Asia-Pacific Newsletter, October 2011

October 2011, Vol. 4 No. 1

PICKING UP THE PIECES

A STUDENT RETURNS HOME TO POST-DISASTER JAPAN

WHEN EAST MEETS WEST

TIPS FOR LIVING AND STUDYING IN A CROSS-CULTURAL SETTING

NOTES FROM ABROAD A REPORT ON THE IDAS PANEL AT SOUTH KOREAN FORUM

Tea Time in Sanshia Ancient Temples and Tea Ceremonies

BOOK REVIEW LI ANG’S THE BUTCHER’S WIFE

from the editor

W

hen I was first told that part of my job as IDAS student representative would be to put out the biannual newsletter, I knew right away that I would enjoy taking an active role in the development of this publication. What I was not prepared for was how much this work would add to my overall enjoyment of the program.

In fact, the long process of corresponding individually with each student on this project, and working more closely with the writers—all of whom are IDAS students or guests among the IDAS ranks—has not only helped me get to know and respect each of you, but it has helped me appreciate what a special and fragile thing we have in our young program. Why am I telling you this?

Because I hope that many of you will want to take on a leadership role in our program as well, whether it’s helping to expand our profile on campus, or arranging social events: it all adds up to better morale, and a more rewarding experience. And while I can’t make any promises, it might just add to your overall enjoyment of the program as well.

I am very proud of the issue you are holding in your hands right now. As a product of our own hard work, interests and passions, it is a mirror of who we are. Rather than a dry academic offering, it represents the diversity, vitality and personality of the IDAS student body. Michael Tai, for example, offers a remarkably brash and honest assessment of his feelings and experience in cross-cultural settings, while Philippe Cachia, who is fiercely concerned about freedom and human rights, presents the final statement of jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo. Carlos Henrique de Oliveira Brochado, a visiting student of public management from Brazil, writes about his home institution and the training received by the future corps of Brazilian public servants, as well as his own course of study and how his time at NCCU has contributed to that.

Fourth-year student Juan Uriburu Quintana offers us an analysis of China-MERCOSUR Relations, while José Guerra Vio examines China’s increasing role in an emerging East-Asian bloc. We also have a wonderful photostory by visiting student Laura Lygaityte, accompanied by words by IMAS student Shelly Chou, which provides an account of a fairly typical field trip in one of Dr. David Blundell’s always unpredictable classes.

My friend and fellow second-year IDAS student Taro Kurokawa has been kind enough to share his intensely personal experience last semester when he courageously returned home to Japan in the midst of the harrowing triple disaster that directly threatened his family. His words and pictures are truly an inspiration.

Because this newsletter is by us, for us, there are several “experiential reports” herein where students can share their experiences and lessons after taking semesters abroad or attending international conferences.

Sebastian Biba provides some advice about exchange semesters: in his case, at Hong Kong University.

Huong Le Thu spills the beans about the IDAS group trip to Busan, South Korea, to eat, drink, and deliver conference papers, and Silvia Amato reports on the 36th International Small Business Congress held in Taipei last year. A fun little feature we hope to continue (and perhaps one day compile in book form) is the IDAS cookbook, presented by Janet Tan. In this issue, we feature Acehnese, Lithuanian and Taiwanese-American cuisine.

This month’s book review is provided by Greg Coutaz, who looks at Li Ang’s seminal work, “The Butcher’s Wife.” I have read Greg’s book-review blog, by the way, and can highly recommend it. All in all, I hope this issue represents who we are not as a dry university program, but as a community of real people, working together towards a common goal and sharing a few years of our lives together.

Once we graduate and start boasting about it on our resumes, IDAS will be with us for the rest of our lives. In no less tangible a way, we will be with IDAS for the rest of its life as the first (and at present, only) social-science PhD program in Taiwan taught in English.

The IDAS cement is still wet, and I urge you to leave your footprints.

Calling all students!

We need your talent for the next issue!

Do you want to contribute to the Asia-Pacific Newsletter?

Contact us at dkara.lekas@gmail. com to have your stories, photos, essays or art featured.

Remember, this is your newsletter!

-Ed

Dean Karalekas

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Asia-Pacific Newsletter Autumn 2011

This issue’s cover photograph was provided by the very talented Laura Lygaityte, and exchange student from Lithuania currently studying at our university.

All other photographs used in this publication are used courtesy of the photographers, or through a creative commons licence. All are attributed appropriately.

The Asia-Pacific Newsletter is a creative-commons publication by the student body of the International Doctoral Program in Asia-Pacific Studies at National Chengchi University in Taiwan. This is purely amateur and informal collaboration, and this is a strictly non-commercial publication that is not for sale under any circumstances. We do not derive advertising or sales revenue, or donations of any kind.

Table of Contents October 2011, Vol. 4 No. 1

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Features

5

When East Meets West An East-Asian perspective on the culture clash.

10

On The Inside An exchange student from Brazil finds perspective in Taiwan.

13

Tea Time in Sanshia A photostory of the field trip to the historic Sanshia Temple.

20

China-MERCOSUR Relations A Peripheral Realist Analysis of Economic Complementariness.

32

China’s Regional Aspirations Can political leadership derive from economic integration?

36

Picking Up The Pieces An IDAS student’s personal journey through the triple disaster in Japan.

36

44

I Have No Enemies The final statement of Liu Xiaobo.

DePartments

Reports

8

A Semester at Hong Kong U An IDAS Student reflects on a semester abroad.

25

28

49

34

The IDAS Cookbook Recipes for the grad student from around the world.

Book Review Greg Coutaz reviews The Butcher’s Wife by Li Ang.

Fun, Food and Formulae A report on the IDAS conference panel in the city of Busan, South Korea.

Small Business Thinking Big An IDAS student reports on the international conference held in Taiwan.

Autumn 2011 Asia-Pacific Newsletter 3

From the Director

O

“

This year we made some program changes. We now have four tracks of specialization—political economy, international relations, public governance and socio-cultural issues of the region.

”

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Asia-Pacific Newsletter Autumn 2011

n behalf of our entire faculty and student body, I welcome you to this issue of our newsletter. In it you will find an expression of thinking on a wide range of issues. The International Doctoral Program in AsiaPacific Studies (IDAS) focuses on the social science study of the Asia-Pacific and is part of the College of Social Sciences at NCCU. National Chengchi University is recognized as the most prestigious university in the realm of social sciences and humanities.

IDAS is unique in that it is one of the few English-language, social science PhD programs in the region. I thank everyone who contributed to this issue—and especially, Dean Karalekas, our student body president, for putting this together.

This year we made some program changes as well. We now have four tracks of specialization—political economy, international relations, public governance and socio-cultural issues of the region. We will continue to expand our course offerings in these areas. NCCU has excellent professors in these areas who have much to offer, and my job is to ensure that those who are able to teach in English have the opportunity to participate in our IDAS program. We now have over 45 doctoral students in our program, and students from other departments are increasingly finding their way to our classes, as well. I congratulate students who recently won awards for their work and presentations.

We hope you enjoy this issue.

I thank the outgoing chair for his past leadership (Prof. Ping-yin Kuan), and I thank our new Dean for his (Prof. Yih-chyi Chuang).

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me or Angel, our program staff. For information about IDAS, please email us at idas@nccu.edu.tw or visit our website.

My sincerest and best regards,

Evan Berman, PhD Director

A WH

EN

fter Vasco da Gama rounded the Cape of Good Hope and reached the west coast of India at the end of the 15th century, European powers went on to colonize much of Asia, Africa, and the Americas, and essentially to dominate the world. The effect of that dominance continues to be felt today, both at the national as well as the personal level, and learning how to live with Westerners has, for me, become a life-long quest.

My first real encounter with the Occident came when I left Malaysia as a teenager to study in America. Since that time, I have lived in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Belarus, and Canada. Of course, the West is not a homogeneous entity; American culture is dissimilar in many ways to French or Russian culture, and the history of each country’s relations with Asia is different.

