NIEUWS

(updated July 7th 2008)

Presidential Office rebuts unification council ‘rumor’

NOT INTERESTED: The Presidential Office reiterated Ma’s pledge before the election to maintain the ‘status quo,’ emphasizing that he had not changed his policy goals

STAFF WRITER, WITH AGENCIES
Monday, Jul 07, 2008, Page 3
 

The Presidential Office dismissed a report yesterday that President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) plans to reinstate a defunct council tasked with formulating policies to promote unification with China.

The National Unification Council was set up in 1990 by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government to promote unification of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.

The council was considered largely symbolic and had been dormant since 2000, when Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) of the Democratic Progressive Party took office.

In February 2006, Chen signed documents to cancel the functions of the agency and the application of the National Unification Guidelines.

Chen defended his decision, citing Beijing’s military threat and its pledge to use non-peaceful means if necessary to prevent Taiwan from declaring formal independence.

Chen said the population of Taiwan alone could decide the nation’s future.

The Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) reported yesterday that the Ma administration was considering restoring the council to help facilitate cross-strait exchanges.

In response, Presidential Office Spokesman Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) rejected the report as a “rumor.”

“President Ma has made it clear that ‘no unification, no independence and no use of force’ is the present guideline for the mainland policy,” he said while accompanying Ma on a trip to Pingtung County.

“There has been no change. We have no plan to reinstate the council.”

During the run-up to the March 22 presidential polls, Ma repeatedly assured voters he would maintain the “status quo” across the Taiwan Strait.

 

Taiwan's Leader Outlines His Policy Toward China

By KEITH BRADSHER and EDWARD WONG
Published: June 19, 2008 NYTimes
 

TAIPEI, Taiwan — President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan called on Wednesday for a rapid expansion of economic relations between Taiwan and mainland China over the next year or two that would go far beyond the weekend charter flights and increased tourism announced last Friday.
 

Mr. Ma said he wanted broad access to the mainland market for Taiwanese financial services businesses, an end to double taxation by government agencies in Taipei and Beijing and the removal of investment restrictions.

He also called for direct sea and air cargo links across the Taiwan Strait, regularly scheduled passenger flights, the drafting of common technical standards and the creation of a system to resolve commercial disagreements.

“I think if we could continue the current talks with them to achieve economic normalization, I’m sure the feeling of a peaceful environment will continue to grow, and this is exactly what we have in mind,” Mr. Ma said in his first interview with an American news organization since taking office on May 20. He spoke for an hour at the presidential palace on Wednesday afternoon.

Mr. Ma led his Nationalist Party to a decisive victory in the March elections, prevailing over a candidate warier of closer ties with mainland China. Mr. Ma had promised to strengthen the Taiwanese economy through reconciliation.

Two other broad sets of issues will wait until his economic agenda is resolved, Mr. Ma said. These are Taiwan’s limited “international space,” in the sense that most of the outside world now recognizes Beijing instead of Taipei as the legitimate government of China, and security issues across the Taiwan Strait.

“I think that’s the order — first is economic normalization, and then international space and then the peace accord,” he said.

Economic agreements should also be easier to reach because officials in Beijing seem to have reached a consensus that they want such pacts, Mr. Ma said. No such consensus exists on the mainland regarding Taiwan’s international space or security issues, he added.

China has worked to block Taiwan from joining certain international bodies, like the World Health Organization, something Mr. Ma said he would like to reverse. In addition, only 23 countries still have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, while 171 recognize Beijing. The two sides have vied for friends with lavish offers of financial aid.

President Hu Jintao of China told a Taiwanese negotiator on Friday that he was certain that a way could be found to address this competition, Mr. Ma said, warning that he did not want to see any more allies lured away.

“The marginal utility of adding one country to that 171 list is getting less and less,” he said. “On the other hand, the 23 countries are very important to us as a source of dignity.”

Mr. Ma also repeated his demand that China remove the more than 1,000 short- and medium-range missiles that it has aimed at Taiwan. Their removal is needed before any peace talks can begin to end the legal state of hostility that has persisted since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, he said. China has threatened the use of force to achieve political reunification.

“The idea is quite simple: we don’t want to negotiate a peace agreement while our security is under the threat of missile attack,” Mr. Ma said.

Mr. Ma conducted the interview in flawless English, as befits a man who returned from his doctoral program in legal studies at Harvard in the early 1980s to become a translator and assistant for Chiang Ching-kuo, then the president. Mr. Chiang, the son of Chiang Kai-shek, helped Mr. Ma start his meteoric rise.

A senior legislator with the Democratic Progressive Party, now in opposition, said in a telephone interview on Wednesday night that Mr. Ma’s proposed economic initiatives would make Taiwan too dependent on China for economic growth.

“We’re very worried and concerned about the future,” said the legislator, Lai Ching-teh. “Ma Ying-jeou’s government is placing Taiwan’s economic future entirely upon China and is also willing to give up on Taiwan’s sovereignty.”

Mr. Lai said that in the years his party held power before Mr. Ma took office, Taiwanese leaders held discussions with China over similar economic proposals. But the talks stalled, he said, because Chinese officials were unwilling to accept the Democratic Progressive Party’s broader vision of Taiwanese sovereignty.

Given the global economic downturn, Mr. Ma was more cautious on Wednesday than he had been during his campaign about Taiwan’s economy even with closer ties to the mainland. He had promised 6 percent annual economic growth while campaigning but said in the interview that this probably would not be possible in 2008 because he had just taken office. -/ /-

 

Taiwan president cautious on China

THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2008
11:22 MECCA TIME, 8:22 GMT

Taiwan's next president has told China not to "squeeze" the country, striking a far less conciliatory tone than many believed he would after winning elections last month on a pro-Beijing platform.

Ma Ying-jeou told Al Jazeera in an exclusive interview that Taipei's relationship with Beijing was "a very complicated situation".

He warned that there were "hundreds of things to do in order to normalise our relationship".

Ruling out a meeting soon with China's leaders, he said the situation now "does not require a personal visit of people like myself".

"We shall let the lower echelon people to try to manage or solve the problems one by one," he said.

'Difficult relationship'

He did say, however, that "when the time comes we will consider whether we will have the kind of a sort of state visit but it is very difficult because of the relationship between Taiwan and the mainland is rather sensitive".



Ma Ying-jeou, Taiwan's president elect: "If they [China] still squeeze Taiwan that will certainly give encouragement to the Taiwan independence movement"

Ma supports normalising relations between Taiwan and China, including direct flights [GALLO/GETTY]

Ma, who campaigned on a platform of establishing closer economic links and signing a security pact with China, described Beijing as a threat but also an opportunity.

He urged Beijing not to "squeeze" Taiwan so that ties could improve.

"If they still squeeze Taiwan that will certainly give encouragement to the Taiwan independence movement, which they don't like very much," he said.

China has a long-standing policy of encouraging other nations to recognise Taiwan as being part of China.

Only 24 nations presently recognise Taiwan diplomatically, a quarter of these developing nations in the South Pacific.

Beijing has claimed Taiwan as its territory since nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) forces fled to the island from in 1949 following the communist victory in the civil war.

China's growing deployment of missiles along its coastline facing Taiwan - presently thought to number more than 1,000 – makes Taiwan's sovereignty a serious issue.

"As to the question of Taiwan's sovereignty, this is something that we may not be able to see the solution", said Ma, who was formerly KMT chairman and mayor of the Taiwanese capital of Taipei.

'Normal ties'

Ma reiterated his support for "normalising" Taiwan's ties with the mainland in economic, cultural and security terms.

But he ruled out the chances of Taiwan joining the mainland in a similar autonomous arrangement as Hong Kong.


China has not ruled out using its military
to reunify with Taiwan [GALLO/GETTY]

"It is very clear that we will never give up our system and to be reunited with them (the mainland) so this is something that we insist. We cannot solve the sovereignty issue but we can manage it" he said.

Ma, who won a landslide victory, is widely seen as being far closer to China than Chen Shui-bian, the outgoing president with the Democratic Progressive Party.

Ma said he would push for regular charter flights between across the Taiwan Straits, mainland tourists visiting Taiwan, two-way capital flows, and social and educational exchanges.

Before the election, Ma insisted that closer ties between Taiwan and China was the only way to boost Taiwan's economic performance.

Taiwan has lagged during recent years in comparison with a number of its "little dragon" peers such as Singapore and Hong Kong.

Although supporting closer China-Taiwan ties, Ma did not shy away from offending China's sensitivities over its human rights record and its Tibetan problem.

Taiwan 'not Tibet'

The president elect called on China to stop suppressing Tibetan people and to open talks with the Dalai Lama, who "hasn't advocated violence and hasn't advocated the complete independence of Tibet".

Ma said he took particular exception to recent Chinese statements referring to both Tibet and Taiwan as being China's "sacred territories".

"Taiwan is a democratic, prosperous country so it is very different from either Hong Kong or Tibet", he said.

