ECFA: Who Will Benefit From It?

A funny and interesting editorial cartoon in the today Taipei Times:

 

Mots clés Technorati : Taiwan Economy,China,ECFA,fvarga

Taiwan: ECFA Is Magic!

You got a flu? ECFA will cure it.

You want to protect your car? Sure, according the way people are driving here, it’s better! How to do? Easy: Write on a piece of paper the word ECFA and stick it on your rear mirror. Done!

Employment statistics are not good enough? Guess the answer: yes, you are good! ECFA!

5 Elections in 3 months and guess what: precisely in those 5 areas, the ECFA (did I mentioned that ECFA is magic?) will provide 34,009 jobs.

34,009 jobs, not 34,000 or 34,100 or 34,010 but… yes, you read it, 34,009 jobs!

Why not 34,010? Don’t ask me 🙂

And wait, not everywhere “34,009” jobs will be created, but just in the 5 areas where elections will be held on November.

Whaoh! Beautiful!

I told you, ECFA is magic.

At least, it is what the president (ahhhh whatever his title for the place is not considered as a country by him: “ECFA is not a treaty between countries”) said HERE.

What’s about in other areas?

Not important, no elections 🙂

Statistics here are very interesting…

😆

 

Mots clés Technorati : China,Taiwan,Politics,ECFA,fvarga

My New Baby

My campus is quite far away from everything, so not always easy to buy some stuff, such as food or whatever.

My Queen with her car are not always available and same for my very good friend who lives about 45mn from my campus even though she often helps me on Sunday to buy food in Carrefour.

So Queen and I decided to buy another car, and my life should be much easier now.

We picked it up last Saturday morning in the showroom. Here is the baby before driving it out of the showroom:

Colt Plus from Mitsubishi, negotiated with all options. Deflectors have been just received and will be installed this afternoon or whatever.

The volume is quite impressive.

It’s supposed to be an environmental friendly car, consuming very few.

I will drive to go back to my campus this afternoon or maximum tomorrow morning.

Good!

😆

 

Mots clés Technorati : fvarga

Taiwan: When KMT Gives Lessons about Democracy

Sometimes political news are surprising and even funny if not ironic.

The political party in power, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) controlling 75% of the legislature has a well-known history of dictatorship.

Even though the president chief of the region (? – according who is talking to whom) has been democratically elected, it seems that many democratic values have been ignored or reduced to zero. To be convinced, we just need to read the news since he was elected two years ago.

And now, guess what: the KMT is giving lesson about democracy.

Few days ago (HERE) we could read:

[…]

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Kaohsiung mayoral candidate Huang Chao-shun (黃昭順) yesterday accused Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) of “ruining the city’s economy.”

At a press conference to launch her campaign office, Huang said Chen had failed to improve the city’s economy because of her focus on “political ideology.”

[…]

Whoah! That’s a serious accusation!

On what is this accusation based on?

Simple:

[…]

Huang was referring to an invitation extended by seven Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) mayors and county commissioners to the Tibetan spiritual leader after Typhoon Morakot devastated the southern part of the country in August last year, and the city government’s decision to air The 10 Conditions of Love, a 53-minute documentary on Kadeer and her fight to improve human rights in Xinjiang in September.

[…]

Obviously, the KMT only consider as important the Chinese tourists or business.

The fact that the area has attracted investments from Japanese businesses is not important.

The definition of democracy is different according the political party we are referring to.

More on that subject, have a look on the below picture:

The Legislative Yuan stands empty yesterday. There was no session because the Democratic Progressive Party withdrew from the provisional legislative sessions on Friday. PHOTO: FANG PIN-CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES

The opposition party (DPP) refused to play the KMT game about the ECFA review.

The KMT considers the ECFA as a treaty while DPP says it is a simple agreement.

Legally, it doesn’t seem that the ECFA is a treaty giving the fact that Taiwan is not introduced as a country and the “deal” was negotiated and signed between political structures, not governmental ones.

So the DPP says that being a simple agreement the ECFA should be discussed article by article which has been refused by the KMT: “it’s a treaty so it must be accepted or rejected as a whole.

As the KMT controls 75% of the legislature, what could be the result?

