Taipei Times - archiveslabor conditions at Foxconn Technology Group

Taipei Times - archives

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Nokia and Sony yesterday joined a chorus of concern over labor conditions at Foxconn Technology Group’s (富士康) vast assembly plant in Shenzhen, China, after yet another attempted suicide by a worker who slashed his wrists.

Taipei Times - archives

Taipei Times - archives

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US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said yesterday the world must respond to the sinking of a South Korean warship that has been blamed on North Korea.

“This was an unacceptable provocation by North Korea, and the international community has a responsibility and a duty to respond,” Clinton said after talks with South Korean leaders.

Taipei Times - archives

Taipei Times - archives
On the eve of the second anniversary of President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) inauguration, Taiwan Thinktank released the results of a public opinion poll showing that his approval rating stood at a mere 32.1 percent, while 58.6 percent of respondents said they were dissatisfied with his performance. The top reason cited for their dissatisfaction was Ma’s “pro-China policies and neglect of national sovereignty.” This was followed by a “poor economy” and “failure to care for the general public.” The results of the opinion poll show a fundamental flaw in Ma’s policymaking.

Taipei Times - archives

Taipei Times - archives

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To mark his two years in office, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) has built two new castles in the sky: a “golden decade” and a “six country” goal — building a strong country based on innovation, reviving the country by promoting culture, initiating environmental protection measures to save the country, consolidating the country with constitutional politics, promoting social welfare to make the country more secure and ensuring peace to protect the country.

Taipei Times - archives

Taipei Times - archives

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Taiwan should prepare for the “possibility of a very difficult period ahead for US policy in the cross-strait area,” a Washington symposium heard on Tuesday.

sleep without fear

Taipei Times - archives

Taipei Times - archives
In his April 30 interview with CNN reporter Christiane Amanpour, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) declared: “We will never ask the Americans to fight for Taiwan. This is something that is very, very clear.”

Taipei Times - archives

Taipei Times - archives

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Depending on who conducted the polls afterwards, Ma or Tsai prevailed in the debate, with some critics saying that Ma looked more comfortable than ever while Tsai failed to make eye contact and appeared too bookish. Some said the occasion helped Taiwanese better understand the reasons for and implications of the proposed trade agreement; others said it failed to persuade them. Tsai was criticized for what some said was turning the debate into an opportunity to position herself for the presidential election in 2012. For his part, Ma was accused of either not answering Tsai’s questions or of dissembling, an art — as we should all know by now — at which he has mastered.

Taipei Times - archives

Taipei Times - archives

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The symbolism of China’s growing power was dramatized in French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s recent China visit as an exercise in smoothing relations with that country. Relations between France and China reached a crisis point in 2008 over a series of events such as protests in Paris over the Beijing Olympic torch relays, criticism of China’s human rights in Tibet and, above all, Sarkozy’s meeting with the Dalai Lama.

Taipei Times - archives

Taipei Times - archives
In view of the government’s eagerness to sign an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China despite the concerns of domestic industries about the impact of Chinese-made goods flooding into Taiwan, it comes as a bit of a comfort to see the government at least working to promote MIT products in an attempt to dampen the possible impact to the nation’s market should an ECFA be signed.

Taipei Times - archives

Taipei Times - archives

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How to enhance the international space for Taiwan is a complex issue that needs to be addressed by the international community. Unfortunately, it is not even on the current agenda as we are preoccupied with other issues deemed more critical to international safety and security and therefore of higher priority to policymakers.