Friday, May 26, 2006

Canada needs to press for Suu Kyi release

Okay, this post has nothing to do with Taiwan, but is entirely consistent with this blog's pro-democracy, pro-human rights, pro-freedom stance.

Democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi has been under house arrest by Myanmar's disgusting military dictatorship for 10 of the last 16 years. Even UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is pleading for her release to the Myanmar military junta. As Myanmar has official diplomatic relations with Canada, Mr. MacKay can signal Canada's strong support for democracy and its opposition to this brutal dictatorship. The Conservatives have shown that they are capable of making principled choices. These principles need to be applied to all parts of the world.

Thursday, May 25, 2006

China's tactics endangering the world

With the H5N1 avain flu virus causing large concern in the global health community, the WHO has raised alarm at China's ability to contain this virus. As in the SARS outbreak of 2003, China is a weak link in combating such potential pandemics.

However, it is not only China's medical logistics that are threatening the world, but the political tactics that China keeps insisting upon. In the SARS outbreak, China deliberately obstructed WHO officials from investigating the seriousness of the virus in Southeast China, with government officials covering up the number of SARS cases. China still continues to obscure its health data, denying international organizations full access to the festering H5N1 avain flu outbreaks in rural areas.

In addition, China managed to exclude Taiwan once again from the WHO as an observer. With Taiwan being a large trading nation, such exclusion creates a loophole in the global response system to epidemics and viruses. This also inhibits Taiwan's well-established medical community from contributing to global efforts to fight the spread of diseases, and denies Taiwan crucial access to WHO resources. During the SARS outbreak, China's political obstruction blocked WHO experts from assessing the situation in Taiwan for 7 whole weeks, despite Taiwan's prompt request for aid.

With the scope of globalization increasing daily, the world cannot afford to have China's political games sabatoge international efforts to fight the spread of these deadly diseases.

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

MPs of the month

This month's honours (May) go to two MPs who made a motion in the Foreign Affairs parliamentary committee to support Taiwan's entry to the World Health Organization.

This motion was passed unanimously!


















MPs for the month of May
  • Bernard Patry, Liberal, member for Pierrefonds-Dollard
  • Dean Allison, Conservative, member for Niagara West-Glanbrook

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

WHO contradicts its own constitution

The WHO Constitution states:
  • The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being
  • The health of all peoples is fundamental to the attainment of peace and security and is dependent upon the fullest cooperation of individuals and states
By excluding Taiwan from WHO ranks, the WHO is contradicting its own constitution. Taiwan remains outside the international health community, unable to access WHO resources in a timely fashion.

You would think that the 2003 SARS outbreak would convince people that pandemics are a serious matter in a world of increasing globalization, with the spread of diseases not respecting any national boundries. But still, due to some countries kowtowing to China's political games (like Pakistan and Cuba), Taiwan cannot access or be a part of response mechanisms or emergency alerts to epidemics.

Sad to see that China makes the health of 23 million Taiwanese citizens into a political issue.

L'Union de la Solidarité Taiwanaise

Si vous êtes vraiment déçu par le Parti Democrate Progressiste (PDP), ce n'est pas necessaire de soutenir le Parti Nationaliste. Le Parti Nationaliste n'est pas une opposition responsable. Il toujours empêche les initiatives du gouvernement qui ont de sens. Il oppose avec aucun but que l'opposition.

Alors, si vous voulez soutenir un parti autrement que le PDP, pensez à l'Union de la Solidarité Taïwanaise. Elle ne compromet pas la securité et la souverainété de Taïwan. Elle est vraiment une opposition responsable!

Monday, May 22, 2006

Conservative Government moving towards more principled foreign policy

Thus far, I'm quite impressed with the Conservative government foreign policy. In contrast to the Liberals, it seems to able to make foreign policy decisions based on principles of democracy, human rights, and freedom. Chretien and Martin, all too often, shied away from tough policy choices, for fear of alienating a political base, or kowtowing to larger powers. But we're seeing a nice shift towards doing the right thing under Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Foreign Minister Peter MacKay.



Amongst the welcome new shifts include:
  • a ban on the Tamil Tigers as a terrorist organization
  • end to funding for the Hamas-led Palestinian government
  • concern for Chinese espionage on Canadian soil infringing upon Canadian sovereignty

But the Conservative party pledged to: articulate Canada's core values of freedom, democracy, human rights, and compassion for the less fortunate on the international stage. Harper himself pledged in his acceptance speech to promote Canada's democratic ideals.

