Political Backlash – The AhBien Story

As many people, even those who may not know about Taiwan, are aware President Chen Shui-Bian (ahBien) was arrested at the end of his second presidential term. In Taiwan, the source of information or updates on these proceedings has only been the politically controlled media. These media sources have been reporting rumor and third fourth and fifth hand information presented as facts. The inaccuracies have spread so far as to hinder prosecution attempts at information gathering by following hearsay from media sources.

There have been some global calls for accountability in the accuracy and humanity of the handling of this case. In some small response to this pressure recently there was a NYU University dialogue focusing on the trial of Chen Shui-bian. Thank you to NYU for opening this dialogue and posting it on YouTube. It is a long drawn out recap of the conclusions of the AhBien investigation without actually covering the conclusions of the investigation made superficial by the Taiwanese cultural need to save face. However, some very useful information can be gathered from the dialog and its well worth your time to watch considering I don’t have the time to respond to 1/12th of the issues raised here. I have linked the video below.

My Favorite Quotes

Video 1 approx: 1:05:45 Wang Jaw-Perng 國立台灣大學

“The trial of Chens case was independent, although I believe the judge was very bias and Chen did not get a fair trail.”

Video 1 approx:00:33:10 Nigel Li, Esq. 理律法律事務所

“Actually judicial independence or another notion, which is highly related in this case that is another constitutional principle… assumption of innocence. These two basic principles are also novel ideals to the legal culture of the young democracy in Taiwan….”

The trail of ahBien leaves one shrouded in mystery, specifically “What are the facts in the case?”. Unfortunately details of any evidence against ahBien do not come out in this dialogue, however there was an uncontested comment that all evidence against ahBien for extortion and money laundering is circumstantial. In Taiwan acceptance of evidence is the decision of the 3 judge panel, and they can decide if hearsay is admissible.  The additional fact that the maximum time any detainee can be held incommunicado is 2 months with the possibility of a single 2 month extension seems to ignore the fact that ahBien has been held from 2008 until now (2010/06/17). However as we know on the ground, as the time for this deadline draws nearer additional charges are brought against ahBien effectively resetting this 4 month limit. You may also find it interesting that the detention holding cell is 2.5 square meters, and a single 30 min exclusion from this cell is permitted daily. Another important fact of this case is better summed up by another quote from this video.

Video 1 approx: 1:04:30 Wang Jaw-Perng

“Judge B [the judge] was very active and very inquisitorial sometimes he was more aggressive than prosecutors in conducting the trial. In several occasions we can see this judge b [the judge] interrogated the defense witnesses for up to two hours”… “I think he did a good job for the prosecutors, this judge b [the judge] also a lot of times on many occasions he yelled at defense lawyers and yell at defendants he even sometimes mocked defense lawyers and defendants. So to protest the unfairness of judges and judiciary Chen [ahBien] dismissed all of his three defense lawyers and had several hunger strikes in the detention house.”

What happened to ahBien? A man who was able to win presidential election for two terms. A man who was considered a man of the people. Where are the people of his political campaign, his supporters and party? A man, who, as the dust is settling, only has two charges against him (the others have been dropped) and both are by circumstantial evidence. A man who was sentenced to life in prison, although that sentence has now been reduced to 20 years it is still a sentence far beyond any remedy found in the Taiwan legal code. A man who one month was the most powerful man in Taiwan and the next month was locked in a cell smaller than most bathrooms. Well for that answer we need to go to his people and ask.

In my conversations with party members I have attempted to find the source of this lack of support for ahBien. Initially I had began to suspect that many people had started to believe the media propaganda, and while this is true it is not so much the case with his party members. After the fall of ahBien a widespread ‘anti-corruption’ movement plagued Taiwan. Many people in office including several mayors found themselves under investigation and even incarcerated in the suspicion of mismanagement of slush funds. Interestingly enough, some of the accusations spread to those of the KMT party, but not one KMT political leader has been successfully prosecuted. In addition many ahBien supporters were drawn into the charges associated with those currently beimg held against Chen Sui-Bian. “Now is not the climate to be an ahBien supporter” said one party member and he is not the only one to express this sentiment. Many people however have expressed frustration and even anger at ahBien. One persons comments seemed to incorporate many other comments I have heard. “Chen Shui Bien had everything. We gave him 8 years to make changes to Taiwan. We supported him with large amounts of money. He was told the first thing that he should do is kill [not literally] the opposition. But now we find out he [ahBien] has enough money, and did not use that to support the party[DPP]. He was supposed to make Taiwan more better, but what has he done? He didn’t change the legal system, he didn’t use the chance to remove the opposition, he didn’t do anything that was needed. He deserves what he gets.” While the person went on to clarify that ahBien didn’t truly deserve everything that has happened, that person is unwilling to give ahBien any more support.

Unfortunately, it seems that the backlash of Chen Shui-Bians lack of monetary accountability and desire to leave the past behind when he stepped into office has given him a very harsh lesson in reality. Although, I would hope that in the spirit of human rights and concern for the legal system more Taiwanese would support not ahBien, but the legal decisions applicable to his case that have further reaching party implications in the future.

Part 1

Part 2

ss

A Historical Look on the Foreign View of Taiwan

I was just amazed with an article I read published by Time Magazine on Monday, Sep. 11, 1950. I think for historical reference alone it is an interesting read. I will not inject my opinions, but some interesting observations were made that play a large role in current issues today.

Formosa, an island about 100 miles off the South China coast, is slightly larger than Maryland. Two-thirds of Formosa is covered with tropical forest—banyans, Japanese cedars, teak, black ebony and most of the world’s camphor trees.

The island’s backbone is formed by two north-south mountain ranges which thrust up 16 peaks of 10,000 feet or more. On the east coast, the mountains become sheer rock walls, dropping 1,500 to 7,000 feet into the sea. On the west they fall away in successive terraces down to a wide coastal plain, thereby giving the island its Chinese name: Taiwan (Terraced Bay).