So why the DPP should play this game, this “unnecessary exercise to rubber-stamp the deal, for which every taxpayer in Taiwan is paying” (HERE)?

So of course, the DPP could be now accused by the KMT of acting “irrationally” and refusing to cooperate in the democratic process.

It is urgent that the DPP improves its image in the international media if it doesn’t want to be again considered as a “troublemaker”.

As the article concluded:

[…]

The reluctant player here, the one who is exploiting the organs of democracy devoid of its heart and spirit, is the KMT, not the DPP.

[…]

 

Mots clés Technorati : Taiwan,China,Politics,Democracy,fvarga

Taiwan, China, ECFA: A New TV Drama

Since a while, we have news about a very soon (June) signed-ECFA or a delayed signed-ECFA.

Monday: will be signed on June.

Tuesday: few chance to be signed on June.

Wednesday: good chance to be signed on June.

Thursday: Just forget it!

Friday: it will be done on June…

Saturday: we are negotiating…

Sunday: no deal yet!

A TV drama!

😆

Of course, all come from government’s members (according recent News).

And today (HERE), the Premier said the opposite of what he did few days ago:

[…]

ECFA to be signed late June or in early July

[…]

How come could we have different outcomes everyday?

So more or less, China will accept (for the "early harvest" list) 500 items from Taiwan and the latter one, 200 from China.

Anyway, we don’t know about the details (again!) but according the Premier, the 500 items represent 15% of the Taiwanese export to China.

15%…

Any figures?

What’s about the 200 to Taiwan?

No word.

What if the 200 represent 50% of the Chinese export to Taiwan?

So, not only every day, we have a sort of “TV drama” about the ECFA, but more the deal is about to be signed, less we know about it.

Beside, why does the government need to communicate by this way?

On a everyday basis?

Obviously, it seems to be a PR campaign.

If you missed your favorite drama, watch the news!

😆

 

Mots clés Technorati : Taiwan,China,ECFA,fvarga

Taiwan: A Funny Joke From The President

I read a very good joke from the Taiwanese President (?) Ma Ying-Jeou (HERE):

[…]

The ministry and the NPA must do a better job combating crime and improving police integrity. I need the two agencies to present solid results in a month and respond to public concerns

[…]

Wait, there is one more from M. Ma:

[…]

Attending birthday celebrations of a gang leader’s father, for example, is inappropriate. Police and civil servants should behave more cautiously

[…]

Wait.

Few weeks ago there were the funerals of a gang leader in Taipei, with I don’t know how many luxurious cars and everything was done in public.

According the news, officials from the Taiwanese administration attended (the mayor of Taichung?) the funerals.

Did at that time M. Ma said it was inappropriate?

So, is his speech a joke or what?

And beside, There is one more related news (HERE), concerning the Tainan Prison Chief Guard Hsieh Shih-lun, who has been removed from his position.

The story is too beautiful:

[…]

Hsieh was at the residence of Taichung gangster Lin Yi-hung (林亦宏) at the time he was murdered on Oct. 17.
After receiving a DVD of the crime from an unidentified source, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩) made it public at a press conference on Tuesday.
In the video, Hsieh is seen walking into Lin’s residence about six minutes prior to the crime. Two gunmen suddenly enter Lin’s residence and begin shooting at him. Footage shows Hsieh hiding behind a sofa. After the two gunmen leave, Hsieh checks on Lin and then leaves without calling police or an ambulance

[…] (By the way, who made the DVD?)

So what do you think about M. Ma announcement especially after everyone knows (see the news) that politics in Taiwan is linked with the mafia and even some mafia members are elected (HERE and HERE)?

A beautiful joke isn’t it?

Oh…

Maybe it was not a joke at all but it was like the story parents used to tell to their kids before they go to sleep.

Taiwanese, sleep peacefully…

😆

 

Mots clés Technorati : Taiwan,Violence,Gangsters,Mafia,Politics,fvarga

It’s Not a Donkey. It’s a Horse!

Sometimes, I just like to read the news, avoiding to react immediately.

And more than once within a week, we can see connections between some of them.

This week is no exception.

Anyway as usual, most of the news concern ECFA, the link between Taiwanese administration and China, the connections between the underground world and politics and finally of course, justice.