Americans and their influence are the most pervasive in Asia today, however, so I will occasionally single them out without forgetting the differences between the Old World and the New World, and the enormous diversity among European cultures.

By East Asia, I refer to the countries along the Pacific Rim, such as China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, and Singapore, which are strongly influenced by Confucian tradition. This essay explores why the East got left behind, how Asians feel about themselves, and suggests ways to work effectively with Western colleagues.

The global primacy of the West (particularly over the last two

EA

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hundred years) has left a deep imprint on the Asian psyche. This is something that perhaps only a material shift in the global power balance will redress. As evidence, consider that Japan’s defeat in the Second World War so impaired that nation’s self-confidence that, despite remarkable post-war economic success (Japan’s GDP ranks second only to that of the United States), the average Japanese remains awed by the West. This condition is reflected in a fascination with American pop culture and the wholesale importation of English words into the contemporary Japanese vocabulary. It is estimated that up to 30 percent of modern Japanese consists of loan words.

English as Status

In Japan, simply having the ability to speak English can elevate a person’s status several notches, while a white face commands more than the usual amount of respect. Crosscultural marriages are not uncommon, but they consist largely of Asian women marrying Western men. The Westerner’s sense of superiority is often greeted by an Asian lack of self-confidence.

In dealing with many Westerners, the Asian frequently feels like a child relating to an adult, or a student to a teacher. This dysfunctional relationship is reinforced by the fact that the Westerners who find themselves in Asia usually come from the educated elite and hold positions of authority, be they expatriate managers, NGO aid workers, teachers, or missionaries. Asians hardly ever meet European or American farmers, truck drivers, or other blue-collar workers. Even when they go to the West as students, they are exposed mainly to other students or professors at whose feet they learn. Thus, East meets West on an unequal footing, which often breeds r e -

ETS

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EA S PE T-AS RS I PE AN CT IVE

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By Michael Tai Autumn 2011 Asia-Pacific Newsletter 5

Cultural differences abound in “Approaches to Solve a Problem,” with Germans heading straight toward the problem in order to solve it, while the Chinese circle the problem and wait for the right moment to act.

sentment. The psychological disequilibrium is real, and recovery requires not only a cognitive understanding of the stature gap but an internal restoration of self-confidence.

Healing begins by rejecting false beliefs about the worth of self and other, and by embracing healthy ones.

The condition brought about by colonialism is reinforced by certain Asian cultural traits. Asian societies are hierarchical by tradition, and those of lower rank must behave deferentially toward those of higher rank. This behavior is easily carried over into international relations: If a nation is regarded as more prestigious or powerful, Asian instinct dictates that it be treated with greater esteem, the kind one accords someone of superior rank. Of course, this kind of impulse exists in other civilizations, too. Social structure in medieval Europe was equally feudal but class relations there were tempered by Christianity. In the words of the Apostle Paul, “You are all sons of God… There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” This Christian doctrine of racial, social and gender equality left a powerful mark on Western civilization.

East Asia, on the other hand, is shaped by Confucianism, which stresses the dutiful attitude of each member of society over the intrinsic value of the individual. Because there is no personal God who loves each man and woman as his very own, Confucian thought implies worth based on one’s station in life: A man is measured by his wealth, power and prestige, and a prince

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Differences in value systems pose other challenges, too. Americans value individualism, independence and assertiveness.

Asians are just the reverse; they place the group above the self and prefer interdependence and consensus. These differences work against the Asian in the company of Americans. Just when an American would push, the Asian pulls. One vexing problem is how and when to speak one’s mind: It is quite normal for Americans to voice disagreement, and I have witnessed them locked in heated debate only to chat away congenially during the coffee break as if nothing happened. When I express amazement, the Americans tell me that “It’s only a game” and that no one takes offence at the polemic.

Styles of Debate

is worth more than a pauper. By extension, nations are weighed the same way, and the citizen of an advanced country is worth more than one from a less-developed one.

This kind of thinking cuts both ways; it can make a citizen of a particular nation feel either proud or inferior, depending on the perceived strength of the foreigners he faces.

“Express one’s Opinion” illustrates how interpersonal communication differs, with Westerners getting straight to the point, while Asians choose a winding path, as such direct expression can often be perceived as impoliteness.

In Asia, American-style debate and disagreement is regarded as rude, offensive and could permanently jeopardize relations. Rejecting someone’s opinion gets mixed up with rejecting the person as well. When a fierce argument breaks out, the Asian is apt to keep silent or politely agree in order to maintain a semblance of harmony. These differences in etiquette have roots in the intellectual traditions of each civilization. Ancient Greece was made up of independent city states and a philosopher whose ideas offended the ruler of one state could easily seek refuge or patronage in a rival state. This, together with the Greek penchant for novel ideas, fostered a culture of intellectual discourse and contest.

There was a period in China’s history when the country consisted of independent states, too, but ever since unification under the Qin emperor in 221 BC, China has, for the most part, been a monolithic centralized state that allowed only limited intellectual

Working with Westerners What does an Asian need to do to work effectively among Westerners? Essential steps include the following:

Practicing Assertiveness – Assertive is not the same as aggressive. You can state your preferences without feeling guilty. While Asians often communicate with subtle cues, Westerners prefer plain talk.

“Ways of Living” contrasts the lifestyles of people from the East and those from the West, with the latter being less community-oriented and more individualistic.

Voicing Opinions – Westerners are accustomed to voicing their opinion and quite used to having others do the same.

Everyone is entitled—indeed, expected—to hold an opinion, and a lack of opinion could be construed as a lack of personality or personhood.

Embracing Disagreement – Disagreement is a normal part of life. Contesting someone’s ideas does not equal rejecting the person.

Affirming Self-Worth – All people are created equal. Feeling inferior is just as wrong as feeling superior; shame is as detrimental as pride. diversity. For centuries, candidates writing the Imperial civil service examination were tested on their mastery of the Confucian classics, not on originality of thought or ability to critique. Hence, political correctness in Asia is more entrenched. Even today, the education systems in many parts of Asia employ much rote learning: a pedagogical style that dates back to antiquity and, while it is not without merit, it implies a “correct” or “standard” answer to every question. This may be well and true in mathematics or the natural sciences, but not so in the humanities and social sciences, and can actually be a hindrance.

Respect for Authority

As a result of the automatic respect for rank that this style of instruction inculcates, Asian students almost never disagree with their teachers, textbooks or anything they regard as an authority. Disagreement and disputation are viewed as disrespectful and are a threat to harmony, so Asians avoid it. When called upon to exercise critical reflection on a

piece of writing, for example, most Asian students only manage to produce a summary of what they have read.

Another value that works against the Asian is the Eastern notion of modesty. Promoting oneself or broadcasting one’s abilities and achievements is frowned upon. Instead, one is taught to be self-effacing. This kind of modesty may be a virtue, but it puts the Asian at a disadvantage in many situations.

Imagine a resume that downplays the skills and experiences of the candidate, or a

job interview where the candidate recoils from clearly articulating the strengths he will bring to the organization. There are, of course, ways to let others know your accomplishments without sounding boastful. Many Asians have to be encouraged or coached on how to do so without feeling awkward.

In crossing from one culture to another, the old adage “In Rome, do as the Romans do” applies. This means playing by new rules, even if it feels uncomfortable at first. A person needs to tactically turn from his own cultural programming and learn a different set of behaviors. n

The photos in this sequence are used through a Creative Commons license courtesy of photographer Dierk Schaefer.

They were taken on September 11, 2008, during an open-air exhibition in Germany of work by Yang Liu, a Beijing artist trained in Germany, whose “East Meets West” series comments on the differences between Chinese and German culture. Ms. Yang’s website is here: www.yangliudesign.com A compilation of this series is now available in book form, in “Ost trifft West” by Yang Liu, available on Amazon.de.

Autumn 2011 Asia-Pacific Newsletter 7

A Semester at Hong Kong U

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xchange semesters always include opportunities and risks.

