In the news ニュース

More articles about Taiwan in Japan's English-language media today. The best was this commentary from the Japan Times, "Taiwan's sad quest for U.N. membership", by Ramesh Thakur, "a distinguished fellow at the Center for International Governance Innovation and a professor of political science at the University of Waterloo." Unlike the column the other day by Brad Glosserman, Thakur's piece is very sympathetic towards Taiwan's bid to enter the United Nations 国連. As the JT summarizes it:

"Taiwan's futile efforts to win some form of U.N. representation highlight a shameful example of the international community's lacking the courage of its convictions."

Thakur points out the gist of the problem:

"The most significant issue on which the international community of states is in complete denial is the way in which Taiwan has been "banned" from the U.N., just like undesirables in apartheid South Africa. Taiwan is refused membership, is not granted observer status, and does not figure in the U.N.'s statistical databases.

The refusal to permit any form of Taiwanese participation in the World Health Organization, for example, means that 23 million people are cut off from information on global health policy discussions, exchanges on technology and best practices, and the monitoring and prevention of epidemics."

Regarding Taiwan's UN application, he states:

"It satisfies all the normal criteria of a state: territory, people and effective control by a stable government. Moreover, as an island it has a natural demarcation. But on July 23, the U.N. Office of Legal Affairs returned the application. The decision has little to do with the merits of the application and everything to do with the geopolitics of China as a permanent member of the Security Council. Questioning the right of the secretariat to decide on the issue, Taiwan will try to take its case directly to the General Assembly, with little chance of success."

Thakur then points out how Taiwan has better credentials in the areas of democracy, human rights and self-determination than such places as Kosovo and East Timor, and that the island's population of 23 million is equal to the combined total of Australia and New Zealand, and bigger than that of many UN members. He concludes by saying:

"In his campaign for the post of U.N. secretary general, Ban Ki Moon made much of the fact that he is from a country that has actually made the transition from poor to high income and from an authoritarian to a democratic regime. South Korea's example is much more relevant to most U.N. member states than countries that have failed to make the transition and others that were already developed.

Like South Korea, Taiwan is a vibrant democracy and a dynamic economy. It is the world's only Chinese democracy. Both countries embody U.N. ideals, values and aspirations. In March 2008, the Taiwanese people might get a chance to express their opinion directly on a referendum on U.N. membership. Yet, far from welcoming direct democracy, most outsiders are counseling "restraint" on Taiwan.

So much for "We the people." As the great Soviet dissident Alexander Solzhenitsyn noted, the U.N. is the place where the peoples of the world are often served up to the designs of governments. In the decades to come, we are likely to look back at the Taiwan charade as one of the more shameful examples of the international community lacking the courage of its convictions."

Ban Ki-moon has shown himself to be very pro-Chinese in the past (his refusal to condemn capital punishment, the first time a UN Secretary-General has declined to do so, was no doubt out of a desire not to offend China, which leads the world in executions), so he isn't likely to show any sympathy towards Taiwan, despite the similarities to his own country. But Thakur is right on the mark in his analysis of Taiwan's lack of representation in the world body of nations. The government here should hire this man to argue its case!

The Daily Yomiuri had a short article about the unveiling of Taiwan's new Kidd-class destroyer, recently purchased from the USA. It doesn't seem to be a major story, but the Yomiuri featured it prominently in its World section.

My daughter does some business over the phone while checking to see how her お握り order is coming along.

An awful wreck すごい事故

On my way to work on Thursday afternoon, I passed by this horrible-looking car wreck. I probably wouldn't have noticed it, actually, but for the group of people standing next to it, all of whom were dressed in black. As I rode past, I could hear them chanting, and one person was ringing a small bell, in what appeared to be a Buddhist ritual. I can only assume the accident was a fatal one. It wasn't there in the late afternoon on Wednesday, so it happened very recently. So much has been written on the Net about how bad driving conditions are in Taiwan. Unfortunately, things do not seem to be getting any better.