While Ma has eschewed any top-level meetings with Chinese leaders in the near future, reports on Thursday indicated his in-coming vice-president could soon meet with Hu Jintao, China's president.

Vincent Siew flies to the Boao economic forum in the southern Chinese island of Hainan on Friday.

Siew has met China's president several times before in a private capacity.

It is possible to see the full interview with Ma Ying-jeou on 101 East broadcast, daily starting, on Thursday at 14:30GMT.

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

 

Bankers encourage Caribbean to invest in Asia
By Aretha Welch
Wednesday, April 9th 2008

The Far East, China, Russia and Japan are the last regions in the world where the credit crunch is not killing and investors are not writhing in pain, say some financial analysts.

Regional economists have been suggesting that the Caribbean look at countries such as Taiwan, Singapore and Dubai as economic safe havens filled with a financial surplus which we may be able to tap into.

The Financial Times has reported that within the last few months Taiwan's MSCI Index has gained more than 3.1 per cent, making it stand out as number one in the Asian market.

And during a recent visit to Taiwan, the Business Express witnessed the foreign investors piling into the country, waiting patiently for the country's elections to be over.

With Taiwan's pro-expansion KMT party now in power, financial analysts are saying the Taiwanese Strait will have a huge boost and their corporate sector will be ready to spend millions in investments. Countries being linked to the East could now have millions of dollars worth of foreign direct investment lying at their feet.

Speaking at the Caribbean Development Bank's recent financial forum examining the Caribbean's position in the current economic fall out, managing director of Republic Bank, David Dulal Whiteway said, "The surpluses of the world are coming out of the Far East, China, Russia and Japan."

The local banker also noted, "We have not built linkages with these places." He warned that if the region does not work harder to attract cash flow from these places, we may be hit hard by the shrapnel from the US economic bomb.

In a recent interview, Charles Li, a member of the Taiwanese International Trading Office told Business Express that his country's investment projects have moved beyond Asia now and the Taiwanese government has several projects throughout the Caribbean, including works in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, St Vincent and St Lucia.

With Taiwan holding one of the world's largest foreign exchange reserves of more than $600 billion, Li believes Taiwan can enter into an economic partnership with T&T.

They are yet to set up major works in T&T, however.

While several diplomats from Taiwan admitted to Business Express that political tension between Taiwan and mainland China has made Taiwan weary of setting up diplomatic relations within the Caribbean, the Government is eager to increase economic relations with Central and South American countries, as well as the islands within the Caribbean.

Li said, "We noticed for a long time that Trinidad and Tobago's economy has been booming and like Taiwan, T&T is an island state which can develop their human resources and become a great economic nation."

Local economists are now saying it may be time for the country to decrease its play time with the Western world (while we can still afford to) and increase the number of meetings we have with Asian and Eastern colleagues.

awelch@trinidadexpress.com

 

EU parliamentarians lend support to Taiwan UN bid

By Jenny W. Hsu
STAFF REPORTER, WITH CNA, BRUSSELS
Saturday, Mar 22, 2008, Page 1

One hundred EU parliamentarians have once again voiced their support for Taiwan's bid to join the UN as a full member.

The parliamentarians issued a joint statement in favor of Taiwan's UN bid that was carried in the weekly European Voice on Wednesday.

Taiwan will hold two referendums today, alongside the presidential election. A Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)-initiated referendum will ask voters whether Taiwan should rejoin the UN under the name of its official title, the Republic of China, or any other "practical" name, while a Democratic Progressive Party-proposed referendum calls for joining the UN under the name "Taiwan."

The EU lawmakers said that Taiwan is a sovereign state and a full-fledged democracy that has never been ruled by the People's Republic of China.

They said they have demanded in a number of resolutions EU support of Taiwan's UN bid, pointing out that the people of Taiwan deserve "better representation" globally, as the country is represented in only a few important international organizations such as the WTO, APEC and the Asian Development Bank.

Noting that Taiwan has a fully developed economy and has made commendable contributions to the international community, the lawmakers called for EU member countries, as well as UN member countries, to "seriously" consider Taiwan's bids to join the UN.

The parliamentarians included Edward McMillan-Scott, vice president of the European Parliament, Georg Jarzembowski, chairman of the European Parliament-Taiwan Friendship Group; and Graham Watson, leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in the European Parliament.

Meanwhile, in Taipei yesterday, Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher told a press conference that the people of Taiwan should fully participate in today's election and not be intimidated by threats unleashed by a "rogue nation."

Rohrabacher, a staunch supporter of Taiwan in Washington who co-chairs the Taiwan Caucus, is part of the US delegation to observe the election and the referendums today.

Rohrabacher stressed that his statements only reflect his personal view and do not represent that of the US government. He also made it clear that he does not endorse any particular candidate because "the decision must only be made by the Taiwanese people."

Rohrabacher answered with a resolute "yes" when asked by the Taipei Times at the press conference if he believed recent statements by US Secretary of State Condelezza Rice and Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte chastising the referendum for applying for UN membership under the name "Taiwan" as "provocative," and "unhelpful" had crossed the line for a foreign spectator.

He went on to say he believes Taiwan has a "legitimate government," more so than China where free elections do not exist, and deserves to have a UN seat.

After four free and fair elections, Taiwan should not and will not be intimidated by a "tyrannical regime" because allowing this to happen would only embolden the oppressors, he said.

Taiwan's "shining democracy," he said, serves as an example in the region, including to people in China.

Calling the Beijing Games an "Olympic fraud," the congressman slammed China for using the games to disguise its human rights abuses in Tibet and against Falun Gong practitioners, and its persistent oppression of Taiwan.

Rohrabacher was one of the nine congressional members who wrote a letter urging House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to put a vote to the floor on boycotting the Games in August due to China's recent bloody crackdown on Tibetan protesters in Lhasa.

 

Ties between St Kitts-Nevis and Taiwan yield impressive results
Published on Thursday, February 7, 2008

BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CUOPM): The recently-opened St Kitts and Nevis Embassy in Taiwan will expand the potential of both governments to build on their relationship, further facilitate the myriad of diplomatic, business and technical and other forms of bilateral cooperation that under-gird constructive relations between sovereign states.

So says St Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas at the official opening of the office in Taipei, who said cooperation with Taiwan over the years has yielded impressive results in the areas of agriculture, community development, sports, infrastructure expansion and diplomatic training.
 

Charge D’affaires at the St Kitts and Nevis Embassy in Taiwan, Jasmine Huggins; Taiwan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, James Huang; St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas and St Kitts and Nevis Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Timothy Harris following the unveiling of the sign in front of the St Kitts and Nevis Embassy in Taiwan. (Photo by Erasmus Williams)
 

Douglas described the opening of the Embassy as an important day in the special and ever-evolving relationship between the governments of Taiwan and St Kitts and Nevis.

“The relationship between our nations has been one of steady and constructive solidarity. The Republic of China on Taiwan has been able to depend, without question, on the support of my government on matters of importance to the Government and the People of the Republic of China on Taiwan. My government has been able to depend, without question, on the support of the Government of Taiwan, on matters of importance to us,” said Douglas to several government officials and representatives of the Diplomatic Corps.

Douglas said that the relationship between Taiwan and St Kitts and Nevis has been one of meaningful symbiosis. “It has been one of positive and constructive synergies. And it has been one of mutual respect, mutual benefit, and results-oriented bilateral co-operation.”

The St Kitts and Nevis leader, who noted that he has visited Taiwan on previous occasions, pointed out that the current trip, his seventh, is different from any of my previous visits.

“Indeed, it will prove to be historic in that, in a very concrete and tangible way, the purpose for my visit will dramatically expand the potential of our respective governments to build on, and further facilitate, the myriad of diplomatic, business and technical and other forms of bilateral cooperation that under-gird constructive relations between sovereign states,” said Douglas.

He said that St Kitts and Nevis cooperation with Taiwan has yielded over the years, impressive results in the areas of agriculture, community development, sports, infrastructure expansion and diplomatic training.

Douglas pointed out that President Chen Shiu- bian recently complete his “Journey of Mutual Friendship and Sustained Development” – a journey that took him to a number of countries in Central America and the Caribbean region.

“Based on the experience of my government, however, Taiwan’s “Journey of Mutual Friendship and Sustained Development” began a long time ago. Indeed this has been the thrust and theme of the relationship that has existed between your country and mine ever since diplomatic relations was first established some 25 years ago,” Douglas further pointed out.

The Prime Minister said that over the years there have been several officials who have established residence in St Kitts and Nevis as part of the journey to the strengthening of relations and the opening of the Embassy and paid tribute to previous ROC Resident Ambassadors including Katherine Chang, the first Resident Ambassador of Taiwan to St Kitts and Nevis; her successor Ambassador Marietta Liau and her husband Herman and current Ambassador, John Liu and wife.

Douglas also noted that the government and people of St Kitts and Nevis have on many occasions welcomed several government officials, business persons and ordinary visitors from Taiwan to the twin-island Federation.

