Here's Dumb: Yao Ming Visit Blocked

If Taiwan had feet, they'd be riddled with bullet holes. The latest gaffe from our foreign ministry involves NBA star Yao Ming, who has invited to Taiwan to raise money for local charity:

Yao Ming, center for the NBA's Houston Rockets, was denied permission to visit Taiwan next month for a charity fund-raising luncheon, the China Times reported, citing Taiwan Basketball Association Deputy Secretary- General Wang Jen-sheng.

The Mainland Affairs Council on Aug. 23 verbally informed the association, which had submitted the application, of the Taiwanese government's decision, the Taipei-based Chinese- language newspaper reported. Yao, who is from China, was scheduled to arrive on Sept. 7, and planned to raise $200,000 for the island's charity groups, the newspaper reported.

No reason for the decision was given in the newspaper report.

Taiwan and China have been ruled separately since 1949, when communist troops took control of the mainland. China has threatened to invade Taiwan if the island declares independence.

What dumb idea! Fortunately, the media is reporting today that the government realized how stupid it was being, and is reconsidering:

Taiwan government agencies last week called a meeting to review the application and decided to ask Taiwan Basketball Association, which had submitted it, to provide "further details" on the basketball player and the purpose of his trip, Liu Te-Shun, vice chairman at the council, said today in a telephone interview.

Liu denied a China Times report earlier today, citing Taiwan Basketball Association Deputy Secretary-General Wang Jen- sheng, saying the council had verbally informed the association the government decided to reject the application.

"We didn't see all the details and information needed to make a decision," Liu aid. "We will hold another meeting after the association has submitted materials as asked."

Maybe the China Times is making the story up -- such invention is routine and used to cast positive moments for the government in a negative light (like the cadet sex story). But the government's comment that it will hold "another" meeting indicates that the story is likely true.

MEDIA NOTE: Observe how in both stories, the last paragraph baldly asserts that....

Taiwan and China have been ruled separately since 1949, when communist troops took control of the mainland. China has threatened to invade Taiwan if the island declares independence.

.....even though that particular media factoid has nothing to do with the story at hand. Editors constantly interpolate this and similar constructions into stories out of Taiwan. This practice results in readers constantly being bombarded with Beijing's point of view (China has....), as well as occupying space that could be used to give more developed and nuanced presentations. The fact is that China has not threatened to invade if Taiwan actually declares independence. It has threatened to invade if the island moves too far in that direction, not mere for reaching that goal (hence the construction is wrong). Imagine if the presentation was Taiwan-centric:

China has claimed Taiwan since 1949, when the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) retreated to the island after it lost the Chinese civil war to the Communists. However, postwar treaties make no mention of the final recipient of the island's sovereignty, and legal experts consider China's claims doubtful at best.

What a strange world that would be, eh?

[Taiwan] [media] [China]