



Taiwan’s Party
Politics
2008 Presidential
Election
Chen’s Legacy and Ma Era
[Government
and Policies] [Speeches and Statements] [Taiwan Information] [Research
Organizations] [News] [Papers]
~2000 ; 2001-2004
; 2005-2007; 2008; 2009
Polls
Survey: A Month After Wu
Cabinet Took Office
(TVBS
Public Opinion
Poll Center,
Oct. 9, 2009) 32% of the respondents were satisfied with President Ma’s
performance while 48% were satisfied with Premier Wu’s.
Survey on New Cabinet,
Verdict on Former President Chen Shui-bian’s Cases, and President Ma
Ying-jeou’s Approval Rating (GVSRC,
Sep. 23, 2009) President Ma Ying-jeou’s approval rating is 28.3 percent and disapproval
rating is 59.6 percent this month.
Survey on Wu Cabinet
Installed
(TVBS
Public Opinion
Poll Center,
Sep. 11, 2009) A survey on people’s opinion about the recent cabinet
reshuffle.
More polls are available: United Daily, China Times, Apple Daily.
Survey on Cabinet Reshuffle
(TVBS Public Opinion
Poll Center,
Sep. 7, 2009) A survey on a potential cabinet reshuffle, conducted by the TVBS Public
Opinion Poll
Center.
Public Opinions on President
Ma Ying-jeou’s and His Cabinet’s Abilities to Deal with Disasters Following
Typhoon Morakot’s Lash at Taiwan (GVSRC, Aug. 24, 2009) 78.2 percent of Taiwanese say the Ma
administration has failed to handle the typhoon disaster well; meanwhile,
President Ma Ying-jeou’s approval rating this month is 22.9 percent.
Survey on Taiwan Relations
Act, Arms Procurement, Participation in WHA, and President Ma’s Approval
Rating (GVSRC, Apr. 24, 2009) 48.3% of Taiwanese say the
government should procure more weapons to gain more ground with China;
meanwhile, 32.8% of Taiwanese approve of President Ma’s performance.

Taiwan’s Wealth Gap
Widening: Survey
(CNA,
Aug. 20, 2010) Taiwan's household income gap widened in 2009, with the
average annual disposable income of the richest families reaching 6.34 times
that of the poorest.
Taiwan to Continue Pragmatic
Approach with U.N.: Ministry
(CNA,
Aug. 12, 2010) The government will continue to take a pragmatic approach
toward Taiwan's
participation in specialized agencies of the United Nations this year,
Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Yang said.
Corruption Hurting Taiwan’s
Democracy: Analysts
(AFP,
Aug. 9, 2010) A former president jailed for graft, a retired head of military
police indicted for embezzlement, three top judges accused of taking bribes —
the list goes on. Taiwan
has a problem with corruption.
Taiwan Considers Trade Deals
with Vietnam, Indonesia
(Taipei Times, Aug. 8, 2010) Taiwan
is eyeing Vietnam and Indonesia as potential free-trade agreement
partners after announcing last week that it had agreed with Singapore to explore the
feasibility of such a deal.
Taiwan, Singapore to Pursue
Trade Pact
(Reuters, Aug. 5, 2010) Taiwan and Singapore
will pursue a free trade-style deal, the two sides said, a key to Taipei's long-term growth strategy and following a trade
pact with political foe China.
Taiwan Diplomat Calls for
FTAs with Europe
(CNA, Aug. 4, 2010) Taiwan's
top envoy to the European Union and Belgium
called for a free trade agreement between Taiwan
and the EU, saying that the ground has already been laid with the recent
signing of a trade pact with China.
FTA with Taiwan Unnecessary:
Thai Rep Office
(CNA, Aug. 1, 2010) Goods imported from Thailand to Taiwan already enjoy a favorable
tariff treatment, hence a free trade agreement or a similar mechanism is not
necessary to stimulate bilateral trade, the Thai representative office said
recently.
US, Taiwan Still Far from
Resolving Beef Row: MOEA
(CNA, Jul. 30, 2010) The Ministry of Economic
Affairs said that big differences still remain in the dispute between Taiwan and the United
States over U.S. beef imports, but both sides
are in discussions on the issue at a technical level.
China Wouldn’t Scuttle Trade
Pacts: Academic
(Taipei Times, Jul. 29, 2010) Charles Freeman, an
academic at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said that authorities at “the highest
levels within China” had
assured him that Taiwan
would be free to enter into whatever free-trade agreements it wanted.
