Politically correct pork
Dear Johnny,
Is saying "Happy Lunar New Year" politically correct nowadays in Taiwan or will a group of irate "trade unionists" attack me if I say it?
Also, if the coming year is the Year of the Pig, will it be possible to buy decent bacon instead of the crap streaky bacon sold here?
Pete Jones
Taipei
Johnny replies: I've never been one to advocate political correctness. But I've never been one to advocate political incorrectness either. The actual content of both are vulnerable to whoever has the power to induce guilt or outrage at any time.
But I can tell you that "Chinese New Year" is a politically incorrect expression at this newspaper, not just because Taiwan isn't part of China, but also because China is not the only state or national "culture" that marks the lunar calendar.
So if some demented "trade unionists" (politically polite code for pro-blue-camp labor bosses) take you to task for daring to name a calendar event after the moon, refer them to me and I will find out why it is exactly that the Republic of China is averse to politically correct pork.
Zero sum blame
Dear Johnny,
I saw an article on the front page of the Sept. 29 edition of the China Post that stated Taiwan (under the name "Republic of China") was "ousted" from the UN in 1971. From what I have read, this is not exactly true.
There was a proposal for both Taiwan and China to join the UN in 1971, but Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek (
The casual reader would get the impression that Taiwan was simply kicked out of the UN. Is there some reason this article glosses over the facts? Your clarification would be most appreciated.
Jeff Frazier
Taipei
Johnny replies: Sorry about the delay in replying, Jeff. The China Post is loath to cast Chiang and his kleptomaniacal clique in a bad light -- if it did, it would be dumping all over the Chinese Nationalist claim to Taiwan and it would have to rename itself the Taiwan Post. And yes, there is a debate about whether Chiang forfeited continued UN representation by playing a zero sum game instead of looking to the future. Then again, Chiang was never known for his insights into the currents of geopolitical thought.
But these things don't matter any more. As I've said before, Jeff, who cares about the UN? It can't save Darfur, Iraq or the bulk of their tormented residents, and it can't save Taiwan from future Chinese molestation.
Chiang got kicked out and richly deserved it. But he took the rest of us with him into purgatory, and if the UN can't atone for that, then to hell with it, as well as its gutless agencies like the WHO, and the rest of the drivel that passes for debate in the General Assembly.
And believe me, when UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon gets into the swing of things, we will be privileged witnesses to not only faux Inscrutable Oriental posturing, but also some of the most repulsive scenes of Sinofellatio yet seen at UN headquarters.
You'll be wishing Kofi Annan were still around as you dash off to buy a raincoat.
The Johnny Neihu Manual for the Identification of Dissembling UN Secretaries-GeneralTM can spot a China shill oceans away. And I tell you, the diagnostic results for this South Korean do not look very good at all.
Congratulations to China’s working class — they have officially entered the “Livestock Feed 2.0” era. While others are still researching how to achieve healthy and balanced diets, China has already evolved to the point where it does not matter whether you are actually eating food, as long as you can swallow it. There is no need for cooking, chewing or making decisions — just tear open a package, add some hot water and in a short three minutes you have something that can keep you alive for at least another six hours. This is not science fiction — it is reality.
In a world increasingly defined by unpredictability, two actors stand out as islands of stability: Europe and Taiwan. One, a sprawling union of democracies, but under immense pressure, grappling with a geopolitical reality it was not originally designed for. The other, a vibrant, resilient democracy thriving as a technological global leader, but living under a growing existential threat. In response to rising uncertainties, they are both seeking resilience and learning to better position themselves. It is now time they recognize each other not just as partners of convenience, but as strategic and indispensable lifelines. The US, long seen as the anchor
Kinmen County’s political geography is provocative in and of itself. A pair of islets running up abreast the Chinese mainland, just 20 minutes by ferry from the Chinese city of Xiamen, Kinmen remains under the Taiwanese government’s control, after China’s failed invasion attempt in 1949. The provocative nature of Kinmen’s existence, along with the Matsu Islands off the coast of China’s Fuzhou City, has led to no shortage of outrageous takes and analyses in foreign media either fearmongering of a Chinese invasion or using these accidents of history to somehow understand Taiwan. Every few months a foreign reporter goes to
The war between Israel and Iran offers far-reaching strategic lessons, not only for the Middle East, but also for East Asia, particularly Taiwan. As tensions rise across both regions, the behavior of global powers, especially the US under the US President Donald Trump, signals how alliances, deterrence and rapid military mobilization could shape the outcomes of future conflicts. For Taiwan, facing increasing pressure and aggression from China, these lessons are both urgent and actionable. One of the most notable features of the Israel-Iran war was the prompt and decisive intervention of the US. Although the Trump administration is often portrayed as
RSS