He used the occasion to recall the State Visit to St Kitts & Nevis in 2005 of President Chen, Shui-Bian; Foreign Minister, Tan Sun Chen, and other dignitaries who accompanied him and the visit of the Presidential Special Envoy, Tseng-Chang Su, last year.
 

Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com

New stadium takes shape in St Kitts 
Published on Thursday, November 29, 2007 

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: The 2008 CARIFTA Games are a little less than four months away and in St Kitts and Nevis construction crews have been working steadily over the past months to ensure the Bird Rock Athletic Stadium – which will host the Easter-weekend tournament – is completed on time. 

A thumbs up signal was given to the construction crew at the stadium as work on the Class 2 Track and Field facility continues apace. 

Minister of State responsible for Sport Richard Skerritt headed a delegation of government officials and representatives from the Local Organizing Committee of CARIFTA at a site visit on Friday. The party toured the construction ground and responded with enthusiasm to the updates being given by Project Manager Wycliffe Morton Jr. 

“Our venue development committee has advised me that we are on target and we should be completed somewhere around the end of January, maybe even earlier,” LOC Chairman Lester Hanley said. “This bodes well for us as it gives us the opportunity to stage two planned events before the (CARIFTA) Games as trial runs for the officials and other support services that will be required for the Games.” 

Hanley offered kudos to Project Manager Morton, Rock and Dirt, and Raymore and Associates for what he described as “a very good job” to date.” 

The drainage system is virtually complete, the main stand frame is erected, and grassing is about to commence. These and other developments coupled with the commitment of the contractors to work through the Christmas and Carnival season suggest that the project will be completed on time. 

Skerritt explained that this development, much like Warner Park, demonstrates the strong commitment of government to facilitate positive growth experiences for young people. He noted that the redevelopment project of Warner Park and the Bird Rock Athletic Stadium is the result of a fruitful partnership between the governments of Taiwan and St Kitts and Nevis. 

“Taiwan has made a tremendous input,” the Minister stressed, noting that the sum total of the grant is approximately US$14 million, given over a three year time span. 

He added that his government is investing US$8 million into the redevelopment project which included the upgrade to the cricket stadium, renovation of the football stadium and the ongoing construction of the athletic stadium.

Cuthbert “Panis” Manchester, the Chief Executive Officer of the LOC said thousands of fans will converge on St Kitts and Nevis for the games, slated for March, and locals must position to take advantage of this by tapping potential business prospects as well as displaying the renowned hospitality that Kittitians and Nevisians are known for. 

With the influx of visitors from this and other sports-tourism related events taking place in March and April next year, the opportunity for locals to offer accommodations has once again emerged, much like it did last March during the ICC Cricket World Cup. 

Skerritt encouraged persons interested in hosting guests to contact the LOC. He stressed that much like the CWC, partnerships, will be the foundation for successful CARIFTA Games in 2008. 

Suriname-Taiwan stichting zet sociaal werk voort

Geplaatst op woensdag, augustus 15th, 2007 om 1:36 pm in Nieuws uit Suriname, Politiek (waterkant.net)

PARAMARIBO, 15 aug – De Suriname Taiwan Friendship Foundation zet zijn sociale projecten voort. Suriname mag dan geen haast maken met het aanleggen van vriendschappelijke betrekkingen, het belet de hulpvaardigheid niet. 

Volgens secretaris David China wordt daar waar nodig hulp geboden. De hulp is particulier en onder meer gericht op kinderhuizen. Er zijn reeds projecten betaald van enkele duizenden dollars. “Het ondersteunen van de jeugd vinden we belangrijk omdat we weten dat de jeugd de toekomst is”, zegt Chin. Formeel geldt als doelstelling het bevorderen van vriendschap tussen de beide volken.

De projecten worden onder die paraplu uitgevoerd. Ook wordt via televisieprogramma’s de ontwikkeling belicht van Taiwan. Het officiële Surinaamse standpunt vormt blijkbaar geen reden tot ontmoediging. De regering houdt vast aan haar One-China beleid. Voor erkenning van Taiwan is geen ruimte. Op het aanbod van Taipei om miljarden dollars te pompen in infrastructuur is nog niet formeel gereageerd

Former U.N. envoy calls on U.S. to re-establish ties with Taiwan

By Jenny W. Hsu
Taiwan News, Staff Reporter

The solution to Taiwan's United Nations bid is to repeal a 1971 U.N. resolution that has been used by the organization for its adherence to the "one-China" policy, said the former U.S. U.N. ambassador John Bolton yesterday, adding that the United States must also safeguard its interest by expediting a diplomatic recognition on the Republic of China government.
Bolton, a long-time staunch supporter of Taiwan, made the remarks in a speech delivered to the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (台灣民主基金會) yesterday while lambasting the U.N. Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon of overstepping his authority when he refused to forward Taiwan's application to the proper U.N. bodies back in July.
"(U.N. Secretary-general) Ban Ki-moon and the People's Republic of China just made a massive error in purporting to reject Taiwan's latest application for U.N. membership without even submitting it to the member government," he said.
In part as a result, Bolton added, the U.S. government must take a "decisive step" - the restoration of full diplomatic relations with Taiwan - to "avoid the situation becoming riskier and more dangerous for the U.S. as well as for the PRC and the R.O.C.
The former ambassador said the solution to Taiwan's U.N. plight is to repeal the 1971 U.N. resolution 2758, which was used by the U.N. recently as their reason for rejecting Taiwan's bid.
According to the language of the resolution which he deemed as "illegitimate," Bolton argued that the R.O.C. was never expelled from the organization and the PRC was never admitted. In fact, the PRC's membership never went through the Security Council as required by the U.N. charter.
"If the U.N. General Assembly can pass the resolution, then it can repeal or modify it," he stressed, otherwise the UNGA will not be able to fix or over "self-inflicted" wounds.
Had the PRC applied for a membership as required by U.N. due process, the then Security Council, which included the U.S. and R.O.C., would have vetoed the application, he said.
Bolton pointed out at this point in time, with Beijing being one of the five Permanent Security Council members, Taiwan's application for a regular membership will only produce a PRC veto "if it ever gets that far."
The alternate solution, he said, is for the U.S. to have "dual recognition" on both Beijing and Taipei.
What former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. George H.W. Bush proposed in 1971 as "dual representation" should make sense now as "dual recognition," he said, stressing emphatically that an "early extension" of diplomatic alliance with Taiwan is important to the U.S. because it will eliminate all ambiguity on Washington's commitment to Taiwan and its influence in the region.
Ending the ambiguity will also dissuade China from expanding its rapid growing military building up, he said.
"Recognizing Taiwan in fact is simply recognizing reality, which is always the best grounding for any foreign policy."
An restoration of official U.S.-Taiwan ties will undoubtedly infuriate Beijing and might even upset the stock market temporarily, but "there is not a chance" that Beijing will sever its relations with U.S. over Taiwan, Bolton said.
In addition to forging a full diplomatic tie with Taiwan, the U.S. should also remove the current restriction on high-level exchanges between the ranking officials in the U.S. and Taiwan government, he said, calling the ban "inhibiting U.S. diplomacy." He said that since, "Washington is the capital of the U.S., not Beijing," U.S. officials should be permitted to speak to whomever they choose to meet without bowing to Beijing's demands.
The U.S., however, should also not dictate on whether Taiwan should hold on referendum on the U.N. issue, he added, saying it is legitimate for the U.S. to oppose to a referendum, but not appropriate to tell the Taiwan people not to vote on the issue.
Eni Faleomavega, the chairman of the Sub-committee on Asia, the Pacific, and Global Environment in the U.S. House of Representatives, said in a different occasion in Taipei yesterday that his sub-committee will hold a hearing in September to discuss various issues concerning Taiwan, including Taiwan's U.N. bid and the interpretation of resolution 2758. 

Nicaragua reaffirms its ties to Taipei

MEETING OF THE MINDS: Nicaraguan Vice President Jaime Morales Carazo was among the delegates at the second Democratic Pacific Union convention 
By Ko Shu-ling
STAFF REPORTER 
Wednesday, Aug 15, 2007 

Nicaragua reaffirmed its diplomatic loyalty to Taiwan yesterday, denouncing Costa Rica for switching recognition to Beijing and urging the international community to re-examine UN Resolution 2758 -- the resolution recently cited by the UN Secretariat as a basis for excluding Taiwan from the world body. 

Nicaraguan Vice President Jaime Morales Carazo told the second convention of the Democratic Pacific Union (DPU) in Taipei yesterday morning that Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega had asked him to convey to the gathering that Nicaraguan-Taiwan relations were steadfast. 

Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng, left, and President Chen Shui-bian, right, listen to translations of speeches at the second meeting of the Democratic Pacific Union held at the Grand Hotel in Taipei yesterday.
PHOTO: CHANG CHIA-MING, TAIPEI TIMES

Morales said that Taiwan was a role model for many countries and it did not make sense for such a "diligent, creative and cooperative" country to be barred from the UN. 