Israel Would Object to
Closer Taiwan-Iran Ties
(CNA, Jul. 26, 2010) Israel has no objection to
Taiwan fostering a better relationship with the Arab world but will frown on
closer Taiwan-Iran ties, the top Israeli envoy to Taiwan said.
Taiwan May Try to Reach Free
Trade Accord with Singapore, Negotiator Says (Bloomberg, Jul. 22, 2010) Taiwan may seek a free-trade accord
with Singapore following its first such deal with China, the island’s top
negotiator with China Chiang Pin-kung said.
Charity Wins Consultative
Status from U.N. Council
(CNA, Jul. 21, 2010) The
U.N. Economic and Social Council (ECOSCO) has designated the Taiwan-based
Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation as one of its special
consultants.
Lobbyists’ Merger Leaves
Taiwan Out in the Cold
(Taipei
Times, Jul. 17, 2010) Patton Boggs' takeover of the smaller Breaux Lott meant
dropping Taiwan as a client to focus on the bigger firm's client — China.
Taiwan Eyeing FTA Talks with
ASEAN Member States: MOEA
(CNA, Jul. 14, 2010) Taiwan has set its sights first
on the members of the ASEAN in its bid to secure free trade agreements, the
Ministry of Economic Affairs said.
Taiwan Targets Asian
Countries for FTAs: Report
(AFP, Jun. 30, 2010) Taiwan is now looking to
forge several free trade agreements in Asia after signing a sweeping and
historic pact with China, a report said.
No Need for Taiwan FTA, Philippine
Minister Says
(Taipei Times, Jun. 28, 2010) Recent comments by
the Philippines’ trade and industry secretary cast doubt on the feasibility
of Taiwan being able to sign FTA with other economies in the region after it
signs an ECFA with China.
Taiwan Should Alter China
Strategy: Japanese Expert
(CNA, Jun. 22, 2010) Taiwan needs to focus on
logistics and other professional services in China as the country will soon
lose its advantage in capitalizing on cheap Chinese labor due to wage hikes
and a stronger Chinese yuan, a visiting Japanese corporate strategist said.
May Exports Hit New High
(China Post, Jun. 8, 2010) Taiwan's exports hit a
record single-month high of US$25.54 billion in May, showing a sharp growth
of 57.9 percent over a year earlier, according to customs statistics
released.
Taiwan Not Opposed to
Kiribati-China Relations: Ma
(Taipei Times, Jun. 8, 2010) President Ma
Ying-jeo said Taiwan would
continue to strengthen diplomatic relations with Kiribati
but would not oppose the Pacific nation seeking to develop unofficial ties
with China.
Feinstein Leads US Senate
Delegation on Lightning Visit
(Taipei Times, Jun. 6, 2010) A US Senate delegation
arrived in Taiwan, the
first group of US senators to visit Taipei
since President Ma Ying-jeou took office in May 2008.
Time Is Not Right for Closer
Relations with Iran: MOFA
(CNA, Jun. 3, 2010) The time is not right for
Taiwan and Iran to develop closer relations, despite a strong desire by both
sides to do so, a Taiwan foreign ministry official said.
Report: France to Cut
Military Contact with Taiwan
(AP, Jun. 1, 2010) France will withdraw a
military liaison unit in Taiwan after an international court ordered Paris to
make a large compensation payment to Taipei over a frigate sale, a Taiwanese
newspaper reported.
Taiwan Announces Haiti Debt
Relief Plan
(CNA, May 28, 2010) Taiwan will pay about
US$12-13 million in interest on loans to Haiti and the quake-ravaged country
will not have to make any payments on the principal for five years, Taiwan's
foreign minister said.
Jobless Rate Sees Biggest
Fall in 15 Years to 5.39% in April
(China Post, May 25, 2010) Taiwan's jobless rate
posted a decline of 0.28 of a percentage point from March to reach 5.39
percent in April, representing the largest single-month drop of its kind in
15 years.
Taiwan Outpaces China as
Growth Accelerates to 30-Year High
(Bloomberg, May 20, 2010) Taiwan’s economy
expanded at the fastest pace in more than 30 years last quarter on surging
sales of computer chips and display panels to China, as it heals ideological
wounds with its neighbor in favor of trade ties.
