2005-7
2001 Year-End Elections
Taiwan’s Party
Politics
2004
Presidential Election
Referendum
Issue
New Constitution Issue
[Government
and Policies] [Speeches and Statements] [Taiwan Information] [Research
Organizations] [News] [Papers]
~2000 ; 2001-2004
Government
and Policies
Office of the President
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Mainland
Affairs Council
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Affairs
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Office homepage
Constitutional Law -Taiwan Constitution,
Additional Articles, constitutional background and political parties
Taiwan Government Service
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Speeches and Statements
Taiwan Security: A KMT’s
Perspective By SU Chi
(US-Taiwan Business Council, Denver,
Colorado, USA,
Sep. 11, 2006) The KMT wants to be a Positive “Responsible Stakeholder” in East Asia. We
believe Taiwan
can contribute to and benefit from a peaceful and prosperous region.
President Chen's Inaugural
Speech: "Paving the Way for a Sustainable Taiwan" (May 20, 2004) If both sides are
willing, on the basis of goodwill, to create an environment engendered upon
"peaceful development and freedom of choice," then in the future,
the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China--or Taiwan and
China--can seek to establish relations in any form whatsoever. We would not
exclude any possibility, so long as there is the consent of the 23 million people
of Taiwan.
2002 ROC National Defense Report
(Ministry of National Defense, ROC, July 23, 2002) MND is working hard to
establish a compact but delicate, quick responsive, and highly efficient precision
strike capability, so as to pose a strong posture of effective deterrence.
President Chen's Remarks
during His Stop on Tatan Island
(May 10, 2002) Beginning on August 1, 2002, I will work to promote a visit to
mainland China by a delegation led by the director of the DPP's Department of
Chinese Affairs in order to increase mutual understanding and facilitate
reconciliation between political parties.
Q&A: Chen Critical of Beijing
but Seeks Dialogue
(US Today, May 2, 2001) " We hope that we will see a change in their
military posture, a decrease in missile deployment in their coastal area
aimed at Taiwan.
If we can resume dialogue, if China
will cease its military buildup and abandon the threat to use force against Taiwan, we
can make our adjustments accordingly.
Address to the National Day Rally By President Chen Shui-bian
(Oct. 10, 2000) As we constitute a new paradigm of democracy for all Chinese
societies, we should fearlessly strive to move forward on the path of
freedom, democracy and human rights.
DPP
issues Policy White Papers During the second half on
November 1999, the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) issued three
White Papers, outlining the Party's position on a number of major issues for
the upcoming presidential elections of March 2000.
Understanding Taiwan: Bridging the Perception Gap By Lee Teng-hui (Foreign Affairs,
November/December 1999) The sustained economic growth, unprecedented
prosperity, and full democracy achieved by the Republic of China has one
drawback: the speed of Taiwan's
progress has outstripped prevailing perceptions of what Taiwan is and
how it should fit into the global order.
Taiwan Merely Affirmed Current Reality By Chien-Jen Chen (LA Times, Aug. 6, 1999)
President Lee's reference to a 'state-to-state relationship' was not a change
in policy regarding the 'one China'
stand.
Full Text of Statement of SEF Chairman Koo Chen-Fu (Central
News Agency, July 30, 1999)
Taiwan
Information
CIA World Factbook: Taiwan
Taipei Economic and Cultural
Office in New York, Information
Division
China Law
Web Taiwan's Constitution and
laws in English
Taiwan Documents Project
Research and Private Organizations
Peace Forum Division of Strategic and International
Studies, Taiwan Research Institute
Peace for
Future China Cross-Strait Interflow Prospect
Foundation, Taipei
Taiwan Research
Institute
New Taiwan Ilha Formosa
AmCham Head
Blasts Problem of Leadership
(China
Post, Dec. 14, 2007) What Taiwan needs is good political leaders, the
outgoing executive director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei writes in a summarization of his long experiences
in Taiwan.
