trade-off in the government’s decision to relax restrictions on US beef, adding that the negotiations were made to improve overall ties with the US.

While the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has asked the government to clearly state it would “ban” US beef and launch new negotiations with Washington, Ma said to do so would violate not only the protocol but also the regulations of the WTO and the World Organization for Animal Health.

He asked the DPP and the public to think twice whether the country was willing to pay the price for reneging on the deal, adding that he was not sure Taipei would get a better deal if new negotiations were held.

“We are not afraid of the Americans,” he said. “But as a member of the international community, we must play by the rules if we want to participate in international activities and that is an important global perspective.”

On other issues, Ma yesterday backed Premier Wu Den-yih’s (吳敦義) call on Tuesday for the executive branch to brief the legislature about signing a cross-strait memorandum of understanding on financial supervision over the banking, insurance and securities industries.

Ma said Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) would call a meeting tomorrow and invite caucus heads to hear reports from the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC), the Mainland Affairs Council and the Ministry of Economic Affairs on the proposed MOU to help lawmakers better understand the content and impact of the agreement.

“Some of the impacts are positive and some are not so positive, but the legislature must know them all,” Ma said. “The FSC must also further communicate with industries ... We must be ready before we sign them.”

In China, Yang Yi (楊毅), spokesman for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, told a press conference that Beijing was ready to sign the agreement on financial cooperation.

Yang said the two sides had agreed on the details of the MOU on financial supervision. He did not specify when, where or how the signing would take place, but said China “would have no problem” with those details.

Hau faces questions on MRT problems
　

BEFORE HIS TIME: Without elaborating, the mayor said the main reason why the Wen-Hu line experienced shutdowns was mainly because of problems in the initial network design
　

By Shih Hsiu-chuan
STAFF REPORTER
Thursday, Nov 12, 2009, Page 3

Control Yuan members yesterday questioned Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) over the problem-ridden Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system’s Wenshan-Neihu Line, or Wen-Hu Line, saying that they did not rule out questioning President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).

After the session, Hau said he told Control Yuan members that the city government did not put the line into operation ahead of schedule or shorten the line’s trial period.

He said the main reason why the Wen-Hu line experienced such frequent shutdowns was because of problems in the initial network design, without elaborating further.

Control Yuan members Ger Yeong-kuang (葛永光), Chen Yung-hsiang (陳永祥) and Chao Jung-yao (趙榮耀) have launched an investigation into the problems with the line since it opened in July.

The line connecting Muzha and Neihu has experienced several malfunctions and system breakdowns and the city government has been accused of rushing the trial period and opening the line before making sure the systems ran smoothly.

Hau dismissed the allegations yesterday, saying that he was told by the city government’s Department of Rapid Transit Systems on his first day in office in December 2006 that construction was scheduled to be completed this March and that the line would begin operating in June.

Asked whether Control Yuan members should also question Ma, Hau’s predecessor, on how his city government had arranged the integration of the Muzha line and newly built Neihu line systems, Hau said that he respected the Control Yuan’s decision.

Ger said: “The Presidential Office has said that Ma will cooperate with the [Control Yuan] probe and there is no constitutional problem involved.”

Having the president speak to the Control Yuan on the issue would establish a constitutional precedent, and the Control Yuan would consult anyone it deemed necessary, Ger said.

Hau’s administration was recently censured by the Control Yuan over the construction of the Maokong Gondola, which was suspended because of erosion under a pillar after a typhoon last year, as well as its refusal to pay health insurance premiums to the central government as they were at odds over how to calculate insurance contributions.

Ma was Taipei mayor when the Maokong Gondola was built and when the boycott of health premiums was launched.

Political camps trade blows on gangster connections
　

By Flora Wang
STAFF REPORTER
Thursday, Nov 12, 2009, Page 3
　

The recent controversy over alleged links between criminal figures and politicians showed no signs of abating yesterday, as pan-blue and pan-green legislators continued to trade accusations over who had closer ties with a Nantou County convict.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chang Hsien-yao (張顯耀) threw the first blow, telling a press conference that a number of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) figures had been close to Chiang Chin-liang (江欽良), a paroled former gangster from central Taiwan.

Chang showed reporters four pictures that showed DPP Legislator Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯), former DPP legislators Lin Yun-sheng (林耘生) and Tang Huo-shen (湯火聖), former Nantou County commissioner Lin Tsung-nan (林宗男) and former Tsaotun Township chief Hung Tun-jen (洪敦仁) accompanying Chiang.