First of all, there is usually the chance to get to know a hopefully fascinating city—maybe in a culturally different setting—as well as to make new friends from all over the world. For a PhD student, such a step may be particularly useful in the sense that learning about new angles can push your research, and building up a more extensive network with professors and other scholars in and beyond your field, as well as getting in touch with peers who come from diverse backgrounds and who present you with novel ideas, can be an exciting and enjoyable way to broaden your academic horizons.

On the flip side, however, it is equally possible that all these expectations and hopes do not materialize, and you end up with a feeling of having lost time. Moreover, absurd bureaucratic regulations may bring you to your knees. Finally, exchange semesters may turn out to be costly as funding is not always provided easily or willingly by your home institution.

For the spring semester of 2010, I found

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Asia-Pacific Newsletter Autumn 2011

myself an exchange student at Hong Kong University (HKU). It was not my first exchange semester during my career as a student, and therefore I tried to keep in mind the positive things that had worked for me earlier. Today, a few months after my departure from Hong Kong, I can indeed say that I am very glad that I sought, and finally took, this opportunity. During those four months at one of Asia’s topnotch universities, my research greatly benefited from indepth and eye-opening conversations with professors, interesting workshops and seminars, and intense discussions with fellow students.

Bureaucratic Difficulties

Still, not everything went smoothly. As a matter of fact, I encountered a lot of bureaucratic difficulties before, during, and after my stay. The exchange confirmation from the host university, visa matters, accommodation, course selection, and choosing a personal advisor—the difficulty of all these issues should

By Sebastian Biba not be underestimated. They all take time and are replete with hidden problems. In my own case, misunderstandings led to my application for a place in one of the HKU

Macau is close enough to Hong Kong to make for an ideal day trip.

dorms coming too late. This cost me lots of energy—after all, Hong Kong is not really a place where you can find living space easily and affordably. Only shortly before my arrival, I was finally allocated a universityrented, off-campus room, and thought I was lucky. However, to share the room (and your privacy) with three undergrads from the mainland did not turn out to be what I was

looking for. I did not even fit into the very short bunk beds. Luckily for me, and for the success of the rest of the semester, after three weeks I found a nice apartment with more privacy, but also at three times the rent.

At the university, the start was far from promising. The major problem, I believe, was that I was not only the first IDAS student to go abroad on an exchange semester, but, more importantly, I was also the first incoming visiting PhD student to the HKU Faculty of Social Sciences, and, under it, the Department of Politics and Public Administration (DPPA). Under these circumstances, and without there having been a precedent for the administration to draw upon, issues like receiving a student ID, enrolling in classes, and transferring credits became a real adventure. The good news for you guys, however, is that whoever might follow me in terms of an HKU exchange experience as a visiting PhD student now has a case he or she can refer to.

Apart from bureaucratic issues, the academic aspect of my stay at HKU gradually gathered pace after classes had started.

Fortunately, there also were several regular PhD students newly incoming, and the

Despite being a world-class city, Hong Kong also offers hiking and other outdoor activities.

DPPA staff, professors included, worked hard to integrate all of us as quickly as possible. Thanks to a few departmental gatherings at the beginning of the term, it was easy for me to introduce myself to professors and fellow students. It was nice that I was never treated like an exchange student but always considered an equal part of the entire family.

The single most important key for the success of my stay, however, was my advisor, Professor Richard Hu, with whom I developed a very good working relationship. He

The author enjoys dinner with friends.

made a lot of time for me, and so we met quite regularly and talked exhaustively about my current research interests, my dissertation topic, publishing, and future career opportunities. His highly competent remarks on whatever the topic certainly contributed a lot to the advancement of my research project.

Similarly fortunate was my choice to take another research methods class, offered by another brilliant professor who managed to fill in the gaps left by previous research methods courses. While there were very few international conferences held in Hong Kong during my exchange, one highlight was waiting for me at the beginning of term: I had the chance to attend a two-day workshop on “Regional Order in East Asia,” with top US international relations scholar G. John Ikenberry.

Exploration

Besides university life, there was still enough time to explore Hong Kong and its outlying islands, as well as to make trips to Macau and mainland China. After having studied and lived in Beijing and Taipei before, I found this Hong Kong experience to be

something like a missing puzzle piece. The skyline of Hong Kong Island is a dazzling sight when admired from the harbor front at Tsim Sha Tsui, and a hike up and around Victoria Peak, combined with its view over Hong Kong at night, is stunning. The often narrow streets and alleyways teeming with people can take a little getting used to, even for an experienced traveler. Also, it feels strange to be so close to China, and to be able to read traditional Chinese characters, but then to listen to people who speak a completely indecipherable Chinese dialect. Therefore, even though Taipei greeted me upon my return with one week of heavy rain, I am happy to be back, with a lot of new experiences gathered, contacts established, and friends made.

Finally, to those of you who are also interested in a temporary change of air—and who are not holders of a Taiwan Scholarship—I recommend you pay a visit to the secretariat of the NCCU College of Social Sciences, which boasts partner colleges at renowned, mainly Asian, universities. Intra-university competition to get one of the places available seems quite reasonable. Good luck! n

About the author Sebastian loves to travel – as long as he can afford it. He is very enthusiastic about sports. He plays on the NCCU Tennis Team and frequently goes for a swim. Also, he enjoys a good movie or an old whiskey with friends.

Autumn 2011 Asia-Pacific Newsletter 9

ON THE INSIDE THE PERSPECTIVE OF A STUDENT

By Carlos Henrique de Oliveira Brochado

I

t is not within the purview of this paper to offer an opinion on which political-economic model is preferable for the attainment of social welfare; be it a liberal model in which public operationalism is almost incipient, or a strongly interventionist model in which the responsibility for welfare almost entirely depends on the effective operation of the civil service. As an abstract entity representing the collective will, the state has to position itself on a continuum between the liberal and interventionist schools and choose a position that best promotes social welfare.

From this point of view, I believe that the opportunity of being a student of a school

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of government such as the Professor Paulo Neves de Carvalho School is a really unique experience, especially for those who believe in and strive for greater social equality, improved use and distribution of public resources, and a better quality of life. Students at the School of Government at the Fundação João Pinheiro (FJP) have the opportunity to learn about and question the state’s actions and, more importantly, go on to exercise the function of Specialist in Public Policy and Government Administration, with a real opportunity to effectively promote good public administration.

Regarding the School of Government as an institution, the fact that it has stood out on the national scene because of its excellence in

I

n the early 1970s, Brazil experienced a period of exceptional economic growth; one so important that, like its Taiwanese counterpart, it came to be known as an economic miracle. The following decade would prove to be equally significant for the country, however, due to a remarkable period of economic restrictions, administrative difficulties and the need for an overhaul of the machinery of the state. In this adverse environment marked by state planning that was still weak in many parts of the federation, there emerged the first national institution for the training of public administrators: the Escola Nacional de Administração Pública.

At that time, the basic tasks identified by the Brazilian government were a reduction in public spending, the privatization of state enterprises and less state intervention.

The adoption in 1988 of the new Citizen Constitution, among other influences, brought to light the need to pay attention to such concepts as democratic rights and

PA Education in Brazil

By Carlos Henrique de Oliveira Brochado

teaching is significant. It has, according to an assessment by the institutions of academic performance, achieved a leading position among the country’s schools of management.

The academic environment of the school is appropriate for professional development once students have easy access to various educational and research programs. There is close interaction between students and teachers, and access to most of the important technical agents of the state, responsible for the design and supervision of major government policies.

In addition to this, students have several opportunities to participate directly in the activities of public agencies, either voluntarily through placements, or via programs

diversity in the implementation of public policies. Moreover, under the influence of Luiz Carlos Bresser-Pereira since 1995, public administration affirmed the central importance of public demands and projects of social impact. Along this same line of reasoning, the teaching of public administration techniques became a strategic tool for modernizing the public service, as well as a solution to the problem of meeting demand for qualified personnel and launched on the professionalism in the public sector. student’s own iniIn the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, this trend led tiative. At this point it to the foundation in early 1990 of the Escola de is worth noting the outGoverno Professor Paulo Neves de Carvalho standing performance of a junior consulting firm named (School of Government), as part of the João Pinheiro Jr., which is operated Fundação João Pinheiro (FJP), for the by the students themselves under the training of public administrators. guidance of their teachers. Students workThe school of government toing with João Pinheiro Jr. are invited to deday offers undergraduate velop and manage projects within public as well as masters-level programs in public institutions aimed at solving practical problems. These factors, taken together, provide administration, an excellent level of training to professionals in addition to spewho will deal directly with public management and the drafting and implementation of public policies.