The climate and fertile soil combine to produce vast quantities of rice, tea, sugar and fruit, including the round, yellow-fleshed watermelons which Formosans like to eat chilled in vinegar. In their paddy fields many Formosans grow two crops of rice each year, follow up with a third crop of turnips or cabbages.

Snakes & Pirates. The Portuguese, who first sighted the island in 1590, were so entranced by its vistas of purple mountains rising out of lush, green lowlands that they named it Ilka Formosa (Beautiful Isle). But the Beautiful Isle has its shortcomings. In August and September it is whipped by destructive typhoons. It averages 330 earthquakes a year. Formosa also boasts twelve varieties of poisonous snakes, including the “hundred pace snake.” (The legend: the victim walks 100 paces and falls dead.)

The Dutch and the Spaniards arrived in Formosa in the 1620s. They fought the head-hunting Formosan aborigines and each other. In 1644 the Dutch captured the Spanish stronghold of La Santissima Trinidad at Keelung, but their victory was short-lived. Formosa was being inundated with South Chinese fleeing before the Manchu invaders of China. In 1661 one refugee, the pirate Koxinga, turned up at Formosa with a fleet and an army of 25,000 men, overwhelmed Formosa’s small Dutch garrison and proclaimed himself king of the island. Though he ruled for only a year before his death, Koxinga is still Formosans’ greatest hero.

Wasps & Head-Hunters. Until Koxinga’s time, Formosa had been bedeviled by Japanese pirates. Formosans still maintain that the Chinese residents of Kaohsiung beat off one Japanese attack in the 16th Century by setting afloat a host of bamboo tubes filled with live wasps. The curious pirates opened the tubes, were so badly stung that the Chinese captured the whole invading force.

In 1683 Formosa became a part of the Chinese Empire. Chinese settlers wrested control of the best land from the aborigines. This land steal aroused in the aborigines a hatred so implacable that even after World War I a traveler reported of the headhunters: “Mongolian [Chinese] heads are preferred, though those of other tribesmen, of domesticated natives or of Japanese are esteemed.”

During their 212 years under the Chinese Empire, Formosans of Chinese blood became different from mainland Chinese, much as colonial Americans developed a different type from their British stock. In appearance Formosans still resemble their South Chinese ancestors—short, dark, well-muscled people with broad faces and flat noses. Most Formosans still live in the straw-thatched huts which are the homes of South China’s peasants or in the two-story brick houses which are the homes of South China’s gentry. Formosans speak a Fukienese dialect, and few can talk to mainland Chinese without an interpreter.

Crows & Bombing Planes. In 1895, after its defeat in the Sino-Japanese War, China was forced to cede Formosa to Japan. Admiral Viscount Kabayama, appointed Japan’s first governor general, sailed down to Formosa in triumph, released from his flagship as a sign of victory a pair of crows. Their descendants still make Formosan daybreaks raucous.

The Formosan Chinese proclaimed a “Republic of Formosa” which the Japanese defeated in three weeks. The aborigines were harder to handle. To isolate the aborigines up in the mountains, the Japanese built what they called the Savage Guard Line, 360 miles of barbed wire fence, 230 miles of which were electrified in the 1920s. Along the Guard Line the Japanese maintained a force of 5,000 men who, as late as 1930, were besieging the aborigines with field guns, land mines and bombing planes.

Japanese rule in Formosa was a model of colonial exploitation. They developed an irrigation system so that water falling during the rainy season could be stored for use in dry periods, extended it to cover two-thirds of Formosa’s arable land. Under Japanese guidance, Formosa’s annual rice crop was doubled, and cultivation of sugar cane increased so greatly that in the years before World War II the Japanese Empire stood fourth among the world’s sugar-producing nations.

The Japanese also turned Formosa’s fragrant Oolong tea into a big-money crop, but here their customary sense of order and cleanliness deserted them. Of the girls employed in the tea-sorting godowns a Yankee traveler in 1922 complained: “Some of these tea-sorters are as much addicted to maternity as the cigarette-makers of Seville, and not a few carry young bead-eyed Mongolians slung in wide black bands over one hip. These pigtailed little toddlers do not always heighten one’s relish for the finished tea, as the big piles of leaves ready for sorting and perfuming are oftentimes their playgrounds, and through and over them they tumble and waddle with infantile disregard for consequences.”

Ports & Power. The Japanese were ready to spend money in order to make money. They gave Taipei, Formosa’s capital, a government building which would do credit to most British colonies, developed deepwater ports at Keelung and Kaohsiung. Throughout the island Japanese engineers built 2,463 miles of railway, 11,300 miles of good road. They harnessed Formosa’s short, swift-flowing rivers, built a large 300,000-kilowatt hydroelectric power station at Jihyuehu (Sun-Moon Lake). For other power sources, they worked Formosa’s coal deposits, believed to total 400 million metric tons, and exploited her oil, refining it at the rate of 5,000 gallons of gasoline a day.

Everywhere the Japanese scattered sugar mills, pineapple canneries and factories to produce textiles, chemicals, paper and industrial alcohol. At Kaohsiung and Hualien they built plants which produced about 10% of the Japanese Empire’s alumina and aluminum. By the beginning of World War II, Formosa was exporting more than Turkey or Yugoslavia, returning a yearly net profit of $100 million to Japanese investors and the Japanese government, had an export balance in trade with both China and Japan.

Gold Teeth & Electric Lights. Fifty years under Japan’s wing has given Formosans attitudes and habits rare on China’s mainland. Nearly every Formosan sports one or two gold teeth, the badge of Japanese health-consciousness. About 10% of Formosans are industrial or communications workers. Even the 71% of Formosans who are agricultural workers have electric lights in their huts, a luxury possessed by no other Asian peasants except the Japanese.

