The highly regarded US magazine Foreign Policy has published an article claiming that Beijing is working to prop up President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and help him to stay in power.
The article — under the headline “Can Beijing Save the Taiwanese President?” — was written by Nicholas Consonery, an Asia analyst with the Eurasia Group, a New York-based political risk research and consulting firm.
Consonery wrote that Beijing and Taipei will “work feverishly” over the next six months to expand economic ties “in the hope” of strengthening Ma’s domestic standing and stopping a rebound by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Consonery, who specializes in Chinese banking and financial policy, said Ma was a “relative darling” in Beijing when he was elected last year because he had vowed to focus on the economics of cross-strait relations while avoiding politics.
“Beijing was happy to accommodate this approach because it coalesced with the leadership’s broader plan to secure sovereignty over the island through gradual economic integration,” Consonery said.
He added that Ma’s recent political troubles, particularly his mishandling of the Typhoon Morakot disaster, have left him vulnerable and that Beijing fears his re-election prospects in 2012 may be imperiled.
“Certainly things seem to be trending downward for Ma and his Kuomintang [Chinese Nationalist Party] (KMT) ... and based on recent experience, Beijing dreads a resurgence of the more confrontational DPP,” Consonery wrote.
As a result, the article says, China will be handing out economic concessions to Taiwan in the next six months “hoping that they will bolster Ma’s prospects.”
Consonery predicts Ma will “happily accept” these concessions to regain political strength by improving commercial ties with China.
On the other hand, Consonery said, Ma recognized that the DPP’s growing strength would make concessions to China more contentious and he will want to accomplish as much as possible this year.
The article concludes that the DPP could secure one-quarter representation in the legislature in the next few months, giving it more leverage in combating the KMT’s majority coalition. This in turn could lead to the sort of infighting that would dominate domestic news and pull Ma away from his strategic and economic goals.
And that, Consonery wrote, would cause “more than a little heartburn in Beijing.”
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
RSS