The Liberty Times has it in Chinese, but emails were flying around yesterday with the news that the administration of President Ma -- you know, the Harvard educated one -- didn't want foreign reporters at what is intended to become a monthly press conference on ECFA. The Administration has attempted to do that before, probably on the assumption that local reporters are easier to intimidate.The Taiwan Foreign Correspondent Club's full response letter, along with comments from Reporters Without Borders Asia, may be found at the Far Eastern Sweet Potato. As it makes clear, the government first failed to even notify the TFCC, and then told them, literally, that they could just watch the press conference on TV.
In other ECFA-related news, Heritage hosted an event entitled The Future of the US-Taiwan Economic Relationship. Video of it available at Heritage.
Meanwhile, the shift of Taiwan's technology and economy to China continues, as the Ma Administration has quietly eased certain restrictions on hi-tech firms moving to the Other Side. Expect an announcement today.
UNCONNECTED UPDATE: UDN has Hsiao Bi-khim down by 4 in the Hualien by-election, 30% to 26% but massive undecideds. Amazing news, if the poll is valid.
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Daily Links:
- Jon Adams in Global Post on Betel Nut girls, with pics by the awesome Tobie Openshaw!
- Does mating competition drive China's high savings rate?
- More hardliners in China call for retaliation against the US.
- An impressed post about the Taiwan music at Huffpost.
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What can we expect as a result of this latest development? Probably more painful to read letters from the GIO Minister in the Taipei Times, but no substantial action from the government.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link to the Huffington Post with the video about Taiwanese musicians. The video is fantastic!
I think if there could be analysis about support, you'd see that Aboriginals in Hualien are supporting Hsiao Bikhim in very surprising numbers. I predicted her mixed heritage would have a big impact, and I didn't mention then, but there's actually DPP precedent for that. If she wins, she's REALLY going to have to thank her white mom for that ;-).
ReplyDeleteYes, but aboriginals in Hualien aren't voting in this election. Registered aboriginals have their own legislators and thus are not eligible to vote.
ReplyDeleteMichael
I wonder how Hsiao Bikhim's mom adjusted to living in Taiwan. There is a lot more (the complaints, the praises, the opinions, the criticism) from the white male population in Taiwan, but not the white female. I'm curious about the eye of the white female.
ReplyDelete