For the Conservatives to live up to their promises, its necessary for them to support Taiwan, a thriving demcracy which is under threat by the Chinese dictatorship. The first such test will be during the WHA this week. We will see if Canada supports Taiwan's bid for entry to the World Health Organization. If this government truly values freedom, democracy, human rights, health, and inclusiveness, then there is no choice but to support Taiwan, a democratic ally and fight for its entry to the WHO. This government has shown that it can make principled decisions. Its time for it to ignore the irrational objections of China, and stand up for what is right. It's time for Canada to fully support Taiwan's entry to the WHO.

Sunday, May 14, 2006

UN hypocrisy just saddening

Well, the UN is just hopeless sometimes when it comes to doing the right thing. Taiwanese journalists seeking to cover the World Health Assembly starting May 22 were denied accreditation by the UN office in Geneva.

But UN itself states in its declaration of universal rights:
Everyone has the right … to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Apparently, the UN violates its own declaration. Its truly unfortunate when the UN itself is the obstacle to allowing freedom of the press and information to occur. It's policy of non-discrimination is actually actively discriminating against Taiwan. When will the UN acquire some backbone and stand up to the irrational objections of the brutal Chinese dictatorship?

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

UN fails human rights again

The United Nations is becoming a joke. Nations like China, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Cuba are admitted onto the human rights council. Ha ha ha, how can we take the UN seriously?

And of course, a democratic nation like Taiwan can't even participate in the UN due to objections from China. Talk about hypocrisy! No wonder so many are losing faith in the UN. A nation that respects human rights like Taiwan remains excluded despite its annual attempts to gain membership. Of course China, with its destruction of Tibetan and Uyghur culture, its refusal to allow democracy to take hold in Hong Kong, its constant censureship of the internet and its torturing of Falun Dafa adherents should be on the UN human rights council? Come on, give me a break....

And the UN loses credibility yet again...

Friday, May 05, 2006

Pourquoi la France veut-elle s'incliner devant la Chine?

Le président de la France, Jacques Chirac toujours s'incline devant la Chine? C'est très dommage, parce que la France avait été un pays dont on associe avec la démocratie. Mais maintenant, monsieur Chirac aime les dictateurs brutals. Il aime Hu Jintao, et il aime Robert Mugabe aussi.

Alors, il obséde à enlever l'embargo d'armes sur la Chine. Mais il oublie la raison pour cet embargo. L'embargo est établi en 1989 parce que la Chine a tué beaucoup de pauvres étudiants qui a manifesté pour la démocratie et la liberté. Monsieur Chirac doit se souvenir que la Chine ne s'est pas améliorer, mais elle continue à être un régime brutal.

Alors Monsieur Chirac, ne fait pas s'incliner la France devant la Chine....si vous le continuez, la France perdra sa dignité.

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Aren't Communists supposed to be Atheists?

So guess what....the Chinese dictatorship wants to pick its Catholic bishops. But isn't the Communist party officially atheist? Why does China want a say over the Catholic religion then? Shouldn't an officially atheist organization wash its hands of religion?

Good for the Vatican, excommunicating these two phony bishops who are just going to be Communist mouthpieces. But the Vatican needs to go further and stop trying to establish ties with such a brutal dictatorship.

Doesn't the Vatican, as the head of the Catholic church value human rights and oppose oppression from ruthless regimes? Then keep your ties with democratic Taiwan and just forget about establishing ties with communist China.

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

KMT blocks human rights progress yet again

For those that say that Ma Ying-jeou is different from the KMT authoritarian regime, they need to look again. Once again, the KMT has blocked a human rights initiative in the legislature.

A legislative motion that would have asked the UN and other organizations to investigate China's brutal treatment of Falun Dafa practicioners has been blocked by the KMT. In fact, even the PFP threw its support behind this motion.

Why is the KMT bending over backwards to spare the dictatorship in Beijing its due scrutiny? Why is the KMT so intent on embarassing the DPP, but yet not willing to oppose the terrible human rights record of the Chinese government?

