tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post4081356488729013099..comments2023-10-22T18:25:39.688+08:00Comments on The View from Taiwan: Ko Interviewed in Foreign PolicyMichael Turtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-69069996236531441362015-02-05T11:49:48.863+08:002015-02-05T11:49:48.863+08:00Erich, potentially you can say the US and Canada a...Erich, potentially you can say the US and Canada are operating as two countries, one system. One system meaning democracy, true representative government, respect for liberty and civil right as well as very similar economic system as well. TaiwanJunkienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-31178401499664320322015-02-04T20:04:20.746+08:002015-02-04T20:04:20.746+08:00A few McQueen Taiwan motorcyle photos can be found...A few McQueen Taiwan motorcyle photos can be found <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060934/mediaindex?ref_=tt_pv_mi_sm" rel="nofollow">here</a>. A few SP screen caps can be found at the bottom of this page <a href="http://taipics.com/taipei_danshui.php" rel="nofollow">this page</a> and <a href="http://taipics.com/douglas.php" rel="nofollow">here</a>. Note, the last photo he is standing in front of the Keelung Ghost house.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-66517760433623956752015-02-03T22:57:51.004+08:002015-02-03T22:57:51.004+08:00I don't think anyone within Taiwan is under an...I don't think anyone within Taiwan is under any illusion regarding the imperfection of their democracy. <br /><br />Democracy is not a computer you can buy or import. Rather, if we must continue with your computer analogy, it is the building of a computer that would serve this country by its people. As the people is building such computer for the first time, there will be trials and errors, there will be mistakes, there might even be a few punches thrown over where to put the hard drive. But the point is we the people are building that computer and gradually learning from mistakes to perfect it.<br /><br />Will we ever arrive at the absolutely perfect computer that makes no mistakes? No, even the oldest computer maker is still making adjustments along the way. <br /><br />What is the alternative? Not build that computer and continue to live in the dark ages?<br />TaiwanJunkienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-52279371341572133912015-02-03T14:23:19.438+08:002015-02-03T14:23:19.438+08:00@ 6:56 Anonymous: no system is perfect, no democra...@ 6:56 Anonymous: no system is perfect, no democracy is perfect and Taiwan's form of democracy is less perfect than many. Every system has it good and bad points but I'd be willing to bet that most people, given the choice and without fear of retaliation, would choose to live in a democracy.<br /><br />Would you mind telling us which system you would prefer to live under and if not a democracy, why?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-78915234202514565802015-02-03T11:05:36.702+08:002015-02-03T11:05:36.702+08:00I am actually more concerned of his statement on &...I am actually more concerned of his statement on "Two Countries, One System." <br />First of all, the one system is a very awkward way of putting it. To begin with, what system? Who's system? Why one system? He stated that instead of "'one country, two systems,'[...] maybe we should talk about 'two countries, one system' instead. We should try to narrow the gap." (1) Since Mayor Ko suggested to replace "one country, two systems" by "two countries, one system," it seems reasonable to guess that his system infers "political systems." <br /><br />The thing is, I don't see why one system is necessary for "closing the gap" (1) - assuming that that is a good thing. The U.S. didn't suggest to have "one system" between China and the US to "close the gap." Nor does any other country. <br /><br />Furthermore, clearly Taiwanese are not interested in implementing PRC's political system (ok, most of us at least). So in order to have one system, the only option remains to be PRC becoming a democratic country - which is a nice thing - but just about as unrealistic as Taiwan implementing totalitarianism. So, what is the point of "one system?" One might as we say two countries two systems.<br /><br />And all is under the assumption that "closing the gap" is a good thing. It is a good thing ... only up to a point. Let's take things to the extreme - we can close the gap to the point that we are two countries in name only. Clearly that is not what Taiwanese wants. According the chain of events happened last year (and further), it seems to suggest that Taiwanese felt reducing the gap any further from our side would betray who we are, what we value and cherish. Therefore closing the gap is not necessary a good thing. <br /><br />The more concerning part is Mayor Ko believing that it is ok to drop off "two countries" because that pisses PRC off (2). I mean, seriously? Well, the existence of Taiwan as a de facto nation always pisses PRC off, so should we reunite with PRC? Of course not!<br /><br />It is possible that Mayor Ko is just being practical and realistic (which after writing this rant, I think that that is certainly a possibility); but I am also worried that being practical is de facto reuniting. <br /><br />(1) http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/01/29/taipeis-fiery-new-mayor-knows-whose-culture-is-best/<br /><br />(2)<br />http://www.appledaily.com.tw/realtimenews/article/new/20150201/552525/<br />Erichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06253738335266467448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-64262963927874969432015-02-01T18:56:23.281+08:002015-02-01T18:56:23.281+08:00is taiwan free and democratic?
the answer is NO
...is taiwan free and democratic?<br /><br />the answer is NO<br /><br />only form exist but no substance<br /><br />another rotten democracy.<br /><br />it simply dont works.<br /><br />if you bought a computer ,<br />but it always hangs, lag , caused damage to other part.<br /><br />but you insist to say that my computer is fine and i am happy with that <br />because it is good values, superior <br />because my brand is "democracy"<br /><br />then i had nothing to say.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-7887418151704347982015-02-01T05:53:28.034+08:002015-02-01T05:53:28.034+08:00Dr. Ko hits the nail on the head once again.
Here...Dr. Ko hits the nail on the head once again.<br /><br />Here's the bottomline, countries within a cultural sphere are far more influential to each other compared to countries outside of that cultural sphere. This is the reason why when the Berlin Wall fell, the entire iron curtain collapsed. This is also why when Tunisians revolted, you ended up with the Arab Spring that moved across the Middle East. <br /><br />Let's just go back to the 1980's when China started opening up. Had there not been Taiwanese and HK businesses with the know-how and capital to rush in and invest, where would China be today? <br /><br />The development of a country is more than just GDP and highways and bridges. You start off with the basic sustenance, followed by economic growth, followed by cultural development, followed by political advancement. <br /><br />How did China achieve its breakneck economic growth? With the help of developed areas of sinosphere that was outside of its control.<br /><br />How will China start up its stagnated cultural engine and jump start political change? Again, with the help of areas of sinosphere that have gone through that growth and development.<br /><br />This means keeping Taiwan independent and separate and free, so it can experiment and grow and develop and provide a model for China to emulate as it climbs up the ladder of the development totem pole. <br /><br />A lot of China's intellectuals are starting to understand this, Taiwan is only valuable to China by being outside of China. Taiwan will just be a second Hainan within China. How much contribution has Hainan and Hainanese made the China at large in the last 30 years? <br /><br />The more the average Chinese understand this, the more they will back off from the default annexation rhetoricTaiwanJunkienoreply@blogger.com