One of the big news (but not “new”) is the connection between politicians, the police and gangsters and the late example is Taichung.

For my readers who do not live in Taiwan, here is the point (sources HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE):

[…]

Four police officers were at the crime scene when gang leader Weng Chi-nan died in a shower of bullets in central Taiwan’s Taichung City May 28

[…]

You may ask yourself what those officers were doing at the crime scene: investigating? Arresting? Protecting? As any police officer is supposed to do?

Wrong.

[…]

The four police officers were reportedly playing mahjong there and hid under a table when Weng was shot

[…]

Unbelievable…

Any serious punishment? No.

And the chief of the police in Taichung tried to cover up the presence of the four officers. Finally, he resigned yesterday.

It is a well known fact that gangsters are linked to local politics and KMT (the party in power) since a long time (see the article from AP in Yahoo News – in the above sources).

And those links show no sign of disappearing anytime soon.

But of course, elections are coming, so the Taiwanese administration must plays some PR games, by sending police commandos (41 officers) to Taichung.

After a while, everything will be as usual forgotten and life will return as it was before.

The only ones facing tough punishments and prosecutions are the members of the opposition party (DPP).

See, one example among so many (HERE):

[…]

Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) yesterday urged prosecutors to seek lighter punishment for a former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator who was barred from leaving the country for allegedly pocketing salaries paid to legislative aides during his tenure

[…]

The Legislative Speaker… not a small potato…

So what did the Speaker offer as an excuse?

[…]

“He might have violated the law because he did not understand the regulations,” Wang told reporters at the legislature. “I hope prosecutors can take this into consideration when dealing with the case. He did not intend to pocket the money.”

[…]

Beautiful!!!

Taipei prosecutors said Kwan suspiciously used four relatives’ names to claim NT$4 million in payments for legislative aides during his two terms. He might also be accused of corruption and forgery, they said.

But still, the Speaker asked from the prosecutors, a lighter punishment.

Obviously when one is facing justice in Taiwan, it is better to be a member of the KMT than the opposition party.

About the ECFA, the Chinese position is very clear and published in all international news: the ECFA is a step to unification.

But the Taiwanese administration is saying that it is only about economic.

Who can believe that?

See all the changes in Taiwan since 2 years: Taiwan is becoming closer and closer to China.

One example?

All countries are condemning North Korea after a special investigation (conducted by international experts, not only by South Korean) found evidence accusing North Korea.

But China, the only strong ally of North Korea refused to join.

And guess what: Taiwan, in line with Beijing’s response, did not condemn North Korea either.

Are you surprised?

More:

Reports (HERE) said that a horde of retired military officers, led by former Admiral Huang Hsing-chiang, arrived in China to play golf with former officers of People’s Liberation Army.

And of course, they will only talk about golf…

The funny (?) thing is that only Ma and his administration consider that nothing changed and the ECFA will be the road to the Taiwanese heaven.

Ma and the KMT told to the people that the ECFA will allow Taiwan to sign FTA’s with other countries. So Taiwanese should not be afraid of signing this ECFA.

Except… (HERE, HERE and HERE)

[…]

In an official overture, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu (馬朝旭) told a routine press briefing on Monday in Beijing that China “strongly opposes any official ties in any format that Taiwan might develop [with other countries], although it is not against any unofficial trade ties between Taiwan and China’s diplomatic allies.”

[…]

China has revealed its true colors. One more time.

How did Ma and his administration react?

They said that whatever the Chinese’s position, they will sign FTA’s with other countries.

Unbelievable.

They want to let the Taiwanese believe that other countries will not be afraid of the Chinese reaction…

They totally refuse to admit the evidence.

Even if they see a donkey, they will deny: “it’s a horse!” 😆

Obviously, Ma et al. have an agenda…

Many economists and experts worry about the consequences of the ECFA on the Taiwanese economy.

But Ma and his administration is obviously in a hurry to ink the trade pact and therefore buries its head in the sand whenever this question is raised.

Moreover, as it is already the case (I forgot where I read it), Taiwanese goods can only enter into Chinese clearance with a place of origin recorded as “Taiwan, China”.