Morales called on the international community to re-examine Resolution 2758 in the wake of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's claim that the resolution states that Taiwan is part of China. 

Morales expressed regret over Costa Rica switching its diplomatic recognition to China. 

"We do not agree with such action," he said. "You cannot be too business-minded and let outside political forces decide who should be your ally or foe." 

Another keynote speaker, Palauan Vice President Elias Camsek Chin, said that it was time for the world to recognize Taiwan for its success as a nation and that the nation's membership in the UN and WHO is undeniable. 

"Taiwan has provided many of us the tools necessary to succeed and Taiwan has shown leadership necessary of world leaders," he said. 

"Now it is time for the world to give Taiwan the opportunity it deserves ... Taiwan is Palau's closest friend and we intend to repay that friendship with our passion. I call upon this organization's members and neighboring countries to join us in this effort," he said. 

Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮), who was re-elected yesterday as DPU chairperson, outlined five initiatives for the next two years of her term. 

She wants to advance democratization through the Pacific Congressional Caucus (a DPU sub-group); to launch a multilateral security forum to address traditional and non-traditional security issues and to promote regional industrial and economic collaboration and business investment. 

Lu also plans to protect the global environment and respond to natural disasters through the Pacific Disaster Reduction Center, and to create an Internet community in the Pacific region via the Pacific University League, which was established on Monday. 

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) told the DPU delegates that he supported setting up a world environment organization to integrate international efforts to deal with environmental issues. 

Chen also said the rise of China must be accompanied by an awakening of peace and the development of democracy to ensure that it becomes a positive power in the Pacific democratic community, 

Chen said that he was particularly touched by what Ortega had once told him -- that there are two kinds of people in the world: those who have 1,000 cups of water and those who have only one cup but shares it with others. 

Taiwan is the latter, Chen quoted Ortega as saying. 

Morales said that Nicaragua is the kind of country that shares its one cup of water with others, although it is small in size. 
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Suriname delegation wraps up Taiwan visit 
Published on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 

By Ivan Cairo 
Caribbean Net News Suriname Correspondent 
Email: ivan@caribbeannetnews.com 

TAIPEI, Taiwan; A Surinamese delegation wrapped up its week-long visit to Taiwan on Saturday in a bid to foster friendly relations between the Asian and Caribbean nation. 

Resisting criticism back home and pressure from China the delegation including members of parliament and representatives of the private sector travelled to Taipei to meet with key governmental officials including president Chen Shui-bian, the minister and vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, trade and development institutions and the local community. 

Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian (right) during a meeting on Friday in Taipei with Suriname's coalition Member of Parliament, Hendrik Sakimin (left), who led a delegation including politicians and representatives of the private sector in Suriname on a week-long visit to Taiwan last week. 

During an audience with the Surinamese delegation, President Chen noted that his government is committed to execute a development aid proposal put forward to the Suriname government. 

Just before the meeting with the Head of State, Taiwan's vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, Javier Ching-shan Hou formally presented a letter containing the offer to delegation leader Hendrik Sakimin, Member of Parliament. 

Earlier, the Suriname government had rejected the Taipei offer, stating it is adhering to the One-China policy and that the offer in October 2006 was not put forward through the proper diplomatic channels. 

President Chen announced that Taipei is ready to assist Suriname with a million dollars in developing its infrastructure, bridging the digital divide, improving its agricultural production, education and establishing an information system training center, requesting diplomatic recognition in return. 

Sakimin noted that Suriname is not choosing sides with either Taiwan or China but, in looking after its own national interest, is seeking to improve relations and bilateral cooperation with as many countries as possible. 

Due to China’s opposition and pressure from within the Suriname coalition, Vice Speaker of the House, Caprino Alendy, who was supposed to lead the Taiwan mission, cancelled his participation. President Chen noted that although he regrets Alendy’s cancellation due to Chinese pressure he was pleased to meet the other delegation members. 

According to the president, the visit marks an historic milestone in the relations between Suriname and Taiwan. 

He also informed the delegation that his government last Thursday submitted an application to the United Nations to become a UN member under the name of Taiwan. Earlier attempts to become a member under the name of Republic of China failed, due to strong opposition by Beijing. 

“The Taiwanese people of 23 million has a voice that it wants to be heard in the world,” said President Chen. He hopes that Suriname will support his country in this endeavour. 

The Head of State also announced his official visit next month to St Lucia, Taiwan's newest ally in the Caribbean. Chen will also travel to St Vincent and other countries in the region. 

In an invited comment, delegation leader Sakimin noted that, although the mission was not an official visit, the Taiwanese government has adopted at least five development projects for local communities in Suriname. 

“We (the delegation) are very pleased with the outcome of the meetings,” said the politician. 

Taiwan agreed to finance a ferry service for the Commewijne district, establishment of an agriculture school in Nickerie and to subsidise fertilizers for rice farmers. According to opposition MP Rashied Doekhie, since there are no officials relations with Taipei, the delegation wil seek to channel the Taiwanese assistance through non-governmental agencies to the Surinamese community. 

“What should happen now is that we in Suriname do our homework in order to tap into the resources Taiwan has offered,” said the parliamentarian. 

Meanwhile business representatives said that they discovered several opportunities for the Surinamese private sector to do business with Taiwan.

Taiwan biedt Suriname officieel hulppakket aan

Geplaatst op maandag, juli 23rd, 2007 om 1:35 pm in Nieuws uit Suriname, Politiek (waterkant.net)

PARAMARIBO/TAIPEI, 23 jul – Het hulppakket van Taiwan voor Suriname is nu officieel aangeboden. Dit meldt de Ware Tijd. Met de aanbieding aan de Surinaamse delegatie in Taipei is het pakket geformaliseerd na vorig jaar informeel te zijn aangeboden. 

De Taiwanese onderminister Javier Ching-shan Hou heeft het hulppakket officieel aangeboden aan parlementariër Hendrik Sakimin. President Chen Shui-ban van Taiwan heeft het aanbod bevestigd. Volgens beiden wordt een hechte band met Suriname nagestreefd. De Suriname-Taiwan Friendship Foundation heeft het pakket vorig jaar aangeboden als geste van vriendschap.

Het aanbod is op fel protest gestuit van leden van de coalitie, vanwege het officiële One-China beleid. Wel hebben enkelen, waaronder minister Van Ravenswaay van Planning & Ontwikkelingssamenwerking, aangegeven dat het pakket ten minste de moeite van het overwegen waard is. Suriname moet alle ontwikkelingsopties openhouden. Parlementsondervoorzitter Caprino Allendy heeft te elfder ure bedankt voor de trip naar Taiwan.

Taiwan ambassador posted to St Lucia 
Published on Monday, July 23, 2007 

By Anselma AImable
Caribbean Net News St Lucia Correspondent
Email: anselma@caribbeannetnews.com

CASTRIES, St Lucia: After St Lucia re-established diplomatic relations with Taiwan on April 30, 2007, Tom Chou is the first Ambassador to be posted in St Lucia. 


Ambassador Tom Chou 

Ambassador Chou has served in St Vincent and the Grenadines in the capacity of Charge d'Affaires from 1997 to 2001. Then from 2001 to 2005 he was transferred to the post of Deputy Director General, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York. 

Before he was appointed as Ambassador to St Lucia, Chou had been the Head of Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Congressional Liaison Unit and most recently he was the Secretary-General of the Coordination Council of North American Affairs, the counterpart of the American Institute in Taiwan. 

Stephenson King, St Lucia's Acting Prime Minister and Minister of External Affairs has expressed delight and a welcoming gesture to Ambassador Chou's appointment by the Taiwan Government. The Government of St Lucia and Taiwan share the same view that Chou's arrival will herald another stage of cooperation between the two countries. 

Chou will be presenting his credentials to Governor General Dame Pearlette Louisy in due time.

Taiwan completes investment in Dominican Republic cyberpark 

Published on Wednesday, July 25, 2007 
By Beata Lockwood 
Caribbean Net News Dominican Republic Correspondent 
Email: beata@caribbeannetnews.com 

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic: Taiwan has completed its promised investment of US$10 million for 2007 in the Santo Domingo Cybernetic Park. 

This comes on the heels of visits by Taiwan¡¦s vice-president Anette Lui and other lesser officials to the Dominican Republic this year to support the country in the development of the Cybernetic Park and other business ventures, which would also benefit Taiwan in an effort to enter the US markets via the Dominic Republic¡¦s strategic position in the Caribbean. 

Previously, the vice-president, upon her return to Taiwan, had expressed in a meeting with business leaders in the high-tech industry that they should concentrate their business efforts in the Caribbean and, in particular, the Dominican Republic, rather than the unsettled political climate of China. 

The Dominican Republic government is offering generous incentives to foreign businesses that wish to invest in high tech industries, especially those that are and will be located in the Santo Domingo Cybernetic Park. 