Taiwan seeks Expand Trade
Ties with U.S. under TIFA: President
(CNA, May 19, 2010) President Ma Ying-jeou
reiterated Taiwan's
intention to tighten ties with the United
States under an established trade framework and
continue to buy arms from Washington,
at a press conference to mark the second anniversary of his inauguration.
Taiwan Should Focus on HQs,
Wolfowitz Says
(Taipei Times, May 19, 2010) US-Taiwan Business
Council chairman Paul Wolfowitz says Taiwan should pull out all the stops to
attract international companies to put their regional headquarters in the
country, adding that such an effort was more important than membership in
international organizations.
Taiwan Aims to Be WHO
Member: Minister
(CNA, May 16, 2010) Taiwan's
Department of Health Minister Yaung Chih-liang said in Geneva that acquiring full membership of
the WHO is the country's ultimate goal.
Taiwan Shakes Up Cabinet But
Policy Course Likely Steady
(Wall Street Journal, May 13, 2010) Analysts said
the changes unlikely mark a significant policy shift in Taipei,
which has been forging closer economic ties with China since the Kuomintang party
came to power in 2008.
Rising Sea Levels Threaten
Taiwan
(AFP, May 8, 2010) Mountains cover two thirds of Taiwan,
but the heart of the island's economy is concentrated in the remaining third,
which stretches down the west coast and consists mostly of flat land near sea
level.
US Still Assessing
Legislative Beef Ban, Stanton Says
(Taipei Times, Apr. 23, 2010) The US is looking
into the extension of a Taiwanese ban on certain US beef products, American
Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director William Stanton said.
U.S. Criticizes Taiwan for
Tighter Inspection of Beef Tongue
(CNA, Apr. 21, 2010) The Office of the United
States Trade Representative (USTR) said that it was “deeply disappointed”
with Taiwan's decision to require much stricter inspection procedures for
beef tongue imported from the U.S.
New Beef Parts from U.S.
(China
Post, Apr. 18, 2010) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that
more U.S. beef products
could be shipped to Taiwan.
Taiwan Approves Debt
Reduction Proposal for Haiti
(Taipei Times,
Apr. 14, 2010) The Executive Yuan has approved a debt reduction proposal for Haiti, which will see the government repay the
interest payments on the Caribbean ally’s debt to Taiwan for five years, Minister
of Foreign Affairs Timothy Yang said.
DPP Sees Trust Crisis
between Ages
(China Post, Apr. 12, 2010) Taiwan's society is faced with a
crisis of trust among generations instead of political divisions, according
to opposition DPP leader when laying the groundwork for pursuing the party's
policy guidelines for the coming decade.
Yang: China Not Factor in
Taiwan-Palau Relations
(CNA, Apr. 9, 2010) There is no solid evidence to
show that China is trying to undermine Taiwan's diplomatic ties with Palau,
but government agencies will continue keeping a close watch on related
developments, Foreign Minister Timothy C. T. Yang said.
President Ma Will Meet with
Visiting Ex-Japanese PM Aso
(China
Post, Apr. 6, 2010) President Ma Ying-jeou will meet privately with former
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, who arrived in Taiwan on a four-day private
visit, political sources said.
Taiwan in Appeal for Closer
Contact
(The Australian, Mar. 29, 2010) No Australian
minister has visited Taipei since the Rudd
government was elected, although two Taiwanese ministers came to Australia
last year.
President Returns from Fifth
Diplomatic Tour
(China
Post, Mar. 28, 2010) President Ma Ying-jeou and his 90-member entourage
returned to the Taiwan Taoyuan International
Airport after concluding a one-week
diplomatic visit to Taiwan's
six allies in the South Pacific.
Ma Embarks on Visit to South
Pacific Allies
(CNA, Mar. 22, 2010) President Ma Ying-jeou
departed for a week-long trip to the South Pacific that will take him to all
six of Taiwan's
diplomatic allies in the region.
Taiwan’s Exports Up 32.6
Percent in February
(AFP, Mar. 8, 2010) Taiwan's
exports slowed from January but remained robust for a fourth-straight month,
helped by strong demand for electronics products from China, the finance ministry said.
Absentee Voting May Be
Implemented by 2012
(CNA, Mar. 8, 2010) The government is mulling the
introduction of absentee voting in time for the 2012 presidential election,
Interior Minister Jiang Yi-huah said.
