Latest Taiwan Communique (No. 115)

Gerrit van der Wees passed this around:


We are pleased to announce that the new issue of Taiwan Communiqué is off the press. In this issue, we present an overview of recent political developments in Taiwan, such as the new campaign to enter the United Nations and the planned referendum, foreseen to be held during the presidential elections in March 2008. We also discuss the recent statements by UN-SG Ban Ki-moon. In a commentary, AEI's Gary Schmitt
criticizes the UN as well as the Bush Administration for their lack of support for Taiwan and its democracy.

We then present two articles on Presidential elections, one it Taiwan where DPP candidate Frank Hsieh selected his running mate, and one in the US, where both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton made remarks about US policy towards Taiwan.

Then there is an article about Taiwan's martial law, which was lifted only 20 years ago. However, there is still no closure and reconciliation as long as the old Kuomintang doesn't come to terms with its sordid past, and apologizes for the wrongs it imposed on Taiwan and its society.

After our Report from Washington with updates on Legislation and actions on the Hill, we close with a book review of Bruce Herschensohn's excellent new book: Taiwan, the threatened democracy, and a well-deserved limelight on Nat Bellocchi, former Chairman of AIT.

Below you find the table of contents. The full publication is available on our website at www. taiwandc.org We wish you happy reading. Do not miss the excellent cartoons, courtesy the Taipei Times. For earlier issues, check out our website at www.taiwandc.org/twcom/

CONTENTS Taiwan Communiqué no. 115

September / October 2007

Taiwan into the United Nations
President Chen submits formal application ............ 1
Mr. Ban Ki-moon’s response ........................... 1
The Economist: Blundering by both EU and USA ......... 3
A Club Taiwan can't join by Gary Schmitt, AEI ...... .. 4
Taiwan’s Presidential campaign
Hsieh selects Su Tseng-chang as running mate ......... 7
Ma Ying-jeou not convicted of graft .................. 8
Referendum on UN entry and ill-gotten assets? ........ 9
US Presidential elections and Taiwan
Barack Obama and the outdated status quo ............ 10
Hillary Clinton speaks of "strategic ambiguity" ..... 13
Twenty years since end of Martial Law
Commemorations in Taipei ............................ 15
What about transitional justice? .................... 16
Report from Washington
US House unanimously passes High-level resolution ... 17
Senators write in support of WHO membership ......... 18
Book review: Taiwan, the threatened democracy
by Bruce Herschensohn ..................... 19
In the limelight
Nat Bellocchi, former Chairman of AIT ............... 22

[Taiwan]