John Bolton, former US ambassador to the United Nations, has written an excellent piece on the recent elections in Taiwan. Here’s the kicker:

U.S. policy has long held that the Taiwanese people should make their own decisions about their political future, free from Beijing’s political or military coercion. Unfortunately, during Chen’s administration, relations between Taipei and Washington grew chilly, as much or more because of mistakes in Washington than anything Taiwan did. Whatever the causes of the tension, however, now is the time for the United States to reaffirm clearly and unequivocally that it supports the expression of the people’s will in Taiwan’s elections and will continue to stand beside its longtime ally, including through necessary military assistance.

For the United States, the clearest way of expressing that support is to give full diplomatic recognition to the state that already exists and that the Taiwanese overwhelmingly wish to preserve. Maintaining ambiguous, informal ties to Taiwan is confusing and potentially dangerous; it obscures Beijing’s understanding of just how committed the United States is to Taiwan’s defense and self-determination.

I agree one million percent.

A simple, straightforward take on Taiwan and the UN, that happens to be right on the money.

A good reporting of a well-known story. Next time you watch an ad for the iPhone, check and see if you find a mandarin version of the NY Times displayed on the screen. It will show a picture of Chien-Ming Wang. In Mandarin, the newspaper says, “Pride of Taiwan”. Guys like me won’t notice it, but native Mandarin readers will recognize it. See, thing is, the iPhone is the pride of Taiwan, that’s the point of the ad. The manufacturers on this island, which is the size of Maryland but has the population of Texas, have been miniaturizing devices for decades now.

Taiwan rocks

Can’t think of a better spokesman and representative than Ozzy Osbourne for the cause of Taiwan membership in the U.N. As much as I’m not a fan of the U.N. and sometimes wish the U.S. would just say “Go to hell” and kick them all out of NYC, I can certainly understand the symbolism of belonging to the U.N. and the effect that would have on China’s precarious control of the country.

Wasn’t aware that Taiwan was ever a member of the U.N., but apparently they were and were kicked out in 1971 due to (big shock) Chinese pressure.

The Scotsman

Dr. David Ho was one of the first scientists to propose that AIDS was caused by a virus, and was first to promote a cocktail of protease inhibitors and antiretroviral therapy for AIDS patients. For this work he received the 1996 Man of the Year award from TIME magazine. He is a Taiwanese-American.

Genentech Inc, a US biotechnology research company, plans to found a research joint venture with the Taiwanese government in Hsinchu to develop AIDS treatments headed by Taiwanese-American researcher David Ho (何大一), Chinese-language news-papers said yesterday.

Ho has reportedly agreed to serve as chairman of the planned joint-venture — to be known as TaiMed — which is to be set up in Hsinchu Biochemical Science Park (新竹生醫科學園區), reports quoted Liang Chi-ming (梁啟銘), director of the Office of Public Affairs at the Academia Sinica, as saying.

Academia Sinica is the nation’s top research institute.

South San Francisco-based Genentech will transfer its CD4 antibody technology to TaiMed, the United Daily News said, citing Liang.

CD4, which exists on the membrane of T cells, is a primary receptor used by HIV-1 to gain entry into host T cells, which plays an essential role in cell-mediated immunity and targets of HIV infection. If developed successfully, the CD4 antibody will block CD4 from destroying the immune system.

Uber-neocon Jay Nordlinger gets it right as he sums up the latest on the Pentagon announcement:

The Pentagon is certain — or says it’s certain — that China “lacks the power for a successful attack against rival Taiwan” (I have quoted this news story). Needless to say, I hope that’s right. But one can hardly have full confidence that it is, in fact, right.

By the way, isn’t “rival Taiwan” interesting? Taiwan is an itty-bitty island, and the PRC is a massive, sprawling police state. And yet, in a way, Taiwan is a rival — because it shows the Chinese a different way, a way extremely threatening to the Chinese Communist party and its exclusive rule.

Awww…China is offended.

Taiwan is making friends with St. Lucia and Suriname. Baby steps.

Global Voices Online

China keeps playing keep away with WHO/WHA status. Chen was smart to use this straightforward approach now as the spotlight is on China. Hope they at least get WHA status, which is what Chen is realistically shooting for.

While urging the WHO to submit Taiwan’s application to the WHA next month, Chen called on Taiwan’s political parties and its people to unite and fight against “China’s suppression” after being asked to comment on the Democratic Progressive Party’s presidential primary.

“China’s suppression of the collective human rights of the 23 million people of Taiwan is the important issue. In comparison, the DPP’s presidential primary is nothing,” he said.

Echoing Chen’s remarks that the country has every right to apply to join the WHO as a full member, pro-independence panelists in a forum yesterday said that Taiwan should continue seeking the full WHO membership using the name “Taiwan.”

Taiwan was supposed to be the last leg on the international torch relay. Once China started claiming it was the first stop on the Chinese relay, Taiwan reneged.

At a separate event, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday said it was the government’s policy that Taiwan must not be insulted or belittled through welcoming the Olympic torch.

“Taiwan is a member of the International Olympic Committee. As a member of the committee, we must be treated equally and with respect,” Su said. “Unfortunately, China has been seeking all kinds of opportunities to degrade and belittle us. This is unacceptable.”

Although MSNBC is still on probation as far as I’m concerned, I like the way they handled this story.

Compromise reached between island nation, China amid 58-year split

Of course, they get the history wrong, as does everyone else.

Taiwan and China had held months of discussions about the route. They split 58 years ago amid civil war and have remained politically estranged ever since.

Before Chiang Kai Shek came to Taiwan and before Americans came in to WWII, Taiwan was a prefecture of Japan, not China, for fifty or so years. Overt Chinese control of Taiwan was brief, only eight years (1887-1895). It has been 112 years since Taiwan was part of China.