Six Hurt in Crash at Taipei
Memorial Renaming
(Straits Times, Dec. 7, 2007) The Taiwan government's latest move to rename
the memorial hall dedicated to late president Chiang Kai-shek took a bloody
turn. A bitter row over the dismantling of two plaques from the monument
bearing the name of the late strongman turned violent when an agitated lorry
driver drove his vehicle into a crowd outside the site, injuring six people.
Taiwan Opposition Says Govt
Tries to Downplay Leader Legacy
(AFP, Dec. 6, 2007) Taiwan's
opposition denounced a government plan to remove the name of late president Chiang Kai-shek from a
memorial gate, saying it was the latest move aimed at downplaying his legacy.
Opposition Snubs Meeting on
228 Bill
(Taipei Times, Dec. 4, 2007) A meeting of the legislature's Judiciary
Committee that was to review legislation holding family members responsible
for the 228 Incident and the White Terror era did not take place because of
insufficient attendance, after legislators from the opposition parties
boycotted the meeting.
KMT to Boycott 2/28 Incident
Law
(China Post, Dec. 3, 2007) Democratic Progressive Party lawmakers are all set
to start the first reading of a bill on compensation for victims of the Feb.
28 Incident of 1947. They may face a boycott by their Kuomintang colleagues.
If passed, the bill requires relatives of the dead persecutors to stand trial
for the crimes they know nothing of. No law in the world compels relatives to
be litigated for the crimes committed by the dead.
Pacific
Island Lawmakers Mull Dumping Taiwan for China
(Reuters, Nov. 23, 2007) Some lawmakers in the tiny
South Pacific nation of Palau are suggesting it break links with diplomatically
isolated Taiwan and recognise rival China instead, the archipelago's
ambassador to Taiwan said.
Open Shouting Games against
President Chen Emerging
(China Post, Nov. 11, 2007) Openly shouting against President Chen Shui-bian
is emerging as a popular practice by local people to vent their anger over
the government's failure to counter runaway commodity prices and improve
their worsening livelihood.
Pan-Green Camp, MOFA
Criticize Remarks by Envoy
(Taiwan News, July 1, 2007) Taiwan's outgoing
envoy to Singapore
came under fire with the pan-green camp and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
for criticizing the current administration's recent desinicization movement
in a newspaper interview, while opposition parties applauded his courage in
speaking the truth.
Taiwan to Go Ahead with UN Referendum
(AP, June 20, 2007) Taiwan will proceed with a planned referendum on rejoining the United Nations under its own
name, an official said, despite strong objections to the move from China and the United States.
U.S. Urges Taiwan's Chen to
Drop UN Referendum Bid
(Reuters, June 20, 2007) The United States called on Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian to drop a
proposed referendum on how the island can apply to join the United Nations,
saying the move would raise tensions with China.
Taiwan Will Hold U.N. Bid
Referendum: Chen
(China Post, June 19, 2007) President Chen Shui-bian announced he will call a
referendum alongside a nationwide election next year to help Taiwan
rejoin the United Nations under that name.
Taiwan Signs US$5 Billion in
Purchase Agreements with U.S.
(China
Post, June 9, 2007) Taiwan
has signed industrial and agricultural purchase agreements worth US$5 billion
with the United States
while urging Washington to sign a free trade
agreement with Taipei.
Taiwan Re-establishes
Diplomatic Relations with St. Lucia
(AP, May 1, 2007) Taiwan
announced it has re-established relations with the Caribbean nation of St. Lucia, notching up a small victory in its
long-running battle with rival China for diplomatic partners.
MOFA
Terminates US PR-firm Contract
(CNA,
Apr. 7, 2007) Taiwan hired
several public relations firms to help it communicate with Washington, but the Chen administration is
reconsidering the necessity of the practice.
