When powerful people get involved in illegal activities, they usually have layer upon layer of firewalls to ward off everything. ... This "theory of firewall" can be applied to the corruption cases in Taiwan. For more than one year, there have been a series of corruption cases related to Chen Shui-bian or the Office of the President Most of these past corruption cases involved complicated processes. As long as someone involved in the process accepts responsibility, then that person becomes the firewall. Even if Chen Shui-bian had been connected to the cases, the cases won't reach him. In the Kaohsiung kickback case, the Chen Yu-hao political donation case plus a bunch of insider stock trades from the Office of the President, the former deputy secretary-general Chen Che-nan served as the firewall. The case of the Taiwan Development Corporation and its syndicated loan had the president's son-in-law Chao Chien-ming as the firewall. The SOGO gift voucher case and corporate board meddling cases that involved the president's wife Wu Shu-chen had the president's doctor Huang Fang-yen as the firewall. Because of these firewalls, Chen Shui-bian remained safe. Since these corruption cases do not touch Chen Shui-bian himself, the Democratic Progressive Party people can fool themselves by supporting Bian for seemingly good reasons.
But now the so-called special state affairs expenses have emerged and the corruption cases in Taiwan have entered a new phase:
First, the so-called "special state affairs expenses" are expenses that are authorized by the President. Its use and verification are spelled out by law. Chen Shui-bian is the principal. This means that there is no firewall and there is no one else to blame.
Assuming, of course, that Nan's presentation is actually a correct account. As we saw in the other piece ESWN selected, Nan's grip on the facts is somewhat....selective. I decided to run some searches at ESWN and amazingly, couldn't find anything on the US$400 million corruption and murder case involving the Lafayette frigates now under investigation as well -- a far more serious case involving the entire conservative mainlander power structure, Taiwan's defense policy, and much of the history of the last 15 years.
There's a reason it is so difficult to take conservative Chinese writers seriously when they talk about corruption in Taiwan.....
[Taiwan] [Australia] [Chen Shui-bian] [Democracy] [DPP] [KMT] [Chiu Yi]
1) because lafayette predates ESWN's blog by at least 5 years.
ReplyDelete2) CSB's government forgot about it for 6 years. one of the main expectation (and why CSB got voted into presidency) on Chen on 2000 was to find out the truth about cases like lafayette. He failed.
I think CSB didn't forget about Lafayette. He just wanted to keep it in the pocket such that whenever an election comes he has some cards to use.
ReplyDelete1) because lafayette predates ESWN's blog by at least 5 years.
ReplyDeleteDon't be silly. The investigation has been ongoing. It's been in the news for at least the last three years. The trials in France began 6 years ago. ESWN's blog goes back to April of 2003.
2) CSB's government forgot about it for 6 years. one of the main expectation (and why CSB got voted into presidency) on Chen on 2000 was to find out the truth about cases like lafayette. He failed.
Incorrect again, as the government has been involved in negotiations with the Swiss government, beginning with the request for information in November of 2001. The Swiss finally agreed to help last year after Taipei assured them there would be no death penalty for the murders. Won't see that case on ESWN, though, as what he translates on Taiwan is always one-sided -- anti-democracy, and anti-DPP.
As Thucydides once said, it is easy to understand why men might want to be authoritarians. What is harder to understand is the men who agree to serve them.
Michael
ESWN is a Chinese nationalist through and through.
ReplyDeleteNationalism always has good and bad sides: nationalism is what gives the thousands (millions?) of Chinese grad students any incentive to go back to China and contribute to the society of their birth (though even then... the majority have no intention of going back). Though th e US has a much less pronounced form of nationalism, and you might want to argue whether this actually leads to good, nationalism/patriotism is also what leads investment bankers, lawyers, even an NFL quarterback to join the US armed forces in a perceived time of need.
On the other hand, things like human rights, minority rights, self-determination, social welfare, can often easily get swept under the rug by nationalism. That's why fighting wars cures unrest from joblessness.
ESWN is a smart guy. But a lot of smart guys have been blindly fervent nationalists.
Anyways, I would say that in general, Hong Kongnese, mainland Chinese usually have very little to add to the political discussion in Taiwan. Taiwan has its problems, but they aren't going to be finding any wisdom from societies that don't know what to do with themselves either.
ok, tell me the major progress in the lafayette case in the past 6 years that deserve a news report.