Taiwan is becoming very active in the Caribbean and Latin America following the recent visits by China to the region, which is also very interested in establishing business ties with as many countries as possible. Costa Rica, in particular, has recently shifted its allegiance to China away from Taiwan. 

Taiwan News, Staff Writer 
Page 2 
2007-07-21 12:46 AM 

Taiwan hopes to establish a closer working relationship with Suriname despite a lack of diplomatic relations between the two sides, said President Chen Shui-bian yesterday at a reception for a group of parliamentarians from the Caribbean country. 
It has been reported that Suriname's Deputy Speaker Caprino Alendy, who was supposed to head the delegation, was forced to cancel his trip at the last minute due to opposition from Beijing.
At the reception, Chen said although he regrets Alendy's absence, he was pleased to meet with the Suriname officials who made the trip despite China's vehement objection. The visit, said the president, marks a milestone in Taiwan-Suriname relations, adding that he hopes Alendy, along with other Surinamese policymakers, will be able to come to Taiwan in the near future.
The president said he hopes to see a stronger cooperative relations between the two countries in which Taiwan could help Suriname with its agricultural production, digital technology, and help to establish an information system training center.
The delegation leader, Hendrik Sakimin said the goal of this trip was to fortify bilateral ties by gaining a better understanding of Taiwan. He promised to relay Chen's messages to his president and to the people of Suriname.
The delegation's visit is also reportedly a controversial issue inside Suriname. A Caribbean news source reported that the state-owned Suriname Television Service pulled the plug on a popular news program after Vice President Ram Sardjoe reportedly called on the producers not to air segments on the ongoing China-Taiwan diplomatic tussle in the country.
Producers of Suriname Today said the program would have dealt with the efforts by Taiwan to get Suriname to switch diplomatic recognition to Taiwan. 

Toch Surinaamse oriëntatiemissie richting Taiwan

Geplaatst op zaterdag, juli 14th, 2007 om 5:28 pm in Nieuws uit Suriname, Politiek (waterkant.net) 

PARAMARIBO, 14 jul – De Surinaamse oriëntatiemissie voor Taiwan is rond. Dit zegt voorzitter David Chin van de Suriname-Taiwan Friendship Foundation. Politici van zowel coalitie als oppositie gaan mee en vertegenwoordigers van het bedrijfsleven. Alleen parlementsondervoorzitter Caprino Allendy heeft afgezegd.

De reden is niet bekend. De afgelopen weken is vanuit China intensieve diplomatie gevoerd, inclusief waaarschuwingen tegen de trip. Allendy was aanvankelijk vastbesloten, ondanks het coalitiestandpunt van One China. Het principe wordt ook gehuldigd door onder meer oppositiepartij NDP, maar dat heeft deelname aan de missie niet voorkomen.

“We gaan slechts om rond te kijken wat Taiwan te bieden heeft, zonder de regering of wie dan ook te dwingen tot enige politieke verplichting”, zegt NDP-missielid en parlementariër Rashied Doekhie tegenover de Ware Tijd. Volgens Chin gaat het er ook om kennis te maken met de Taiwanese cultuur, natuur, economie en “de charme van dit mooie eiland.”

China upset over Suriname delegation visit to Taiwan 
Published on Monday, July 2, 2007 Email To Friend Print Version 

By Ivan Cairo-reporting from Beijing 
Caribbean Net News Suriname Correspondent 
Email: ivan@caribbeannetnews.com 

BEIJING, China: The Chinese government is angered over a visit by a Suriname delegation to Taiwan, officials in Paramaribo disclosed. On returning from Germany last week, Speaker of the House Paul Somohardjo revealed that Suriname's ambassador to China, Isaak Soerokarso, was summoned by China’s deputy minister of Foreign Affairs, to express Beijing’s disappointment over the visit to Taiwan. 

In an invited comment, this was confirmed by Suriname's Foreign Minister Lygia Kraag-Keteldijk, adding that, in Paramaribo, China’s charge d’affaires met with Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary, Frederik Boekstaaf, to voice Beijing’s disappointment over the matter. 

China is particularly upset because several members of parliament from the coalition are participating in the trip to Taiwan, while just recently Suriname's vice-president Ram Sardjoe paid a successful official visit to Beijing. 

Taiwan sparked a bitter controversy recently by putting forward an informal offer to Suriname for multi-million dollar development assistance in return for diplomatic recognition by the Suriname government. That offer, however, was rejected by the Venetiaan administration, citing Suriname’s commitment to adhere to Beijing’s One-China policy. 

Speaking to the media, House Speaker Somohardjo stressed that, although several coalition MPs, including Deputy Speaker Caprino Alendy, are preparing to travel to Taipei, this is not an official delegation representing the Suriname government. All participants including politicians, businessmen and union leaders were invited by the Taiwanese government as individuals. 

Somohardjo is annoyed over the pressure Beijing is putting on the Suriname government regarding the Taiwan-issue. He argued that his party, Pertjajah Luhur, as part of the coalition government is sticking to the One-China policy until the 2010 general elections. 

“What the government will do after 2010 is yet to be seen,” Somohardjo told reporters. He further claims that China could not determine for Suriname with which country it should maintain bilateral relations. “Not because I am your friend, it means that your enemy should be my enemy also,” said the party leader. 

From within the coalition there are calls to those MPs who got an invitation from Taiwan, not to participate. But, according to Alendy, Suriname should not reject Taiwan’s offer for assistance without even taking a second look at the offer. He wants to discover for himself what the Taiwanese government is prepared to do for Suriname without formal or political recognition from the Suriname government. Alendy noted that Suriname and Taiwan could maintain cultural and economic relations. 

“We are embarrassing ourselves internationally,” said Foreign Minister Kraag-Keteldijk. She hopes that this issue will be resolved at the political level. “I’m not sure if the president should take the initiative, but certainly this issue should be resolved at the political level,” she said in an invited comment. 

According to David Chin, secretary of the Suriname-Taiwan Friendship Foundation, the trip to Taiwan will not be delayed or cancelled over the actions from Beijing. He claims that China could never dictate to Suriname as a sovereign state and its citizens with whom they should maintain relations. Through the foundation, Taipei proposed development aid for infrastructure, education, IC technology and agriculture. 

During his visit to Beijing, vice president Ram Sardjoe sealed several loan agreements totaling US$30 million, including financing establishment of a container scan for the port in Paramaribo. 

The vice president also secured a contract to asphalt a main road connecting the capital with the southern interior of the country, a project that was also offered by Taiwan. According to Sardjoe the Suriname government did not put pressure to Beijing to agree with the road improvement project since Taipei had offered the same. The agreement was reached by mutual consent. 

Taiwan and China are battling for influence in the Caribbean region using so-called dollar or chequebook diplomacy. Taiwan is regarded by China as a renegade province and Beijing is aiming at re-unification of the two regions. Minister Kraag-Keteldijk said that the Suriname government supports a peaceful re-unification of the two countries.

Surinaamse minister wars van emoties rond Taiwan

Waterkant.net   Geplaatst op vrijdag, mei 25th, 2007 om 6:33 pm 

PARAMARIBO, 25 mei – Emoties mogen geen rol spelen bij het beoordelen van eventuele samenwerking met Taiwan. Dit zegt minister Ricardo van Ravenswaay van Planning & Ontwikkelingssamenwerking, Plos. Het aanbod om enkele grote ontwikkelingsprojecten te financieren moet dus nuchter bezien worden. One-Chinabeleid heeft er absoluut niets mee te maken.

Integendeel, samenwerking met Taiwan biedt kansen. “Als de ontwikkeling van Suriname daarbij gebaat is, dan is het zeker de moeite waard om dat in beschouwing te nemen en niet emotioneel daarover te reageren, maar rationeel. Per slot van rekening gaat het niet om China of Taiwan, maar meer over de ontwikkeling van Suriname”, zegt van Ravenswaay tegenover Dagblad Suriname.

Als enige vertegenwoordiger van zijn politieke partij Alternatief Forum gaat Van Ravenswaay wel mee met het regeringsstandpunt. Wel zou tenminste het aanbod overwogen kunnen worden. Beseft moet worden dat Suriname zelf moet zorgdragen voor zijn ontwikkeling en er zelf verantwoordelijk voor is. “Het gaat niet om China of Taiwan, maar om de ontwikkeling van Suriname”, aldus Van Ravenswaay.

Parlementsvoorzitter Suriname: Taiwan overwegen
Waterkant.net    Geplaatst op donderdag, mei 24th, 2007 om 4:21 am 

PARAMARIBO, 24 mei – De mogelijkheden en voordelen die Taiwan te bieden heeft mogen niet zonder meer van de hand worden gewezen. Dit stelt parlementsvoorzitter en leider van Pertjajah Luhur, Paul Somohardjo. Weliswaar valt niet te tornen aan het regeringsstandpunt van ondubbelzinninge ondersteuning van de Chinese eenwording.