World War II shattered Formosan’s secure and, by Oriental standards, abundant life. U.S. bombers hit all of the island’s 42 sugar mills, put almost all of the rest of its industry out of commission. The bombers won the U.S. great face in Formosa by leaving the Japanese quarter of Taipei in rubble, damaging the Formosan section of town far less.

Wreckage & Reconstruction. At war’s end Formosa was placed under Chinese control with the understanding that China would get final possession of the island when the war with Japan was officially ended. (No peace treaty with Japan has been signed.) Formosans, stumbling about in the wreckage of their economy, found themselves in the hands of a despotic and inefficient Chinese governor, Chen Yi. After he had provoked a brief, bloody rebellion Chen Yi was removed. As the faltering Nationalist government fled from South China, Formosa became the refuge of nearly 2,000,000 mainland Chinese. Formosans complained bitterly that the rapacious Nationalist refugees acted like conquerors who did not expect to stay long.

In the last two years Formosans have grown more contented. Nationalist authorities have done a good job of economic reconstruction. Formosa’s overall production this year will be up to 75% of what it was in good prewar years. Formosan tenant farmers, who under the Japanese paid as much as 70% of their crops in rent, now pay only 37% to the landlord. Formosans have also been mollified by the improved morale of 500,000 Nationalist troops largely trained by V.M.I.-educated General Sun Li-jen.

Formosa’s 160,000 remaining aborigines are happier, too. They do little work. Some of them sublimate their head-hunting desires by taking monkey skulls; others make a play for the tourist trade with performances of native dances. And now that the harsh days of the Japanese Guard Line are gone, the aborigines are free to wander down to Taipei for an occasional glimpse of civilization.

Computex – An International Trade-Show???

Welcome again to Taiwans’ premier international event. Computex, is a IT hardware trade show hosted in Taipei. Taitra, the show organizer, has failed miserably this year to host to any non-Chinese speaking person. In fact, what is the point of hosting a show with the build-up, marketing effort and substantial government investment if it does not draw additional business from abroad? In my visit this year, I spent little time looking at companies that hold my interest and focused a touch more on the attendees and people at the show. I talked with people from the Japan, Greece, Columbia, US and countries undisclosed. But I am getting a little ahead of why I decided to write this story, and will start at the beginning.

Getting There

I started my journey near the HP building, making Halls 1 and 3 equally distant. Deciding that I didn’t want to wait in line for registration in Hall 1, i headed to Hall 3. At the first door I arrived, I walked past the local security and went straight to the lady with the Taitra badge. “Excuse me, where is the main entrance?” I asked. “Uhmmm…” shaking her head in confusion (i.e. not understanding English) she invites over the security guard. “What do you want?” asked the security guard. “Where is the main entrance?” I asked again. “What?” replied the security guard. “Where is the front door?, Where can I get in? Where is registration?” I asked multiple questions hoping one of these would hit an English speaking neuron. “Ahhh, take a right and right.” the guard replied. Basically this response did not answer my question, but rather than speak Chinese or spend another 5 minutes, I walked around the corner to the right and assuming the next door was the next right, I proceeded to the next entrance.

At this door (significantly bigger) there was one security guard and two Taitra employees. I approached the one on the left of the entrance. Before I could get near, the employee on the right said “No you cant come in” as he pointed at me. This 60 kilo 18 year old youth was speaking very rudely to me, in a raised voice and pointing at me all with refined enough English that I could only assume he knew the words and tone he was using. I raised my tone to match his, pointed and said “Don’t you point at me.” at the same time I turned to my initial target and asked “Where is the registration?”. The focus of my question answered “You need to go right.” as he pointed along the face of the building. I turned and walked on.

Registration

Finally, at the 3rd door I approached, after having a vague recollection of registering before at this door years past and noticing the much large size of the entry area I knew I had at last come to where I could enter. A sign at the entrance indicated that I must prepare two business cards, and a queue presented itself in front of some registration computers. I proceeded to enter the queue as I noticed a Taitra employee at the beginning of the line talking with 2 Taiwanese. I attempted to squeeze past them to enter the queue, and the Taitra employee said “No you can go past.”. I asked him “What is the trouble here?”. “You have to give me your business card” he responded curtly. As I look at the line there was nothing to indicate what we were supposed to do with these two cards, but rather than cause issue I reached into my wallet and gave him the card. He held it in his hand and went back to harassing the other two people in front of the queue. I asked “So do I get my card back?”. He responded “No, I keep it.”. I entered the queue and politely let the two people he was harassing go ahead of me once they finally finished with the Taitra employee.

Standing in the queue, it was very apparent that the registration process takes about 4-5 minutes per person and there were only 5 computers available. Meaning that one person per minute could be handled, luckily not many people were registering here and I only spent about 10 minutes waiting. However, I could only think how lucky I must have been considering the show typically draws around 120,000 people. I proceed to the registration computer and answer more questions than I truly wanted to answer, with no consideration or statement on the privacy of my information. Once I entered my information the computer pointed me to the left to get my badge. I approached the person dispersing the badges who said “Give me your name card”. At this point I had about enough of the Taiwanese attitude and casual ignorance of politeness that they demand of other people but so rarely give out. “I have worked with Taitra for a long time, is this how they are now teaching people to deal with show attendees? Basically the question is ‘Please give me your business card’, not ‘Give me your business card’ one is rude and the other is not.” I said without giving the person a chance between breaths. “I did ask please.” she said. Feeling a little guilty to put all my annoyances so far on her lap I responded “I am sorry, you must have said please very quietly, I have had a couple other not so pleasant conversations with Taitra employees so far.”. Not feeling good about letting the lie slip, but ready to get on with my day I entered the show.