   

車の残がい

UPDATE: I learned from a student of mine who lives nearby that the accident involved a scooter that ran a red light (par for the course in Taiwan) and was hit by the car in the above photo. The deceased was a female university student riding the scooter. I passed by the site today (Wednesday, Sept. 19), and this time the wreckage of the scooter could be plainly seen. A life snuffed out all because someone couldn't be bothered to wait a few moments at a traffic signal. What a waste.

In the news ニュース

On Wednesday, the Daily Yomiuri had this article on the attempt to get a casino built on the P'enghu (Penghu) Islands 澎湖諸島. I've yet to visit Penghu, but I've heard the islands are very beautiful, and have some of the best beaches in Taiwan (my wife also has a good friend who comes from there). I can understand why some on the island might be enthusiastic about building casinos (apparently tourism from Taiwan proper has stagnated in recent years), but I find the idea of opening up the islands to Chinese tourists something to worry about. If enough gamblers from China turn up on Penghu's shores, it won't be long before the landscape is transformed into an ugly collection of architectural eyesores designed solely to take care of the hedonistic needs of the tourists - karaoke カラオケ bars, brothels, greasy spoons and tacky souvenir shops. It could be that way already for all I know, but I have a feeling that if the tourist sector is opened up to the Chinese, and casinos are built to attract them, the residents of Penghu might end up regretting that their wishes came true.

One quote in the article from a Taiwanese tourist agent, referring to tourists from China: "They speak the same language as us, and they spend money on souvenirs". This pretty much sums up why many tourism officials haven't done more to attract visitors from Western countries (or Japan, for that matter) - it's too much trouble having to come up with materials and services that cater to non-Chinese speakers.

The Japan Times had an opinion piece this morning called "Lashing out at U.S. won't help Taiwan" , by a Brad Glosserman, an "executive director of Pacific Forum CSIS, a Honolulu-based think tank." Glosserman didn't seem to put too much thought into this article, which places the blame for the recent troubles in relations between the US and Taiwan on the Chen Shui-bian 陳水扁 administration, and virtually ignores China. I'm having trouble understanding all the fuss about the planned referendum on whether or not Taiwan should seek admission to the UN under the name "Taiwan". If China, as a permanent member of the Security Council, can veto any application Taiwan makes, then the whole thing should be a non-starter to begin with. The referendum is clearly a political move aimed at local voters in the run-up to next year's presidential campaign. So why do US officials feel compelled to make statements saying that such a vote (an important part of the democratic process that Bush supposedly wants the entire world to adopt, and which is entirely absent from the Chinese political scene) is going to raise tensions to a dangerous level, that Taiwan is not a sovereign state, that the status quo is being altered yadda yadda yadda?

Glosserman writes:

"Chen was unmoved and unrepentant. The U.S. "cannot ask Taiwan to be a democratic country but forbid it to hold a referendum . . . the U.S. cannot draw a red line on Taiwan's democracy but shift it back and forth."

The U.S. hasn't moved its red lines. Its policy has been consistent: Washington opposes any unilateral effort to change the status quo. It opposes the proposed referendum because it is seen as moving toward independence, because it will agitate Beijing and increase tensions in the Strait, and finally because ultimately it will be fruitless. It may work as a political gesture to rally independence supporters to Chen and his party, but it will have no effect on Taiwan's international status or its bid to enter the U.N."

Well, if the referendum is only a "political gesture" and will "have no effect on Taiwan's international status or its bid to enter the UN", then why not just ignore the matter, and let the Taiwanese argue about it among themselves?

Glosserman also states:

"The inability to see the consequences of its actions risks alienating Taiwan's other friends and supporters. Several Taiwanese contrasted Taipei's behavior with that of Seoul, complaining that Taiwan was a much better ally than South Korea but did not get credit. They pointed to anti-Americanism in Korea, warning that Washington risked creating the same animus in Taiwan if it did not back Taipei's policies. Koreans in our group were incensed by the comparison."

