Yao Ming Rejected for Taiwan Charity Visit, China Times Reports

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WzNReeapB4A"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WzNReeapB4A" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

 

I used to care about this kind of stuff, but I am indifferent now. I am all for a happy solution, and whatever that might be.

Now, IMO, this is a bad PR move on TW's part. Yao's charity work has nothing to do with politics, and there is no justification to reject his entry. I am sure there are lots of fans in Taiwan wanting to see him this time, and just like that their rights are stripped off. If this is purely a retailiation move, it is even more stupid.

I agree this discussion doesnt belong to GARM.

 

They better think twice before they reject Big Yao's visit.

Before Big Yao even became as big as he is now, a famous NBA superstar with all international attention, and the pride and sports icon of all Chinese in the world, he was allowed to visit Taiwan in 1998 to participate in Asian Under 19 Championship.

WHY the hell to reject his visit now, when all he plans to do is for something more noble and just for humanity and charity purpose?

All I can say is damn stupidity from that Chen Shuibian regime.

 

traitor. your chinese grandparents and ancestors would be rolling in their graves. don't even speak mandarin chinese, or your "taiwanese" language which is Minnan chinese. bunch of stuck up chinese think they are better than china because they are from "taiwan".

 

humm, with each passing day, China grows stronger and Taiwan becomes more independent of China. That is why Chen is desperate to do something.

China can set Taiwan back 20 years economically without firing a shot. That is the reality.

 

http://sports.sohu.com/20070825/n251775615.shtml

Well this article from sohu.com may throw more lights of the cause and effect of the current standoff:

• There will be a cross-strait basketball tournament from Sept 1 to Sept 7. 2 CBA teams (Jiangsu Nangang & Shandong Gold, a total of 38 players and officials) are to play in Hualian and Miaoli.
  
• Originally Yao Ming, his agent (probably Erick Zhang) and 5 other CBA officials are to accompany the visit and to be a honorable guest at those basketball tournament.
  
• But due to the national team's current European trip, and Yao Ming's honeymoon, the itinerary had been moving and not final. The plan then changed to Yao Ming visiting Taiwan Sept 7 ~ 10 for a series of activities for charity and humanity purposes.
  
• Big Yao's tentative itinerary/schedule of activities include: arrival and press conference on Sept 7; a visit and a charity fund-raising luncheon with Taiwan's IT executives at Taiwan's world reknowned Hsinchu Science and Technology Industrial Park, the base for high technology industry in Taiwan on Sept 8 (that aims for a fund raising of US$ 200K for Taiwan's lesser groups/intellectually deficiencies) ; another charity fund-raising activity for Taiwan Basketball Association on the night of Sept 8 for the basketball sports of Taiwan; a fan's gathering on Sept 9; and then departure on Sept 10.
  
• And for all his deeds of good intention, Yao Ming did not ask for any appearance money, and will be paying all his expenses out of his own pocket.
  
• Since Big Yao is the official image spokesperson for 2008 Olympics, for the city of Shanghai, for the Special Olympics, for United Nations' AIDS campaign, and while Taiwan is still in tough negotiation with China on the routing of 2008 Olympics flame relay, it is speculated that the Taiwan authorities feel that the timing of Yao Ming's visit is inappropriate, and will draw sympathy votes for China, and therefore add chips to China if China eventually rule Taiwan out from the routing of Olympic flame relay.
  
• So they approved the visit visa for the 2 CBA basketball teams for the cross-strait basketball exchange program, but rejected Big Yao's application.
  
• But now under immense public consensus and pressure, the Mainland Affairs Council will have to review Big Yao's application sometimes next week.

 

I guess you mean the economy of taiwan will be 'more dependent on the mainland' as time goes by...

You have a good point. I know the government in the mainland have been buying a lot of agricultural product from taiwan farmers. Due to limited land and human resources, more and more companies are moving their branches/headquarters to mainland china. So I am not worried even a little bit that the so called 'president chen' can bring taiwan away from china.

 

Man, no wonder we suck at sports!

 

The real truth: China's relationship with the U.S., and the U.S. relationship with China, is far more important than Taiwan. The U.S. and China will never go to war, because our economies are intermixed to such a high degree that the economic fallout would be disasterous.

 

So you are from Taiwan, cool. I am from China. So folks in Taiwan wanna be independent? OK, there are some disagreements there and let's leave it like that.

But we are still brothers, right? Should brothers shoot missiles to each other? Hell no! Should brothers be open and talk to each other? Yes!

Now let's do some comparison of the China Government and the Taiwan Government:

1) In Shanghai alone there are over 100k folks from Taiwan working there for years and making big bucks. Normal people from the mainland were only allowed to just travel to (work? no!) Taiwan since last year.

2) Lots of movie stars and pop singers from Taiwan has been doing all kinds of shows, even TV shows in the mainland for years. A guy as nice as Yao and an cute panda can't even get a visa! Will Yao or a panda call people in Taiwan to do anything against their government? Just freaking unbelievable.