Environment

With most trade shows there is a certain dignity involved with the set up of a booth. It represents tens of thousands of dollars of investment in most cases and a significant amount of set up time working with show organizers, contractors for booth preparation, printers for materials and advertising, approval from the host, selection of the lot and so much more. Many booths in this were a ragtag collection of booths containing the equivalent of cardboard boxes and a Lemonade for Sale sign. In 3/5 booths that I visited not a single person could speak English. In 5/7 booths there was not a person present who could answer questions about major products in their display. While all announcements may not have been in English, every one that I heard was in Chinese. I walked by and the typical events were present. Companies were engaging the audience and trying to increase brand recognition by getting the audience to chant their name,or answer questions in return for prizes. The problem is, it was all in Chinese. In addition, the exhibition halls are now split between Nangang and Taipei city (a 30 minute bus commute). For many people, a trade show is as much a chance to meet with distributors, partners and clients as much as to attend the event. Subtracting a minimal 1 hour a day from a persons ability to engage in business or browsing vendors is another major cut to the exposure a trade show can provide.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that large government investments do not fiscally make sense if your targeting a trade show to the local market. When your trade show can positively impact the GDP by drawing foreign investment you then have a reason to ask for other large buildings to be built for your exhibitions, and not supporting the international community does not help. <cough cough – that was aimed at Taitra> Providing poor language support, printing newspapers with 5 articles in English and 10 in Chinese, rude staff, low booth standards for appearance and service and large distances between events are all indicators of failure. If for some reason you are reading this and are considering an appearance at next years event…. stay home, you will be just as, if not more productive contacting these companies via e-mail.

A Pot, a Kettle and the Color Black

Thank you very much MOFA for what a complete outsider to the politics of this situation calls “The pot calling the kettle black”. I have seen very few statements from a countries diplomatic corp so arrogant and so reflective of the true thinking of the current regime as this statement.

Source: This is a press release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on the MOFA website.

Statement regarding the Incident of South Korean Warship “The Cheonon”

The Cheonon, a South Korean warship, was sunk by an explosion on March 26, 2010, approximately one nautical mile off the south-west coast of Baengnyeong Island in the Yellow Sea. A joint investigation by the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, Sweden and the Republic of Korea reached the conclusion that the battleship was scuttled by a North Korean torpedo. This event has seriously affected the peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region, rising tensions in the area.
As a responsible nation in East Asia, the Republic of China (Taiwan) highly concerns over the situation and condemns any violent or provocative act that undermines regional peace and stability.
Taiwan supports the efforts of the Republic of Korea, the United States, Japan and other countries in their endeavour to reduce existing tension and to restore regional stability through the United Nations. The government of Taiwan is willing to cooperate with the international community to adopt appropriate measures in order to prevent the conflict from escalating, with the ultimate goal of safeguarding regional peace, stability and prosperity.（E）

This statement “As a responsible nation in East Asia, the Republic of China (Taiwan) highly concerns over the situation and condemns any violent or provocative act that undermines regional peace and stability.”coming from the country best described as the ‘flash point’ of Asia for the past several decades does nothing but grate me the wrong way. Looking past the ‘responsible nation’ statement lets take a look at the form used. Taiwan (ROC) is not a Republic of China (Taiwan), anyone in any capacity in the dip. corps. that knows of Taiwan knows this. Secondly, the international press release in English is not even a proper sentence. Taiwan(on what grounds) condemns a provocative act (on the grounds of the fictional nation they name?). Now, to the real abuser, ‘provocative act that undermines regional peace and stability’. How does a nation well known for pissing on the boot of China, think that this is anything but shit-talk?

Did the main editor for China Post draft this press release by chance, or have the new executives from Beijing finally decided to flex their muscles and give Ma penis breath as he took notes to give to MOFA?

The Foreign Effect – A look into the criminal mind

Lets face it, Foreigners are criminals in Taiwan. Weather you have actually committed a crime or not. Being a foreigner is one of the most heinous reprehensible actions you can commit to some people. Last night as a friend and I were talking in the car a woman walked by our vehicle. Just to give you a little background, we were two foreign males and the building is a high-end secure building (where my friend happens to live) with a security guard inside and rfid entry badges. We were parked in a vehicle just outside the entrance as I was dropping him off. The female Taiwanese had a laptop in one hand, and a bag in her other. As she approached a look of fear entered her face (not too uncommon unfortunately) and she skirted as close to the building as possible. She fumbled with her keys so quickly and in such distress that her hair dongle (yeah I’m not a girl, but the rubbery thing that wraps around a girls hair to secure it) fell out. She didn’t even bother to pick it up and ran in the building, too bad she didn’t leave the laptop also I guess. If we could only apply the Vietnamese custom of taking a bride from the home of her family and running away while dropping large amounts of cash behind you until you escape, and replace the bride taking with keeping the foreigner away then this would really work in my benefit.

Typically I find that if a foreign male is on the street, and there is nobody else in sight, a Taiwanese female will walk to the other side of the road to avoid walking by them. I have had couples, elderly men and women and even teenagers avoid walking by me by turning completely around, walking 1-2 blocks out of their way to avoid me, or upon realizing there is no good alternative simply getting as far away as they can. I have been patted down for a gun search in Taiwan before (and no not by police, but by a business-security before entry into their business), had public doors closed in my face (while they were still serving Taiwanese) and a multitude of not so cool accusations placed on me for no apparent reason. Now lets get down to character, I am (99% of the time) clean shaven, well groomed and dressed in name-brand clothing or a suit. I don’t drink, hold corporate positions  around the director level and am not generally considered to look ugly or like a gangster. And most importantly I am not black (as black people here have an even harder time with this).  Now the question I have is, where is all of this history of abusive foreigners? What is the per-capita ratio of foreigner rapes in Taiwan? What is the % of foreigners arrested of violent crimes (in which they were the propagator)? Why, when there is new graffiti in the area, does rumor spread that it was a group of  ‘foreign kids’?