Autumn 2011 Asia-Pacific Newsletter 11

As a student at the Professor Paulo Neves de Carvalho School of Government, I believe it plays a vital role in creating a modern professional bureaucracy and contributing to the modernization, professionalization and renewal of the civil service. The main way to enhance the quality of the public service is the acquisition and production of new knowledge, enabling an environment of innovation, and continuous improvement of the public sector. In line with these ideals, the institution has recently sought to expand its partnerships with other institutions around the world, allowing students an even greater opportunity, which is learning through a cross-cultural exchange of knowledge.

Regarding this aspect, the relationship with National Chengchi University (NCCU) was the first partnership in Asia formed by the FJP’s School of Government. For the short time that I have been an exchange student at NCCU, and from what modest amount I have been able to learn about Taiwan, I cialization courses at post-graduate levels and various training courses. Formalized by state law in 1994, the school aims to prepare civil servants to become part of the public management boards, as well as to future public administration professionals in the formulation and implementation of public policies. Students receive a monthly allowance amounting to minimum wage, and education bonds are available to selected students who receive scholarships in exchange for a pledge to follow a career in the public service for a period of no less than two years.

The state government redefined its operational model in 2003 when it adopted a system of governance called Choque de Gestão, or management shock. This new paradigm was driven by the concepts of efficiency and effectiveness in the use of public resources, and a strong focus on achieving results. This fact eventually put the course of study and the professional standing of public administration at the center of dynamic changes taking place within the state. This model called

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believe this experience has been indescribably rich. Even though Brazil and Taiwan are drastically diverse countries—socially, politically, economically, and especially culturally—I believe that both countries tend to strive for the highest ideals in promoting human welfare. As a result of this, the differences between the two countries should not be regarded as barriers to communication and integration, but rather as common points of a rich source of experience and learning for people from both countries.

NCCU represents the first partnership of for FJP’s School of coursGovernment in es deAsia. I have signed to train and emthe sincere power civil serh op e that vants, and bore a close resemblance to the French model created in 1945 at the École Nationale d’Administration.

Bearing in mind the state’s historically strong presence in society and its tradition of market intervention (common to Brazil and European countries), the Brazilian and French models share significant similarities.

Under this same perspective, the experience of the United States in the area of ​​training and improving the performance of public administration cannot be neglected, and so the Brazilian institutional arrangement also bears a strong North American bias.

The allocation of public servants among various government agencies such as the Government Secretariat, State Audit Institution, and Bureau of Education and Culture, is coordinated by the Bureau of Planning. Students leaving the School of Government to take positions in the public service often do so with the title of Specialist in Public Policy and Government Administration.

The responsibilities of this position include the formulation, evaluation and control of public policies, the exercise of activities related to the areas of planning and evaluation, financial management and budgeting, ac-

counti n g , management modernization, streamlining of processes, management and information technology, logistics capabilities, material resources, human resources and asset management.

Clearly, public administrators require the capacity to deal with a wide range of fields of knowledge using a variety of skills to effect strategic planning, calculations and statistical predictions, and handle the socioeconomic repercussions of public policy.

Accordingly, in view of the diversity of characteristics and faculties required from a candidate to be a public administrator, it is necessary that this person have three main skill sets: supervision, coordination, and general management capacity. In sync with the need for an interdisciplinary approach, the Course of Public Administration at FJP’s School of Government has seven core studies; Quantitative Grounds, Finance and Budget (such as Accounting, Mathematics and Statistics), General Administration, Public Administration, Sociology and Politics, Economics, Law, and Research Methodology.

The institution relies heavily on an interdisciplinary approach to training as well as the development of practical activities where theory is complemented by theoretical and practical skills. During the eight academic periods, students have 2,460 classroom hours, 300 hours of supervised practice and 300 hours of additional undergraduate activities, as well as a final course paper which is developed by the student on a theme related to the public organ of his supervised training. During their 300 hours of additional activities, students are encouraged to look for extracurricular experiences in public organs, participate in volunteer activities and integrate with the academic life of the institution: all of these are essential in creating a better atmosphere and are consistent with the activities of public managers. n this is the first of many yet to come. n

Tea Time in Sanshia A photostory by Laura Lygaityte Words by Shelly Chou

Autumn 2011 Asia-Pacific Newsletter 13

T

his year, a new course was added to the IDAS course list: the much-anticipated Belief Systems of Taiwan. The curriculum is designed to give students a foundational understanding of the major

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Asia-Pacific Newsletter Autumn 2011

religions and other systems of belief that operate in Taiwan with specific case studies from perspectives drawn from the anthropology and sociology of religion.

The course was taught by Professor David

Blundell, an anthropologist by training with a deep knowledge of Taiwan’s many belief systems. Dr. Blundell loves to share his knowledge and experiences with students

in the class, and unlike most professors, he likes to bring students outside of the classroom. Our class benefitted from visits to museums and temples where the students were able to gain first-hand experience with the subjects of our study.

One of the more picturesque field trips the class took this semester was a visit to a very typical Taoist temple. This, and the elaborate Taiwanese tea ceremony that we took part in afterward, helped students—many of whom are guests in Taiwan—to truly comprehend and develop a deep appreciation for Taoism and tea culture.

Autumn 2011 Asia-Pacific Newsletter 15

Rituals are performed to seek help from the gods. Devotees burn incense before an altar as they mentally repeat the question or favor they want to ask. Then they drop two crescent-shaped divining blocks to the floor. When one block lands convex side up and the other flat side up, the answer is positive or the omen is good.

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Asia-Pacific Newsletter  Autumn 2011

Taoism is a local religion that developed in China. It is based on the writings of the sixth-century thinker Lao Tzu. By the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), Taoism had moved to centrality by development of the immortal, and the search for immortality through contemplation and the use of practices like control of respiration, a special diet, maintaining harmony with the cosmos, and the development of the immortal embryo. In Taoist temples, we can find representations

Autumn 2011  Asia-Pacific Newsletter  17

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Asia-Pacific Newsletter Autumn 2011

of animals that symbolize long life, such as the crane or turtle, and also some legendary animals like the dragon and phoenix.

The Sanshia Zushi Temple is a very traditional temple where adherents worship Ching-shui Zushi. It was established in 1767

by immigrants from Fujian Province, and through its architecture we can see very typical structures of a Taoist temple.

Drinking tea is a very important part of the culture for Chinese and Taiwanese alike, as it has been for centuries. In the tea cer-

emony, participants can find peace of mind, and of course, tea is also known to be very good for your health. We are very grateful to the owner of the Pu-men Teahouse, Mr. Yu Tien-fu, for opening his home to us and being such a gracious host. n

Autumn 2011  Asia-Pacific Newsletter  19

When East 20

Asia-Pacific Newsletter Autumn 2011

meets south

China-MERCOSUR Relations A Peripheral Realist Analysis of Economic Complementariness

By Juan Uriburu Quintana

Autumn 2011 Asia-Pacific Newsletter 21

F

or the last few years, I have been studying China’s foreign policy towards Latin America in general, and to the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) countries in particular. As it is generally agreed, the countries that make up South America’s leading trading bloc are in an excellent position to supply China’s insatiable appetite for, and desperate need of, commodities. The Asian giant has started to enjoy what is nearly universally hailed as its imminent superpower status, one powered by what Ted Fishman calls the world’s most rapidly changing economy. Thus, it goes without saying that the Chinese government—fully aware of the fact that economic growth increases political concerns, influence, and importance—has been devoting considerable time and effort to politically guaranteeing good relations with the resource-rich Third World countries in Latin America (among them the MERCOSUR members) and other regions such as Asia and Africa.