Taiwan Names New de facto
Envoy to US
(AFP, Mar. 19, 2007) Taiwan's Premier Su Tseng-chang announced Sunday the
island's top China policy-maker Joseph Wu has been named de facto envoy to
the United States. Wu would also be the first member of the
independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party to serve as representative
to the US.
Ex-U.S. Official Gets Year
in Prison in Taiwan Case
(Reuters, Jan. 23, 2007) A former senior State Department official was
sentenced to one year and a day in prison for illegally removing classified
documents and hiding his ties to a Taiwanese intelligence officer.
Taiwan's Democratic
Achievements Win Accolades from the Freedom House's 2007 Report (e-Gov Taiwan, Jan.
18, 2007) Freedom House released its Freedom in the World 2007, a survey of
worldwide political rights and civil liberties. Taiwan continued to be listed as
a “Free” country. Meanwhile, Taiwan
received a score of “1”
in the area of civil liberties, which represents the most free. It was given
a rating a score of “2”
in the area of political rights.
Taiwan Asks US to Save It
from Economic Isolation
(Agence France Presse, Nov. 29, 2006) Already shunned politically by most
nations, Taiwan has called on the United States to save it from economic
isolation by forging a model bilateral free-trade agreement.
Officials Say Chen Fully Trusts Taiwan Diplomats in
U.S.
(TN, Oct. 14, 2006) Both the Presidential Office
and the MOFA have refuted a report saying President Chen was suspicious about
the loyalty of Taiwan representatives that he had to count on his own
contacts in handling Taipei's relations with Washington.
Chen Advocates Using 'Taiwan'
in Bid for U.N.
(Taiwan
News, Sep. 14, 2006) President Chen Shui-bian advocated that Taiwan should apply to enter the United
Nations as a "new formal member" under the name of Taiwan in the
wake of the U.N.
UN Rejects Taiwan's 14th
Membership Bid
(Associated Press, Sep. 14, 2006) Taiwan has failed for the 14th
year to win approval from a key United Nations committee in its bid to become
a member of the world body. China
welcomed the UN decision.
Pacific Allies Get Aid from Taiwan
(Reuters, Sep. 5, 2006) Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian pledged more than
US$10 million in aid and promised other assistance to a group of South
Pacific countries in a bid to cement ties with Taiwan's dwindling pool of
allies.
Taiwan Renews Bid for U.N. Membership
(Central News Agency, Aug. 11, 2006) Taiwan
has renewed its bid for membership in the United Nations as well as a call
for the world body's support for peace and stability in the Taiwan
Strait, the Foreign Ministry said.
'Strangulation' to Continue:
Envoy
(Taipei Times, Aug. 9, 2006) Representative to the US David Lee warned that
Beijing would continue its efforts to "strangulate Taiwan"
internationally -- as it did in wresting Chad away from Taiwan -- unless both
sides change their foreign policy "mindsets."
Taiwan Breaks Off Diplomatic
Ties with Chad
(AFP, Aug. 6, 2004) Taiwan severed diplomatic relations with Chad after the
central African country decided to switch its recognition and open official
ties with China, the foreign ministry said.
MOFA Hopes
Keyser Case Won't Harm Washington Ties
(Taiwan
News, July 19, 2006) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it will keep a
close eye on the Donald W. Keyser case in the United States and hopes it will
not hinder Taiwan-U.S. ties in the future.
African
Allies Suggest Holding Taiwan-Africa Summit: MOFA
(CNA,
July 16, 2006) Minister of Foreign Affairs Huang Chih-fang said Saturday that
several leaders of Taiwan's
African allies have suggested holding a "Taiwan-Africa summit."
Chen Oversees Draft of First
NSC Report
(China Post, May 19, 2006) President Chen Shui-bian held the first-ever
formal national security conference during his term as president, overseeing
a draft of an unprecedented national security report.
Taiwan Ranks 17th in World
Trade: WTO
(CNA, Apr. 13, 2006) Taiwan
was the world's 17th largest trading nation in 2005, down two notches from
the previous year, according to the annual world trade report released by the
World Trade Organization (WTO).