President Ma to Visit Six
Pacific Allies in Six Days
(Taipei Times, Mar. 3, 2010) President Ma
Ying-jeou will visit the nation's six diplomatic allies in the South Pacific
in six days, the first time Taiwan's head of state will be visiting so many
allies in such a short period of time.
Taiwan Manufacturing
Activity Growth Fastest in Over 4 Years
(Dow Jones, Feb. 28, 2010) Taiwan's manufacturing
activity expanded at its fastest rate in more than four years in February,
adding to evidence of a robust recovery in the island's economy.
Taiwan Economy Probably
Exited Deepest Recession, Survey Shows (Bloomberg, Feb. 18, 2010) Taiwan’s economy probably exited the
deepest recession on record last quarter as the global recovery spurred
demand for the island’s semiconductors and mobile phones.
Gov’t Faces Big Challenges
After Holiday
(China Post, Feb. 19, 2010) The Cabinet is facing
a spate of severe challenges, including renewing negotiations with the U.S.
over beef imports into Taiwan, activating talks with China over ECFA, and
implementing the re-organization of the government administration system.
Taiwan-Philippines FTA Will
Be Crucial: Taiwanese Diplomat
(Taipei Times, Feb. 13, 2010) A
Taiwan-Philippines free-trade agreement is crucial to securing Taiwan as a lucrative job market for overseas
Filipino workers, Representative to Manila Donald Lee said in an recent
interview with Philippine-based news outlet Malaya.
NSC Chief Su Chi Resigns
(China Post, Feb. 12, 2010) President Ma
Ying-jeou's top national security aide, Su Chi, announced his surprise
resignation. Ma immediately named, Hu Wei-jen, a veteran diplomat and an old
hand on security affairs, to take up the position.
Government Working on
Strengthening Ties with TPP Members, FTA with India (Taipei Times, Feb. 12, 2010) In a
recent interview with an Indian publication, Asia Age, Taiwanese
Representative to India Ong Wen-chyi said a Taiwan-India FTA was a definite
possibility and both sides were conducting feasibility studies on the issue.
Taiwanese Exports Climb by
Most in More Than 30 Years
(Bloomberg, Feb. 9, 2010) Taiwan's exports climbed in January by the
most in more than 30 years as holiday spending in China before the Lunar New Year
fueled demand for the island's computers and mobile phones.
Taiwan Seeks to Join P4
Trade Group
(CNA, Jan. 30, 2010) Taiwan will continue its efforts
to join the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPPA),
despite several unsuccessful bids, the director-general of the Bureau of
Foreign Trade said.
No Basis for New Talks on
Beef Issue, Says USTR
(CNA, Jan. 24, 2010) The U.S. Trade
Representative Office said that Taiwan
has destroyed its bilateral agreement with the United States on beef imports and
there is no basis for renegotiation of the issue.
Taiwan Exports Show Record
Growth
(Wall Street Journal, Jan. 20, 2010) Taiwan's
December export orders grew at a record pace, boosted by strong Chinese
demand for the island's goods, and orders are likely to grow at a
faster-than-normal pace in the typically slow first quarter.
Ma Adds Dominican Republic
to Central America Tour
(Taipei Times, Jan. 20, 2010) President Ma
Ying-jeou will visit the Dominican
Republic to deliver aid for victims of
last week’s earthquake that devastated the Haitian capital.
Taiwan Excluded from WHO
Executive Board Meeting
(Taipei
Times, Jan. 19, 2010) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs insisted that Taiwan's
participation at the World Health Assembly (WHA) in May had not been
jeopardized even though the WHO had rejected its request to be an observer at
the annual Executive Board meeting.
Plans Underway for Ma’s
Dominican Visit
(CNA, Jan. 17, 2010) President Ma Ying-jeou said
that his administration is still trying to work out a way to show Taiwan's concern for earthquake-ravaged Haiti without causing inconveniences for its Caribbean ally.
Haiti Aid a Telling Test of
China-Taiwan Relations
(AP, Jan. 17, 2010) One of the world's trickiest
relationships is being tested in devastated Haiti, where China and Taiwan are
rushing aid to one of Taipei's few remaining diplomatic allies.
Taiwan to Revamp Cabinet
(AFP, Jan. 13, 2010) Taiwan plans to cut eight
ministry-level agencies and eliminate tens of thousands of jobs in the
biggest revamp of its cabinet system in six decades, the government said.