Appetite for Commodities

Beijing must remain on good terms with these nations in order to satisfy China’s voracious appetite for traditional commodities, as well as the natural resources that fuel the Chinese economic rise.

It has been pointed out that the People’s

Chinese economist Zhu Hongbo speaks at the World Economic Forum on Latin America 2009, held in Rio de Janeiro.

Republic of China (PRC) is ravenous for such resources, and as The Economist observed in 2008, “Latin American economies are growing at their fastest pace in decades, thanks in large part to heavy Chinese demand for their resources.” This should certainly be good news for Latin American countries in general, and for MERCOSUR members in particular, since it means that China needs what Latin American countries offer, and it does so to such an extent that reports from the Inter-American Development Bank, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the World Bank all

Photo World Economic Forum

conclude that China’s emergence is beneficial to the Latin American region, especially the Southern Cone and Andean nations.

In this regard, it has been reported that Chinese President Hu Jintao, while attending the 2004 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Santiago, Chile, and after having visited Brazil and Argentina, completed the so-called ABC trilogy by signing dozens of new cooperative

The MERCOSUR building in Punta Carretas, Montevideo, Uruguay.

24 January, 2007.

Photo Vince Alongi

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Asia-Pacific Newsletter Autumn 2011

agreements and announcing US$100 billion in investment commitments to the region, including US$30 billion for Chile, Argentina and Brazil alone.

As will be more fully explained later on, two of these countries (Argentina and Brazil) are full members of MERCOSUR, and the third (Chile) is an associate member, which should be good news for these countries, since it would imply that the rise of China offers them the possibility of benefiting from increased economic exchanges, facilitated by the adoption of the foreign policy profile of a trading state, as suggested by Peripheral Realism.

In this regard, it would be both appropriate and interesting to point out that China, instead of negotiating with MERCOSUR as a bloc, has rather adopted a bilateral approach towards the bloc’s member countries, establishing socalled strategic partnerships with Brazil and Argentina, and negotiating preferential trade agreements in recent years, such as the China-Chile Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which has been in effect since 2006, and the China-Perú FTA, which has been in effect since 2010.

Moreover, with regard to China’s importance to South American countries, it should be noted that some American scholars have claimed that the Washington Consensus has been replaced by a new Beijing consensus through which South American countries willingly rely on China. Others analysts such as political scientist Edward Friedman have characterized the PRC’s new pattern of relations with South American countries as a form of 21stCentury neo-colonialism.

Bilateral Strategy

China has adopted a bilateral strategy when dealing with MERCOSUR member states, approaching them on an individual basis. By doing so, the PRC can take greater advantage of its size and importance, benefiting from playing the role of a powerful central state dealing with peripheral states on a one-toone basis. It has been noted, however, that

the trading bloc has not been able to take full advantage of the increasingly important role played by the PRC in Latin America, mostly because of its own limitations.

In The Americas in Transition: the Contours of Regionalism, Ivan Bernier and Martin Roy define MERCOSUR as a simple and evolving agreement with ambitious goals—one that has a political dynamic—constituting a

Autumn 2011 Asia-Pacific Newsletter 23

China’s Export-Import Bank is financing the construction of several dams in Latin America, including the 1,500 megawatt Coca-Codo Sinclair Hydroelectric Project, which will divert water flow away from the 480-foot San Rafael Falls, leaving Ecuador’s tallest waterfall high and dry.

flexible common market that deals in some detail with goods and investment, but only superficially touches upon services and government procurement.

Headquarters of the Banco de la Nación Argentina. Chinese investment is making major headway in the region’s banking sector. 21 August, 2009.

Photo Visionshare

All this favors Beijing, which has been taking advantage of both its politico-economic relevance, and the fact that one of the members of MERCOSUR recognizes Taipei, to deal with the bloc’s members individually, making them feel their peripheral character and the specific weight that China’s central position implies in bilateral relationships.

Photo Diego Torres Silvestre

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Asia-Pacific Newsletter Autumn 2011

Indeed, the PRC has been focusing on those countries that, being associate members of the bloc, offer China a better platform from which to continue accessing South American markets and, more importantly, to avail itself of the abundant reserves of natural resources with which the continent has been blessed.

Thus, the PRC has been pursuing an open regionalism strategy and it has been prioritizing the negotiation of such FTAs with carefully chosen trans-Pacific partners: in recent years, a China-Chile FTA has been signed and a China-Perú FTA negotiated. In addition to that, it should be pointed out that MERCOSUR lacks internal cohesion and suffers from several other problems, such as the lack of consolidation of the bloc. n About the author Juan Uriburu Quintana is a PhD candidate in the IDAS program. He is also an associate research fellow with the Center for Latin American Trade and Economy Studies at the Chihlee Institute of Technology and a research assistant in the China Politics Division of the Institute of International Relations.

Tomato a nd Tofu –

By Janet Tan a real he

a

lthy dish Ingredients: 2 tomatoes 1 block of to 1 scallion (green onion) 1 tables fu poon sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon co oking oil To prepare: Dice scallion into small pieces (abo ut 2 cm long).

Dice tomatoes into small pieces (about 3 cm sq Slice Tofu into si uares). milar size of to matoes.

Get a pan (or a pot) with a lid.

Pour 1 tablespo on of oil in heat ing pan with med Put half diced gr ium heat. een onion in pan and heat for 10 Put diced tomat seconds. oes in the heatin g pan and put in Open the lid and 1 tablespoon of stir the tomatoe sugar and 1 teas s and put diced Open the lid and poon of salt, co tofu in the pan, stir gently. If yo ver the lid for 3 st ir gently and co u lik Add the rest of e it dryer, cook minutes. ver the lid for an the scallion and longer with lid op other 3 minutes st en ir Turn off the heat for another 2 m gently for 5 seco . inutes. , and pour into di nds. sh.

Ready to serve.

It is great with rice.

Tomato is a Wes tern fruit. The na me in Chinese m like the Chinese eans “foreign pl word for tomat ant.” The Americ o, “chaejiang.” S This dish was m an invention of o ketchup is a Ch y mother’s inve “ketchup” is ac inese-made Wes ntion when she nese ingredient tually Chinese, te fir rn sauce. st immigrated to s sold in Americ and it sounds the United Sta an markets. Tom blocks and scal te s at in the early 197 o was a common lions from Chinat 0s. At that tim ingredient for W own in New York Chinese cooking, e, estern cooking . She used thre scallions are of like spaghetti, an there were few Chie ingredients to ten used as a sp it texture and nu m d sh ak e ic e could get som this dish delicio e to bring the fr trie e tofu agrance out. To us, and so tamed becomes very ta nts. The dish is supposed to be m at he o with sugar an r homesickness. sty. This flavorf a bit soupy. Tofu d sa In ul dish is well lik so lt rice, and it will br ak ings out the tast ed in the tomat ed by both Wes just be heavenly o sauce for a fe e; tofu gives terners and Ea . Try it and this w m in utes absorbs th sterners. Put on can be your best e flavor and e spoonful of “t graduate school omato tofu” ov survival food. er your white

Autumn 2011 Asia-Pacific Newsletter 25

hrough Food Best Met T y on your itely put the countr fin de i ld ou an ili sh u D yo .A nificently it Indonesia,

By Dita S.N l cuisine varies mag e opportunity to vis

had th s, and thus its loca st way to If you have not yet ings, here is the be ndreds of ethnicitie th hu s w ha ne a y si tr ne to do es In who lik to Aceh. The vacation list. of Indonesia first; e the type of person ar de u si yo t If es n.

