Apple Daily on Taiwan English Bloggers

The Chinese-language tabloid Apple Daily had an article on the excellent blog initechnology.com as well as podcaster Gem at Misadventures in Taiwan today on page A14. I can;'t find the story online, unfortunately.

[Taiwan] [Taiwan Blogs]

US Withdrawal from the world: Consequences

This excellent NYTimes article on China in Africa illustrates some of the consequences of President Bush's ongoing defeats in Iraq and Afghanistan. The social and political cost of our failed foreign policy is not confined to the murder and destruction in Iraq, but has ramifications for every area of US foreign policy, from Africa to Taiwan.

[Taiwan] [Democracy] [US] [China] [corruption] [IMF] [Africa]

Random Saturday Pics

Dogs sleeping in a storefront.

Saturday I ran up to Hsinchu to see my friend Michael and hang out at the foreign worker bars there. A few random photos.

Morning market trip -- had to make sure the wife and kids were well-stocked.


Small town. Morning.


Wait! Wait for me! Wait!


Aanrchy in the early morning streets.


One of the most imposing sights on the old highway is this massive mountain of gravel at the base of the largest hill on the highway.


A close up of the gravel mountain.


I always love to take pics while driving, to my wife's horror.

After I got up to Hsinchu, we went out to the ocean, near the Yung-An Fish Market, and BBQed.

The only downer -- mass quantities of trash in the BBQ area.


Michael and Huichen set up for the BBQ.


Others were BBQing as well.


In the distance is the fish market.


Beachcombers at low tide.


Beachcombers at low tide.


Beachcombers at low tide, the market in the background.


A bride and groom had their wedding photos taken at this gray beach.


BBQing.


Driving home in the morning. No pics of the bar hopping, sorry. Too toasted to hold the camera steady.






Got home just in time to catch my daughter at her school activities day.

Update: Michael Klein has some pics too!

[Taiwan]

Therese Shaheen: Taiwan's Refuse-to-Lose Crowd

The media giveth, with Therese Shaheen writing a strongly-worded argument about the crybaby Blues that appeared in the Wall Street Journal on Nov 8. Shaheen is now with the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). That she can post such a powerful article, so supportive of Chen Shui-bian, shows how far AEI has come from the bad old days when it was a close ally of the KMT. I can't get WSJ or AEI to come up, so here's the whole article.

+++++++++

The roots of the current political turmoil in Taiwan lie not in the allegations of corruption against Chen Shui-bian, his family, and his friends. Rather, they lie in the huge changes that the Taiwanese president has sought to introduce during his six years in office.

It's important to remember that Mr. Chen is the first president to come from a party other than the Kuomintang (KMT), which ruled the island with an iron grip for a half-century. Given that, it's unsurprising that his radical reform agenda has faced consistent resistance from an established order unaccustomed to defeat. Known to some Taiwan-watchers as the "refuse-to-lose" crowd, this coalition of former KMT officials -- in conjunction with a splinter group called the People's First Party -- has stymied much of the president's agenda.

Take defense: While it took the President nearly until his second-term to address the island's defense capabilities, he did introduce a $18 billion defense supplemental budget in 2003 which was strongly supported by the Bush administration. But the package has stalled in the opposition-dominated legislature ever since.

Mr. Chen's attempts to reform Taiwan's outdated political structure have met similar hurdles. Dating back to Chiang Kai-shek's defection from the mainland after World War II, Taiwan's current political system consists of five -- often overlapping -- branches of government. But attempts to streamline this into a structure better-suited to the present day have run into predictable resistance from the KMT, whose supporters still dominate most branches of government.

In such a climate, it's unsurprising that allegations of misuse of official funds have been seized on with such glee by the refuse-to-lose crowd -- especially after last Friday's indictment on corruption charges of President Chen's wife, Wu Shu-chen. Certainly, charges waged against any public figure need to be investigated and due process followed. But it's also worth remembering that the disputed expenditure comes from funds for unofficial international activities deemed to be in Taiwan's national security interests.