Taiwanese companies worked very hard and the “Made in Taiwan” is now recognized as a synonym of quality, while the “Made in China” brings images of bad quality, and dangerous products. What will happen after the ECFA is signed? Anymore “Made in Taiwan”?

Beside, the Taiwanese economy since 2 years is not improving at least at the public finance level (HERE and HERE):

After two years of President Ma and his KMT administration, government debt has exploded by more than NT$700 billion.

And the government is seeking now to amend the law to relax regulations for the debt ceilings of central and local governments…

Obviously, the government’s claim that the reduction of gift and business income taxes and a trade pact with China would boost domestic investment and increase tax revenues is apparently a lie: if tax revenue was supposed to increase, why does the government need to increase the debt ceiling?

Moreover, is the government hiding facts or manipulating statistics?

[…]

Ministry of Finance statistics show the government’s public debt is forecast to reach NT$4.6 trillion at the end of this year, accounting for 35.2 percent of GNP — only 4.8 percentage points from its debt ceiling.
However, Chien Hsi-chieh (簡錫土皆), another AFTR spokesman, accused the government of hiding the truth from the public by falsifying accounts of its debt, saying that the real situation was far worse.
“Taiwan’s public debt actually accounts for 116 percent of its GDP, or NT$15 trillion, based on an estimate of the statistics center at the legislature,” Chien said, adding that it is almost double the 60 percent debt ceiling set by the IMF

[…]

If the above figures are correct, debts represent about TWD 750,000 (about USD 24,000) per Taiwanese citizen, including babies…

Will Taiwan become the Asian Greece before being unified to China?

As asked in one of the above sources: is Taiwanese administration a fool or a fervent supporter of the Greater China ideology?

In other words: it’s not a donkey. It’s a horse!

 

Mots clés Technorati : Taiwan Economy,Taiwan,China,Politics,ECFA,fvarga

An Incredible Photographer: Update With Link

I posted (HERE) about the beautiful pictures shot by my friend Frederic.

He sent me today the invitation flyer from the German Biological Institute which used one of the pictures I posted before:

If you want to know more about his pictures, you can visit his website HERE.

Enjoy!

🙂

 

Mots clés Technorati : Pictures,Macro,fvarga

An Incredible Photographer

Have a look on the below pictures.

My friend, Frederic, a French guy living in Taiwan with a beautiful Taiwanese wife and soooooo cute 2 kids (girl and boy) is the author.

This guy is good.

Really good! He is a pro! But it is not his main activity (he is in business, can you believe that?). The world is missing a lot!

But so humble! It’s only a long time after I knew him that he let me discover his creations. I knew he loved shooting pictures but I didn’t know he was so talented.

His flicker’ site is full of comments from professional photographs.

His macros are art. But his portrait pictures are very beautiful too.

The first picture was chosen by the Zoo of Denver to illustrate the “ornate flying snake “.

The second one, the bee, was chosen by a German Biological Institute to illustrate its invitation flyer and also put on its website (www.nibi.nl).

 

Enjoy!

If you want to be in touch with him, let me know and I will forward to him your mails.

This guy is incredible!

Even in my dreams, I won’t be able to be close to his talent.

 

 

Mots clés Technorati : Pictures,Macro,Frederic,fvarga

Taiwan and the International Community

I remember that a while ago, not so far in the past, when Taiwan reacted following an international event, it did according its own interests.

It is not anymore the case.

I think you all have read the news about the sinking of a South Korean naval ship on March 26 with the loss of 46 lives.

An international team was investigating and Friday, it announced that the naval ship has been attacked by a North Korean small submarine.

All countries are condemning this attack (HERE and HERE for example).

Wait… All countries?

Not China…

And do you know what?

Taiwan followed the Chinese position… (HERE):

[…]

Taiwan’s Presidential Office yesterday did not follow Japan and the US in condemning North Korea, instead emphasizing that the national security unit would continue to monitor the development closely.

[…]

It seems that the Taiwanese (?) Presidential (?) Office doesn’t want to offend China.

Who is really in charge of Taiwanese international political policies?

Or, does Taiwan still have of its own?

 

Mots clés Technorati : Taiwan,China,South Korea,North Korea,fvarga