Koreans may be incensed, but it's true - Taiwan has been a better friend to the USA than South Korea, and someone should point that fact out. It's about time all US soldiers in South Korea were withdrawn, and the South Korean government and people left alone to deal with their mentally-challenged relatives to the north. But that's a rant better left for another time.

Another Day in Tak'eng (Dakeng) 大坑

With mornings now free for the time being on Tuesdays, I got up at 7 today, and after a typically frustrating breakfast at one of the local McDonald's (the server decided I wanted a cold coffee instead of the hot drink I specifically asked for), rode out to the Tak'eng (Dakeng) 大坑 area to go on a morning hike. Arriving at the parking area for the No.'s 6, 7 and 8 trails, I was surprised to see a lot of cars and bikes parked there. Though it wasn't anywhere near as congested as on weekends, I still didn't expect there to be so many people out at 8:30 on a Tuesday morning. This meant, of course, that some of the many karaoke カラオケ joints in the area were open to serve those who have never come close to grasping the concept of quietly contemplating what nature has given us (I guess all those old Chinese scroll paintings I've seen in museums were all a big lie, much like Bill and Ted's album covers). On today's course, I started off by walking through a nearby cemetery 墓地 on my way to the junction with the No. 9 Trail.

 

A lot of Westerners assume that all East Asian cultures are basically the same, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Take cemeteries, for example. The Taiwanese are terrified of them, while the Japanese aren't quite as spooked (excuse the pun). I have seen the cherry blossoms 桜 in Aoyama Reien 青山霊園, and the maple leaves 紅葉 in Zoshigaya Reien 雑司ヶ谷霊園. I have walked through Yanaka Reien 谷中霊園 on several occasions while visiting some of Tokyo's 東京 older, atmospheric neighborhoods. And no visit to Koya-san 高野山 is complete without going to the Oku-no-in 奥の院. The thing is, while I may be a strange foreigner 変な外人, there were plenty of Japanese at those places when I visited, all sharing the same experiences.

In Taiwan, on the other hand, people avoid visiting cemeteries out of fear of the ghosts residing there (that's not to say Japanese aren't afraid, either. If you're looking for a cheap apartment in Tokyo, look for a building next door to a bone yard). With the exception of Tomb Sweeping Day 清明節, which comes once a year, you will rarely see people visiting a graveyard (it's not uncommon in Japan to see people tending to tombs at any time of year). The result is that a cemetery is the one place where I can be assured of escaping the hordes. And thanks to feng shui 風水, many resting places of the dead are located on the sides of hills offering great views over the surrounding plains. On a clear day, you can see much of T'aichung (Taijhong) 台中 from the cemetery I walked through this morning.

This morning's outing was uneventful. I walked up the No. 9 Trail, passing by papaya パパイヤ orchards... 

  

...until it joined with the No. 6 Trail. Close to the junction is a Kuanyin (Guanyin) 観音 Temple that is overrun on weekends with people eating breakfast. Even with smaller crowds this Tuesday, the noise was still pretty loud.

 

After walking around for a while (and surprising a couple of snakes), I eventually returned to the parking lot via the No. 8 Trail, and was home by 11. Next Tuesday we need to go to T'aipei (Taibei) 台北 in pursuit of a US tourist visa for Pamela, so it'll be a couple of weeks before I can get out to Takeng again.

Kamioka かみおか

Now that the public schools are back in session following the summer break, my teaching schedule has changed again. For the time being, I find myself with some free time on Monday afternoons, so today after lunch I rode out to the Chung-cheng (Jhong-jheng) Park 中正公園 area to do some walking. On the way out, however, I stopped by a nearby factory and took a photo. What caught my eye was the name "Kamioka" in roman letters. "Kamioka" is the Japanese reading of the characters for Shenkang (Shengang) 神岡, which is where both the factory and my apartment building are located.