With Beijing investing heavily in countries around the world with the specific objective of isolating Taiwan, the island must be creative with its diplomacy. Because of the discreet nature of these activities, the rules governing these funds are vague and ambiguous. In the light of the current controversy, the air of secrecy surrounding some of these funds could be removed by insisting upon budgetary transparency and developing guidelines governing their use.

President Chen has made missteps during his six years in office. Elected on a mandate to accelerate the move toward sovereignty and national identity that began under his predecessor, Lee Teng-hui, he may have mistaken popular public support for Taiwan to maintain its own identity with a desire for formal independence. His coyness on the issue has been a hallmark of his administration, and the opposition-dominated press has been effective at characterizing him as unnecessarily provocative toward Beijing. Even the Bush administration felt it necessary to caution him on this matter.

The fact is, most of Taiwan's citizens don't want to be ruled by Beijing, nor do they want to antagonize it. This creates a dilemma for Mr. Chen. While the Taiwanese enjoy their de facto independence, they are increasingly intimidated by China's growing economic and military might. The President's periodic flirtations with formal independence make people nervous on both sides of the Straits.

The turmoil in Taipei this week has little to do with the current government's effectiveness, or even its alleged corruption. Instead, the demonstrations and calls for Mr. Chen's resignation are significant for what they say about Taiwan's relatively young democracy.

In taking to the streets, some Taiwanese are abandoning respect for due process and the rule of law -- values that should lie at the heart of any democracy. The heat and the intensity of the anti-Chen movement leaves a sense of riveted frenzy, where the mob -- not process -- will rule. The highest democratic aim ought to be to protect the voice of each individual citizen, not to project the roar of the crowd, however righteous.

A strong, democratic Taiwan is not only best for the people of Taiwan, but for the region and for the world. In this crucial period of its growth, Taiwan's democracy deserves the support and encouragement of the international community. But ultimately, it is up to the people of Taiwan to decide whether they want their future to be determined through democratic processes -- or by mobs taking to the streets.

Ms. Shaheen, chairman of the American Institute of Taiwan from 2002-04, is an adjunct fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C.

++++++++++

Thanks, Ms. Shaheen. But the media giveth, and the media taketh away. Puke your guts out at this batshit nutso pro-KMT article that appeared in the Japan Times a few days ago (thanks for the alert from Taipei Dawg).

[Taiwan] [KMT] [Democracy] [media] [US] [China] [Chen Shui-bian] [corruption]

A Marian Shrine in Taiwan

Interesting bit of local history, though not sure how reliable it is:

During the tour of duty of the Qing Court official Shen Pao Chen to southern Taiwan, he passed by Wanchin and began to be interested with the work of the Catholic Church in this village. He was deeply moved by the people's simple and happy lives and how the missionary, Fr. Francisco Herce OP wearing a Chinese apparel and fluent in the Fukien dialect taking care of these people with enthusiasm. He was informed of the constant harassment made by the neighboring Hakkas against them and thus he personally wrote a report to the Qing Court asking the imperial protection to the people of Wanchin and the mission.

In 1874, the Qing Imperial Government promulgated an edict thereby placing the Catholic Church of Wanchin under Imperial protection. Two Granite tablets each bearing the inscriptions: "On Imperial Orders" and "Catholic Church" were sent to the Catholic mission. On January 12, 1875, these tablets were inlaid in the facade of the church. This was a singular privilege and honor for the Christians. From then on, every Imperial soldier passing by Wanchin church had to dismount from his horse as a sing of respect.

In spite of the Imperial orders, the hostility of the Hakkas towards the Christians did not change. Numerous clashes between the two village dwellers continued sporadically for many years.