W e gio th re to you must ke you from region to hern Sumatra: food its food. Let me ta rt h no ug ro of th rt a: pa si at ne th do are but es from experience In mind, these dishes and delicious dish in s ou ep m Ke fa . t se os ne m eh e th Ac te an e common following are lly if you plan to da taste, and they ar cia od pe go es a u — yo th ve wi r gi ll become familia isine, but they wi nese traditional cu appetite. . a small part of Aceh can challenge your ehnese restaurant at Ac th an g o hin int et en m pp so is ha , odles ain. You can enough if you ie Aceh, or Aceh No u, or just leave it pl M en m en is th th re th fa wi icy ok sp s from ab to co If you enjoy chilies, to keep thing e beef, shrimp or cr n ee lud gr inc or ll , wi it s w ok ra co a cabe your eyes, and Sometimes add too much extr will really open up to ie t m no ur e yo nc g va yin ad jo in en ask the chef ese chilies while biting into one of th getting too hot— your mouth.

Timpan is m ing it to p ade by mixing glut inous rice erfection . Ad flou sugar and jackfruit ding to the wonde r and pumpkin, wr rful arom apping it that can makes th a of a be ad in ban e st companio ickiness worth it ded to the recipe. steaming timpan ana leaves and th . en s nt Alt It is This next o a nice, hot cup of can be found serve hough the final res the grated coconu teamd in many dish is kn t ja u , brown lt v a c . a n be sticky ow coffee sho while oth , the tast ps in Ace ers refer n by various aliase e h, as it is to it as A s ing down the perfe yam Sam : some call it Aya fowl or ru c t m pah, o mma Tan with the m eat restin ging through the t r “trash chicken.” gkap, which mean s r T g almost the delicio hidden un ash: they refer to he names have not “caught chicken,” us the tradit der dry p hing to do you order chicken, which is andan le ional way with chas cut it, aves, fo the d ies. If you be warned: many p into small pieces and cooke rcing the diner to ish is presented, eople rep can keep ort a se dw hun of marijua na as a se cret, then I’ll let y feeling sleepy afte ith chilies and pan t or rummage for ou in on t r cret ingre d w more! an lea a r d s , or some he dient mak times gett ves. However ing the fo rumor that some Our final d ing A od so tas ish ty. It also cehnese chefs thr the munchhave to ea is a goat curry th o k w eeps cust at ta omers co in a dash consult y ll of this alone. Th Acehnese cooks p ming back repare in e restaur our docto for hug ant r be condition s or high b fore ordering the will serve it out in e pans—but don’t g s lo w o m time—a lmost tw od pressure. Yes, it at curry, as it is no all plates. Howeve orry: you don’t o hours— t r, that it ta is that good! You w recommended for you might want t o kes to co p il e l op fi nd no tou ok. gh meat b le with cardiac ecause of the long

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Asia-Pacific Newsletter Autumn 2011

Cepelinai – Potato dumplings

By Laura Lygaityte dishes made from potatoes and

diversity of Lithuanian traditional cuisine is notable for its or “zeppelins,” are a type of dumpling made meat. Cepelinai (also known as didzkukuliai), ground meat, although sometimes dry cottage from grated potatoes and usually stuffed with served with sour cream, spirgai (fried bacon cheese (curd) is used instead. They are usually bits), or mushrooms. middle of the 20th century, but their fame Cepelinai originally came from Germany in the are considered to be a Lithuanian national dish. spread throughout the country and now they on they are eaten during days of hard work, These zeppelins are very filling, and for this reas especially during harvest time.

Ingredients 1 kilogram raw potatoes (peeled and grated) 3-4 cooked potatoes Salt to taste cloth, and squeeze dry. Save potato liquid, let 1. Put raw potato gratings in a double cheese to liquid, and mix starch with dry potato potato starch settle at the bottom, decant pota gratings. potatoes; salt and blend it well enough so that 2. Add cooled boiled potatoes to raw grated nt crushed vitamin C pills at this point can preve you can get the elastic dough. (Adding several . form d to mixture and flatten, making a roun potato discoloration.) Take about 1/2 cup pota with water—it will facilitate the process.) Place (While making zeppelins, moisten your hands round; fold over, seal seam, and make it into an a spoonful of filling mixture in the center of the oblong shape. ly after another, stir them constantly and gent 3. Put the zeppelins into boiling salt water one while cooking so that they do not stick together. iness can be defined in the following way: 4. Cook for about 20-30 min. The degree of read m. Serve hot. after immersion, zeppelins again fall to the botto

Beef or Pork Fil li

ng 1 onion , fi 500 g nely choppe d rams g round m of both eat (be ) ef, pork Salt an , or a m d ixture might b pepper to ta s e adde d as we te (other favo ll) rite sp ices Sauté onion, a nd add with sa to lt, pepp er, and the ground m other s e pices. B at. Season The sau lend we ce ll.

Meat-fi ll Cut th ed cepelinai e bacon are ser ve in choppe d onion to bits, fry it d with the sa s. Fry u uce. and ad ant gold d fi nt e The sau n color. Add il the onions nely ar so c or mus e can also be ur cream and e a pleasmelted hroom b sauce. butter, lend. sour cr eam, Enjoy y our zep pelins!

Autumn 2011 Asia-Pacific Newsletter 27

Fun, Food and

Formulae

H

aving attended several international conferences before, I knew enough to expect one thing: they are always a lot of fun. Nevertheless, I was unprepared for just how much fun we would have in Busan, South Korea in late June.

In truth it was probably the most enjoyable conference-going experience I have had to date. While the term fun could hardly be used to describe the actual content of the conference—the name speaks for itself: the Seventh Annual Conference of the AsiaPacific Economic Association—especially as I am not an economist myself, but no one could have asked for better company, a better setting, or a better guide. Overall

By Huong Le Thu National Chengchi University’s IDAS program in particular, and all members of the excursion were well-represented and very impressive. We managed to forge many ties with foreign academics and maintain a presence within the economics academic community.

This was the first time that, as a study program, IDAS organized a dedicated panel to cover genThese adorable cartoon characters attended one of the most prestigious economics conferences in the Asia-Pacific region. eral topics within the field of Asia-Pacific Studies, especially the trip was an enormous success. We were within such an established academic comable to interact with many influential econ- munity. It was also the first time IDAS classomists from around the world working in mates travelled as a group, along with our and with the Asian region. It was a pleasure program director and chaperone, to attend to represent Taiwan in general, as well as such an event.

The excitement was multiplied because the timing of the conference (June 24-25) coincided with the start of our summer vacation, and the venue was the wonderful city of Busan. Moreover, we were fortunate enough to have among our number Jimmy Cho, who is not only extremely knowledgeable about his native Korea, but quite possibly the best guide on the peninsula.

Setting Out

Lunch at Yonsei canteen with GSIS students.

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Asia-Pacific Newsletter Autumn 2011

So, shortly after our final exam period ended, Dr. Ping-yin Kuan, Janet Tan, Jimmy Cho, Huong Le Thu, and Hsiaping Lan from the department of Public Administration set off for Seoul, where we met up with José Guerra Vio who was already in country as he was taking his exchange semester at Yonsei University. José managed to arrange for the IDAS delegation to meet with Dr. Sukhee Han and students from the Graduate School

The Seoul-Busan highspeed train had it all: friends, doughnuts and romantic comedies.

The best tour guide in South Korea: IDAS’s own Jimmy Cho.

of International Studies.

After a fruitful discussion with the Yonsei professor and his students, the IDAS team was invited for lunch at the Yonsei canteen before departing for Busan. On Thursday, 23 June, we took a high-speed train and left rainy Seoul for sunny Busan, which we were told is famous for its beautiful beaches, delicious seafood, and laid-back atmosphere.

Busan welcomed us with warmth and peace. But this peace only lasted for a while before we were joined by a boisterous Dean Karalekas and Silvia Amato, who had flown in directly from Taipei to Busan.

Team Two Arrives

They had arrived at the Gimhae airport and immediately made their way to the Oncheonjang district to meet up with Janet and Jimmy at the hotel, whereupon the four took a cab to the Haeundae district to meet all the other attendees at a welcome party that was put on by the conference organizers. It was held at the Theus Restaurant on the 4th floor of the beach-side Seacloud Hotel.

At the reception, we finally met the organizer of the event, Joyce Wong, who walked us through all the necessary registration procedures and introductions.

After dinner, it was time for the IDAS team, now complete, to taste some of the city’s exciting night life.