Once in the park area, I tried to walk on an old path I used to take in the past. Bad weather had knocked down some trees and made the trail impassable, but recently it looked like someone had cleared away the obstacles, so I thought I'd give it a try today. Unfortunately, after being bitten mercilessly by mosquitoes and narrowly missing walking face first into a couple of webs guarded by giant spiders, I found the way blocked by vegetation. If only I had brought a machete! Who would have thought there was jungle-like adventure to be had in the modest hills and mountains of west-central Taiwan. Certainly not those big city wannabes and weekend warriors up in Taihoku (eh Channa?)!

A local branch temple of the T'ienti Chiao (Tiandi Jiao) 天帝教, or "The Lord of Universe Church (sic)"

T'unghsiao (Tongsiao) 通霄

Today was another one of those milestones in young Amber's life - her first time to go into the ocean. The recipient beach of this great honor turned out to be the one at the Tunghsiao Sea Life Beach Resort, in the neighboring county of Miaoli 苗栗県, which was chosen for this great honor on the basis that it was the cleanest beach on the west coast of Taiwan, according to the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration website.

The resort is pricey, by Taiwanese standards - NT100 ($3 or ￥350) for parking and NT350 ($10.60 or ￥1230) admission for one adult. Incredibly, as we were approaching the front gate to buy our tickets, a father and daughter walked up to us, explained that they had 6 free tickets to the resort, and as there were only 4 people in their party, asked us if we would like the 2 extra tickets! Of course we refus...accepted!

Once inside, I was reminded of an English seaside resort such as Blackpool, if Blackpool were located on a semi-tropical island in East Asia that is. There are several small aquariums 水族館, where Amber got to practice saying the word "fish". Interestingly enough, she was most excited at seeing sharks. I, on the other hand, was drawn to this (poisonous) stonefish:

There are plenty of arcade games to amuse the kids, souvenir shops to drain the wallet, and greasy spoons to fill the stomach. Before going to the beach, we stopped at one to have lunch: ramen ラーメン (no salt again! Why are Taiwanese so afraid of Japanese food having some flavor?!) for me, stinky tofu 臭豆腐（しゅうどうふ）for Pamela, and minced meat on rice for the three of us.

The west coast of Taiwan is densely populated, so it was no surprise that Tunghsiao's setting was far from idyllic. Next to the beach was a power station, while offshore some sort of platform was under construction.

I'll say this for Tunghsiao - the beach was clean. Not a single piece of litter was in sight. The water quality wasn't bad either. The swimming area was smaller than I would've liked, but today was Amber's day. Whether it was playing in the sand at the waterline, or going out as far was allowed with her father, Amber thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Almost from the time Amber was born, I've been trying hard to get her used to being in water. She's had a nightly bath almost from Day One, we've taken her to a swimming pool a number of times, and she's attending water familiarization classes every Saturday. Now I'm happy knowing that she's not afraid of the ocean, either. The next step will be teaching her how to swim.

After several hours playing in the water and sitting on the beach, it was time to head back. I don't know if we'll go back to Tunghsiao anytime soon (the odds of being given another pair of free tickets is pretty slim), but I am sure Amber will be back at the beach before long!

There are many things I don't like to (or can't) eat in Taiwan, but sausages (with a clove of garlic) aren't one of them.

Oh, and more thing I forgot to mention: the conservative Chinese social mores were visible this afternoon in the almost total absence of bikinis on the beach. I saw just one woman wearing one openly (though there were several others who wore bikinis, but kept them covered under shirts and/or shorts even while playing in the water). This is in complete contrast to Japan, where a bikini is almost de rigueur for the beach. What is hard to understand is that why the women feel compelled to cover up in public (though skirts are noticeably getting shorter), there is no end to the number of sleazy business establishments selling sexual services in the guise of KTV's and so on that are found in even the smallest of towns in Taiwan. Unlike in Japan, where these kinds of businesses tend to be clustered in one area of a city, in Taiwan they can be found in almost neighborhood - noodle restaurant, convenience store, brothel disguised as a KTV, tea stand, scooter repair shop...