Since I have already spent 2 paragraphs on my opinion, I mine as well tell you my theory in work. In this male dominant prejudice society that changes their history at the flip of a whim, a significant amount of know-how or learning comes from opinion based prejudices forced on others fueled by the jealousy of others and their desire to control. For example, the abusive pimp tells his ho, foreigners have a big penis and will hurt you, make sure you charge them extra or just ignore them. Or as another example, the over-domineering boyfriend tells his girlfriend, who admits she likes Brad Pitt, that all foreigners have AIDS. Whats worse is that Taiwan has this unique ability to hire people from abroad to ‘teach English’ without asking for any credentials, thus luring the trailer trash scum of other societies who cant get a job at home to come to Taiwan to teach. These dead-beats of society help reinforce some of these images in the minds of people. I am not saying all teachers are bad, but I am saying that the worst foreigners I have met are teachers here leeching off of this society.

Taiwanese seem to have 6 major prejudices depending on where they think you came from

• 1) Japanese. Basically if they think your from Japan, other than thinking your rich, they worship your feet and try to imitate your dress and look.
• 2) American. Basically if you look white at all, you are American. Continue reading my blog for the many prejudices here.
• 3) Dirt. Basically if you come from any south-east Asian country (like Philippines, Vietnam etc.) you are dirt, and should be their slave.
• 4) Chinese. Yeah well, basically they only way they will care is if they hear your accent. Either they will make a bad comment on it or befriend you.
• 5) Indian. Well, yeah you stink, cant talk in any way they want to understand, and other than that you are dirt.
• 6) Black. Either your from America or Africa. Either way they want you to keep your enormous penis and AIDS to yourself. Beyond being treated like an American there is a general disgust with your presence even on the business level.

Here’s Why Taiwan Is Destined To Submit To Beijing’s Will

Well I certainly stumbled on an interesting business blog with some politics in it. I have posted it and my response below. I would like to know your opinion on this also.  Also I was on the MOEA site trying to verify these numbers with their data, I couldn’t but I was getting data rolled into monthly views and not segmented by sector. Does anyone have the source for this data?

Taken from businessinsider.

Good news, the ongoing rift between Beijing and Taiwan — a nuisance that constantly interjects itself into international affairs — is coming to an end. Taiwan will eventually submit to Beijing’s will.

Here’s why.

Taiwan’s economic growth is growing more and more dependent on Chinese demand.

From Waverly Advisors:

More signals of stronger than anticipated demand in China over the Lunar New Year holiday arrived from Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs today. The ministry reported that total export orders increased by 36.25% Y/Y, with Critical Electronic and Communications product segments increasing by 41% Y/Y and 44% Y/Y respectively.

The impact of last year’s direct trade agreement and other economic partnerships with China leaves Taiwan with a quandary: how to balance the massive opportunity presented by trade with the mainland with Beijing’s stubborn refusal to acknowledge the ROC as an independent state –let alone accept it.  To date officials from both nations have for the most part politely sidestepped the issue in public in a process akin to family at a holiday dinner silently refusing to acknowledge underlying tensions. Inevitably it will bubble to the surface, but for now the denial is paying off handsomely for all.

More important that Taiwanese/Mainland relations this data –massive orders from Chinese purchasing managers remained in February despite the PBOC’s second reserve hike and the Holiday, supports the argument for further tightening measures by Beijing in the near term.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/taiwainess-exports-to-china-2010-3#ixzz0otiU1MNs

Here is my response  (I advise you to go to the site and look at the comments also):

There are so many issues here I am not surprised to see the comments you have received. I will attempt to summarize why i disagree with your (and Waverly Advisors) conclusion.

First, we are operating on the assumption that this spike is related to decreased tensions (fyi, MOEA is under pressure at the 2yr anniversary of Ma’s presidency to show some good and further under pressure from ECFA debates that are causing protests). While I am not accusing MOEA of altering their numbers, I am suggesting that this ‘correlation’ is unsubstantiated.

Second, we must evaluate the March spike. It is a little hard to evaluate from the records shown above but in 1st quarter in every fiscal year we have a significant spike that drops by the end of the quarter. One could also suggest that delays in orders could be affected by financial concerns in the EU and how they would be handled. Or one could suggest that with some resurgence in many markets purchasing behaviors have become more pronounced.

Third, where is this time-line coming from? No physical or verbal trade agreements, or restrictions have been placed/lifted on trade between Taiwan and China yet. The only agreement that has been made is for commercial flights between the countries. One can only assume that the ‘direct trade’ is the provision that shipping is now allowed without going through Ishigaki, which still has not affected the container costs for shipping. Is this correlation supposedly in ‘speculation’ that ECFA will be signed?

Fourth, even assuming that we could roll such a complicated issue into a chart and assume that this jump is in fact due solely to the increased relations, that does not mean that the ECFA (FTA) between China and Taiwan will be made. Currently the issue is being evaluated for referendum. If that happens historically there is a very minute chance that this will pass. Moreover, considering the poor public opinion of Ma, it is possible another party change will occur in the next election which will be based in large part to his relationship to China.

Wanting this Waverly assessment to be true or not, it is nowhere close to the open and shut case of ‘pretending’ Joe didn’t just get out of prison for fratricide last year while he eats at the family dinner table.

Drunk Driving in Taiwan

Last night I was in Tien Mu driving around with a friend. Entering the Tien Mu area (next to the baseball stadium) the was a police checkpoint. The method for controlling drunk driving in Taiwan is simple… Place a police checkpoint in moderate traffic areas, and perform the visual inspection. On occasion the question “Have you been drinking” is asked, and sometimes a simple sniff of the interior of your car is performed. Well, after answering the rigorous question “Did you have any drinks?” we passed the checkpoint and headed down Tien Mu East Road. After deciding nothing was happening there (no big surprise) we turned around and started heading towards Tien Mu West road.

