US President George W. Bush began his second term in office at the White House yesterday after vowing in a tough inauguration speech to overthrow tyranny and spread freedom and democracy to the "darkest corners" of the world. \n"I'm looking forward to putting my heart and soul to make this country as promising a place as it can be and the world as peaceful a place as it can possibly be," Bush said late on Thursday at one of nine inaugural balls he and first lady Laura Bush visited before returning to the White House. \nAmid the pomp and ceremony of the 55th US presidential inauguration -- the first since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks -- thousands of protesters joined cheering well-wishers on Thursday along Bush's route from his swearing-in at the Capitol back to the White House. \n"It is the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world," Bush said. \nIn a televised speech moments after taking the oath of office under an unprecedented security blanket, Bush warned "the rulers of outlaw regimes" to ease restrictions on dissent and declared that victory over terrorism required promoting freedom around the globe. \nDemonstrators jeered or turned their backs as his armored limousine led a slow convoy down Pennsylvania Avenue, some waving signs that read "Guilty of War Crimes" or "In fighting monsters, we are becoming one." \nWhile Bush did not single out any countries for criticism, Vice President Dick Cheney said Iran was "right at the top of the list." Other aides have mentioned Belarus, Cuba, Myanmar, North Korea and Zimbabwe. \n"As long as whole regions of the world simmer in resentment and tyranny, prone to ideologies that feed hatred and excuse murder, violence will gather, and multiply in destructive power, and cross the most defended borders and raise a mortal threat," Cheney said. \nBush, his first term scarred by terrorism and marked by wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, mentioned none of those crises by name as he offered conciliatory words to allies who broke with Washington over whether to oust former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. \n"All the allies of the United States can know: We honor your friendship, we rely on your counsel, and we depend on your help," Bush said. \nBush, who has the worst approval ratings of any reelected president since Richard Nixon in 1973, told the polarized US public: "We have known divisions, which must be healed to move forward in great purposes, and I will strive in good faith to heal them." \nFirst lady Laura Bush and twin daughters Barbara and Jenna stood at Bush's side as he swore on the steps of the US Capitol to defend the US and uphold the Constitution. \nBush said spreading freedom was "not primarily the task of arms, though we will defend ourselves and our friends by force of arms when necessary." \nWith his trademark optimism, Bush spoke of a fire that had been kindled in many people's minds, and vowed that "one day, this untamed fire of freedom will reach the darkest corners of our world." \nAlso see stories: \nWhite House denies Taiwan snub \nAsian allies have `qualified' praise for George W. Bush \nBush speech idealist, sparse on detail
SOLVED: Domestic orders have already overtaken the total sold to China last year, while the Canadian and US representative offices posted messages of support A joint effort by groups and individuals in Taiwan and abroad to prop up sales of pineapples after China announced a ban on imports of the fruit succeeded in just four days, the Council of Agriculture (COA) said yesterday. China on Friday announced that it would suspend imports of Taiwanese pineapples starting on Monday, citing biosafety concerns. Following the announcement, the council urged the public to assist farmers by purchasing pineapples, saying it hoped to sell 20,000 tonnes of the fruit domestically and 30,000 tonnes in exports. “Domestic orders have already surpassed the total sold to China last year,” COA Minister
Taiwanese netizens and politicians yesterday mocked a Chinese plan to build a transportation network linking Beijing and Taipei, calling it “science fiction” and “daydreaming.” Their comments were in reaction to the Chinese State Council’s release last week of its “Guidelines on the National Comprehensive Transportation Network Plan,” which include several proposed transportation links, with one map showing a line running from China’s Jingjinji Metropolitan Region (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei) across the Taiwan Strait to Taipei. “This is the Chinese leadership daydreaming again of [fulfilling its] fantasy of extending China’s transportation network to Taiwan. I suggest people regard it as science fiction,” Democratic Progressive
‘UNITED FRONT’: Grooming young Taiwanese to become Internet celebrities or hosts is a Chinese tactic to spread propaganda to influence young people, a source said As part of its “united front” tactics, China has been grooming young Taiwanese to become Internet celebrities or Internet program hosts, a source said on condition of anonymity. Over the past year, about 1,000 Taiwanese living in China have participated in training programs and competitions for show hosts held in several cities, including Xiamen, Wenzhou and Hangzhou, the source said on Saturday. “Beijing is taking advantage of the openness of the Internet to spread propaganda about acceptance of China, and about ‘national security,’” the source said, adding that Taiwan’s national security officials are racing to fix the problem. Chinese infiltration of
MAIN CHALLENGE: The US naval commander warned that China would seek to ‘forcibly change’ the balance of power in the region that would likely be permanent The US encourages Taiwan to invest in defense and obtain asymmetric defense capabilities, US Navy Admiral Philip Davidson said on Thursday. Davidson, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, made the remark in a videoconference on defense matters hosted by the American Enterprise Institute think tank. “China is positioned to achieve overmatch” in its military capability by 2026, he said. When Beijing is able to, it would “likely choose to forcibly change” the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region, “and I would say the change in that status quo could be permanent,” he said. “China seeks a new world order, one with Chinese characteristics,
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