Monday, Monday 月曜日

I got up at usual this Monday morning, and while eating breakfast, noticed that Gregory Clark was back with another column in today's Japan Times. Entitled "Hope for peace in partition?", he mentions Taiwan in several places:

"Taiwan is a good example. Separation from mainland China in 1949 gave the embattled anticommunist Chinese minority the chance to regroup, regain confidence and even do much to educate the dominant majority during the latter's periods of ideological madness. Hong Kong, too, has played a crucial (role) in educating and helping its Chinese parent to revive economically. True, those partitions only came about through historical and geographical accident. And Taiwan's refusal today to accept some reconciliation with the mainland creates problems. But they are significant all the same, today especially."

Clark has long been sympathetic to dictatorial regimes like the ones in Beijing and Pyongyang. He once wrote something to the effect that China's claims to Tibet date back 2000 years, and in a recent column he tried to paint the Serbs as the victims in the Kosovo situation - a classic piece of Clarkism (ever hear of "Greater Serbia", Greg?). Here, he naturally assumes that Taiwan is a part of the greater Chinese nation, and puts the blame for cross-strait tensions squarely on Taipei, conveniently ignoring the fact that Beijing refuses to deal with a democratically-elected government. It's obvious Clark has no conception of Taiwanese history. Later, he writes of how partitioning Kosovo relates to Taiwan:

"...if satisfying Serbian historic nostalgia is important, then the concept of residual sovereignty can also be used — a concept that the international community has used very successfully to ease tensions over Taiwan."

"Residual sovereignty" is a concept that was developed during the American occupation of Okinawa, and eventually paved the way for its return to Japanese rule. It has also been suggested as a possible solution to Japan's dispute with Russia over the Northern Territories 北方領土, though so far without any success. Clark favors the status quo that says "Taiwan is a part of China, though for the time being it is under an administration separate from that which governs the mainland". He has never shown much sympathy towards the idea of self-determination, especially when it comes to his beloved Chinese empire, so it comes as no surprise that Gregory Clark doesn't entertain the thought that perhaps the majority of the people on Taiwan might have different ideas.

There was also this bit:

"In the early stages of Australia's Vietnam War some of us in Canberra pushed for what was called the enclave solution. This said that if it was clear the anticommunist Vietnamese could not prevail against their pro communist enemies, the U.S. and its allies would move to create a protected enclave — a little Taiwan — where the anticommunist forces would be able to regroup and recover.

Our idea got to the top levels of the then-opposition Labor Party. But it was ridiculed by both the right and the left, and went no further. Both were certain their side would prevail.

Eventually one side did prevail, but only after 10 more years of napalm, Agent Orange, B-52 bombings and some 2 million deaths. The other side was then left cruelly to fend as best for itself as it could."

Gregory Clark had the solution to the dilemma of the Vietnam War all along, and no one listened! When will we ever learn? At least we still have our little enclave called "Taiwan".

On a different note, today was the middle of Ghost Month 鬼月, and the section of Fengyuan's (Fongyuan) 豊原 main street, Chung-cheng (Jhong-jheng) Road 中正路, was closed so that hundreds of people could make offerings in front of the main Matsu (Mazu) Temple in town. The result was chaotic traffic and smoky air.

While trying to get away from the heat and the smoke, I noticed this sign for a clothing store.

The name of the shop is "Dorobo Nikki" 泥棒日記, a "Thief's Diary", and underneath it reads "Nihon zenkoku de kyou ninki" 日本全国できょう人気. The problem with this sentence is the word きょう. Something is popular all over Japan, but unless きょう can be replaced with a kanji, that something is not clear. Babel Fish suggests it might be "present" or "today" 今日, but who knows for sure what the owner wants to say?