Opposition sweep to victory in Taiwan--From USA CNN

TAIPEI, Taiwan (CNN) -- Taiwan's opposition Nationalist Party won a landslide victory in legislative elections Saturday, giving a big boost to its policy of closer engagement with China two months before a presidential poll it now seems poised to win.

President Chen Shui-bian, who has been criticized for aggravating relations with China by promoting policies to formalize Taiwan's de facto independence, resigned as chairman of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party immediately after the extent of the defeat became clear.
"I should shoulder all responsibilities," Chen said. "I feel really apologetic and shamed."
His resignation does not affect his status as president.

With all votes counted, the official Central Election Commission said the Nationalists had won 81 seats in the 113-seat Legislature, against only 27 for the DPP, with four going to Nationalist-leaning independents, and one to a Nationalist satellite party.

Critics say Chen's China policies have allowed Taiwan's once-vibrant economy to lose competitiveness and have ratcheted up tension in the perennially edgy Taiwan Strait.
The Nationalists ruled a united China before 1949 and were the mainland communists' enemies in the civil war. But the party and Beijing have in recent years found common cause in their opposition to Chen.

Washington also has made it clear it finds Chen's policies toward Beijing dangerous and provocative -- particularly a planned referendum on Taiwanese membership in the United Nations, which appears designed to underscore the democratic island's political separateness from the communist mainland.

A March 22 presidential election to chose a successor to Chen, who must step down after eight years in office, pits the ruling DPP's Frank Hsieh against Ma Ying-jeou of the Nationalist Party. Recent opinion polls give Ma a 20-point lead, and Saturday's win by his party is likely to give the former Taipei mayor a further boost.

The DPP wants to formalize the independence Taiwan has had since an inconclusive civil war nearly 60 years ago -- but has held off out of fears that China would make good on its repeated threats to attack. In contrast, the Nationalists favor more active engagement with China and do not rule out eventual unification.

Speaking at Nationalist headquarters in Taipei, Ma relished his party's victory -- enough to give it a three-fourths majority together with the five allies -- but cautioned against overconfidence going into the presidential elections.

"We need to be cautious about the presidential poll, and hopefully we can win," he said. "With a Nationalist presidency and Nationalist-controlled legislature, we can push forward the reform expected by the Taiwanese people."
If the Nationalists do go on to recapture the presidency, they will be in a strong position to end years of deadlock between Taiwan's legislative and executive branches, and stabilize the island's rocky relations with China.

During Chen's two terms as president, the Nationalists used a slender legislative majority to block many of his policy initiatives, including the purchase of a multibillion-dollar package of American weapons. Also left stagnating have been negotiations to open direct air and shipping routes between Taiwan and China.

In the legislative campaign, Ma emphasized his message that Chen's reluctance to engage China inflamed tensions and hurt the island's economy -- one of the 20 largest in the world, and a major research and manufacturing base for the computer industry.

Ma also drew attention to American unhappiness with Chen's China policies. Twenty-nine years after it shifted recognition from Taipei to Beijing, the U.S. remains Taiwan's most important foreign partner, supplying it with the means to defend itself against any future Chinese attack.
In contrast to Ma, Hsieh maintained a relatively low profile in the legislative campaign, apparently because of his ambivalence over Chen's pro-independence stance.

Hsieh hews to the DPP's pro-independence line in principle, but has made it clear he rejects some of Chen's hard-line policies, including his moves to limit Taiwanese economic ties to the mainland.

He favors ditching Chen's requirement that Taiwanese companies limit investments in China to less 40 percent of their asset value. He also has indicated a willingness to expand direct charter flights across the 100 mile-wide Taiwan Strait.

Ma and the Nationalists go considerably farther. They want to remove the asset requirement altogether, and sanction regular flights between China and Taiwan.
China's government did not immediately react to the election results, but was likely to be pleased with the Nationalist victory.

In May 2005, then Nationalist Party Chairman Lien Chan made a historic visit to the mainland despite objections from Taiwan's government.

"The election will have a positive impact, benefiting stability across the Taiwan Strait," said Yu Keli, head of the Taiwan Studies Institute, a Chinese government-backed think tank in Beijing. "The Taiwanese electorate has delivered a no-confidence vote on Chen Shui-bian.

