|
|
Weekly Report from Taiwan Security Research (Feb. 15, 2009)
For full text, click on the title or visit the TSR web page at taiwansecurity.org
Cross-Strait Issues
‘Economic First’ in
Cross-Strait Policy: SEF
(CNA,
Feb. 10, 2009) Taiwan has not changed its “economy
first, politics later” stance in its cross-Taiwan
Strait policy, Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation
Chairman Chiang Pin-kung said in an interview
carried in Singapore newspaper, Lianhe
Zaobao.
Gov’t Looking to Talk to China
on CECA
(China
Post, Feb. 11, 2009) The government will seek to
start discussing negotiations with China about reaching the
Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement starting
this year in a bid to help Taiwanese enterprises
maintain and beef up export sales.
Taiwan to Study Possible CECA
with China
(CNA,
Feb. 14, 2009) The Ministry of Economic Affairs
promised yesterday to study the feasibility of
signing a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation
Agreement (CECA) with China, in response to a call
by business and industrial groups for the
government to hold talks with Beijing on that and
other trade matters.
DPP Urges Consensus Before
CECA Is Signed
(China Post, Feb. 15, 2009)
Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen
of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party
called for the government not to sign a
Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA)
with China without the social consensus of the
Taiwanese people.
Taiwan Mustn’t Let Down Guard:
Scholars
(CNA,
Feb. 12, 2009) Two noted American scholars
expressed confidence in President Ma Ying-jeou's handling of cross-Taiwan
Strait affairs, but advised that the Ma administration
should never let down its guard against China's intention to reunite with Taiwan.
Presidential Office Denies
China Spy Recruitment Report
(AP,
Feb. 14, 2009) The Presidential Office yesterday
denied a newspaper report that said the National
Security Council had ordered the organization in
charge of the nation’s espionage efforts to cease
the recruitment of agents to work for the nation
inside China.
Clinton's
Coming Asia Trip,
U.S.
Policy and U.S.-China Engagement
U.S.
Prepares to Broach Hard Issues with China By Mark Landler
(New York Times, Feb. 11, 2009) The Obama administration plans to realign the United
States’ relationship with China by putting
more emphasis on climate
change, energy and human rights, widening the focus beyond
the economic concerns of the Bush years, according to senior
administration officials.
Glaser
Floats Clinton-PRC Compromise
(Taipei Times, Feb. 12, 2009) China expert Bonnie Glaser said any agreement reached on
Taiwan would probably not include something so direct as
the cessation of weapons sales.
Clinton’s
Overseas Trip Asserts Asia as Priority By Jay Soloman and Ian Johnson (Wall Street Journal, Feb. 13, 2009) As
secretary of state, Hillary Clinton is moving to establish China as a priority, making her first trip abroad to China and three other Asian nations.
Clinton
Seeks Shift on China and Stresses Engagement By Mark Landler (New York Times, Feb. 14, 2009) Signaling a new,
more vigorous approach to China, Secretary
of State Hillary Rodham Clinton declared that the United States had
nothing to fear from an economically ascendant Beijing and that it
would press Chinese leaders on delicate issues like human rights and climate
change.
China Is
at the Heart of Clinton’s First Trip By Glenn Kessler
(Washington Post, Feb. 15, 2009) Clinton and other Obama
administration officials have made it clear that they want to move
dramatically forward in relations with Beijing, finding new avenues for cooperation between the
world's biggest economy and the world's fastest-growing economy.
Clinton
Aims to Make Her Mark in China By Paul Richter and Peter Peiegel (LA Times, Feb. 15, 2009) As she prepares to
head to China this week as part of her first overseas trip in her new
role, Clinton is making a behind-the-scenes bid for control of U.S.
policies on China.
China, US
to Resume Military Talks: Report
(AFP, Feb. 15, 2009) China and the
United States will resume military consultations this month that were
postponed last year when Washington announced a planned weapons sale to
Taiwan, state press said.
