TECRO has to be renamed
Vincent Chao (趙怡翔) was appointed recently to head the political division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in Washington. This has led to many severe criticisms about his young age and high pay.
Former Taiwan governor K.C. Wu (吳國禎) once said that to judge one’s ability based on his or her age is nonmature itself. Washington is an expensive place to live.
“The old blue men” in the current administration have been criticized; should a young green man considered to be capable to do the job be criticized as well?
Chao should be allowed to show his capability in diplomacy for at least one year.
The key question that should be asked instead is why there is a political division in the TECRO.
Apparently the economic and cultural nature only of the Washington office is completely out of date. The office’s name should truly reflect the nature of its activities. Both the UK and Japan rectified the names of their offices in Taiwan.
We should never “sell dog meat while hanging a lamb’s head” (掛羊頭賣狗肉) — that is, do something under false pretenses. It is opportune time to rectify the name of the TECRO. There is no excuse to maintain this misleading name.
Probably the office should be changed to the “Taipei Economic, Cultural and Political Representative Office (TECPRO).” This name is too long to remember and Taipei is not Taiwan.
If this name is shortened to the “Taipei Representative Office (TRO),” it might be misunderstood as a foreign office of the Taipei City Government or “Chinese Taipei.”
Ideally, the TECRO should be renamed as the “Taiwanese Institute in America (TIA).” The suggestion of this name should be discussed with the US government as soon as possible.
Charles Hong
Columbus, Ohio
Not just press releases
Whether a surrender can result in a change in territorial sovereignty is not predicated on precedents, but is stipulated by the specific terms of the surrender (Letters, Jan. 12, page 8).
In the case of Japan’s unconditional surrender in 1945, the terms for Japan under the 1943 Cairo Declaration and the 1945 Potsdam Declaration are clear and unambiguous — Taiwan must be returned to China. The operative word is “return,” which mandates a resumption of sovereignty.
Mr Tom Chang contends that the 1943 Cairo Declaration and the 1945 Potsdam Declaration are merely press releases. This is wrong. The 1943 Potsdam Declaration, and through it the 1943 Cairo Declaration, forms part of the instruments of Japan’s unconditional surrender to which Japan and the Allies attached their signatures during Japan’s surrender ceremony aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on Sept. 2, 1945.
Japan and the Allies’ signatures impart to these instruments the status of a treaty. The resumption of sovereignty over Taiwan by the ROC [Republic of China] is therefore indeed specified or provided by a treaty, as required by Chang.
Wen Lam Chang
Hong Kong
Minister for mainland affairs?
Taiwan goes to great lengths to differentiate itself from China, yet it maintains a council for mainland affairs.
Is this not a tacit admission that Taiwan is in some way an appendage of China?
Mainland affairs can be handled by a senior officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the umbrella of the ministry in the same way relations with other countries are dealt with. I suggest the officer dealing with China affairs be called the “secretary for China affairs” and be accorded no special status.
Taiwan’s status as an independent nation, is very much a question of perception by the world at large, China itself and the nations of ASEAN.
Resources expended in maintaining the Mainland Affairs Council could perhaps be better utilized in promoting the international standing of Taiwan in as many ways as possible. In the West this is called “public relations” and is important in influencing hearts and minds.
Gavan Duffy
Queensland, Australia
Cruelty of dog meat trade
I write to you today to alert your attention to what is widely considered to be one of the most brutal and inhumane practices of our times: the dog meat trade. This cruel and deeply disturbing trade thrives across China and South East Asia.
The dog (and cat) meat trade is known for its relentless cruelty towards companion animals. Every year, millions of pet dogs and cats are stolen from their homes, while strays are snatched from the streets. They are then transported to slaughterhouses, but the conditions are so horrific that many die along the way.
Those who survive the journey are then subjected to torture of the worst kind; boiled, burned and skinned alive, their ordeal can be slow and agonising as the method of torture is often committed with the intent to cause as much pain as possible. Scattered, bloodied collars from pet dogs are often a common sight across slaughterhouse floors.
China is hosting the world dog show this year and I believe this is a diabolical masquerade which should not be allowed. As part of a concerned group I have tried to exact pressure on countries which are supporting this event, to no avail.
However, thankfully the British Kennel Club and Norway have stood up to the Chinese and refused to attend. The British Kennel Club has written as to why they are not attending and I applaud them for this.
I hope that my letter will prompt much-needed awareness through the press regarding the dog show in the hope that judges from your country will do the right thing and boycott.
Thank you for reading this letter. I hope you will do what you can to help by exposing this shameful event.
Rodolfo Gallardo
Texas
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