In August 17, 1895, the same year when Taiwan was transferred to Japanese rule, the most violent skirmish occurred between the Hakkas and the Wanchin Christians. The Wanchin villagers were at the losing side, beset with difficulties with depleting food supply. Many were desperate and were waiting to be massacred. Fortunately the Japanese army arrived and drove the enemies away. The conflict between the Hakkas and the Christians then ceased to exist.

There's a pic of the church on the page. It must still be around...
[Taiwan]

Taichung Mayor Hu's Wife severely injured in auto accident

Local media is reporting that a car struck a vehicle carrying Taichung Mayor Hu and his wife. Apparently the wife was pulled from her vehicle by the accident, and the car dragged by her arm for some distance. She is now in critical condition, and the media is reporting the arm will have to come off. Very, very sad. Mayor Hu escaped serious injury.

[Taiwan]

Taiwan Lags in Chinese Food

The well-traveled Taiwan blogger Prince Roy argues that Taiwan is falling behind in the Chinese food race:

I consider it one of my biggest tasks to dispel the myth that Chinese food in Taiwan is ‘the best in the world’. It is one that many foreigners living in Taiwan buy into uncritically. For instance, in the No. 5 issue of Taiwanease, Albert Creak, author of the article “In Search of the Pu Pu Platter”, enthusiastically agrees with a guy named Mr. Lin who tells him: “Once you’ve tried the Chinese food in Taiwan, you’ll never want to eat at another American Chinese restaurant again.” Not only does this perpetuate a harmful vicious cycle which overrates the quality of Chinese food in Taiwan, it is woefully and demonstrably inaccurate. It’s high time we take off the blinders and face the truth: yes, Chinese food is good here, but it’s no great shakes, especially compared with the PRC, and it now lags behind the USA as well.

Interesting analysis. Don't miss his commentary on beer in Taipei, either. I've found that a good antidote to the western foreigner bars -- which I usually find dull and overpriced -- are the local cantinas for foreign laborers, which often serve interesting ethnic food, and are noisy enough to be interesting but not so noisy as to be obnoxious.

[Taiwan] [China] [Chinese Food]

Department Stores and Falling Prices

As Taiwan's income distribution continues to become ever more M-shaped -- with peaks in the lower middle class and at the top -- the island's innumerable department stores feel the pinch of both transient economic effects, and the growing wealth disparity here.

Typically offer customers vouchers worth around 10 percent of the products they purchase in addition to marking prices down by significant discounts on products ranging from cosmetics, shoes and clothes, to daily necessities and foodstuffs offered in the stores' supermarkets. Cosmetics and beauty products, usually given prime locations on the first floor, often rank as department stores' top sales category. A Shin Kong spokesperson confirmed that, for her company, beauty products represented 30 percent to 40 percent of total sales. Some companies even reward regular card-holding customers with a monthly gift just for turning up at the store, while those who spend more than certain quotas can have their names entered into draws, with prizes ranging as high as automobiles.

Desperate discounting reflects something profound occurring in our economy. Is it merely a blip, or the signal of a trend? To wit:

To add to department store woes, sales for all retail sectors are still struggling. The Consumer Price Index fell in October for the third straight month, which indicated sluggish public consumption, said Kuan Chung-ming, director of the Institute of Economics of Academia Sinica, in a local report. Kuan did not identify any signs of deflation from this falling CPI. Market analysts will have to wait until the release of next month's index to see what effect the department stores' anniversary sales have, however.

Meanwhile, the Beautiful Isle is actually a world leader in something

Such promotional activities and their frequency may also reflect the desperate situation in which an excessive number of department stores must compete for a limited market of customers, however. In Taipei's five main commercial districts, for example, 26 department stores compete for the disposable incomes of the capital's 2.6 million citizens. This ratio of one department store per 100,000 people makes Taipei the city with the most department stores per head of population in the world, according to the CNA. This figure far exceeds what CNA reported the Japanese government termed the "appropriate ratio of department stores," which was expressed as one store measuring about 33,000 square meters of retail space per 500,000 to 600,000 people.