PLA and Military Balance
Asia:
Target of PRC’s Carrier Plan By James Holmes
(Taipei Times, Feb. 10, 2009) Beijing likely intends its flattops not for a cataclysmic
sea fight against the US Navy, but to coerce or deter lesser Asian
powers, safeguard merchant shipping in vital sea areas and uphold
maritime claims others find objectionable.
Military
to Cut Frequency of War Games
(China Post, Feb. 11, 2009) Taiwan
military said it is cutting the frequency of a major military exercise,
but denied the move is connected to improving ties with China.
US Intel
Chief Warns Against China-Taiwan Conflict
(AP, Feb. 12, 2009) President Barack Obama's top
intelligence official suggested that China's massive military spending
will spur continued U.S. arms sales to Taiwan to maintain a military
balance in the potentially dangerous Taiwan Strait.
China
Increases Missiles Pointed at Taiwan to 1,500
(Reuters, Feb. 15, 2009) China has
increased the number of short-range missiles aimed at Taiwan to about
1,500, officials and experts said, a sign of continued distrust between
the two sides despite a recent warming of ties.
Taiwan's Domestic Issues and Foreign Relations
Taiwan’s
Exports Fall by a Record 44.1%
(Wall Street Journal, Feb. 9, 2009) Taiwan's exports in January fell by a record 44.1% to
$12.37 billion on deteriorating demand for the island's goods due to
the economic downturn.
Former
First Lady of Taiwan Admits Laundering $2.2 Million
(AP, Feb. 11, 2009) Taiwan’s former first lady admitted Tuesday that she had
laundered $2.2 million and forged documents.
Analysis:
DPP Faces Most Testing Period in Its History By Rich Chang (Taipei Times, Feb. 9, 2009) The Democratic
Progressive Party is facing its most difficult period since it was
formed 22 years ago and the party fully recognizes that it could become
irrelevant if it suffers a heavy defeat in the city and county
elections scheduled for the end of this year.
Taking Up
the Peace Challenge By Shih Chih-yu
(Taipei Times, Feb. 13, 2009) The
peace that the KMT touts only pertains to the absence of war across the
Taiwan
Strait. The result is
that in Taiwan, peace has nothing to do with real peace and
neither the government nor the media care about reporting on
international or even regional conflicts.
Taiwan
Hopes to Join Talks of ASEAN Labor Ministers
(CNA, Feb. 13, 2009) President Ma
Ying-jeou proposed that Taiwan be invited to take part in the labor ministers
meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations so as to allow
the country to contribute to the resolution of regional labor issues.
Taiwan’s
Low Profile May Aid Its Goals By Keith Bradsher
(New York Times, Feb. 13, 2009) America’s new secretary of state is preparing to visit Beijing
with an agenda that barely mentions Taiwan — and that is fine with the president of Taiwan.
China's Rise and Domestic Issues
China
Delivers Human Rights Report to UN; Amnesty Leads Critics
(Bloomberg, Feb. 9, 2009) China presents a report on human rights in the country
to the United Nations as groups such as Amnesty International said
the submission isn’t thorough enough.
China
Tells U.N. Panel That It Respects Rights By Ariana Eunjung
Cha (Washington Post, Feb. 10, 2009) United Nations delegates
took China to task on its human rights record, pressing officials
about Tibet, labor camps, the death penalty, torture in custody and
the treatment of dissidents.
Global
Crisis Takes Toll on China As Exports, Imports Plunge By Ariana Eunjung
Cha (Washington Post, Feb. 12, 2009)
China's exports dropped 17.5 percent and imports plunged 43 percent
in January from the same month a year earlier, underscoring just how
quickly its once-white-hot economy is slowing down and adding to the
threat of further unemployment and social unrest.
Regional Issues
China
Pursues Latin America Ties
(BBC, Feb. 9, 2009) China has stepped up its efforts to strengthen ties with
Latin America. It is rare for two of its top leaders to
descend on the region almost at the same time.
When
Allies Drift Apart By Shawn W Crispin
(Asia Times, Feb. 14, 2009) The
US has lost substantial regional ground to China, which has leveraged soft power initiatives
and economic integration into hard power gains, including
unprecedented joint naval and later this year special forces
operations with Thailand.
|