Als Taiwan één miljard dollar biedt aan ontwikkelinsfondsen, dan is dat op zijn minst de moeite van bestudering waard. “Als het gaat om sociaal-economische belangen en ontwikkelingsmogelijkheden, heeft elke regering de plicht de eigen standpunten weer te bekijken”, zegt Somohardjo. Het hoeft nog niet te betekenen dat de eigen principes verlaten worden, maar wat flexibiliteit is op zijn plaats.

Dat gaat helemaal op bij de behartiging van het nationaal belang. Bovendien mag Suriname zich niet laten dirigeren. “Kiezen voor één China wil niet zeggen dat alle relaties worden bepaald door dat land”, aldus Somohardjo. Nederland is een goed voorbeld met zijn uitstekende handelsbetrekkingen met China en aan de andere kant een diplomatiek bureau voor Taiwan in Den Haag.

Persvrijheid onder vuur in Suriname

Henk Hendriks
15-05-2007

Op donderdag 10 mei werd het populaire actualiteitenprogramma van de STVS Suriname Vandaag van de buis gehaald. Staatsbelang zou vicepresident Ram Sardjoe ertoe hebben gebracht om een discussie over het aangaan van diplomatieke betrekkingen met Taiwan, te ontraden. Niet alleen de Surinaamse persvrijheid was in het geding. De ingreep van de regering bracht ook een gevoelig thema naar boven: de relatie van Suriname met het verre China en de rol van de alsmaar groeiende groep Chinese immigranten.

"Je moet niet gek opkijken als we straks bij Taiwan aankloppen". Percy Linger gooit vastbesloten zijn projectdossier op tafel. Het ziet er beduimeld uit. Hij heeft zijn plannen ingediend bij UNESCO, UNDP, de Nederlandse Ambassade, Wilde Ganzen, Cordaid. Steeds opnieuw kreeg hij nul op rekest. Het buurtproject met onderwijs en gemeenschapsvoorzieningen in Paramaribo-Zuid dreigde in de versukkeling te raken. Maar sinds enkele weken gloort er hoop. In paginagrote advertenties in de Surinaamse kranten belooft Taiwan, ook wel Nationalistisch China genoemd, grote sommen geld aan de Surinaamse natie. Non Gouvermentele Organisaties (NGO's) en particuliere organisaties kunnen zich met hun projecten melden op de website http://www.suriname-taiwan.org/.

Suriname in verlegenheid
Het charme offensief van Taiwan brengt de Surinaamse regering in grote verlegenheid. Geheel volgens de richtlijnen van de Verenigde Naties is jaren geleden gekozen voor de 'One China' politiek. De Volksrepubliek China werd daarbij de enige en wettige partner en Taiwan was de afvallige provincie. Suriname stationeerde een ambassadeur in Beijing en China asfalteerde wegen, herstelde gebouwen en stuurde Chinese producten en mensen, steeds meer mensen. Zoutwater-Chinezen worden ze in Suriname ook wel genoemd, de nieuwe migranten afkomstig uit de meer noordelijke provincies, die in grote aantallen op Surinaamse bodem neerstrijken.

Chinezen waren er al vanaf het einde van de 19e eeuw. Zij zijn volledig geïntegreerd. Van de nieuwkomers kun je dat niet zeggen. Ze spreken een andere taal, hebben een andere cultuur en andere organisaties. Maar de Surinaamse regering slooft zich uit om deze migranten royaal te 'accommoderen'. Zo kan de nieuwe Chinese ondernemer rekenen op een snelle service bij het krijgen van vergunningen en eigendomspapieren. En nu - na jaren van intieme banden - krijgen Surinamers langzaam maar zeker het gevoel dat ze zijn uitgeleverd aan de Chinese vrienden overzee. De avances van Taiwan komen dan ook op een uitgelezen moment.

"Dat Taiwan met geld strooit, moet geen reden zijn voor Suriname om een diplomatieke hoer te worden", mengt John van Coblijn zich in de discussie. Van Coblijn is lid van de adviesraad van de NPS en een vertrouweling van President Venetiaan. Hij toont zich een ongewoon fel pleitbezorger van de 'One China' politiek. Op ABC-radio legt oud-districtscommissaris en publicist Hardeo Ramadhin uit hoe dat in de praktijk werkt: "Er zijn een paar toppers van politieke partijen die consultant zijn van deze Chinezen. Ze staan direct op de stoep bij de Districtscommissaris (DC) om papieren zo snel mogelijk in orde te laten maken."


Censuur
Intussen is de discussie over het al of niet erkennen van Taiwan doorgedrongen tot diep in het regeringskamp. Parlementariër Winston Jesserun van coalitiepartij DA'91 verklaart zich onomwonden voorstander van erkenning van Taiwan. "Suriname moet andere ontwikkelingsmogelijkheden niet uit de weg gaan", vertelt hij op SKY-TV. Het zout in de wond doet zeer. Er is sprake van paniek."

Dat verklaart misschien waarom de Surinaamse regering op donderdag 10 mei - een week na de internationale dag van de persvrijheid - zich van haar meest bedenkelijke kant laat zien. Vicepresident Ram Sardjoe doet een dringend verzoek aan de redactie van het STVS-actualiteitenprogrammaSuriname Vandaag om interviews met voor en tegenstanders van de 'One China' politiek niet uit te zenden. Hoofdredacteur Nita Ramcharan weigert concessies te doen in het format van de uitzending.

Die avond zien de kijkers een bordje met de mededeling dat Suriname Vandaag niet doorgaat. Sardjoe zegt dat er geen sprake is van censuur. "Als er zaken zijn die het staatsbelang kunnen schaden, dan dienen wij als regering op gepaste wijze stappen te nemen." Sardjoe deed 'slechts een verzoek' aan de redactie van een TV-station, dat door de politiek weliswaar wordt beschouwd als een staatsmedium, maar in feite een zelfstandige stichting is die door middel van reclame inkomsten haar eigen broek probeert op te houden. "Alleen ontbreekt er een redactiestatuut", concludeert Nita Ramcharan de volgende dag op een bijeenkomt van de Surinaamse Vereniging van Journalisten. "Maar dat geldt vrijwel voor alle Surinaamse media". Ze is zelf verbaasd over de ingreep van Sardjoe: "Er bestaat geen enkele regel over wat mag en niet mag. Tot nu toe kon alles".

Sardjoe naar China
Verbazing was er ook onder het publiek op de SVJ-vergadering, waar de niet uitgezonden beelden van de gewraakte interviews werden vertoond. Keurige, evenwichtige statements waren het en geen onvertogen woord. Waarom dan die 'ingreep'? Was het omdat op vrijdag 11 mei de nieuwe Surinaamse ambassadeur in China, Mohammed Isaak Soerokarso, zijn geloofsbrieven zou aanbieden bij de Chinese President of kwam eventuele twijfel aan de 'One China' politiek Sardjoe zelf slecht uit, omdat hij een maand later als gast van de Chinese regering zou afreizen naar Beijing? Wie zal het zeggen. In ieder geval lijkt het erop dat Taiwan dan misschien een afvallige provincie is van Volksrepubliek China, het Zuid Amerikaanse Suriname heeft zich ontpopt als één van de meest gehoorzame.

Voor Percy Linger zal het allemaal een worst zijn. Hij heeft al contact opgenomen met de Stichting Vriendschap Suriname-Taiwan. Als je de advertenties mag geloven dan bedraagt het ontwikkelingspakket van Taipei aan Suriname om en nabij de 1 miljard Amerikaanse dollar. Taiwan heeft zich als nieuwe sponsor van Surinaamse NGO's op de kaart geplaatst. "Zelfs als de diplomatieke relaties uitblijven dan zijn er altijd nog de humanitaire en sociale projecten", zegt Linger hoopvol.
 

Suriname vice-president stops TV show over China-Taiwan controversy
Published on Monday, May 14, 2007

By Ivan Cairo
Caribbean Net News Suriname Correspondent
Email: ivan@caribbeannetnews.com

PARAMARIBO, Suriname: Managers at Suriname’s state-owned Suriname Television Foundation (STVS) TV-station pulled the plug on a live broadcast of a popular news show Thursday evening after vice-president Ram Sardjoe intervened. The controversial China-Taiwan issue was at the centre of the program when the vice-president advised to leave interviews with individuals commenting on the controversy out of the programme.

According to the producers of ‘Suriname Today,’ this was a request they could never honour since this would distort the format of the programme. The intervention of the government official according to the producers was a breach of the right of expression.

In an invited comment the vice-president late Thursday evening argued that his intervention was aimed at protecting the interest of the state.

“I regret that the producers are claiming that they were being censored, but as the government we have to look after the national interest of the country,” said Sardjoe.

He further argued that the China-Taiwan issue is an internal Chinese affair and interference from Suriname could jeopardize the ties with Beijing.

The vice president further stated that he didn’t ban the broadcast, but only made a “strong request” to treat the Taiwan-issue “very careful” and that, even though broadcasting comments of individuals was strongly advised against, it was no form of censorship or restriction of the right of expression.

