Hello Brian_H, Here is a puff piece by the august Wall Street Journal
online.wsj.com
“Ruling Party Wins Taiwan Election
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Taiwan's ruling party won elections Saturday for a special assembly charged with amending the island's constitution, giving a big boost to President Chen Shui-bian's policy of resisting unification with rival China.
With 99% of the ballots counted, the Central Election Commission said the Democratic Progressive Party had won 42.5% of the vote, against 38.9% for the opposition Nationalist Party.
The vote -- for the ad hoc National Assembly -- had developed into a test of strength for Mr. Chen's policies, following the visits to China of Nationalist chief Lien Chan, and James Soong, head of the People First Party.
That party garnered only 6.1% of the vote, coming in fourth behind the Taiwan Solidarity Union, a pro-independence party, whose spiritual godfather is former President Lee Teng-hui. The TSU won 7% of the vote.
Mr. Chen's supporters had urged followers to vote in large numbers, saying that a vote against the Democratic Progressive Party was a vote for eventual unification with China …”
… that is factually not exactly wrong although truthfully not quite right.
Here is a bit of clarification by the slightly more professional BBC news.bbc.co.uk
“Taiwan's Chen wins crucial vote
The party of Taiwan's president has won most seats in an assembly to change the constitution - a move China fears could lead to the island's independence.
Chen Shui-bian's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won 42.5% of the vote - the opposition Nationalist Party 38.9%, election officials announced.
Mr Chen will see the result as a vote of confidence in his policy towards China, says the BBC's Chris Hogg.
Beijing had tried to build support for anti-independence parties.
It invited opposition leaders to Beijing for historic talks in the run-up to the poll.
After the result, Vice-President Annette Lu congratulated the party and criticised China.
"I would like to thank the Chinese Communist Party, because each time there is pressure from China, the people show that democracy is what people embrace here in Taiwan," she said.
"One billion three hundred million Chinese friends on the mainland and (Chinese) President Hu Jintao, you have heard the voice of Taiwan's people, Taiwan belongs to its 23 million people."”
… and Chen, the Shui Bian, appears full of bravado, not exactly justified by the absurdly low turnout and the whopping but not quite 50% non-majority, meaning I suppose that (a) not many thinks the matter is worthy of a vote, (b) a few resignations to the inevitable, or (c) much of the population was washing their hair that day.
Annette, the Lu, is of course very funny, as usual.
I suppose next week the Japanese media will chant that the mainland Chinese ought not to try and split the 50/50 Taiwan Chinese down the 50/50 middle.
Sometimes I dream about setting up a platform that would allow the airing of obvious truth vs apparent facts, and permit the talking of sense to counter the spewing of nonsense, to educate in the true way as opposed to the ways of the left and right, and to of course champion the righteous and campaign against the evil, to basically take a sensible approach, work with the just is, and setup what can be.
Oh, well, must make do with SI BBR thread.
Chugs, TobagoJack
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