Although I have heard that Taichung exceeds Taipei in department store space.

[Taiwan]

Survey of Foreigners attitudes toward independence

Tofucastle left this in a comment on an old post where no one will see it. I moved it here to give it more prominence.

++++++++++++

I'm a grad student studying Taiwan Studies at National Chengchi University, in Taipei. I'm writing a thesis entitled "The Political Inclinations of Foreigners in Taiwan". If you're currently living there, and you are of foreign nationality, I'd really appreciate your participate. If you're interested, please e-mail me at tofucastle@hotmail.com

So far, I've surveyed 101 foreigners in Taiwan (mostly students and teachers so far), and have found that:

A) 2.1% support immediate unification
B) 14.9% support immediate independence
C) 24.5% support maintaining the status quo move toward unification in the future
D) 30.1% support maintaining the status quo, move towards independence in the future
E) 22.3% support maintaining the status quo, decide either unification or independence in the future
F) 5.3% support maintain the status quo forever.

Taken together, this means that 26.6% of those surveyed support unification now or later and 45% support independence now or in the future and 28.4% support status quo forever or to decide either unification or independence in the future. I understand that one's outlook on the cross-Strait relationship may depend on the conditions attached to the sovereignty issues as well as other pervading geopolitical circumstances, but my study is less focused on independence/unification issue itself. Rather, I'm trying to assess what intrinsic and extrinsic factors affect foreigner's outlook on the situation.

Two of the most curious traits about those I've found survey reveal that the longer foreigners have lived here, the more pro-independence they tend to be. Namely, 63% of those living here for 2 years or more favor independence now or in the future. Whereas it's 44% for those who have lived here between 1 or 2 years and 25% for those who have lived here one year or less.

Moreover, people from "developed countries", as defined by the IMF, tend to be more pro-independence than those from "developing countries". (48% pro-independence and 32% respectively)

But anyways, if you're interested in participating in the survey, I'd greatly appreciate it. Below, you can find the survey that i've already begun distributing. I'm also trying to get it translated into Thai and Indonesian ... and hopefully Vietnamese; my goal is to get 250 surveys collected eventually. PLEASE e-mail me your contact so I can send you the survey.

Please review it below:

Hello! The responses obtained from this survey are intended for research purposes only and will be used in a masters thesis entitled "The Political Inclination of Foreigners in Taiwan Regarding the Cross-Strait Situation." It is authored by
Lee Liu, a graduate student at National Chengchi University, in Taipei. Since all answers will be coded anonymously, please make sure to complete all questions and to be as frank as possible in your responses. The questionnaire should only take a few minutes to complete, so relax! Lee salutes you for your interest in participating in this study.

Questionnaire


1. Where are you from? ______________________

2. What is your age? _______

3. What is your gender?
1. Male
2. Female

4. What is your highest level of education?
1. Middle school or lower
2. High school
3. Undergraduate degree
4. Master degree or higher

5. How long have you lived in Taiwan? _______

6A. Are you married?
1. No
2. Yes

6b. What is his/her nationality? _______

7. What is your current occupation in Taiwan? (please be as specific as possible)
_____________________________

8. What is your income? _______________ per month

9. From whom do you receive financial support (please mark all that apply)?
1. From employers of the private sector
2. From friends or family members
3. From the Taiwanese government
4. From the government of your homeland
5. Other ____________
6. No financial support received

10. How many countries have you traveled? ______

11. How many countries have you stayed in for one month or more? ______

12. How many times have you visited mainland China (excluding Hong Kong and Macao)? ______

13. Of all the times you’ve visited mainland China (excluding Hong Kong and Macao), what is the total time you've stayed there?
________ months

14. Do you have business or family connections in mainland China (excluding Hong Kong and Macao)?
1. No family connections and no business connections
2. Some family connections but no business connections
3. Some family connections and some business connections
4. No family connections but some business connections

