Taiwan's "democracy is considerably matured and liberal economics is deeply ingrained, so it is a law-abiding country," then Japanese foreign minister Taro Aso said in March last year, adding that "in various ways, it is a country that shares a sense of values with Japan."

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By Edward Chen 陳一新
According to US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Christensen, although everybody uses the name Taiwan, if the Democratic Progressive Party were to use the name in an official political or legal framework such as a referendum, it would constitute changing the name of the country.

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By AllenChen 陳昭倫
Terry Gou (郭台銘), chief executive officer of Hon Hai Precision Corp, recently donated NT$15 billion (US$450 million) to National Taiwan University for the establishment of a state-of-the-art proton therapy center for cancer treatment.

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By ChenHurng-yu 陳鴻瑜
Having stated through various channels that it opposes Taiwan's plan to hold a referendum on applying for UN membership under the name Taiwan, the US has now declared its official position through the publication of a speech made by US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian Affairs Thomas Christensen.

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By N. Gregory Mankiw
In the debate over global climate change, there is a yawning gap that needs to be bridged. The gap is not between environmentalists and industrialists, or between Democrats and Republicans. It is between policy wonks and political consultants.

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By Patrick Collinson
Welcome to the world of foreclosure. One in every 80 homes in Florida is currently being repossessed by banks, as the subprime mortgage crisis rips through the Sunshine State. And while this means misery for evicted home owners, it spells opportunity to others. Sal Beloise, owner of Beloise Realty real estate agency in Clearwater Beach, said they had just put a house on the market that 22 months ago they got US$1.8 million for.

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By Jomo Kwame Sundaram and Rob Vos
Today's ongoing financial market turmoil comes as no surprise to those who have been warning about the risks to the world economy from the end of the housing market bubble in the US. Back in January, the UN's outlook for the global economy raised concerns about the economic pain this might impose on heavily indebted US households. It also emphasized how weakly regulated, closely interconnected global financial markets, together with persistent global macroeconomic imbalances, jeopardize growth and development prospects in the world economy, including poorer countries.

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