Taiwan Sees First Female
Combat General
(Taiwan News, Dec. 30, 2005) Major-general Chai Hui-jen was promoted to
become the first female combat general in the military history of the
Republic of China. Chai is a highly trained expert in computer programming
and information technology.
Senegal to Resume China Ties
in Blow to Taiwan
(Reuters, Oct. 26, 2005) Senegal
resumed diplomatic ties with China
after a 10-year break, a coup for Beijing as
it seeks to diplomatically isolate Taiwan. Without Senegal, Taiwan will have only 25 allies
left.
Taipei Denies 'Dollar
Diplomacy' in LatAm
(China Post, Sep. 28, 2005) After President Chen Shui-bian proclaimed his
Project "Co-Prosperity" in Managua yesterday, his underlings
scurried to explain it is not "dollar diplomacy," as has been
branded in Taipei.
UN Urged to Help Taiwan,
China Ease Tension
(AP, Aug. 13, 2005) Taiwan
said that it wants the United Nations to mediate between the island and China
to help ease cross-strait tensions.
Chen: Diaoyutais Belong to Taiwan
(Taipei Times, Aug. 11, 2005)President Chen Shui-bian reiterated Taiwan's
sovereignty claim over the Diaoyutai islands. "The Diaoyutais belong to
us, belong to Taiwan,
there is no doubt about it ... I'm here to show our determination to protect
our territory," Chen said.
Taiwan's U.N. Bid to
Highlight New Theme of Peace
(Taiwan News, Aug. 10, 2005) Taiwan
plans to highlight the goal of peace in a new lobbying approach to bid for
entry to United Nations this year as the world body enters the 60th year of
its founding. Taiwan
has been making efforts to re-join the U.N. since 1992.
Government Shuts Down TV
Stations
(Taipei Times, Aug. 2, 2005) The government announced that it would not renew
the operating licenses of TV news channel ETTV-S and six channels, and said
the stations must go off the air.
'Taiwan' Added to 'Republic
of China' on Website
(Straits Times, Aug. 1, 2005) Taiwan's Presidential Office added the word
'Taiwan' after the island's official title of 'Republic of China' on its
website.
Chen's DPP wins Taiwan vote
for National Assembly
(AFP, May 15, 2005) Taiwan's
independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won an election for a
300-member assembly to decide on a package of constitutional reforms set to
test the limits of the island's China policy.
Taiwan Re-establishes
Diplomatic Ties with Nauru
(AFP, May 14, 2005) Taiwan
has re-established diplomatic ties with the South Pacific island of Nauru
in a move likely to irritate China.
The two sides signed a communique to formally resume relations.
ROC Severs Formal Ties with Grenada
(China Post, January 28, 2005) Taiwan
formally ended diplomatic ties with Grenada,
reducing its number of allies to 25, following the Caribbean county switching
allegiance to China.
Taipei Not Opposed to Dual
Recognition
(China Post, Jan. 22, 2005) Taiwan would not rule out the possibility that
Grenada could recognize both Taiwan and China, a Foreign Ministry spokesman
said.
Grenada Dumps Taiwan in
Favor of China
(AFP, Jan. 20, 2005) Grenada
has switched diplomatic allegiance to China
from Taiwan, signing a
communique to establish diplomatic ties with Beijing.
Taiwan
Ups Anti-Chiang Kai-Shek Action
(Associated Press, Dec. 8, 2007) Workmen began removing giant Chinese
characters from a memorial previously dedicated to Chiang Kai-shek, the
latest action in the Taiwan
government's campaign to eradicate the ''one China'' legacy of the late
dictator.
Taiwan
Leader Defends Move to Downplay Chiang Legacy
(Agence France Presse, Dec. 7, 2007) Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian Thursday defended a
move to take the name of Chiang Kai-shek off a memorial gate, calling the late
leader a "dictator" who should not be honored.