3) Will you like the idea that all flights from Austin to Houston must fly to Detroit, MI first? You probably will go crazy. But all those folks in Taiwan must all go through HongKong to get to Shanghai. Why? Because the Taiwan Government just won't allow a direct flight. What kinda damage will a direct flight do? Just freaking unbelievable.

You can say whatever you want about the Chinese government, but it's the Taiwan government who is trying to keep folks in Taiwan from the truth. They want them to believe that China is still the old communism China. But the truth is, it's not.

From wikipedia:

"Communism is an ideology that seeks to establish a classless, stateless social organization based on common ownership of the means of production"

In China some people have already got more money than Les! I wish I could get some "common ownership" of their money, but they just don't allow me. Was China a communism country 30 years ago? Yes! Now? Hell no!

If you think it's wise to protect Taiwan from Yao, I just wanna suggest you to pay a visit to Shanghai and then draw your conclusion. Don't let your government fool you. You are not a fool, aren't you?

Now, let's talk about the Rockets.

 

This is a mistaken and a dangerous idea to put forward, specifically because it is unfounded speculation and it is contrary to everything that the USA has said. Because if China invades Taiwan calculating that the US cares more about money, you create a potential global nuclear war when we actually do what we said we would do all along.

If China invades Taiwan and none of the criteria that the USA has said would keep them from defending their allies has been met (i.e. unless Taiwan declares independence), then the USA will honor its promises. It is stupid and immoral to make dangerous unfounded claims based on empty speculation to the contrary.

 

ah, it warms my heart to see real chinese peace brother

 

lol, are you blind? each passing day taiwan grows stronger. which i seriously doubt given the resources. mainland is getting way better. look, we are building an empire, you guys are just tools. sorry, everyone is using yall as political tools right now. but that's the truth.

 

let me put it this way. all of mainland chinese know, IF the government let taiwan become independent. there will be nation wide rebellion and overthrow the government. the current government knows not to mess with people's nationalism and pride. basically, try to keep everything the way it is and look forward for eventual PEACEFUL reunification. that's the best solution. don't mess with chinese nationalism, the current government is trying its best to keep down nationalism right now.

 

This is why, even though I love politics and global affairs, I don't go into any message board other than this one. I mean, I really sympathize with the posters who may have to watch their two countries "sort this out" militarily (while the U.S. probably ends up mediating), but this is still a fascinating discussion.

 

Taiwan is running out of time and option.

If things stay current course, then China will soon become so strong and Taiwan will become so dependent on China that Taiwan will effectively be a province of China anyway. But if Taiwan declares independence, then US is freed from its promise to protect Taiwan, then China will crush Taiwan by force. Either way, Taiwan is destined to reunite with China.

And there is really not that big a gap between the two sides. China is not a communist nation any more. The one party domination will eventually go. Taiwan until 1996 had one party in dominating status. In term of real general election, Taiwan didn't have one until 2000, and so far its general elections have been a joke more than anything else. So it is not like the two side are separated by decades politically.

Economically, there is no comparison. Taiwan cannot survive without China, but China can replace Taiwan with another importer without much trouble.

 

Your understanding, while naive, is rationale. What you fail to understand is that neither China nor the U.S. has a stomach for this stuff and wouldn't go to war of Taiwan, for the same reason we didn't go to war over the Soviet Union over Cuba. In fact, I don't think anyone ever wants to get that close again.

Neither China nor the U.S. really feels like having a confrontation. Do you think either side has the stomach for it? Are you kidding me? If China invades Taiwan?

If Taiwan declared independence, China would certainly react, and probably via a naval blockade at first and try to pressure them into a reversal. But if that happened, the U.S. wouldn't be able to do much - and would have to allow China to stake it's claim. Which is why Taiwan would never declare independence. And so long as China's authority isn't challenged, and it's recognize internationally as the owner of Taiwan, why on earth would it invade?

So really, you have the curent state of affairs, with neither side having any incentive to change things. And if you think that China doesn't value it's relationship with the U.S. or vice versa...well, China isn't afraid of nuclear war in invading Taiwan, it's afraid of economic sanctions.

And if you don't think the U.S. doesn't put it's relationship with China over Taiwan, then you haven't been following history for the last 30 years when the U.S. dumped Taiwan and recognized China as the "official" China.

I think you are being a bit gullible in listening to what governments say and not realizing that it's all part of diplomatic posturing.

 

I agree. In many other forums, a discussion about a sensitive topic like this would bring in all kinds of morons to poke lame jokes at it. Guys here are mature enough not to do that. I enjoy reading the prospectives of both sides on this issue too.

 

perspectives, not prospectives.

 

Taiwan makes semiconductors not cheap crap that china makes. I don't think that china would want to fight a war with America considering america has a war budget higher than the entire world for the past half century. I think China has to keep the status quo.