Ma Is Scheduled to Visit
Republic of China Diplomatic Ally Hunduras (CNA, Jan. 12, 2010) President Ma Ying-jeou is scheduled to make
a whirlwind Jan. 27-28 visit to Honduras mainly to attend the
inauguration of President Porfirio Lobo Sosa.
Taiwan Firm: China Got Iran
Part with Nuke Uses
(AP, Jan. 8, 2010) A Taiwanese company agreed to
a request from a firm in China
to procure sensitive components with nuclear uses, then shipped them to Iran,
the firm's head said.
Defense, Beef Ban Unrelated:
US Official
(Taipei
Times, Jan. 9, 2010) The increasingly fractious beef row between Washington
and Taipei will not impact arms sales or other aspects of the bilateral
relationship, Assistant US Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific
Kurt Campbell said.
Beef Row Derails 3 Pacts
with U.S.: Official
(CNA, Jan. 8, 2010) The U.S. beef import dispute
has derailed Taiwan's plan
to negotiate three critical accords with the United States that may help pave
the way for a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), a senior official said.
Taiwan Seeks New Talks with
U.S. After Banning Beef
(Reuters, Jan. 6, 2010) Taiwan, eager to mend
trade ties with the United States a day after overturning part of a deal to
import U.S. beef products, said it would seek to reopen talks with its
biggest ally.
U.S. Dismay Over Taiwan’s
Partial Beef Ban Widespread
(CNA, Jan. 6, 2010) The United States government
and its meat industry expressed their disappointment over Taiwan's decision to restore a partial ban on U.S.
beef imports and use American beef producers as a "political football.”
Taiwan Bans Some U.S. Beef
Imports
(AP, Jan. 5, 2010) Taiwan lawmakers voted Tuesday
to ban imports of some kinds of United States, reversing a deal the
government had negotiated with Washington.
Beef Turnabout Unacceptable:
Senator
(Taipei Times,
Jan. 5, 2010) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the open letter to Ma
Ying-jeou from Senator Max Baucus, a longtime supporter of Taiwan, would be taken seriously.
Beef Row Will Not Affect Other
Aspects of U.S. Relations: Official
(CNA, Jan. 3, 2010) Washington will deal with
Taiwanese lawmakers' attempts to block imports of U.S. ground beef and offal
sensitively, rather than confusing it with Taiwan's requests for arms sales
or for its president to make transit stops in the U.S., Taiwan's
representative to the U.S. Jason Yuan said.
Beef Row Will Not Affect
U.S. Arms Sales: Premier Wu
(China
Post, Jan. 2, 2009) Premier Wu Den-yih said that the beef row with the United States will not affect its arms sales
to Taiwan.
Premier in U-Turn on Beef
Delegation
(Taipei Times,
Jan. 1, 2010) The government called off a plan to send a delegation made up
of members of the Executive Yuan to Washington
to contain the fallout from the legislature’s move to bar imports of certain US
beef products.

Doubts Over Ma’s Tough Cure
for Corruption By Jens Kastner
(Asia Times, Aug. 26, 2010) Under public
pressure, President Ma Ying-jeou has talked tough on the matter and vowed not
to allow a few corrupt officials tarnish the reputation of the public sector
and the government.
The Social foundation of
Taiwan’s Future: Guns, Wheelchairs and Shark’s Fin Soup By
Richard C. Bush III (Columbia
University Symposium on Taiwan in the
21st Century, Jul. 13, 2010) Taiwan faces some difficult choices: how to
maintain competitiveness in a globalized economy, how to assure both growth
and relative equality, how to balance the desire for prosperity and the need
for high-quality social services, and how to guarantee both a good life and
national security.
Taiwan’s Sinking Birth Rate
Threatens Productivity
(Reuters, Apr. 2, 2010) Taiwan is scrambling to raise its
birthrate, among the world's lowest, before the sinking number of newborns
threatens productivity for its export-driven economy.
Taiwan’s U.S. Beef
(Wall Street Journal, Jan. 6, 2010) Mad cow
disease has claimed another victim: Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou,
who was for free trade in beef, until he was against it. Chalk the decision
up to a political infection.
U.S. Experts Warn of Fallout
from Taiwan’s Breach of Beef Protocol (CNA, Jan. 6, 2010) Several U.S. experts on Taiwan issues warned
that Taiwan's recent violation of a beef trade protocol with the United
States could hamper progress in bilateral economic and trade relations.
|