Drive Bys for Wednesday

Defense News is reporting that the US has released Harpoon rounds to Taiwan. It's not a big arms sale (~$90 million), dollar-wise, but the sale of missiles to the island has raised hopes that the Bush Administration may ease the freeze. The missiles are to be mounted on the P-3C Orion subhunting aircraft whose purchase has already been authorized.

Corruption? The China Times claimed today that Merrill Lynch had sent two executives to Taiwan in connection with the investigation into former President Chen, and news reports also said other foreign financial houses were cooperating. For light entertainment, contemplate the news that the speaker of the Tainan County Council was indicted for fixing baseball games. This might be appalling, if it didn't happen every couple of years in Taiwan baseball. Hackers in China and Taiwan stole the personal data of President Chen and President Ma, among 50 million other records stolen.

Not that corruption matters since all of us in central Taiwan will be dying of respiratory disease anyway as Taipower attempts to push ahead with plans to build a coal-fired electricity plant in Changhua just 15 kms from the plant in Taichung which was identified in 2007 as the single most polluting electric plant in the world. At last we have leadership in something!

On the economic front China's weakening appetite for exports is slamming Taiwan, as export orders fell in July to their slowest pace in 5 years and leading economic indicators slipped. No problem, because Taiwan is building a massive resort north of Taipei on vacant public land that will be bigger than Disneyland:

Central government authorities have given a verbal nod to the 372 hectare (930 acre) Integrated Family Resort on vacant public land along the coast north of Taipei, Taipei County Magistrate Chou Hsi-wei said.

Bidding will begin next year, he said, and construction should take three years.

"It's bigger than Disneyland, a lot bigger. It's a huge, huge place," Chou told Reuters in an interview after returning from Las Vegas to talk with four hotel firms about investing. "Only like this can you get international tourists to come."

The project is expected to cost at least T$10 billion ($328 million).

A promotional video for the park shows high-rises, including hotels and exhibition spaces, shaped like balls, eggs and blow-up inner tubes for tires.

Some resemble skyscrapers along the waterfront in Dubai, which Chou described as a model for his project. Developers in the fast-growing United Arab Emirates city are adding new islands, channels and gleaming high-rises to the coastline.

Perhaps that resort will help handle the influx of Chinese tourists President Ma says will come in September. If that doesn't work out, perhaps Taiwan's entry into robot markets can save us. Ma meanwhile claimed that GDP will grow 4.8% in 2008, above the government forecast. This is after revising his original 6% promise to 5%. As Ma warns China that it should respond positively to his truce US Treasury Secretary Paulson is on audio at the CFR discussing the right way to engage China.

Finally, a couple of posts down I blogged on the Olympic mess and the Chinese Taipei name game. The US Open (tennis) is now using Chinese Taipei. Check the drop down menu: it says Chinese Taipei (Taiwan). If you have a moment, contact them through the form at the bottom of the screen.

[Taiwan]