Taiwan's nationalists want better ties with China--From Australia Press ABC

Taiwan's main opposition Kuomintang, which won parliamentary elections in convincing fashion, once viewed China as its worst enemy. Now, the party wants to develop closer ties with Beijing.

The Kuomintang (KMT), which had ruled Taiwan for more than 50 years until the election of pro-independence President Chen Shui-bian in 2000, now looks poised to reclaim the executive, heralding a new era in cross-strait relations.

The KMT was founded in 1894 by Sun Yat-sen in Hawaii, where he recruited supporters to fight against the Qing dynasty in China.
The young revolutionaries overthrew the Qing government in 1911 and established the Republic of China.

The KMT ruled mainland China until its forces, led by generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, were defeated by Mao Zedong's communists in a bloody civil war.
Under Mr Chiang, the nationalists set up a government in Taiwan in 1949, laying the foundation for the island's industrial development and eventual emergence as one of the world's major economies.

But Mr Chiang governed the island for nearly three decades with an iron fist, persecuting dissidents and limiting freedoms in an effort to counter the perceived threat from China. He died in 1975.

His son Chiang Ching-kuo, who served as president and KMT chief from 1978 until his death in 1988, is warmly remembered as a reform-minded leader who had lived a simple life and cared for the people.

Chiang Ching-kuo relaxed a 38-year-old ban on China-bound travels in late 1987, allowing Taiwanese to visit the mainland for family reunions and opening the door to the future expansion of cross-strait civilian exchanges.

But following his death in 1988, the party - under the leadership of Lee Teng-hui from 1988 to 2000 - fell victim to widespread corruption and factional fighting.

The Kuomintang collapsed in the 2000 presidential polls, as disgruntled voters handed power to Mr Chen's pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), hoping for clean politics. Mr Chen was re-elected in 2004.

The KMT's one-time animosity towards Beijing is now a thing of the past.
In 2005, Lien Chan became the first KMT leader to visit the mainland in 56 years, meeting Chinese President Hu Jintao to formally end hostilities with the Chinese Communist Party.

KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou, the current frontrunner, says he will push for a peace accord with Beijing if elected in March, and work to expand business ties and reinstate direct transportation and postal links.

- AFP

* Taiwan * My Beautiful Country

Formosa, Taiwan was called Formosa long time ago. The meaning is a beautiful island.

I've really wanted to show my foreign friends about my country, in spite of some friends have already known that, the most people don't. Luckily, I am checking my E-Mail in the ILC Class now. I heard a mail from my Taiwanese friend, Rose, she sent me a website. http://www.youtube.com/v/gRu2oK0Kqc4 that is playing the Twaiwanese Video. That's really touch my heart, so I want to share with all my best friends. When you see these videos, you will see about my country.

However, the political issue is still a enormous controversy which will block our development. Not only domestic problem, but also the Chinese Government. Actually, the most youngers don't care about the politics even if my Chinese acquaintance, they never talk about that. Unfortunately, I still meet a Chinese who talked about the politics. This was my first time, but I just told him that I think this problem is not you or I can solve that, that is just a game for the politicians, so don't be a joke by them.

Recently, I met some new friends in my new school. I love to introduce my country to everybody. Some best friends will go to Taiwan on someday. I will guide them to visit eveywhere. I think there will be more and more people know about Taiwan and they will support us as unofficial aspect. Please watch this website, http://www.youtube.com/v/gRu2oK0Kqc4 , then you will see what I love my country so much.

Wang, Jian Min

Wang, Jian Min is a pitcher of baseball. He is in New York Yankee baseball team now. His perfect sinker and speed are attracted by the whole American and many countries. The most important is that he is Taiwanese.


His agent found him when he was a senior high school student. The agent went to watch the league match of teenage baseball. He saw the pitcher of the game and felt incredible so he convinced his manger to train him. The agent arranged a chain of training courses and he knew he find an a great athlete.

Wang can learn the baseball skill nad knowledge quickly. He defeated many opponents as well. One day, his boss told hom if he can win the next match. He would attend the MLB( Major League Baseball ). Many Taiwanese immigrants came to the important game in favor of Wang. They expected Wang will make another marvel.

The day, he attended the MLB, was coming. So many his supporters came to see this game. I think Wang is not only auspicious but also effort to baseball in passion. I am not surprised to his accomplishment so far. I believe that he is an example of working hard you will get your own achievement therefore. I wish our baseball development is getting strong.