The Far Eastern Economic Review has praised President Chen Shui-bian (
In its latest issue, the magazine said in an editorial that when the US chastises Chen for his plan to hold a referendum on the same day as the March 20 presidential election, it may also be giving the unfortunate impression that it sees Taiwan as a special case among democratic societies -- one that curiously has no right to hold referendums.
"Taiwan needed to be cautioned on the need for prudence, but this should not have sent a message to Communist China that threats towards a democratic society are acceptable," the editorial said.
It said that however one views Chen's referendum, there is no doubt that he understands the dynamics of representative government.
"He is a democrat, and it is impossible to disagree with him in a democratic context," it added.
"More troubling than Mr. Chen's gambit is why China's reaction has received far less than its fair share of condemnation," it said.
The editorial further said that while Chen is chided, China's threats are seen as expected and normal.
"This only encourages Beijing's belief of its right to act in a bellicose manner, and that it is the responsibility of everyone else to avoid angering China," it said.
"We'd do well to remind ourselves who the democrats are in the region, despite their shortcomings," the editorial said.
AGING: While Japan has 22 submarines, Taiwan only operates four, two of which were commissioned by the US in 1945 and 1946, and transferred to Taiwan in 1973 Taiwan would need at least 12 submarines to reach modern fleet capabilities, CSBC Corp, Taiwan chairman Chen Cheng-hung (陳政宏) said in an interview broadcast on Friday, citing a US assessment. CSBC is testing the nation’s first indigenous defense submarine, the Hai Kun (海鯤, Narwhal), which is scheduled to be delivered to the navy next month or in July. The Hai Kun has completed torpedo-firing tests and is scheduled to undergo overnight sea trials, Chen said on an SET TV military affairs program. Taiwan would require at least 12 submarines to establish a modern submarine force after assessing the nation’s operational environment and defense
A white king snake that frightened passengers and caused a stir on a Taipei MRT train on Friday evening has been claimed by its owner, who would be fined, Taipei Rapid Transit Corp (TRTC) said yesterday. A person on Threads posted that he thought he was lucky to find an empty row of seats on Friday after boarding a train on the Bannan (Blue) Line, only to spot a white snake with black stripes after sitting down. Startled, he jumped up, he wrote, describing the encounter as “terrifying.” “Taipei’s rat control plan: Release snakes on the metro,” one person wrote in reply, referring
The coast guard today said that it had disrupted "illegal" operations by a Chinese research ship in waters close to the nation and driven it away, part of what Taipei sees a provocative pattern of China's stepped up maritime activities. The coast guard said that it on Thursday last week detected the Chinese ship Tongji (同濟號), which was commissioned only last year, 29 nautical miles (54km) southeast of the southern tip of Taiwan, although just outside restricted waters. The ship was observed lowering ropes into the water, suspected to be the deployment of scientific instruments for "illegal" survey operations, and the coast
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