Producer and editor-in-chief of Suriname Today, Nita Ramcharan, told an audience during a panel discussion Friday night, that since she couldn’t honour the vice president’s request, managers at the TV stations decided to cancel the broadcast.

She also revealed that a journalist who did an interview for the program with Chinese ambassador Su Ge received intimidating phone calls from staff members of the Chinese embassy urging the reporter not to use the material in any programme in which pro-Taiwan activist would appear.

It is also reported that staff members went to the TV stations to add pressure to their demands. The reporter felt intimidated and refused to handover the material to the producers of the news show.

“This is a blatant impertinence,” Ramcharan said at the panel discussion to commemorate World Press Freedom Day.

The Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM) has strongly condemned the government’s actions in censoring the programme, while the Surinamese Association of Journalists (SVJ) is still considering a response.

“We stand by the journalistic judgment and independence of the show’s producers and agree with our affiliate, the Surinamese Association of Journalists (SVJ), that the intervention of the country’s Vice-President, Mr Ram Sardjoe, had been a flagrant violation of the right of free expression,” said the ACM in a press release.

ACM President, Dale Enoch, said the ACM proposes to bring the full weight of the regional organisation and its international partners to bear on the situation.

“We will not hesitate for one minute to mobilise all available resources to address this situation,” Enoch said. He called on “the relevant authorities to unconditionally reinstate the programme”.

It is the second time a government led by president Ronald Venetiaan intervened in a TV show on one of the state-owned TV-stations.
 

Taiwan to help new ally St. Lucia with agriculture

HELP WANTED: The St. Lucian minister of agriculture told Taiwanese officials the country needed assistance in building and running new meat processing facilities

By Jewel Huang
STAFF REPORTER, WITH AGENCIES
Monday, May 07, 2007, Page 3
 

Agricultural development will be the goal of the first bilateral undertakings by Taiwan and new ally St. Lucia.

The details of agricultural projects were discussed in a meeting in the St. Lucian capital, Castries, on Saturday.

Present at the meeting were St. Lucian Minister of Agriculture Ezechiel Joseph, Republic of China Ambassador Lee Chao-cheng (李朝成) and chief of Taiwan's agricultural technique mission Kung Chi-ping (宮濟平).

Joseph told Taiwanese officials that St. Lucia needs Taiwan's assistance in building and running meat processing factories and aquafarms and in developing horticultural capabilities.

Joseph said that the country hoped to build a slaughterhouse and meat-processing factory in the south, a project they have also discussed with the French government, the UN and the EU.

READY TO GO
Joseph said that blueprints had already been drawn up for the facility, adding that he hoped Taiwan would help St. Lucia with the construction and with training workers at the factory.

Lee promised St. Lucian officials that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the International Cooperation Development Fund would make every effort to help their country.

Kung said that Taiwan had developed various kinds of fruit in St. Lucia about a decade ago and had transplanted new fruit varieties to St. Lucia's neighbors, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, which are also diplomatic allies.

SEVERED TIES
In 1997, however, St. Lucia cut off its diplomatic ties with Taiwan and established ties with China, at which point the agricultural projects were abandoned, he said.

Taiwan will take the varieties it cultivated and gave to St. Vincent and the Grenadines and plant them in St. Lucia again, he said.

In addition, Taiwan will finish aid projects in St Lucia abandoned by China, whose workers are leaving, a Central News Agency (CNA) report said.

China has severed its ties with St. Lucia to protest the Caribbean nation's decision to recognize Taiwan.

Beijing has already begun to transport workers from the island.

CHINESE PROJECTS
The Chinese were working on a stadium and a 130-bed mental hospital in Castries, CNA said.

After Taipei restored ties with St. Lucia earlier this week, a team of Taiwanese construction and agricultural experts arrived in Castries from St. Vincent to meet with St. Lucian officials and discuss how Taiwan could help with the island's development.

CHALLENGES
However, both Chinese construction projects are problematic.

The stadium, located south of Castries, is considered too far away for the city's residents to use often. It would also be expensive to hire people to take care of the facility.

The mental hospital, north of Castries, poses a bigger problem because it is being built on soft soil in a hilly area.

Two retaining walls will need to be built next to the hospital at a cost of millions of US dollars, to prevent landslides from burying the facility.

FOLLOW-UP NEEDS
St. Lucian officials said that even if the hospital is completed, the country does not have the money to train medical personnel or to buy software and hardware for the hospital.

St. Lucia first established diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1984, before switching diplomatic recognition to China.

The Caribbean nation announced its decision to restore diplomatic relations with Taipei on April 26.

On Thursday, St. Lucian Minister of Foreign Affairs Rufus Bousquet said that although the country was being intimidated by Beijing, it would not change its decision.
 

Suriname minister calls for rational approach to Taiwan offer
Published on Friday, May 4, 2007

By Ivan Cairo
Caribbean Net News Suriname Correspondent
Email: ivan@caribbeannetnews.com

PARAMARIBO, Suriname: A cabinet minister here has called for a rational approach to Taiwan’s offer to assist Suriname in its development goals in return for diplomatic recognition.

Responding to reporters on the Taiwan offer, Minister of Planning and Development Cooperation, Rick van Ravenswaay, said that “if Taiwan is serious, we should look at their offer very seriously, bearing in mind Suriname’s socio-economic development.”

Vice-President Ramdien Sardjoe said, however, that the government is adhering to the One-China policy as a result of developments within the United Nations, that is recognising only mainland China. “We (the government) are not interfering in China’s internal affairs, so we stick to the One-China policy,” said the Vice-President.


Minister of Planning and Development Cooperation, Rick van Ravenswaay

Referring to St Lucia’s resumption of diplomatic ties with Taipei this week, Van Ravenswaay argued that Suriname should evaluate what Castries would receive and on what terms. “We should not look emotional to this issue, but rationally,” said the official.

He further argued that Taiwan is one of the major investors in mainland China, so if in any case Suriname chose to take Taipei on its offer, Beijing should not object. “We would be very stupid to turn down Taiwan’s offer without giving it any sincere consideration,” said the minister.

Meanwhile, the Suriname-Taiwan Friendship Foundation has indicated that, since Taiwan has formally presented its offer to the government, local politicians and political parties should speak out on this matter.

According to the secretary of the foundation, David Chin, he submitted the offer to the president, vice-president, the Speaker of the House and to all political parties that have seats in parliament.

“We are no political organisation; we have only submitted the formal request for diplomatic recognition and the development aid offer to the authorities,” said Chin in an invited comment. “Politics now should decide what happens,” he further noted.

On its website, the foundation argues that in neither its Government Policy Statement 2005-2010 nor its Long Term Development Plan, has the Suriname government stated that the country is adhering to the One-China policy of the Chinese government. Neither is it stated that friendly relations with Taiwan are prohibited, the organisation claims.

According to Chin, Taiwan is not aiming at a quid pro quo from Suriname, but only “recognition and friendship”. Taipei also is not looking for economic gains or benefits in Suriname.

“Taiwan does not want to come and fish in Suriname’s waters or come here and cut down trees for export,” said Chin.

Taiwan has offered financial grants for road improvement and other infrastructure, agriculture and animal husbandry, land development, housing, tourism, budgetary assistance and education.

Including St Lucia, 25 countries now recognise Taipei. Taiwan and China have each accused each other in the past of using "cheque book diplomacy" to lure the other's allies.

Beijing, Taipei vie for Caribbean support
China has begun outbidding Taiwan for the islands' allegiance, compelling some to switch sides and embrace its policies.
 

By Carol J. Williams, Times Staff Writer, www.latimes.com
April 30, 2007

kingstown, st. vincent and the grenadines — When the Yurumein-Taiwan Bridge a few miles north of here opened last month, nearly a third of this island chain's population turned out to celebrate.

The link at Rabacca means that tourists can reach the active La Soufriere volcano year-round, that investors can build luxury resorts and marinas along the pristine north coast beaches and that farmers in the lush interior mountains can get their produce to the Kingstown docks and airport.

Even better, the $8.5-million bridge was free, one of many gifts Taiwan has extended to small island states in the Caribbean in gratitude for recognition of the island's claim to independence from China.

Taiwan has been investing in and inveigling Caribbean countries since it lost its United Nations seat to mainland China in 1971. A decade ago, it had eight of the tiny island states' support in its bid for membership in the world body.

But as China has surged to become the fourth-largest economy in the world, it has begun outbidding Taiwan for the islands' allegiance, compelling St. Lucia, Dominica and Grenada to switch sides and embrace the one-China policy espoused by Beijing.

Taiwan has enjoyed trade and diplomatic contact with much of the developed world since breaking with China after the Communist takeover in 1949. It has representative offices in 130 nations, but only 24 countries recognize Taiwan as an independent country.

A boon

The dollar diplomacy has been a boon for the islands, helping them build airports, roads and schools and plant new crops to replace the banana trade that has fallen victim to globalization. Taiwan and China also contributed tens of millions to their respective backers to build stadiums for the Cricket World Cup that wrapped up Saturday in Barbados.

