Word: referendums
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...latest political gambit by outgoing President Chen Shui-bian has both elicited veiled threats from China and pitted his country against its main ally, the U.S. At issue is the name under which Taiwan intends to apply to regain membership in the United Nations. Chen has called for a referendum next March on whether the island should forgo its official name (the Republic of China) in favor of Taiwan. It's a provocative gesture, as it would seemingly codify Chen's contention that the island is effectively independent of the mainland...
...Capturing 152 seats in parliament - 13 fewer that those held by conservatives in their first term - Karamanlis promised to press ahead with much-needed reforms. He also pledged to assist thousands of fire victims, shunning mention of Papandreou, who billed the vote "a referendum on the right" at the end of a month-long campaign. Karamanlis also made no mention of Georgios Karatzaferis, the leader of the Popular Orthodox Rally, or LAOS, that won over 3% of the vote, becoming the first far-right populist party to enter the Greek parliament since the tumultuous fall of a military junta...
...cross-straits war, however, is hardly imminent. For its part, Beijing cannot risk any embarrassing military action in the run-up to the Olympic games next August. And Taipei-based observers say that the referendum is less a declaration of independence than a political ploy by Chen to bolster his own legacy, as well as voter turnout in March for Chen's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). "The ruling party doesn't have much to campaign about," says Chao Chien-min, a political science professor at Taiwan's National Chengchi University. "The only thing they can do is portray the opposition...
...Chen has denied the referendum has anything to do with politics. The president also stridently insists the vote will occur no matter what the circumstances. That said, he has tried to temper U.S. resistance by making assurances to American officials that the naming controversy will go away after the elections. And Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Christensen on Sept. 11 followed up Negroponte's earlier comments by emphasizing the continuing friendship between the two entities. "We do not like having to express publicly our disagreement with the Chen Administration on this or any other policy," Christensen said...
...only 24 mostly impoverished countries consider Taiwan independent. "We have to acknowledge a tough truth," Christensen said. "Most countries in the world accept Beijing's characterization of Taiwan, and, when energized, the PRC can call in overwhelming support to marginalize Taipei." Indeed, the U.S.'s vocal opposition to the referendum is being seen in Taiwan as more evidence of the influence China now wields. "Beijing now realizes the shortest route to Taipei is through Washington," says political commentator and former diplomat Loh I-cheng. "They are telling the U.S., 'It was you who spoiled this child, you should spank...