Chang said one of the pictures was taken at the inauguration of a night market in central Taiwan on Sept. 16, 2002, with Chiang and Lin Tsung-nan designated VIPs at the event, which Chang said Hung, Tsai and Tang also attended.

Another picture was from 2004 and showed Chiang holding a campaign meeting for Lin Yun-sheng when he was running for the legislature, Chang said.

Chang’s move came after DPP Nantou County commissioner candidate Lee Wen-chung (李文忠) last week accused Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) of having close ties to Chiang.

Local media showed images of Wu and his wife vacationing in Bali, Indonesia, with Nantou County Commissioner Lee Chao-ching (李朝卿) and Chiang.

Wu on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against Lee for alleging that Wu arranged gravel business contracts during the trip.

In response to Chang’s allegation, DPP Legislator William Lai (賴清德) yesterday accused the KMT of trying to shift the focus away from the premier.

Lai said that if Chang’s allegation were true, then Lee’s allegation could also be true because Chiang, Lee and Wu’s wife were also caught on camera as they attended an inaugural ceremony of a night market in Nantou.

“If the KMT’s allegations make any sense, then it’s just as correct to say Wu Den-yih, Lee Chao-ching and Chiang Chin-liang toured Bali together to make secret deals,” Lai said.

Meanwhile, the DPP’s Central Standing Committee (CSC) yesterday ruled unanimously to recommend the Central Disciplinary Committee expel the DPP’s Caotun Township (草屯) office head, Huang Wen-chun (黃文君), for making false allegations against Lee Wen-chung. Huang told a press conference on Saturday that Lee Wen-chung turned against Chiang after trying but failing to garner Chiang’s support.

DPP Spokesman Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) said Huang’s action had harmed the party and a decision on her expulsion would be made at the next Central Disciplinary Committee meeting on Nov. 26. Huang will also be invited to make her case, he said.

Lu dismisses report of planned visit to China
　

By Ko Shu-ling
STAFF REPORTER
Thursday, Nov 12, 2009, Page 3
　

Former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) yesterday dismissed speculation that she would visit China in March, saying that she would do so only if the arrangement was made in an open, equal and dignified manner.

Lu said she had not received any official invitation to visit. If she did, Lu said, she would think about it open-mindedly.

“I would seriously consider whether it would be conducive to the positive development of cross-strait relations,” she said. “The arrangement must be open, equal and dignified.”

Lu said that as the only former vice president to have served two four-year terms, she would be careful with her words and actions, adding that she would not “easily” visit China unless the arrangement was made appropriately. She also asked the media to refrain from spinning the matter out of proportion.

Lu made the remarks in response to a report published by Next Magazine yesterday.

The report said that Lu planned to visit China in March in her capacity as president of the National Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW) Taiwan. The BPW has consultative status at the UN.

The report said that during the trip, Lu was likely to meet Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (習近平), a front-runner to succeed Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) as Communist Party leader in 2012 and president in 2013.

While many, including Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members, have questioned whether the DPP has a concrete China policy, Lu said that the cross-strait policy implemented during the DPP administration was the realization of the party’s China policy.

While the DPP is now in opposition, Lu urged the party to refrain from distancing itself from what was accomplished during its eight years in power and to grow in response to the overwhelming changes in relations with China.

“If the DPP still wants to represent Taiwan and thinks they can still protect Taiwan, they cannot stay aloof from the peril brought by the dramatic changes,” she said.

Lu called on her party to take the matter seriously and discuss it in a calm and rational matter after next month’s local elections.

Saying the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is dancing the “tango of peaceful unification” with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Lu said the two parties are plotting a “3-3-3” scheme, in which they plan to sign an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA), create a military confidence-building mechanism and sign a peace treaty before 2011 by using the KMT-CCP forum and the cross-strait forum between the Straits Exchange Foundation and China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait as communication platforms.

“China is attempting a ‘soft unification’ with Taiwan,” she said. “We need more wisdom and rationality in the face of this dangerous challenge.”

After Hu expressed the hope to see “complete unification” during his Chinese National Day address on Oct. 1, Lu said the modernization of the People’s Liberation Army was aimed at attacking Taiwan to attain the goal of unification.

However, neither the commander-in-chief — President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) — nor the Mainland Affairs Council or legislative caucuses responded to Hu’s remark, she said, adding that the silence was the “worst crisis among the crises.”