15. How much longer do you plan to stay in Taiwan? ______ months

16. What country do you want to move next? ________________

17. What languages do you speak?
1) __________ (Best)
2) __________ (Second Best)
3) __________ (Third Best)
4) __________ (Fourth Best)

18. My good friends in Taiwan are
1. almost all Taiwanese
2. mostly Taiwanese
3. almost balanced number of Taiwanese and foreigners
4. mostly foreigners
5. almost all foreigners

19. In Taiwan, of my good friends who are foreigners,
1. most are from my homeland
2. some are from my homeland
3. few are from my homeland
4. most are not from my homeland

20. How good is your Chinese?
20.1 Reading 20.2 Speaking 20.3 Writing
1. None 1. None 1. None
2. Poor 2. Poor 2. Poor
3. Fair 3. Fair 3. Fair
4. Good 4. Good 4. Good
5. Excellent 5. Excellent 5. Excellent

21. How many hours a week do you receive instruction for Chinese? ________

22. How many times per week do you keep in contact with friends or family members who aren't in Taiwan?
1. By regular mail ______ times per week
2. By phone ______ times per week
3. By Internet ______ times per week

23. How often do you get your news from the following media?
The China Post ______ times per month
The Taipei Times _______ times per month
The Taiwan News _______ times per month
A news website from where I’m from ______ times per month
A news website from somewhere else other than from where I’m from ______ times per month.
Another source _______________________ times per month. What source? ________________________

24. What religion do you consider yourself? _________________________

25. Considering the relationship between Taiwan and mainland China, which of the following six positions do you agree with 1) immediate unification, 2) immediate independence, 3) maintain the status quo, move toward unification in the future, 4) maintain the status quo, move toward independence in the future, 5) maintain the status quo, decide either unification or independence in the future, 6) maintain the status quo forever?
1. immediate unification
2. immediate independence
3. maintain the status quo, move toward unification in the future,
4. maintain the status quo, move toward independence in the future,
5. maintain the status quo, decide either unification or independence in the future,
6. maintain the status quo forever.

++++++++++

Tofucastle writes:

Two of the most curious traits about those I've found survey reveal that the longer foreigners have lived here, the more pro-independence they tend to be. Namely, 63% of those living here for 2 years or more favor independence now or in the future. Whereas it's 44% for those who have lived here between 1 or 2 years and 25% for those who have lived here one year or less.

Interesting assessment. Needs a statistical analysis, though.

[Taiwan]

US-Taiwan Defense/Relations

Blogger Simon World points to two articles on the US, Taiwan, China, and defense:

The Jamestown Foundation offers Defense Reform and Civilian Control in Taiwan:

Yet despite its progress in depoliticizing the military and civilianizing the defense bureaucracy, several major challenges remain. Perhaps the most important is the completion of the “civilianization” of the defense bureaucracy. Prior to the implementation of the “Two Defense Acts,” the MND had a total of 224 personnel, of which a mere 28 were civilians. The new laws increased the authorized number of personnel to 570 and mandated that civilians must fill at least one-third of the total positions in MND headquarters. The MND has experienced difficulty in meeting this goal, and as of November 1, 2004, the number of civilian employees stood at 167 [15]. The primary problem is the limited pool of civilians with backgrounds in defense analysis and national security affairs. It will take a considerable amount of time to develop a community of civilian defense experts in Taiwan. According to former MND officials, another problem is that the Minister and Vice Minister are not permitted to bring sufficient numbers of civilian staff with them when they assume their positions, nor are they given the opportunity to appoint civilian officials to many key mid-level positions, most of which are filled by career military officers [16]. These personnel issues reportedly contribute to the difficulty the senior officials face in controlling the military and implementing bold initiatives and major policy changes.

