[Marxism] Taiwan's election

["Marvin Gandall" <marvgandall@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Taiwanese president Chen Shui-bian's controversial reelection, being
contested by the opposition, has left the island’s business interests and
the Chinese government disgruntled, according to Business Week.

Chen narrowly defeated Kuomintang (KMT) leader Lien Chan on March 20,
following an assassination attempt a day earlier which Lien’s followers are
intimating was staged by Chen. The KMT has since been holding mass rallies
and demanding a recount.

Business Week’s Bruce Einhorn reports “if Chen's victory is confirmed,
that's not likely to please the thousands of Taiwan businesses that are
becoming ever more dependent on trade with China, and whose leaders
generally back Lien's party...”

The Chinese, meanwhile, are less concerned about Chen, then about his
largely pro-American Democratic Progressive Party base which is looking
forward to winning control of the legislature in December, writing a new
constitution, and holding a referendum on independence in 2008.

The Chinese have threatened war, but, as Einhorn notes, their economic
leverage– they can threaten to cut trade ties and lure Taiwanese capital to
the mainland – should be sufficient to deter any formal steps towards
independence.

BW article available on www.supportingfacts.com

Sorry for any cross posting.





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