Mr. Ma, if you truly do believe in human rights, its certainly hard to tell.....after all, you did oppose the constitutional reforms in the 1990s that gave Taiwanese the right to directly elect their president.

Friday, April 21, 2006

Don't be fooled by Hu

As Chinese President Hu Jintao meets with George Bush this week, he will attempt to assuage US fears that China is a threat to peace, democratization, and security. Hu will also try to portray China as a staunch ally in the war on terror, and focus the discussion on growing trade ties between the two nations.

But President Bush needs to see past the empty rhetoric of Hu, and understand that the Chinese agenda runs counter not only to the universal values of freedom and democracy, but also to US national interests. In the United Nations, China has stymied US initiatives to counter the genocide in Darfur and to contain Iran's nuclear ambitions. In addition, China also openly supports ruthless dictatorships in Zimbabwe, Myanmar, and Uzbekistan. Its offer to contain North Korea's military threats is half-hearted at best. Finally, China's military spending threatens traditional US allies such as Taiwan and Japan.

Even on issues such as trade, China's record is spotty. China deliberately undervalues its currency to inflate its trade surplus, flouts World Trade Organization regulations, and allows intellectual piracy and copyright infringement to flourish.

Mr. Hu may portray China's influence as benign to US interests. But if Mr. Bush can see past the empty rhetoric, he will see that the Chinese agenda is hinders the spread of democracy and freedom worldwide.

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Surprise! Russia, China refuse to oppose genocide in Darfur

Well, well, our anti-democratic friends, Russia and China have once again opposed sanctions against officials responsible for the genocide in Darfur.

Genocide in Darfur has been occurring for about 3 years already, with the Sudanese government arming militia that drive black Africans from their homes. Over 2 million Africans have been displaced.

Of course, this genocide has not gone on long enough for China, since their envoy to the UN has said that the time is not right to impose sanctions. When is the right time? Never! China has trade links with Sudan, so of course they won't impose sanctions, no matter what atrocities occur. After all, for China, 3 years of killing innocent people is not nearly enough!

Ah, China, once again supporting a brutal dictatorship, with no regard or value for human life.

Friday, April 14, 2006

Conservatives win freedom of Chinese dissident

More kudos to the Conservative government. Apparently, behind the scenes maneuvering were able to free Lu Decheng, who spent 9 years in prison for splotching paint on a Mao Tse-Tung portrait. Lu was also a protester during the 1989 Tiananmen square massacre.

Lu had been held in detention in Thailand as the Chinese government put pressure to keep him in captivity. But credit the Canadian Conservative government for placing human rights as a priority in their foreign policy. (Much more than the Liberals did!) They also put pressure to secure the release of this dissident.

Hopefully Lu can continue to shed light on the human rights abuses of China right here in Canada.

Thursday, April 13, 2006

KMT likes CCP more than DPP

One thing that I was always mystified with is the antipathy that the KMT has for the DPP. Well, sure it may make sense, after all, the KMT is an opposition party, so their job is to oppose the DPP when they deem it should be opposed.

That's fine, that's how politics works. But what I don't understand then is the love affair between the KMT and the CCP. It seems that KMT leadership is much more opposed to the DPP than the CCP.

But the CCP is the one responsible for aiming 800 missiles at Taiwan. The CCP is responsible for obstructing Taiwan from crucial NGO's like the World Health Organization. The CCP has one of the worst human rights records on the planet. The CCP continues to persecute Falun Dafa practitioners and democracy activists.

The KMT's job may indeed be to oppose the DPP, but clearly, there's no reason to suck up so much to the Chinese Communist Party.

The DPP respects the freedom and fundamental rights of Taiwanese citizens. It is a party that helped establish democracy on Taiwan. The CCP's values are anti-freedom, anti-rights, and anti-democracy. Why fall in love with them?

Unless of course, these KMT leaders share the same values as the CCP? This explains why Taiwan suffered for over 40 years under a KMT dictatorship....

Monday, April 10, 2006

Lien Chan kisses Ass once again...

Well it looks as if Lien Chan and his KMT cronies are going to go kiss Hu Jintao's ass once again. They didn't get enough of it last year!

They're going to meet in Shanghai. Do you think Lien will raise the issue of human rights? Noooo..... Do you think Lien will raise the issue of China's missiles pointed at Taiwan? Noooo....
Do you think Lien will stand up for the rights of Taiwanese? Noooo.....