...while the Hoover Institution has Alan Romberg arguing about Taiwan, All Politics, All the Time:

While making clear its impatience with such gamesmanship, and its willingness ultimately to speak out strongly against any serious challenge to the status quo, the United States staked out neutral ground in Taiwan’s complex domestic political situation. Nonetheless, American representatives firmly maintained to all concerned that, whatever the outcome of the political struggle, preservation of overall social stability— and adherence to the rule of law—was critically important.

Washington also expressed increasing frustration with Taipei’s failure to approve sufficient levels of defense spending, leading all sides in Taiwan to promise progress while blaming the delay on their opponents. By mid-October, there were some tentative signs of progress in the offing, but it remained to be seen if statesmanship would replace the all too familiar pattern of one-upmanship.

Romberg's construction of Taiwan politics is slanted pro-KMT in a number of important ways, but does contain a review of recent political events, Beijing's view, and the US.

[Taiwan] [KMT] [Democracy] [DPP] [PFP] [media] [US] [China] [Ma Ying-jeou] [Chen Shui-bian] [corruption]

Asia Film Festival Comes to Taipei

Won't need these.

Don't miss it:

After eight years of participating in the prominent Asian film festival throughout the Asia-Pacific region, Taiwan was chosen to host this year's event; and after a fierce competition with Taipei City, Taipei County finally obtained the right to screen over fifty films - all free of charge - until November 24.

[Taiwan]

Walkin' Round Pics

Minding the scooter parking lot near the Taichung train station.

Haven't had much of a chance to go and gather pics lately, but did walk around in Fengyuan the other night. Most of the best shots alas, were not in focus thanks to the low light level and moving objects. So here are some lesser attempts....

A "help yourself" buffet.


Betel nut girl and friend discuss.


Looking in the wrong direction for customers.


A street in Fengyuan.


Night stuff.


An evening market.


Making drinks.


More night stuff.


Waiting in the evening market.


Talkin' in the evening market.


Betel nut stalls line the road.


A betel nut grandmother exercises in front of the family stand.

[Taiwan]

Daily Links, Friday, November 16, 2006

The Taiwan blogosphere is spinning plenty of stuff this week:

I note over at Taiwan Matters that the Slush Fund Scandals are threatening the entire political order. Jerome Keating says the same thing: it's a Pandora's Box, baby. Maddog has a great skinning of Mike Chinoy's comments at the recent Asia Media Forum.

Scott Sommers remarks on Blackwater and Language Training.

Ruthless English-oriented parents. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

David says there is no No Place for Nuke Waste.

Taiwanindependence points to a letter from US Congresscritters about the Chen Shui-bian situation. (thanks for the shout-out!)

Kerim blogs on the excellent Ur-Map. Looks promising. And muses on local corruption as well (thanks for the shout-out!). Ilya's post that stimulated Kerim is here.

Ameobas. Someday I'll tell my own story entitled Ameobas: The Day I Became A Public Health Threat.

Jerome Keating writes on the Ma Ying-jeou Shuffle: one step forward, one step back, one step to each side, turn 180, turn 180 again.

Mike yells at a Woman Hitter. You go guy! Ya gotta be who ya are. Just be careful, man. You never know what friends such people have.

Big Ell finds out that vehicle parts can be erotic. And the Taipei Kid finds that microwaves can give pleasure.

Pinyin Info comments on the alleged use of the Yale System in Taiwan. And don't miss the typo of the day.

The Taipei Kid visits the weird coffee shop.

The Foreign Describes America, the cynical arms dealer, in two parts.

Chez Wang muses on eating. A great eye for photos too. More!

Brian the mesmerizer performs. I've heard he's good. Check out his list of times and dates.

Into tea? Tea Masters has great photos and commentary.

Wild at Heart: more on Taiwan's dolphins. Anyone organize boat trips to see them?

Special: As a Battlestar Galactica fan, I got a kick out of this piece in the American Prospect on conservatives and BG.