On the way we passed a guy in a red Saab convertible parked in the right lane talking to a taxi driver with a beer in his hand. With my video recorder in-hand, we pulled over and waited for the red Saab to pass us. After about 10 min, the Saab turned on his lights, and proceeded to honk is horn, randomly flash his blinkers and shift from lane to lane (not as much in a drunken stupor as in just plain idiocy). We followed him to the Ox on the Roof bar, where he proceeded to park in the rightmost lane and get out of the car to go talk with people in the bar. After another 10 min pause, he proceeded to continue his lane changing horn honking charade and make a u turn, narrowly avoiding hitting another oncoming car. As we approached we noticed that a police office is his car witnessed the whole scene (as he was waiting at the light) . But did nothing. Unfortunately i paused my recording at the Ox on the Roof, and did not capture this blatant near collision in front of the officer :(.

Unfortunately foreigners have a reputation in Taiwan for being drunk lecherous people. Based on very little fact, but well known to many locals. While the fact remains that Taiwan business circles relies heavily on KTV and bar-room negotiations, most foreigners must be willing to drink in order to get business done. In psychology there is a term called projection (Freudian Projection), which I think fairly accurately describes the mentality involved whenever there are unwanted associations with ones self or culture and placing them on another. There is a drinking problem in Taiwan, and there is a drinking and driving problem in Taiwan. I would even suggest (without proof) this is a bigger problem than in other countries, and exacerbated by the ineffective measures in place to deal with it. I will not say I have not met ‘drunkards’ who are foreigners, nor will I say I haven’t been falling down drunk in Taiwan before. But it does not benefit Taiwanese to continue this myth when it only proves ignorance and does not deal with the issues at home.

(This is a placeholder for video as soon as i can resolve my conversion issue)

A foreign womans perspective to dating in Taiwan

I was a little bit shocked to see an article that recapped many things I think about dating in Taiwan, but blogged by a female. You can see and respond to the original post here http://www.therealtaiwan.com. The original artical has been defiled by my musings, but I was nice enough to do a color seperation.

