Missile crisis worse than Cuba
Your editorial ("Allies need to show some spine," Jan. 1, page 8) offers good advice to allies on how to deal with the referendum on China's missiles. As the Taiwanese expression goes, China is "an assailant calling for assistance" from Taiwan's allies.
Taiwan is under constant threat from China's ballistic missiles, which can reach their targets in seven minutes.
This situation is much graver than the Cuban missile crisis.
If US President John F. Kennedy could ask Russia to dismantle its Cuban-based missiles, why can't President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) have a defensive referendum to ask China to dismantle theirs?
This referendum can prevent the missiles from altering the status quo.
If Taiwan's allies discourage this peaceful and democratic referendum from taking place, China will get the wrong impression and deploy more missiles, even targeting Japan and probably the west coast of the US.
Japan therefore should ask the UN to sponsor a plebiscite in Taiwan based on the principle of self-determination. In addition, Japan should support Taiwan's defensive referendum because this will stabilize the entire Asia-Pacific region, including Japan.
Taiwan will be happy to cancel its defensive referendum on March 20 if China dismantles its missiles, just like Libya is voluntarily dismantling its program for weapons of mass destruction.
The US, Japan and the EU should ask China, through a UN resolution, to renounce the use of force against Taiwan.
Charles Hong
Columbus, Ohio
US deaths on Chen's head
I have read many articles and editorials recently supporting President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) move to hold a so-called "defensive referendum" in March, and also criticizing the Bush administration for publicly rebuking Chen, often stating that the matter is of no concern to the US.
The ignorance and arrogance of people like this astound me. While I support democracy in Taiwan, and while ideally the Taiwanese people have every right to decide on their future, this is not an ideal world.
It is US soldiers who will be sacrificing their lives to defend Taiwan in the event of an attack, and it is the US who has come to the defense of Taiwan in recent years when the Chinese threatened Taiwan with missile attacks. So this issue in every way affects, and should involve, the US. By being reckless and provocative, Chen is not only threatening the lives of many young Taiwanese soldiers who have no need to go to war, but also the lives of many young US soldiers. He has no right to do this.
If Chen can publicly state that he does not want or expect the US to defend Taiwan if the Chinese attack, then I say he can do whatever he pleases. But he can't seem to see the big picture, only whether he can get re-elected in March.
This isn't a game, and there are real people's lives at stake. Chen's recent actions and stubbornness show him to be an inexperienced and selfish person who cares more about his own power and connections than he does about the people of Taiwan. It's time for him to grow up and learn how to be a leader. Taiwan deserves much better than this.
David Evseeff
Taipei
There is a modern roadway stretching from central Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland in the Horn of Africa, to the partially recognized state’s Egal International Airport. Emblazoned on a gold plaque marking the road’s inauguration in July last year, just below the flags of Somaliland and the Republic of China (ROC), is the road’s official name: “Taiwan Avenue.” The first phase of construction of the upgraded road, with new sidewalks and a modern drainage system to reduce flooding, was 70 percent funded by Taipei, which contributed US$1.85 million. That is a relatively modest sum for the effect on international perception, and
When former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) first took office in 2016, she set ambitious goals for remaking the energy mix in Taiwan. At the core of this effort was a significant expansion of the percentage of renewable energy generated to keep pace with growing domestic and global demands to reduce emissions. This effort met with broad bipartisan support as all three major parties placed expanding renewable energy at the center of their energy platforms. However, over the past several years partisanship has become a major headwind in realizing a set of energy goals that all three parties profess to want. Tsai
An elderly mother and her daughter were found dead in Kaohsiung after having not been seen for several days, discovered only when a foul odor began to spread and drew neighbors’ attention. There have been many similar cases, but it is particularly troubling that some of the victims were excluded from the social welfare safety net because they did not meet eligibility criteria. According to media reports, the middle-aged daughter had sought help from the local borough warden. Although the warden did step in, many services were unavailable without out-of-pocket payments due to issues with eligibility, leaving the warden’s hands
At the end of last year, a diplomatic development with consequences reaching well beyond the regional level emerged. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as a sovereign state, paving the way for political, economic and strategic cooperation with the African nation. The diplomatic breakthrough yields, above all, substantial and tangible benefits for the two countries, enhancing Somaliland’s international posture, with a state prepared to champion its bid for broader legitimacy. With Israel’s support, Somaliland might also benefit from the expertise of Israeli companies in fields such as mineral exploration and water management, as underscored by Israeli Minister of
RSS