Taiwan Public Mood Index and Party
Identification Tracking Analysis in Taiwan (Global Views Monthly, Nov. 2007)
Monthly polls on various public issues by Global Views Monthly, Both Taiwan
Public Mood Index (TPMI) and Political
Confidence Index (PCI) hit record how since the survey started in June 2006.
TPMI almost slides to the bottom of the “losing some public approval” level.
228 Bill Fights Injustice
with Injustice
(Editorial, Taipei Times, Dec. 5, 2007) A Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)
legislator has proposed a bill that seeks to extend a degree of legal
responsibility for the 228 Incident and the White Terror to the spouse,
direct descendants and other relatives of suspects. The proposal is
ridiculous, both in political terms and for the fact that it would constitute
bad law.
Boom and Gloom in Taiwan By Ong Hwee Hwee
(Straits Times, Dec. 1, 2007) The economy expanded 6.92 per cent in the third
quarter from a year earlier - the fastest growth in three years - according
to official data released last week. While government figures painted a rosy
picture, the findings of research institutes appeared to differ. Market
analysts in general do not share the government's optimism on the island's
economic prospects.
Taiwan in Whirlwind Drive to
Keep Diplomatic Allies
(Reuters, July 11, 2007) Taiwan's
Vice-President Annette Lu has promised more aid for Paraguay as the island seeks to counter China's
diplomatic offensive in the region. A month after the island suffered a
severe diplomatic setback. with Costa Rica, Ms Lu's visit to Latin America
showed Taiwan
is taking no chances.
Taiwan's Faltering Democracy By Julian Baum
(Christian Science
Monitor, July 2, 2007) Democracy has fallen on hard times in Taiwan, and it's been a long
while since its citizens felt good about their government. With candidates
beginning to campaign for elections next January, this is the time to ask
what, if anything, can be done about it.
Taiwan Bids to Write Chiang
out of History
(Telegraph, July 1, 2007) Some
32 years after Chiang Kai-shek’s death, the man who became synonymous with
the island's split with mainland China
has been thrust back into the political spotlight, as Taiwan's two
main political parties seek an issue to galvanize public opinion before
presidential elections next year.
A Diplomat Reflects on
Taiwan’s Isolation
(New York Times, June 24, 2007) For Andrew Hsia, Taiwan’s
departing consul general and its shadow ambassador to the United Nations, Costa Rica’s decision was an unfortunate
capstone on his six-and-a-half-year tenure in New York.
Why Small Nations Are
Important for Taiwan's Survival By David Chang
(Deutsche Presse-Agentur, June 10, 2007) The island's
leaders say foreign recognition is proof of Taiwan's sovereignty and, no
matter how small they are, Taipei needs their vote when it seeks to rejoin
the UN and other international organizations each year.
Interview: Taiwan's Man in
Washington on Maintaining Relations
(Taipei Times, June 3, 2007) Joseph Wu, the first Democratic Progressive
Party (DPP) member appointed representative to the US, assumed his new position in
April. Wu sat down with Taipei times Staff
Reporter Charles Snyder in Washington
on Wednesday and shared his objectives for his new job and views on Taiwan-US
relations.
Taiwan Economy Needs
Stronger Bite: AmCham
(China Post, June 1, 2007) The American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei
(AmCham) released its annual White Paper, calling for the need to relieve
political wrangling, resolve regulatory morass, and to improve cross-strait
as well as U.S. trade relations in order to boost Taiwan's economy.
Taiwan MPs Put on Wrestling
Shows for Publicity
(Reuters, May 18, 2007) Taiwan
politicians know how to put on a good show. But the brawling and histrionics
in parliament that have put Taiwan
politics on the world map for the past 20 years are staged acts.
Taiwan Graduates Struggle on
Meager Salaries
(Straits Times, Apr. 18, 2007) An official survey released this week showed
that last year, the starting pay of fresh graduates was NT$28,209 on average.