Dating in Taiwan: A Foreign Woman’s Perspective

By Bee • January 25, 2010

Somewhere in the fictional version of New York City, Samantha Jones and Carrie Bradshaw are shedding tears for me. After 9 months of living in Taipei, I’ve just about given up on men in Asia. I have years and years of sadness piled up before you… but I’m sure Carry and Samantha do not endear as warmly to the male endeavor.
I’m not converting to lesbianism by any means, but I suppose I’ve abandoned the idea that I will meet anyone worthwhile during my stint in Asia.
In case you haven’t already figured it out, foreign women get the short end of the dating stick over here. We are hands down, the least sexually satisfied demographic in Asia.
I did an unscientific poll and asked female foreigners living in Taipei, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Seoul what their dating and sex life is like and almost all of them gave me the same answer- it’s non-existent. They all agree that celibacy and singledom is a begrudgingly accepted part of life.
I won’t bother getting into how easy it is for any male ex-pat to find a girlfriend and/or f&ck buddy. We’re all aware of this fact and have certainly seen mismatched couples consisting of bombshell local chicks with ‘bottom of the barrel-esque’ foreign guys. Now speaking as the local troll, I have seen the mismatched expat with the bombshell and wondered…. Whats a guy gotta do? Guys may be a little more flexible on accepting that fu ck buddy, but I will tell you the non-drinking strictly ballroom dance kind of guy does not seem to have a chance here? I refuse to play the ‘my benz is bigger than yours’ game, and that don’t leave a person with much here.
If I sound bitter, I’m not. I am 🙂
I’ve had more than my fair share of mock-relationships with both locals and foreigners. Hell, I even had a short-term fling with a Taiwanese celebrity. Trust me, I’ve seen the broad spectrum of men Taipei has to offer.
But, if you want to know why female ex-pat’s have a tough time finding a boyfriend or decent fling the answer is simple: we are the unwanted demographic.
Unwanted.
I don’t have a bloated sense of entitlement nor do I have unrealistic expectations when it comes to men. If I could find a Don Draper + Daniel Henney + Johnny Depp mix of a man I’d probably spontaneously combust from the endorphins alone but, I know that’s never going to happen. And in Taipei? Hell. F&cking. No.
The simple fact remains that both locals and foreign guys have no interest in dating us. Now this is the interesting part, I know many locals that want to date you, but its more the ‘I want to have sex with a westerner’ experimentation than really wanting a relationship.
Let’s start with locals:
‘Unwanted-ness’ is a two-way street especially with this group. Here’s my justification for that statement:
1) Physical attraction to locals for me- dwindles at a very, very low percentage. Puffy hair, shiny marshmallow jackets, skinny jeans and flip flops in the winter don’t exactly get my panties soaking. Maybe local men are an acquired taste, like betelnut? I find both revolting but, that’s just me… And thats what keeps me straight.
2) The language barrier is a huge strike, because in case you didn’t already know- women love talking. Decent communication can be shirked initially, however the minimal scope of topics can get old, real quick. Interestingly enough, speaking excellent Chinese does not resolve this problem for men, and Taiwanese girls are frequently the “I wanna do what you wanna do” nightmare right out the movie “Coming to America”.
3) Local guys are very shy compared to foreigners. You can’t come on too strong nor can you wait around for them to make the first move. Rock and a hard place, anyone? Being shy was cute in high school. It isn’t anymore. I think you should read my in depth experiments on attempting to get eye contact, let alone a conversation with a local.
4) How many local guys do you know who would be open-minded about dating a foreigner? I wouldn’t imagine very many and if they exist, they must be hiding under a bridge somewhere.
Suffice to say, a foreign woman dating a local man probably won’t end up working out. Unfortunately I have to agree, the chances are rare… If you looking for a buddy, you do have a few Taiwanese trolls under the bridge i promise… but its a conquest fu.k and nothing else.
So now, let’s move onto the foreign men:
We aren’t considered desirable because for most guys it’s a ‘been there, done that’ type of attitude. Actually if you want to know the truth, for myself there is the over domineering self entitled girls from home that lost their appeal to me. I don’t like to drink and club and that’s the bottom line. Not to say I am not attracted, but whenever I get to the nod hello point with a western girl i normally get the… i want the skinny gay jap pop guy with fake glasses behind you look.
1) Male ex-pats come to Asia to experience the culture and more importantly to become acquainted with the local chicks. For many of them this is their first taste of Asian women. Why would they bother with a native speaker? They can go back home in a year or two and find plenty of girls like us over there. Hmmm, what some of us wouldn’t give to have an in depth conversation fully of corny humor and sexual innuendo and all of the things that make conversation good an wholesome. Some of us aren’t going back home in a year or two.
2) The language barrier works in their favor. Most foreigners know they don’t have to ‘really’ be serious about this girl because it can’t go anywhere. It’s a fling and breaking up with a girl because of communication issues is one of the best and most legitimate excuses a guy can have in Asia. Really? Really Really? Us guys up here have a saying. Be careful of the toothbrush. Once a Taiwanese girl gets her toothbrush in your house, its all over. There is no getting rid of her because the next day the hair dryer will be there. And Taiwanese woman typically don’t go postal and yell and incite a fight, there is no way to get rid of them, even if you think its not working out. A foreign guy will want us is if he’s been in Asia for a while and MISSES having a decent, witty and smart conversation. Lool you hit the nail on the head.
3) Local women will let foreign guys treat them like crap without consequence and stick around. Many foreign guys I’ve spoken to admit that they know they can get away with murder when it comes to locals. As much as the guys crave the ‘Asian’ experience in Taiwan, these women crave the ‘Western’ experience and will put up with Johnny American being a jerkoff, just because his blonde hair and blue eyes are just so darn cute. Foreign women have a lower tolerance when it comes to bullshit and guys are well aware of this. Sticking to the local demographic bodes well for the Western player. Can you introduce me to some of these ‘guys’ cause homeslice needs some lessons. I so completely disagree with this, I am not saying it doesn’t happen. But the couples that I do know, the foreign guy is normally 10times as patient its very rare I see the Johnny American, unless they are on the goober “i cant get any other job in the US but teaching in Taiwan so lets park the trailer go fck the Asian” package. (Unfortunately I have met a few of those and they really need beat because they help propagate anti-foreigner sentiment).
4) A lot of male expats come to Asia because they can’t score with chicks back home. Physically inferior and socially inept in the West can equate to Brad Pitt-likeness in the eyes of a local. If we didn’t want you back home, we won’t want you over here. Nuh uhh you did not just go there girl?!? If your looking for the greek god, go back to Cali and do a 1 in 5 tummy tuck guy with the almond tan and great ass and get a divorce in a year when he finds the next tootsie roll girl, I mean go on… live that American dream.
As you can see, the odds are simply not in our favor. We have more things working against us than for us. Yes, I knew coming to Asia would mean a significant downturn in my dating life. I’m simply making generalizations related to the difficulties most foreign women face while living here.
If all I wanted were just a bang, it wouldn’t be very hard. But, it’s not about sex or a lack thereof. I just want someone whose company I can enjoy during my time here.
If it goes somewhere, great.
If it doesn’t, that’s fine too.

You might not agree with the points I made, but unless you’re a female in my situation then you really wouldn’t understand. I’m always hoping that I’ll meet a guy who will break the stereotypes I listed above. I refuse to remain jaded and cynical. I want to enjoy my time here in Taipei and share it with someone.
Maybe I just need to morph into a local. Do I slap on some fake lashes, rock a pair of shiny tights and carry a purse with sequins in order for a decent guy to want to take me out on a date?
Say it ain’t so cause, I really hate neon clothing. I know you think its just a girl thing. If I want to go to lava and dance to Taiwanese gangsta rappers, or get drunk at the KTVs sure it will happen. But don’t let yourself go down there its just as bad as the California scenario above.

Anyway, I really appreciated this article because it indicates to me that its not only a guys problem, but a expat problem in general. Some interesting facts, the average Taiwanese couple have sex about one time a month. Taiwan’s population is decreasing steadily and the gay and lesbian communities are thriving. Prostitution in Taiwan is among the most expensive countries in the world and they are talking about making it legal again. All of these things paint a poor long term portrait for the sustainability of Taiwan. Sometimes I wonder, if procreation continues at this rate, is it really necessary for people like me to spend so much time working on the foreigner image?

Treatment of Filipinos in Taiwan

I love how good news stories reported by less corrupt sources dissipate over time. I am sorry for pasting the text, but its useful.

It is a long held practice of Taiwanese to bring workers from the Philippines to Taiwan for sex slaves/prostitutes, illegal factory workers and health care providers. It is COMMON PRACTICE, that when the worker (normally, but not always illegally staying in Taiwan) arrives, their sponsor (i.e. the person paying for their work) takes the passport of the person (“slave”) for ‘safe-keeping’. This ensures that the person cannot leave the country without the permission of the sponsor. These sponsors then use the passport to leverage the work out of the Pinoy person that they think should be done.

I am not saying that these problems do not happen in other countries, but what I am saying is that I havent yet met a Filipino working here who has their own passport. Only the most egregious acts make it into the newspaper, and even many Filipinos know this problem before coming, they still come due to poor economic conditions at home. I would like to point you to the following article and the possibly stiff penalty to the employer “Should the employer’s liability be proven, he will be blacklisted and will no longer be able to hire Filipino workers”.