Much of downtown Busan is located right on the beach, and so we started with a stroll along the sand, followed by a midnight feast of Galbi, which is the famous Korean barbeque. Korean food was

Despite being a world-class city, Hong Kong The first of several dinners consistedalso of offers hiking and other outdoor activities.

Dakgalbi (inset), a delicious Korean BBQ chicken.

Autumn 2011 Asia-Pacific Newsletter 29

The Korean vegetable pancake really hits the spot.

The first members of the IDAS team to arrive in Seoul enjoy a meal on their first night in town.

something that our indispensable host Jimmy insisted on with persistent Korean hospitality, and so after the Galbi, we proceeded to enjoy our third dinner of the evening, which consisted of Bulgogi; a marinated beef that literally means “fire meat” in Korean. Naturally, this was all accompanied by copious amounts of C1 Soju, which is a smooth, delicious brand of the Korean beverage only available in Busan.

Team IDAS.

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Asia-Pacific Newsletter Autumn 2011

The next morning, we waddled over to the campus of Pusan National University.

Luckily, none of us had to present on the first day, but we all had to serve as discussants on papers delivered by other conference participants, all of whom were very accomplished economists.

The conference kicked off with a welcome speech by Masihiro Kawai, who spoke about the toll and reconstruction efforts in the

wake of Japan’s triple disaster. After his talk, the first regular session began with the topic of Income Distribution, Economic Growth and China, with the first speaker being Paul Vandenberg of the Asian Development Bank. His presentation on how China can avoid the Middle-Income Trap was excellent.

Francoise Nicolas of the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri France) and Paris-Est Université in Marne-la-Vallée provided a European perspective on the post-crisis regional financial and monetary cooperation in East Asia. Dr. Nicolas demonstrated a keen understanding of trends in Asia, both economic and social.

Our final meal in Korea.

The next session was a treat, as Janet was the chair of a panel which included a very interesting paper by Pak-Hung Mo of the Hong Kong Baptist University on institutions, entrepreneurship and channels to sustained economic growth. Some of us had the opportunity to enjoy speaking privately with the personable Dr. Mo several times during the length of the conference, who is a very lively conversationalist. Especially fascinating was his theory on the Chinese writing system and its possible applicability to the creation of a common East-Asian identity.

Other interesting papers were presented by Geethanjali Nataraj and Anjali Tandon, who conducted a factoral analysis of export diver-

This picture should give you some idea of how much food was consumed.

sification in China, and Anders Johansson of the Stockholm School of Economics and Harvard University, who studies the level of political participation and entrepreneurial IPOs in China.

Ground Covered

Our fearless leader, moderator and chaperone, Dr. Kuan.

Although the conference lasted just two days, it was very densely organized, with five parallel sessions for each time slot. Among the various topics covered, different sessions were dedicated to: 1. Development, 2. Political economy with some studies concerning ASEAN, 3. Analyses of the financial crisis, 4. International trade, 5. Corporate governance, 6. Foreign Direct Investment, 7. The Chinese economy, 8. Integration in the Asia-Pacific, 9. Economic and social issues, and 10. Our IDAS session.

The final day of the conference was of course the most important for the IDAS students as it was finally time for our panel.

Professor Kuan made an excellent moderator, and Dean began the panel, presenting his paper on the emerging polarization in Asia. He was followed by JosĂŠ presenting his paper on supranational collective identity formation through institutionalization and governance. I spoke about cultural policy

as a sustainable development strategy in the case of multi-ethnic Vietnam in the post-Doi Moi era. Finally, Janet gave a speech about the Taiwan Economic Miracle.

The conference wrapped up after two intensive days of debate, networking, economic formulae, and soju. While Dean and Silvia departed for Taiwan from Busan, the rest of us headed north. Jimmy rented a van and drove us back to Seoul right before a large typhoon was to hit.

After several hours of driving, Jimmy rewarded us all with the famous Korean ginseng chicken soup. It was the perfect finale on our last night in Seoul before flying back to Taiwan the next morning.

The best thing to come out of this conference was IDAS team spirit; the experience of attending the conference helped glue us together, and not only did we make the first academic appearance of IDAS internationally, but for the first time we had a chance to feel a real sense of unity and camaraderie in our young program. n

About the author Huong Le Thu is an artist turned academician, a traveler and a food-lover.

Autumn 2011  Asia-Pacific Newsletter  31

China’s Regional Aspirations Political Leadership through Economic Integration

By José Guerra Vio

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Asia-Pacific Newsletter Autumn 2011

A

ccording to Sun Tzu, author of the Art of War and legendary figure in Chinese classical literature, “supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.” Today, Sun Tzu’s axiom assumes a new meaning as China attempts to become the leader of the East Asian regional integration process.

To be sure, the Chinese leaders see the woes of the stagnant and troubled West as offering an opportunity for them to upgrade their international status, and they have found that promoting regional integration among their neighbors may be the best way to accomplish that. This strategy becomes even clearer in times of economic uncertainty: economic integration is a means to sustain stability while restoring confidence, by assuring the China is reaching out to the world economically, as well as militarily, as evidenced by these PLA soldiers wearing the blue berets of the United Nations.

whole region that China’s rise is peaceful, and that it holds benefits for all.

Indeed, those were the lessons learned after the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997. This time around, however, the benefits of an economic downturn can be tremendous if Beijing officials make the right moves. Thus China’s active campaign to court its wary neighbors in the pursuit of different types of regional arrangements—first with the 10 ASEAN members, as well as the two enclaves of Hong Kong and Macau, and presumably later with Taiwan—in an agreement that many see as the first step toward political integration.

The Chinese are aware that development cannot be reached in isolation from the rest of the world, or even the rest of the region, and therefore it makes sense to seek regional stability and development through economic arrangements. “Regional economic integration benefits all” appears to be the slogan that the Chinese leadership is trying to sell when touring the neighborhood.

Undeniably, China is looking for likeminded countries among its neighbors in order not just to secure its economic stability and maintain its growth rate thanks to what economic integration could signify; but especially because it wants to enhance its sphere of influence as the leader of a vibrant and thriving East Asian bloc that could counterbalance a self-indulgent Western bloc.

The non-economic benefits from these arrangements are relevant as geopolitics becomes the guiding principle for Beijing’s interests in trade talks. The key strategic issue is that, once economic integration is achieved, regionalism increasingly advances into more inclusive arrangements, where security and politics become the central aspect.

Regional integration could well be considered as the new method of territorial and ideological expansion in the 21st Century.

No conquest by force, but union by enticement. A race is being run by regional blocs, with each trying to become more competitive and attract new aligned partners.

As part of what seems to be a well-planned, long-term strategy, the Chinese hope for the emergence of that East Asian bloc to negotiate more effectively with America and the European Union. When the shift to political issues comes, their capacity to affect regional and global affairs as the paramount voice of the most economically prosperous part of the world will be tremendously efficient. n

About the author José Guerra Vio is a student in the IDAS program. He recently returned after completing an exchange in Seoul, South Korea, where he had been studying at Yonsei University’s Graduate School of International Studies.

Autumn 2011 Asia-Pacific Newsletter 33

Conference attendees toured the Kaohsiung World Games Stadium during the ISBC 2010.

Source: the author.

ISBC: SMALL

BUSINEsS THINKING

BIG

A Report on the 36th International Small Business Congress Held in Taipei

By Silvia Amato

S

mall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for more than 98 percent of all businesses on the Taiwanese economic landscape, according to Roscher Lin, chairman of ISBC 2010. Lin made the observation at the 36th International Small Business Congress, which kicked off in Taiwan October 5, 2010, to identify opportunities for SMEs in the wake of the current economic downturn.

Meetings were organized to discuss the leading role that SMEs take internationally, and economic experts, consultants, scholars, and government officials gathered to assess the future of SMEs in a global expansion of

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Asia-Pacific Newsletter  Autumn 2011

markets. For this reason, the ISBC international economic forum, a four-day program in Taipei, provided a platform for the exchange of knowledge about the operational aspects of SME development.

