Taiwan News

In some ways, Taiwan news and politics is so much more interesting and colorful than what might be found in the US (and this isn't even a reference to some of the infamous brawls that the Taiwanese legislature is known for). For example, one of the most important recent news involves a visit by China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) Chairman Chen Yunlin (陳雲林), who was invited by his counterpart, the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chairman Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤). ARATS and SEF are the primary two groups designated to negotiate cross-strait relations while the official stance of unrecognition is upheld. Indeed, this is a landmark event in cross strait relations, as it will be the first time China's top negotiator will visit the island. Chairman Chen is scheduled to arrive at Taipei's Yuanshan Grand Hotel today (http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2008/11/03/2003427630).

Given the official stance of the China and Taiwan with respect to each other, one question the news broadcast brought up is how will the leaders call each other when they meet. Obviously titles are an issue since they imply recognition of some sort. One news reporter joked they should call each other by English titles since it doesn't mean anything official in Chinese.

Needless to say, Taiwan's Pan-Green Coalition, who lean towards the goal of getting official recognition of an independent Taiwan, isn't very happy about the developments and have been protesting in various ways. As a result, Kuomingtang, the party that supports this meeting, have tried their best to ensure the meeting does not get derailed by Pan-Green protests, and have bought road rights up to Yuanshan Grand Hotel, to prevent protests along that route. However, they seemed to have forgotten to buy road rights for the road down from Yuanshan Grand Hotel (Yuanshan Grand Hotel sits on a hill, and apparently going up and down are different roads). As a result, Pan-Green supporters have lined themselves up along the way, and the coalition even claims to give a monetary award to anyone who is able to hit Chairman Chen in the face with an egg...

Civil disobedience is so much more interesting than just using brute force to get what you want, as people constantly have to figure out ways to play the system to get their message heard, to get meetings to happen, or to stand on higher moral ground.