Some analysts say, however, that the region's inconsistency on the China question could undermine its quest for political and economic integration or could unduly influence domestic politics in a region still trying to find its own way after centuries of European colonization.

The 15-member Caribbean Community, known as Caricom, already is badly divided on many of its integration projects, with some islands more keen than others on harmonizing laws and economies of the bloc uniting 24 million people. Eight of the island states are taking part in the Caribbean Single Market and Economy, but even they don't all use the Eastern Caribbean dollar. Only two of Caricom's members have committed to the Caribbean Court of Justice.

"A structured regional relationship on trade, aid and investment with China, which is now indisputably an economic giant and which could offer much to the people of the Caribbean, ought not be delayed," said Ronald Sanders, a businessman and former diplomat from Antigua and Barbuda who has represented Caricom at the World Trade Organization.

He points out that mainland China is expected to be the fourth-largest source of global travelers by 2020, a market the tourism-dependent Caribbean cannot afford to ignore.

Cyp Neehall, editor of the century-old newspaper the Vincentian, doubts that St. Vincent and the Grenadines will be persuaded to drop Taiwan, at least in the foreseeable future. The relationship has survived three political leaderships and is in the thick of collaborating on a new international airport for Kingstown, the nation's capital, and the first cross-island roadway.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines, with just over 100,000 citizens, has had ties with Taiwan since 1981, two years after the Caribbean islands gained independence from Britain. Though three of their neighbors have reoriented toward Beijing and a few Hong Kong enterprises have subsidiaries here now, St. Vincent authorities say their allegiance to Taipei, Taiwan's capital, is built on more than money.

"First and foremost, our relations are based on the principles enshrined in the United Nations document — respect for human rights and those things," said Patricia Martin, permanent secretary for foreign affairs, commerce and trade.

Fruits and flowers

Agricultural assistance from Taiwan in planting new fruits and flowers on the island has helped spare St. Vincent the economic blows sustained elsewhere in the Caribbean since the European Union phased out preferential trade terms for bananas from developing countries. Pineapples, melons, orchids and ornamental plants are sprouting in the rich volcanic soil and in proliferating greenhouses.

At Taiwan's hillside embassy overlooking Kingstown, Ambassador Jack Yu-Tai Cheng shows off a wax apple tree that has been introduced to St. Vincent. A pink-skinned Asian fruit the size of a cherry, the wax apple is among the new varieties attracting gourmet produce marketers in North America and Europe.

Taiwan's spending has been more in the form of aid, scholarships and credit, and comes without ideological strings attached, Cheng said. By contrast, he contended, China interferes with the domestic political agendas of its allies in the Caribbean.

Before Dominica's 2005 election, Beijing pledged $112 million in aid to the tiny island of 70,000 on condition it drop recognition of Taiwan. The economic bait turned the campaign into a referendum on China policy, with Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit's Labor Party winning reelection after breaking with Taipei.

Editorial: Chinese threats will win no friends in the Caribbean
Caribbean NetNews, published on Thursday, May 3, 2007

The intemperate reaction by mainland China to the resumption of diplomatic relations between Saint Lucia and Taiwan is ill-advised and inappropriate, albeit predictable.

According to a statement by China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao, the government of Saint Lucia will be “fully responsible for the consequences incurred," Liu said. He did not, however, expand on what those consequences might be.

China therefore needs to elaborate on exactly what it means in this regard or, given the current propensity of certain major powers to invade in haste and repent at leisure as the diplomatic remedy of choice, are we to conclude that military force is an option to take back what China apparently regards as its rightful exclusive recognition?

Liu also said the resumption of the ties with Taiwan "constituted interference in the internal affairs of China." By some strange Chinese logic, threats of dire consequences by China apparently do not constitute interference in the affairs of Saint Lucia, a sovereign country with a vote in the United Nations.

Liu went on to criticise Taiwan's attempts to pursue "money diplomacy". Again, this sounds very much like the pot calling the kettle black, especially after the stadium building frenzy that took place during the period leading up to the recently concluded Cricket World Cup. This in itself had all the appearance of a preliminary diplomatic “world cup” of spending between China and Taiwan to win or cement allegiance before the cricket teams ever took the field.

Over the last decade, the Caribbean, representing as it does a significant voting bloc within the United Nations, has been something of a happy hunting ground for China in its own form of ‘money diplomacy’, as it enjoyed success in wooing some of the region’s small nation states away from Taiwan.

That both countries have the financial capacity to make a huge difference to the relatively small economies of the region goes without saying. According to the latest available figures, China and Taiwan are number one and five respectively in the foreign currency reserves league.

For some Caribbean islands, this competitive ‘money diplomacy’ has been a huge windfall, resulting in the new sporting facilities mentioned, as well as airports, roads and schools.

There is no doubt, however, that the region's inconsistency on the China/Taiwan issue represents an unfortunate divergence as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) pursues its own quest for economic and political integration.

CARICOM is already divided on many issues relating to integration and another area of division is certainly not going to help.

But, as the foreign minister of Belize pointed out earlier this year, the relative financial benefits of ties (for Belize, at any rate) with Taiwan or China will usually be the deciding factor.

Meanwhile, Sir Ronald Sanders has advocated in his weekly column in Caribbean Net News that CARICOM countries would benefit more from a trade, aid and investment treaty with China that is collectively negotiated.

“China would pay more attention to the CARICOM collective than it would to individual states,” he says.

Sir Ronald also makes the point that the Dominican Republic, CARICOM’s partner in CARIFORUM, shows that it is possible to have diplomatic ties with one of the Chinas and to trade with, and attract investment from both of them.

Given that, last year, trade between the Dominican Republic and China was twice as much as with Taiwan, with which it has diplomatic relations, the Dominican Republic has obviously worked out a strategy for dealing with and benefiting from the divide between China and Taiwan.

According to Sir Ronald “CARICOM countries need to do the same and stop hopping between the two, confusing unfortunate bandsmen in the process.”

A Chinese proverb holds that “a fall into a ditch makes you wiser.” We wait with interest to see in this situation who has fallen into a ditch and who emerges the wiser for the experience.

St Lucia restores ties with Taiwan, angers China
Published on Wednesday, May 2, 2007

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP): Taiwan announced Tuesday that it had re-established relations with the Caribbean state of St Lucia in a diplomatic victory, which immediately drew anger from rival China.

Taiwan's Foreign Minister James Huang. AFP PHOTO

Taiwan's Foreign Minister James Huang, currently in St Lucia, signed the communique with his counterpart Rufus Bousquet on April 30, Deputy Foreign Minister Yang Tzu-pao said.

"After four-and-a-half months of hard work, we accomplished the mission to restore diplomatic ties with St Lucia," Huang told a press conference in Taipei via telephone.

"We can form a constructive partnership with St Lucia and we welcome China continuing to be St Lucia's partner. We hope for a win-win situation for all and we do not mean to engage in zero-sum games with China," he said.

China expressed "indignation and opposition" Tuesday to the announcement, with foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao accusing Taiwan of pursuing "money diplomacy" in its efforts to seek diplomatic allies around the world.

"The resumption of diplomatic relations between St Lucia and Taiwan is a flagrant violation of the declaration on the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and St Lucia," he said.

"It also constitutes interference in the internal affairs of China," he said in a statement posted on the China's foreign ministry website.

Liu urged St Lucia to rethink the decision or "be responsible for the consequences incurred."

The news initially came to light last week, when Premier Su Tseng-chang made a surprise announcement that St Lucia was set to restore ties with Taiwan.

Su's announcement drew heated criticism from Vice President Annette Lu, who accused him of attempting to drum up support for his presidential election campaign.

Su and Lu are competing for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's nomination for the 2008 presidential race.

The opposition also lambasted Su, warning that his "big mouth" might alert rival China and prompt it to take counter-measures.

Taiwan and St Lucia, an island nation in the eastern Caribbean with a population of about 170,000, opened diplomatic relations in 1984, when current Prime Minister John Compton was first in power.
 

Sir John Compton

Taipei severed ties in 1997, when then Prime Minister Kenny Anthony switched recognition to Beijing. Compton was re-elected late last year.

Including St Lucia, 25 countries now recognise Taipei. Latin America, the South Pacific and Africa are the main diplomatic battlegrounds for rivals Taiwan and China, which split in 1949 at the end of a civil war.

Taiwan and China have each accused each other in the past of using "chequebook diplomacy" to lure the other's allies.

Taipei suffered a diplomatic setback when Chad switched recognition to Beijing last year.

Regeringsverklaring 2005-2010

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Zowel de regeringsverklaring 2005-2010 als het Meerjaren Ontwikkelingsprogramma (MOP) geven in de sectie "Buitenlands Beleid" niet aan dat de Republiek Suriname zich aan het "One China beleid" van de Volksrepubliek China moet commiteren en/of dat er geen vriendschap met Taiwan mag worden gesloten.

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