Taiwan Round-Up

• China wants to get on with political talks asap - including doing away with the MAC/SEF-ARATS platform for dialogue. Only problem is that Taiwanese don't want any part of this. How will the KMT try to convince the Taiwanese that relations between Taiwan and China, currently handled by non-governmental and non-accountable bodies, should be transferred away to even more unaccountable bodies or committees?
• Stung by the public revulsion at the Miaoli land grab, KMT Premier Wu has been desperately trying to make it up with the farmers, this time by offering them 5 hectares of land elsewhere. Luckily, the farmers so far want nothing to do with his empty promises. Perhaps they remember his promise to sign ECFA when 60% of the public supported it.
• You know the pan-blue camp are worried when even the United Daily News shows concern that the land-grab will affect the KMT's chances in the November elections. Of course, this being election season, no stunt too artificial or contemptuous will be left unused in order to beguile voters into voting for 'more of the same' corrupt politics. Lien and Soong kissing the ground springs to mind ...
• Taichung unificationist Mayor Hu says he wont run for president in 2012. That clears the way for Ma to run again. Additionally, he came out with this pearl: "Hu also said that cross-Taiwan Strait unification was "a remote issue" unless Taiwan's living standards are fully guaranteed." - That is likely to be the KMT's bottom line in political talks on annexation - Taiwanese will only go calmly into the abattoir if they feel the reassuring clink clink of spare change in their pockets and the client networks keep the cash flowing down. Hu clearly thinks Taiwanese care about only a few core issues: convenience, immediacy of all services and economic opportunities, being financially and materially comfortable. democracy and political choice doesn't come into it.
  
• Premier Wu begs China to let Taiwan participate in even non-political international NGOs. By his own admission, despite the modus vivendi, win win and diplomatic truce, China have failed to play ball and instead continue to marginalise and block Taiwan in the international community and continue to increase the number of missiles pointing at the country. So much for a mutually respectful relationship.
• The KMT regularly accuse the DPP of releasing dubious poll results to boost the image of their popularity. Taiwan News has a great editorial bursting the bubble of these accusations by highlighting the government's use of the RDEC to do exactly the same.