No link between Chen, Palauan funds
　

By Shelley Huang
STAFF REPORTER
Thursday, Nov 12, 2009, Page 3

Prosecutors in charge of probing former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) alleged money laundering activities said yesterday they did not have enough evidence to prove that funds that flowed into a Palauan bank account were connected to the former president.

On Monday, Palauan President Johnson Toribiong was reported to have said in a TV interview in Palau that in 2005, an unidentified wire of US$41 million was routed through Palau’s Pacific Savings Bank to the US and other countries. The bank later collapsed and Palauan authorities are investigating the matter, he said.

“I do not know where the money came from and where it went to. We have asked for judicial assistance from Taiwan,” Toribiong was quoted as saying.

The Supreme Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Investigation Panel’s (SIP) probe into the money flow and overseas assets of Chen and his family members has not produced any evidence that indicated the family wired money to or from Palau, prosecutors said.

The SIP also said it had not received a request for assistance from Palau.

Chen’s office denied allegations on Tuesday that Chen had taken advantage of trips abroad to transport cash. A statement said Chen never used the presidential plane to transport money abroad.

Ma government not a good sport

Thursday, Nov 12, 2009, Page 8

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) often stresses the importance of heeding popular opinion, cautioning his officials and agencies to show consideration in all they do to avoid leaving a negative impression with the public.

The state-owned Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor Corp (TTL) has become the latest agency to have a hard time understanding Ma’s words.

News that the company pledged 100 million yuan (US$14.6 million) to sponsor the Asian Games in Guangzhou in November next year outraged many people.

So much for creating a positive impression with the public. A state-run company that ignored the World Games in Kaohsiung and gave just NT$400,000 to the Deaflympics in Taipei is eager to hand over millions to support a sports event in China.

The company said the Asian Games deal was a cost-effective way to increase brand awareness of Taiwan Beer in the Chinese market. Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) was quick to approve the plan, saying “the tasty Taiwan Beer will sweep the mainland and the brand will promote Taiwan’s excellence.”

It is well and good to “promote Taiwan’s excellence” at every opportunity, but where was the corporate and government support when Taiwanese golfer Yani Tseng (曾雅妮) appealed to Ma earlier this year for funds to host a Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tournament in Taiwan?

Tseng boosted the standing of Taiwanese athletes in professional sports no end with her win in the McDonald’s LPGA Championship last year and another victory in the LPGA Corning Classic in May.

Many recall how Tseng appealed to Ma for the government to host an LPGA event. The LPGA had already expressed interest in the idea. While some critics were quick to claim Tseng just wanted to win money at home, she made it clear that she was willing to donate some of her winnings to make the tournament a reality.

Such a tournament would require US$2 million. Tseng’s hopes, however, were dashed by Ma, who after asking how much it would cost to sponsor a golf tourney here, said the amount would sponsor more than 10 marathons. The Sports Affairs Council also cited the “high cost” when rejecting the proposal.

Ma is better known as a runner than a golfer, so perhaps his uninterest is understandable. However, as a state-run company, TTL has a responsibility to support national sports development over sports in other countries. Its management stand condemned for promoting China while ignoring Taiwan’s struggle for greater visibility on the international stage.

If the government is interested in promoting excellence in all areas, there should be no difficulty in appropriating suitable funds — as TTL’s example shows. Given TTL’s generosity in spending taxpayers’ money to support sports in China, it appears that money is not the issue preventing Taiwan from hosting top-tier international tournaments.

The question is whether the government has the inclination and the backbone to promote Taiwan’s profile in the international sports arena — or any other stage — rather than give lip service.

Ma’s cross-strait policy misguided
　

By Lin Cho-shui 林濁水
Thursday, Nov 12, 2009, Page 8

The meeting between Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chairman Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤) and China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) Chairman Chen Yunlin (陳雲林) was postponed to next month after the Dalai Lama’s recent visit to Taiwan. The negotiations on an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA), originally scheduled for the middle of last month, have also been delayed repeatedly. On Nov. 1, China alarmed Taiwan when Taipei was suddenly informed about the cancelation of talks in Beijing. Fortunately, Beijing quickly sent Deputy ARATS Chairman Zheng Lizhong (鄭立中) to Taipei to prepare for the Chiang-Chen meeting and ease tensions.

