Letter of the law
Before people make -- or report -- accusations ("Nobel Peace Prize winner facing fine," Mar. 9, Page 1), perhaps they should actually read the relevant laws. The fact that a legislator says something is illegal doesn't make it so.
Article 96 of the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Law (總統副總統選舉罷免法) -- which is separate from the Public Officials Election and Recall Law (公職人員選罷法) -- merely lays down punishments for various violations. It prescribes fines for violations of Article 50, which states that "political parties or any person may not ... (paragraph 4) invite foreign or mainland nationals to participate in activities listed in Article 43," which include openly campaigning.
This is the only mention of this issue in the law; therefore, only the organizers of the campaign activities in question can be said to violate the law, if indeed they have "invited" a foreign or Chinese national. The visitor, on the other hand, bears no legal responsibility, nor do any other agencies connected with his or her visit. Furthermore, this is a clear case of selective punishment, because the Chinese National Party (KMT) has not been fined for its using the invitation of Nobel Laureate Lawrence Klein for campaign purposes ("Klein joins KMT think tank," Mar. 2, page 3).
However, simply handing out more fines will not improve the situation, because this restriction almost certainly violates Article 11 of the Constitution (freedom of speech), as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It is a remnant of authoritarianism which should be abolished. Unless any harm is caused to others, the voters' judgment of the appropriateness of campaign activities is the only one that counts.
Bo Tedards
Taipei
Peace, freedom are good
The record turnout of participants in the 228 Hand-in-Hand Rally last week established a milestone in Taiwan's democratic movement.
People from all walks of life joined together on this historic day of sorrow and turned it into a day of hope for peace and freedom in the future. The rally brought the people together, definitively and positively demonstrating the common moral principles shared among them to stand for and protect their beloved homeland called Taiwan.
Through the rally, the people have not only demonstrated their resolve to safeguard the country's democratic values, but also made a plea to the international community to lend its support to Taiwan's pursuit of long-lasting peace and freedom. As it turns out, the free world responded positively to their plea.
The solidarity among the people has been greatly solidified by the rally, which will definitely help them in their pursuit of a free and democratic society. Remember: united we stand; divided we fall.
Ching Li
Changhua
Just say no to China
On March 20, much more will be at stake in the election than whether the voters have more confidence in the ability of one candidate over the other to manage the economy and preserve peace. At stake is Taiwan's status as a sovereign nation.
If the people re-elect President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), the international community, and most particularly the US, will receive a clear and unambiguous message that Taiwan wishes to remain a sovereign and independent state, and that its people reject the idea of eventually falling victim to Chinese tyranny. The US and the rest of the world will then adjust their view of Taiwan and will accommodate it as a sovereign state.
The US State Department seems already prepared for this shift, and President George W. Bush's conservative base of support is already demanding it. The only minor stumbling block is China's "assistance" with the North Korean problem, but Washington's illusions on that point are quickly vanishing.
If, however, KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) is elected president, then the US is likely to view that as a message that the people intend to eventually fall under Chinese sovereignty.
Consequently, the ballots for the election could appropriately be rewritten to: "Do you wish to be ruled by China? If YES, then vote for Lien, if NO, then vote for Chen.
Daniel McCarthy
Salt Lake City, Utah
What began on Feb. 28 as a military campaign against Iran quickly became the largest energy-supply disruption in modern times. Unlike the oil crises of the 1970s, which stemmed from producer-led embargoes, US President Donald Trump is the first leader in modern history to trigger a cascading global energy crisis through direct military action. In the process, Trump has also laid bare Taiwan’s strategic and economic fragilities, offering Beijing a real-time tutorial in how to exploit them. Repairing the damage to Persian Gulf oil and gas infrastructure could take years, suggesting that elevated energy prices are likely to persist. But the most
In late January, Taiwan’s first indigenous submarine, the Hai Kun (海鯤, or Narwhal), completed its first submerged dive, reaching a depth of roughly 50m during trials in the waters off Kaohsiung. By March, it had managed a fifth dive, still well short of the deep-water and endurance tests required before the navy could accept the vessel. The original delivery deadline of November last year passed months ago. CSBC Corp, Taiwan, the lead contractor, now targets June and the Ministry of National Defense is levying daily penalties for every day the submarine remains unfinished. The Hai Kun was supposed to be
Most schoolchildren learn that the circumference of the Earth is about 40,000km. They do not learn that the global economy depends on just 160 of those kilometers. Blocking two narrow waterways — the Strait of Hormuz and the Taiwan Strait — could send the economy back in time, if not to the Stone Age that US President Donald Trump has been threatening to bomb Iran back to, then at least to the mid-20th century, before the Rolling Stones first hit the airwaves. Over the past month and a half, Iran has turned the Strait of Hormuz, which is about 39km wide at
There is a peculiar kind of political theater unfolding in East Asia — one that would be laughable if its consequences were not so dangerous. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) on April 12 returned from Beijing, where she met Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and spoke earnestly about preserving “peace” and maintaining the “status quo.” It is a position that sounds responsible, even prudent. It is also a fiction. Taiwan is, by any honest definition, an independent country. It governs itself, defends itself, elects its leaders, and functions as a free and sovereign democracy. Independence is not a
RSS