Pinoy worker in Taiwan dies in fall accident

The Philippine diplomatic post in Taiwan has confirmed an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) there died after falling off a tree, but his remains have yet to be repatriated almost three weeks after his death.

In an interview with GMANews.TV, the Labor Affairs office of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office’s (MECO) Kaohsiung Extension Office said Francisco Galang, a 30-year-old caretaker from Quezon province, was killed on March 26 after falling off a coconut tree.

Welfare officer Rossane Catapang, however, told GMANews.TV that the victim’s remains are still in a morgue in Taiwan pending investigation results and the issuance of a special power of attorney by Galang’s wife to repatriate his body.

GMANews.TV earlier received an e-mail from another OFW in Taiwan, who lamented that Galang’s case has not been properly addressed as his remains have yet to be sent to the victim’s family here in the Philippines.

Arsenio Chua of the Assistance to Nationals (ATN) section of the MECO in Kaohsiung confirmed that Galang entered Taiwan as a caretaker for a Taiwanese man, but was reported to have been instead assigned to another task by his employer, which was to climb trees to gather coconuts.

“Local police authorities are still investigating the case, as the employer initially reported that Galang died in a bicycle accident,” Chua told GMANews.TV.

Catapang identified the employer as Chiu Chin Lung, an elderly Taiwanese who privately contracted Galang’s services.

According to Catapang, Galang was on his third contract as a worker in Taiwan and on his eighth month as a caretaker for his current employer when he died.

She added she cannot confirm when the results of the investigation of the case will be available as it is being handled by local authorities

“Should the employer’s liability be proven, he will be blacklisted and will no longer be able to hire Filipino workers. We have also suspended his recruitment agencies in the Philippines and Taiwan,” Catapang said.

GMANews.TV tried to get in touch with the owner of DCH International Manpower Services Inc., Galang’s recruitment agency in the Philippines, identified as Edita Lalu but was told she is in Taiwan.

Catapang gave the assurance that the ATN has been arranging the documentary requirements for the repatriation of Galang’s remains, and that his family will receive assistance from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

Galang’s body is currently in Pingtung County Morgue, according to Catapang. He left behind a wife and a four-year-old child.

JERRIE M. ABELLA, GMANews.TV
04/14/2010 | 07:49 PM

Anti-foreigner sentiment

There are so many inaccuracies and prejudices in Taiwan against foreigners that it can make your head spin.

The next time you are driving around Taipei and you see some graffiti, litter or damage to public property… be warned, as you are on the suspect list if you are a foreigner. Here are a couple of interesting excersizes that come from real life examples in the past. Overheard conversations and second hand conversations can prove that many people believe these kinds of petty crimes are caused by foreigners.

Here are some interesting observations that i have found. If you have time to spare:

1) The Litter Bug. Casually find a 7-11 or coffee shop with tables outside. Look for a table with litter on the ground around it or on the table next to you. Cleanly set out some items on the table you are sitting and relax (this does not work as well if you are dressed in business attire). Watch the reactions of people as they walk by you. You will find that approximately 1 in 9 will notice the trash and you. Watch the eyes closely, as they travel between you and the litter in question. However, it is also important to note that less than 1% will actually confrom you on this issue. If you want to double blind this observation find a Taiwanese friend and have them call another friend (Taiwanese) to meet them at a location that will require them to pass you en-route to their destination. Have your friend ask their friend (who shouldnt know you) if they noticed the foregner at the other table. Do not mention the trash in this gentle probing and see what responses are generated.

2) The unwanted foreigner. This is best accomplished by being a male around the age 25-35, any non-asian race does not seem to be an issue. 1) Find a medium to high traffic location. Place yourself in a position where you are near the middle (the intersection where people are walking one direct on one side of you and another direction on the other side) 2) Look directly in the face of oncoming travelers and smile a friendly smile (practice that smile first and get the opinion of friends). Count the number of people who walk by you, and count the number of people who give you direct eye contact. 3) Repeat steps 1 and 2 using a Taiwanese local.

3) The rich fool. This is best accomplished by being male and having a male Taiwanese friend. 1) Go into a real estate agency and look at houses. Find a house on the market that is interesting and get a general price for it. Go to view the property if necessary. 2) some time later, have your Taiwanese friend investigate the same location and compare the price quote you have received and he has received.

Zain Dean – Guilty until proven innocent

If you know anything about anything in Taiwan in the past month… news images and repeated video coverage of the sinful foreigner who killed (or not) a person in a hit and run accident is the newest of many stories run with anti foreigner sentiment. In this lovely example we got to watch live video footage of a foreign suspect being beaten (while in police custody) by a mob of citizens at a court appearance. Needless to say little footage is shown of his significant other (who is absolutely innocent) also being beaten. There are too many sites covering the “is he guilty or not” debate, but why are we not paying attention to the way foreigners are being treated by the media, legal system and community.

In my humble opinion (or ego inflated whichever way you want to slice it), being an expat is a responsibility. It is a responsibility to help represent our nation (whichever that may be) in a foreign country. And with that should come an awareness of what is happening in the environment around us. If we are being suppressed and beaten into a corner we need to defend ourselves, and if we are exploiting others we need to stick up for the Taiwanese.

We have no support from the British Council or the AIT, as their unofficial status here is to make arms deals and issue passports. Diplomatic relations are not recognized, and honestly having met many in the diplomatic corp here, find even cases they want more involvement in – they dont have many resources in which to do it.

Education and communication are key, and beyond the warm Ni How smile is a cold core that quite frequently believes that all foreigners have Aids, or are here to fuck the women with their big penises, or are trying to threaten their jobs, or are low class laborers. Ask around and you may just be shocked by some of the assumptions Taiwanese have of foreigners.