The Chiang-Chen meeting was delayed by political factors, while the ECFA negotiations were delayed for economic reasons. The two sides have constantly argued over whether cross-strait talks should put economics before politics or focus on both, but now it seems there are both economic and political problems.

Politically, the problem is quite serious. It is not the Dalai Lama’s visit or the screening of the documentary about Rebiya Kadeer. Rather, the problem is Ma’s three conditions for political negotiations that he proposed indirectly through Foundation on Asia-Pacific Peace Studies chairman Chao Chun-shan (趙春山).

The first condition is finalizing a cross-strait financial memorandum of understanding (MOU) and signing an ECFA. This places business before politics, something that China does not like.

The second is a domestic Taiwanese consensus; since mainstream opinion supports Taiwanese independence, China is not pleased.

The third is international approval, which not only overturns Ma’s own promise that cross-strait relations override diplomatic concerns, it also invites foreign forces to interfere in what Beijing sees as China’s domestic affairs. This is even less acceptable to China.

Business talks will not be any easier. The biggest argument is not the controversy over importing Chinese towels or agricultural products. These represent a relatively small sum of money, and China could make a great display of goodwill by relenting on these requirements.

The real problem involves setting up financial institutions. Beijing insists on different entry thresholds for Taiwanese firms in China and Chinese firms in Taiwan, and it also wants to be allowed to invest in 8.5-generation flat screen plants in Taiwan using Taiwanese technology and personnel, but it refuses to promise not to block Taiwan from negotiating free-trade agreements with other countries.

These problems mean that Taipei has finally encountered Beijing’s most ambitious attack against Taiwan’s core strategic sectors, and this conundrum will not be easily resolved.

With political and economic problems appearing at the same time, the two governments are trying hard to maintain smooth exchanges on the surface to avoid damage to their prestige. However, it will be difficult to cover the fact that the cross-strait honeymoon was a result of Ma’s excessively pro-China policies.

Ma’s pro-China policies are based on four points of wishful thinking, and all four points are now looking problematic.

First, Ma believes Taiwan can survive the economic problems caused by the US financial crisis simply by strengthening economic and trade relations with China through direct links. This is a complete miscalculation. Despite the opening of the three links and China’s purchase of Taiwan-made home appliances for rural areas, Taiwanese exports to China and Hong Kong dropped by US$16.7 billion in the first three quarters of the year. This decline exceeded the decrease in exports to the US, which fell by US$4.8 billion during the same period.

The Port of Kaohsiung has declined since the opening of direct links, experiencing the second-highest decline among Asia’s top 10 harbors, proving that opening the three links was ineffective.

Second, Ma believes China will reward Taiwan economically for making political concessions. However, after Taipei agreed to define cross-strait routes as domestic in sea transportation negotiations, Beijing squeezes out 97 percent of Taiwanese and foreign container ships from cross-strait routes. This has severely damaged Taiwanese harbors and shipping firms and turned Taiwan’s airports into Chinese satellites. It now insists on squeezing Taiwan through unequal bank entry thresholds.

Third, Ma believes that if Taiwan can uphold its “diplomatic truce” by prioritizing cross-strait relations over diplomatic relations and acting like a dependent, Beijing will give him some advantages under the “one China, different interpretations” principle. Unexpectedly, China clearly rejected this offer in Chinese President Hu Jintao’s (胡錦濤) six-point statement, instead piling pressure on Ma with the “one China” principle, “one country, two systems” and “peaceful unification.”

Fourth, Ma’s team is keenly aware that public support for Taiwanese independence has grown continuously in recent years, but they believe that if Beijing offers the three favors, they will be able to use China’s external pressure to increase the domestic pressure and reshape national identification and improve support ratings. But since the first three points are just a matter of wishful thinking, the fourth point also falls. The rising support for Taiwanese independence and the decreasing support for unification shows that the public questions Ma’s pro-unification tendencies.

As a result, Ma had no choice but to propose the three conditions for political negotiations through Chao in an attempt to avoid Beijing pushing Taiwan to surrender by signing a peace agreement.

Ma’s misunderstandings have led him to adopt a lop-sided, pro-China policy, exciting Beijing and stirring up unrealistic expectations in Taiwan. The attempt by Ma’s team to make a political U-turn and resist the Chinese strategic economic attack is dangerous. The sweetness of the honeymoon with Beijing only existed in Ma’s imagination, and he is now about to taste the bitterness of reality.

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