Which begs more questions to you Lien Chan:
Didn't you lose two presidential elections?
Aren't you responsible for the KMT's poor electoral showing?
Then why are you still doing what you're doing?

Saturday, April 08, 2006

The Island Nation

The island nation lies silent, quietly it mourns,
Formosans with bowed heads, and hearts that are torn,
They weep for the memory of those that fell,
And for those who witnessed that dreadful hell.

Though many years past, the hurt does not fade,
The bloodshed and sufferings cannot be unmade.
So many killed, so many families destroyed,
The cries of the victims, they could not avoid
The death that came to them and their friends,
From a stubborn regime that just wouldn't bend.

From the streets of Taipei, to the farms in Chia-Yi,
The gunshots rang steadily, as loud as can be.
The slaughter continued on its merciless path,
Murdering political dissidents with its angry wrath.

The death of so many will not be in vain.
Neither will be their families' anguish and pain,
We remember these victims with saddened sorrow,
But we still retain hope for a better tomorrow.

For freedom has its price, it does not come cheap,
The victims have sacrificed, they have earned their keep,
But we must go on, our mission is not done,
Until the fight for freedom has truly been won.
We will not let them down, the ghosts of the past,
Their cause of yesteryear is our greatest task,
We strive for the freedom of Formosans today,
To our compatriots, have faith, rest in peace you may.

In memory of the victims of the February 28 1947 Massacre

Wen Jiabao and Lien Chan the same person?

Ha ha ha, just look at these two clowns....don't they look the same?
















Well, I guess its not really a surprise, seeing how last
year, Lien Chan went to kiss the asses of Hu Jintao and
Wen Jiabao. Yeah, well I guess if Lien Chan could, he would want
to be Wen Jiabao, the premier of China. After all, it doesn't matter how many human rights abuses China commits, Lien Chan loves China!

By the way, KMT supporters seem to be more opposed to the DPP than the CCP. I guess they just can't stand an administration that values freedom, democracy, and human rights! That's why they're in cahoots with the Communist dictatorship!

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Tibet and Hamas

Well, while the democratic world chastises Hamas for its refusal to recognize the right of Israel to exist, and its terrorist actions, China is welcoming it with open arms! Hamas leaders are going to China for high-level diplomatic talks.

Indeed, the Chinese representative for the West Bank and Gaza has said, "We have explained the Chinese position that supports the Palestinian people in their just struggle to regain their national rights and occupied land."

Well, I support the creation of a Palestinian state, co-existing peacefully with Israel. I'm not okay with terrorist actions and the killing of innocent Jews, thus Hamas should be isolated.

But the irony of all this is that China should apply their own words to Tibet! Don't Tibetans have the right to regain their national rights and occupied land? I think China should put its money where its mouth is! That means granting Tibet real autonomy and ceasing the destruction of the unique Tibet culture.

The difference between Tibet and Hamas? The Tibetan independence movement has been a peaceful one, whereas Hamas resorts to violence against innocents. Hmm, I'm okay with Tibet, but not with Hamas. China? Well, they're okay with the slaughter of innocents, but they're not even willing to allow Tibetans the freedom of speech to speak out against the cruel, brutal, and illegal occupation of Tibet by the Chinese government. Kinda makes you wonder, eh?

Mr. Ma still doesn't get democracy

Well, what a surprise. KMT chairman Ma Ying-jeou still doesn't get democracy. During his summit with President Chen Shui-bian, Mr. Ma called on the president to agree to the 1992 "one China consensus".

I guess Mr. Ma is still living in the fantasy world of 1947. This so-called "consensus" has never been agreed to by the Taiwanese people - it was an agreement between the authoritarian Chinese Communist party and the authoritarian Kuomintang.

Besides, this "one China" that Mr. Ma clings to, is it the Republic of China that still rules over the mainland and Mongolia? Is it the "one China" that pretends the People's Republic of China doesn't exist? It seems that Mr. Ma needs a reality check: Taiwan and China are two separate nations, with distinct cultures and vastly different national structures. Why force unification between them?

If Chairman Ma really believed in democracy, then he would realize that the Taiwanese people never consented to a "one China" policy, and that the future of Taiwan belongs in the hands of the Taiwanese people - not the KMT old guard.