Another Beijing gaffe, I think, and an excellent public relations opportunity for Taiwan to loudly tell the world they are a sovereign nation. Moreover, the CNN report I saw framed it alongside Tibet. This can only go down well in terms of international sympathy.
What kills me is that Taiwan’s refusal of the route was delivered by this unprepossessing guy who spent the entire time looking down at the script he was reading from. He didn’t once look at the camera. Whats more his body postion was hunched over and awkward.
Whats up with that? Complete ineptness at media relations? Fear? Shame? Maybe this particular guy really goes for the Beijing ‘compatriot’ schtick and couldn’t bear to stand up to his own words.
The ideal would have been someone serious, but appealing looking, who delivered the message straight to the camera.
I’ll put this in terms AC can relate to: The DPP doesn’t want to lose all the political capital it would gain by its constant and unending role of “the victim”. If Taiwan gets to be part of the Olympics and China plays nice, then the DPP has nothing to campaign on. That’s why they turned it down, that’s why they won’t negotiate with China, and that’s the reason for the push to use “Taiwan” to apply for membership in international organizations like the WHO, because it only increases the chance of being turned down, increases the likelihood of Beijing getting bent out of shape, and fueling the DPP’s sense of entitlement and Oh Poor Me Help Help I’m Being Oppressed.
I’m sure Taiwan, like the rest of the world, sees HK as a region of China. A Special Administrative Region, perhaps, but a region of China, nonetheless.
[quote]fueling the DPP’s sense of entitlement and Oh Poor Me Help Help I’m Being Oppressed.
Ok, AC, How’d I do?[/quote]
Is that the same reason why Taiwan doesn’t have pandas?
Thank you for breaking it down into terms I understand…it is the DPP fault.
But…but…they are getting democracy soon. And they speak horrible Mandarin. It’s not really China is it?
Okay so I guess the next question is Chinese Taipei sending any athletes to the 2008 Olympics or are they staying behind to make sure they vote in the presidential election?
that would take another 50 years before they can manage to take it again, and 50 years before they can implement democracy (and loose the elections to another party)…
[quote=“ac_dropout”]
Okay so I guess the next question is Chinese Taipei sending any athletes to the 2008 Olympics or are they staying being to make sure to vote in the presidential election?[/quote]
Given the behavior of flag grabbing Chinese supporters in recent competitions and likely China using the role as hosts to embarrass Taiwan at every opportunity, a boycott may not be a bad idea.
Except when it has to do with direct flights. Anyway, ac got it wrong. The original demand was to enter OR leave via a third country. That leaves room for mutually beneficial interpretation. But as Poagao says, that’s not what the DPP is looking for.
Missed opportunity to showcase Taiwan’s (ROC’s) status as a sovereign country, I think. As much as the IOC is averse to controversy, they cannot prevent thousands of people from waving ROC flags along the route of the torch relay. What better way of demonstrating to the world that Taiwan is distinct from the mainland.
Perhaps there’s some kind of side negotiations going on that we’re not aware of? Otherwise, I think it’s terribly short-sighted in foregoing the torch relay.
Edit:
So, after reading the government’s statement, it’s clearer why Taiwan rejected being included in the route. If the PRC insists on debasing the already loathsome “Chinese Taipei” to “China Taipei”, that’s pretty much grounds for a boycott, IMHO.
Damn, we have missed a good chance to extinguish the flame as it passes the pres palace.
What was wrong with doing the relay through Taiwan then Japan, for example? Nothing: it’s more of a ploy from China to stick it in the face of Taiwan again.
A boycott would be a superb idea. so would extinguishing the flame on the summit of Mt Everest, from the Nepali side… if they ever manage to get it up there. Like, the jet stream window is going to magically open, on cue, and roll the clouds and the lethal winds aside just for China to get maximum world brownie points? What a conceit. “We conquered the Tibet people, we conquered the Tibet railways and passes, and now we conquer the Tibetan holy symbol of Qomolangma, because we are China. We are Strong. We are Arrogant… and all you other people are just simple peasants. Even you Greek descendents, who we are supposedly honouring by holdig the Games.”
[quote=“Dial”]the route was delivered by this unprepossessing guy who spent the entire time looking down at the script he was reading from. He didn’t once look at the camera. Whats more his body postion was hunched over and awkward.
Whats up with that? Complete ineptness at media relations? Fear? Shame? Maybe this particular guy really goes for the Beijing ‘compatriot’ schtick and couldn’t bear to stand up to his own words. [/quote]
Do you know why? Because the TPE Olympics Committee already agreed to having the route enter OR leave through a third country, with the IOC. But CSB at the last minute stepped in to force the Committee to renege on its agreement. It’s not like CSB is losing any sleep over the Committee chair being seen as a jackass by the IOC. CSB just wants to exploit the commotion/news effect for mostly domestic consumption, that’s all.
What a joke. There is no “serious” person left in Taiwan officialdom. Taiwan has zero credibility ever since CSB got in office, because its words from CSB on down are known to be completely worthless and not to be taken seriously. Who still takes Taiwan seriously?
Thanks for confirming what I suspected as soon as I heard the report. Got a source on that?
What I find more interesting about the route is that it goes from Seoul to Pyongyang. Will torch bearers run through Panmunjom? Will North and South Korean runners run together for some distance? Is this an omen of impending Korean reunification?
Thanks for confirming what I suspected as soon as I heard the report. Got a source on that?
What I find more interesting about the route is that it goes from Seoul to Pyongyang. Will torch bearers run through Panmunjom? Will North and South Korean runners run together for some distance? Is this an omen of impending Korean reunification?[/quote]
Well I don’t think the Koreans are going to be taking pot shots at the runners. And the sunshine policy is still being promoted in SK. Not to mention their news still has the USA as the instigator in the NK nuclear affair.
But back on Taiwan…it is the usual 3 ring circus. Vietnam not being not-Chinese enough. Plots to extinguish the flame if it made it to Taiwan…etc.
really, they already shown the commercial for it, with Taipei on it. Let us face it, not many countries in the world have the courage to stick in the face of China…
For me, bring the torch in, put it with some Taiwanese flags around it, bring the population from the south waving green flags, get some Falum Dafa members to run slowly with it around the roundabout in front of the LY, invite Richard Gere and the Dalai Lama and have a huge bash-the-CCP party… all live, everywhere in the world…
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