ReplyDeleteI find some striking similiarity between DPP/KMT and GOP/DEM in the states, where DPP and GOP can't govern and KMT and DEM can't get elected in the national level. Chen should resign for a simple reason, he is incompetent.
ReplyDeleteok, tell me the major progress in the lafayette case in the past 6 years that deserve a news report.
ReplyDeleteYou've got to be kidding me. The agreement of the Swiss government to help? The fingering of James Soong as the bagman by Dumas in sworn testimony? You mean fingering the head of a major party as the bagman in a $400 million corruption and murder case isn't "major news?" The recent interrogation of two former premiers? The arguments in the media over whether LTH knew? The recent detention of a new witness? The legal obligation of France to repay $600 million in commissions on the deal?
Maybe you should tell me your definition of "major news" first, Sun. LOL.
I find some striking similiarity between DPP/KMT and GOP/DEM in the states, where DPP and GOP can't govern and KMT and DEM can't get elected in the national level. Chen should resign for a simple reason, he is incompetent.
The situation more resembles the opposite, where the DPP is more like the Dems and the KMT more like the Rethugs, IMHO. Chen shouldn't resign for incompetence, as that is not an offense under the constitution.
Michael
I'm not suggesting Chen should resign because his incompetence is a constitutional offense, he put himself in an unattainable situation by claiming moral absolute, He vowed resignation if his wife ever accepted SOGO gift certificate, now the amateur spin doctors from PO are finessing over the word "indirectly accepted".
ReplyDeleteBTW when was the last time DPP showed respect to the current constitution, they try to throw it under the bus every chance they get....
Which DPP actions would you say were Constitutional violations? IMHO Constitutional change has been pretty regular for the last two decades. Obviously the current governmental structure is too vaguely defined (does Taiwan have a presidential or parliamentary system? What exactly are the powers of the President? etc).
ReplyDeleteI'm not of the opinion that Chen should resign. Minor corruption cases do not constitute a major reason to resign (you can bet when the Ma Ying-jeou government reveals a similarly corrupt set of practices, that no Blues will call for its resignation). Although I share your indignation at that idiotic weasel word "directly" which was as good as a confession. Clearly Chen and his handlers have just fallen down on the job.
On the other hand, a resignation would be a blow to the democracy forces and to governance on Taiwan, unless it can be used to transform the structure so that it is clear where the authority lies (Premier or President). But I don't see how that can happen....
Michael
all 6 years the only accomplishment is "The agreement of the Swiss government"?
ReplyDeleteno one is persecuted, no one is convicted, the public gain no new knowledge/insight on the case.
1) the 'fingering' with no evidence or proof can only be viewed as political conspiracy.
2) recent interrogation is even more pathetic, it should have happened 6 years ago!
3) what do you mean by legal obligation? they won in international court? have they received a single cent? come on, be seriously.
to be fair, evidence might have been destroyed in Lee Tenghui era. but there is no excuse for the incompetence and inefficiency (or is it)?
major news, is some concrete evidence, or impeachment, or conviction. not half hearted interrogation or finger pointing. they could have done all those in 1999!
Sun, you don't have a case.
ReplyDelete1) the 'fingering' with no evidence or proof can only be viewed as political conspiracy.
Right. Of course. The French Foreign Minister fingered James Soong and its a conspiracy. ROFL.
More importantly, whether or not it is a conspiracy, it is big news. Won't find it on ESWN, though.
2) recent interrogation is even more pathetic, it should have happened 6 years ago!
Pathetic or not, it's more news. But not on ESWN -- where we can get made-up Apple Daily news like Macking in Taipei -- but not a word about the Lafayette scandal.
Wrong again, Sun
3) what do you mean by legal obligation? they won in international court? have they received a single cent? come on, be seriously.
I see, news is when you get money. Here I thought news was, well, news. Something new.
Thanks for a very enlightening bit of nothing.
Michael
I've thoroughly enjoyed reading your blogs. Nice work!!
ReplyDeleteJust a little amending on the background of Nan Fang Shuo.
Nan Fang Shuo is the pen name of WANG Shing Ching, who is apparently of Hok Lok ancestry and was born and bred in the South of Taiwan.
No shit? I read that he was a mainlander. Oh well. Thanks, man!
ReplyDeleteMichael