The figure represented a marginal increase of just NT$1,000 over what they
were paid 10 years ago.
Anti-Corruption Activist
Upbeat about Taiwan
(Taipei Times, Feb 21, 2007) Taiwan's
current battles against political corruption will benefit the country in the
future, an official from Transparency International (TI) said.
Taiwan Struggles for Equal
Footing at APEC Meet
(Agence France Presse, Nov. 20, 2006) Behind
closed doors, Taiwan
continued its battle to gain equal footing at
the annual summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, an
event increasingly dominated by political and security issues.
Lamy
Expounds on Taiwan's WTO Role
(Taipei Times, Oct.
23, 2006) WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy talked with 'Taipei Times' staff
reporter Jessie Ho and other Taiwanese reporters on the role that Taiwan
plays in the international trade body.
The Nation Needs New
Diplomacy By Philip Yang
(Taipei Times, Aug 17, 2006,) Taiwan
is already part of the international community but is still trying to find
its way to the ticket office. The diplomacy of recognition may be necessary,
but it is practical diplomacy that guarantees Taiwan's international interests
and international participation.
Taiwan Losing Out in
Diplomacy Game By Goh Sui Noi
(Straits Times, Aug. 9, 2006) Taiwan's
loss of diplomatic ally Chad
to China
over the weekend is further evidence that the island is losing out in the
zero-sum diplomacy competition and that it should look at other ways of
creating international space for itself.
Focus on the Future, Not
Just China By Lee Teng-hui
(Taipei Times, July 27, 2006) The problems facing Taiwan's economy are many. First,
the economy has lost its dynamism and is caught in a bottleneck. Taiwan, not China, should be the strategic
focus of the nation's sustainable development.
Taiwan's Crisis of Confidence By Jonathan Adams
(Far Eastern Economic Review, July/August 2006) In conversations with staff
from a handful of Taiwan’s
top it firms, an odd refrain emerged: the tech industry may be thriving, but Taiwan’s
broader economy is in trouble.
Taiwan's Under-Performing
Economy By Goh Sui Noi
(Straits Times, May 1, 2006) While Taiwanese expend their energies on political
infighting, other Asian dragons such as South Korea are surging ahead
economically. The outcome will be that Taiwan is more disadvantaged and
even marginalised.
'Asian Strategy' Seen as Key
in Taiwan Economic Growth
(Taiwan News, Mar. 28, 2006) Vice Premier Tsai Ing-wen said that Taiwan's
economic relations with China need to be developed with an overall
"Asian Strategy" to control risk and maintain competitiveness.
Political Woes Dampen
Taiwan's Economy
(Reuters, Feb. 28, 2006) Political concerns are likely to dampen Taiwan's
business investment this year, increasing chances that growth will fall short
of expectations in an economy already struggling with high oil prices and
bird flu worries.
Voters Control the Political
Agenda By Wu Yu-shan
(Taipei Times, Jan. 2, 2006) What is the primary motivating force driving
Taiwanese politics? Change in public attitudes is the force that drives the
nation's political development.
Taiwan's Path to Democracy By Lee Teng-hui
(National Press Club in Washington, Oct.
2005) On Lee Teng-hui's recent landmark visit to the United States he addressed a crowd at the
National Press Club in Washington,
D.C. on October 20. The
following is the text of that speech.
'Dollar Diplomacy' Must Be
Tweaked By
Tsai Zheng-jia
(Taipei Times, Oct. 5, 2005) Since "dollar diplomacy" is becoming
outdated, the government must review its approach to supporting our allies
and should understand what our allies need.
Taiwan to Test China on WHO
Vote By
Kathrin Hille
(Financial Times, May 11, 2005) Taiwan
has promised to make the vote to determine whether it can participate in the
World Health Organisation a test of China's goodwill towards the
island.
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