[Taiwan]

Taiwan to Upgrade IDF Fighters?

Wendell Minnick has another good article in Defense News. Minnick is based in Taipei.

++++++++++

11/13/06 DEFENSE NEWS
Taiwan Considers IDF Upgrade
Decision Follows Rebuff on F-16 Block 50 Purchase
By WENDELL MINNICK, TAIPEI

After years of resisting the idea, Taiwan's Air Force is taking a second look at a proposal to upgrade its F-CK-1 A/B Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF), or Ching-kuo, into C/D "joint strike fighters."

The reversal comes after U.S. officials rejected Taiwan's request for price and availability information for Block 50/52 F-16s. Air Force officials had sought 60 of the Lockheed Martin jets to replace the same number of aging F-5 Tigers.

"The Air Force is thinking about what to do. They are doing a study on the feasibility of using the IDF upgrade as an interim fighter until the F-35s are available in 2015," said a source with Taiwan's state-run Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC).

...........

Taiwan's Air Force, which has a stated minimum force requirement of 400
fighters, comprises 146 Block 20 F-16s, 128 IDFs, 56 Mirage 2000-5s and
roughly 60 F-5s.

Many in Taiwan are backing the Soaring Upgrade program as a way to keep local defense industry capable of making complex weapons. They note that the United States is the only country that still permits large-scale arms sales directly to Taiwan, and wonder whether China's rising influence might sway U.S. officials.

One U.S. defense source in Taipei argues that Taiwan needs to strengthen its own indigenous weapon production capability and slowly cut the umbilical cord with Washington.[hmmm....I think I know who that might be! -- MT]

"What they [U.S.] should do is encourage Taiwan's defense industry. This includes providing assistance in R&D of more exotic weapons, such as missiles. We should be all over this project [the IDF upgrade]. We should be helping the Taiwanese, not selling them stuff they don't need or can make themselves."

Program History
The upgrade program was conceived as part of President Chen Shui-bian's 2000 "offshore engagement policy," which shifted the traditional strategy of defending air and sea boundaries to that of projecting air power into mainland China.

The upgrade allows the IDF to carry an additional 771 kilograms of fuel and payload, doubles the loadout of Tien Chien 2 (Sky Sword) air-to-air missiles to four, and adds the ability to carry the Tien Chien 2A anti-radiation missile and the Wan Chien (Ten Thousand Swords) cluster bomb, both produced by the military-run Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology.

...........

Washington's rejection of Taipei's F-16 request may be related to U.S. disappointment that Taiwan has not yet accepted a longstanding U.S. offer to buy P-3 Orion maritime patrol planes and submarines, plus fear of offending Beijing.


........

Taiwan plans to upgrade half of its IDFs and build more C/D Hsiang Sheng models, he said.

.......

Taiwan launched the IDF program in the 1980s after Washington declined a request to buy Northrop F-20s and other advanced U.S. fighters to replace F-104 Starfighters.

Taipei's creation of an indigenous fighter program led U.S. officials to reverse their decision. Taiwan subsequently bought F-16s and French Mirage 2000-5s, and cut IDF production from a planned 250 to 130.

This sent AIDC into a financial tailspin that it has yet to recover from, and allowed many of its engineers and designers to be lured to the T-50 Golden Eagle program of Korea Aerospace Industries and Lockheed Martin.

[Taiwan] [US] [China] [F-16] [Chen Shui-bian] [IDF]

Life n Stuff

Hunting snipes? Check the toilets here.

Midterms this week, apologies for the light blogging... Lost a lot of comments too, including one righteously angry one that was right (please resend if possible).... Sorry about not updating the sidebars and blogroll in a while. Just too damn busy...

BTW, saw some eps from the new season of Battlestar Galactica. Waaaaay cool, and Grace Park can still have my Cylon baby anytime. Salud to the BG creative team, which was courageous enough to make some pretty strong political statements about our criminal war in Iraq.