The actual sessions mainly focused on topics such as innovation and improvement of efficiency and performance levels, as well as research and development (R&D), transformation, and upgrading of current competencies. Issues concerning environmental governance and support planning on long-term strategies under a global perspective also enhanced a more direct interaction among conference participants.

What was underlined is the central role

of entrepreneurship in Asia and the Pacific, for the growing number of businesses that have been able to transform their economic orientation to import/export and industrial activities.

SMEs Widespread

In 2008, according to statistics provided by the Republic of China Ministry of Finance, approximately 1,235,000 SMEs accounted for 97 percent of all business enterprises in Taiwan. SMEs have been particularly successful in the service sector, while the wholesale and retail industries are growing in importance with an increasing share in domestic sales of 84.3 percent of total sales.

In addition, there is a strong showing by export-oriented SMEs whose activities have formed an industrial framework through which electronics and information technology (IT) firms, along with new high-tech industries (semiconductors, aerospace, biotech, and pharmaceuticals) have been able to expand into large export enterprises.

In order to involve the international and local responses of institutional and business actors for new challenges and opportunities launched in the SME sector, speakers at the 2010 ISBC congress offered an introspective view about how they saw the commercial experience of companies from their own direct access.

A Focus on Innovation

In one of the topics covered, titled Innovation for Excellence, Dae Yong Chung and Tae Yeung Eom from Soongsil University of Seoul, South Korea, presented a study about franchising in the Korean foodservice Industry in order to identify the relationship between entrepreneurs and performance levels, showing comparative advantages for first movers in this market.

Innovation in franchising has also been demonstrated by Tsai Ching-yi of National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology. Her report illustrated the recent trend of using a multi-unit franchising (MUF) structure, which has been emerging as a popular franchising model.

Speaking on the Taiwanese experience with SMEs and innovation, another contributor brought up innovative activities that have added value within an industrial chain system through state investment strategies that

address the overlapping dimensions called innovation base, innovation trust, innovation resistance, and innovation boost.

In parallel sessions about financial support for SMEs, Chung explored the issue of entrepreneurial ability to exploit business opportunities while attracting venture capital, based on data from South Korean start-ups in the IT industry. In Taiwan, the financial upgrading of national SMEs was studied by another author from the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research who collaborated with Lin Chia-hui in an investigation of the emergence of industrial structures through financial instruments drafted in accordance with Taiwan’s economic policies.

Other contributors came from Japan, South Africa, China, Austria, Australia, and the United States. They brought their international experience and perspectives about SMEs and the transition to industrial development and growth. Among other participants, Timothy Tan from the IDAS program presented a paper that offered insights into the need for corporate social responsibility and the ESG, or environmental, social, and governance practices in small and large firms.

The process of industrial development and growth is changing, and how it is understood by self-employed businesspeople on a small scale remains quite central in terms of erecting the optimal legal and behavioural frameworks for better implementation and regulation. In the words of Chairman Lin, the 2010 conference was basically a great opportunity to understand the dynamics of global SMEs with first-hand input provided

by ISBC participants. n

The ISBC organized a visit to Kaohsiung Harbor during the conference. Source: the author.

Autumn 2011  Asia-Pacific Newsletter  35

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Asia-Pacific Newsletter Autumn 2011

Picking Up The Pieces Words and pictures by Taro Kurokawa Miyagi Photo courtesy of Lions Clubs International

O

n Friday, March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck in the northeastern part of Japan. It was one of the largest quakes in recorded history, but it was just the beginning.

This temblor was followed by more than 50 aftershocks, and it triggered a 7-meter tsunami that devastated the cities and villages along more than a thousand miles of coastline. This in turn led to a radiation emergency due to failures in the nuclear power plant in Fukushima. The magnitude of this triple calamity cannot be overstated. During this onslaught, Japan has showed both its strengths and weaknesses to the outside world.

On the one hand, it showed its strength of character in the disciplined and restrained deeds of its citizens whose stoicism under such chaotic conditions was a marvel. On the other hand, opaque information flows from the government and the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), as well as the muddled decision making that was on evidence generated distrust not only among other nations but also its own citizens. I hope and believe that this experience of Japan’s can provide some instruction and guidance in future emergencies, anywhere they happen in the world.

Herein I describe my experience as I made my way to Iwaki city, Fukushima, in the affected area from March 30 to April 3 to deliver relief goods collected by a Taiwanese charity.

Before Departure

Since March 11, we had all seen the shocking news reports which daily carried images of the tsunami, while getting s om e t i m e s conflict-

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Asia-Pacific Newsletter Autumn 2011

ing information, especially about the extent of radiation diffusion around the Fukushima facility. The official statements made by some politicians and nuclear experts were inconsistent during the first several weeks. Both the local and international media continued releasing news reports fueled largely by their own speculation. These various information resources served only to confuse people.

This is especially true of the Internet, through which rumors ran faster than the truth. International institutions and foreign governments released their views and prospects on this matter, and the Japanese government’s response measures were different from these. While the Japanese government established an evacuation zone of 2030 kilome-

On the way to the affected area, I drove the car holding a camera.

To get us to Fukushima, we rented this van near Haneda airport in Tokyo.

ters, foreign governments set their own criteria for their citizens in the affected area. It was hard to judge what information was correct, and therefore relevant to our situation.

Thanks to the good will of the Taiwanese people, a great many relief goods were donated in Taiwan. My friend working at one particular charity asked me to accompany him to Japan on a mission to deliver a shipment of donated relief supplies. At that time, it was very difficult Ichu Tsai (left) of the Taiwan Friendship to find truck drivAssociation and Mr. Sato, whose house ers willing to bring was hit by the tsunami. items into the af-

Mr. Sato’s house in Ena. Almost all of the interiors were damaged by seawater.

fected area in Touhoku. There were two reasons for this difficulty; one is that no one wanted to go to Fukushima because of confusing information about radiation diffusion. Another reason is that, even for those who dared to drive into Fukushima, gasoline was extremely hard to locate, especially for the return trip.

Given this situation, it was hard to decide to go there, though we could access some information about the affected area through the

Internet: Each municipality office in the area had been using their websites to disseminate information about their needs and conditions. Knowing what they needed and being ready for the risk, we decided to go.

It was not long before we were faced with another problem: Official permission, issued by the prefecture government, was necessary in order to be allowed to deliver our supplies. It took time to get there and back, and it made us very nervous, because the list of goods needed by the evacuees was changing day by day.

In Japan

While we were still in Taiwan, our original plan had been to deliver the goods to Sendai city, Miyagi, which was seriously damaged by the tsunami. To that end, we had been in contact with government officials in Miyagi prefecture. Though we had series of setbacks after arriving in Japan, we were finally allowed to proceed to Fukushima.

This is probably the nature of any crisis, but things were changing every minute. The original plan didn’t go well. First, we had to change the plan to go to Sendaicity at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo. This

Mr. Tsai helps clear Mr. Sato’s house of debris. It’s hard to dump a lot of things with a lot of memories.

was because of a misunderstanding between the charity and the Miyagi prefecture office.

The charity had already sent relief goods by airplane, but Miyagi prefecture didn’t know that we also would come to deliver the relief goods by truck. The charity interpreted it this way because some of the food items had to go through a customs inspection. Then, the goods we brought were not on the most recent list of needed items provided by Miyagi prefecture.

Some of the houses along the river appear intact but have been tilted off their foundations.

Autumn 2011 Asia-Pacific Newsletter 39

Volunteers distribute supplies at an elementary school-turned-shelter in Iwaki. About 30 evacuees were living in the gymnasium when we arrived.

A bridge fell into a river, surrounded by structures knocked off their foundations.

Witnesses reported that the river water was flowing backward at the time of the tsunami.

A parking area damaged by the tsunami, in Onahama beach, Iwaki, Fukushima.

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Asia-Pacific Newsletter  Autumn 2011

This building in Onahama was probably a garage. The roof remains, but the rest was destroyed by the tsunami.

Mr. Kushida, an architect, inspects a destroyed building in Onahama.

A picture from the local newspaper of capsized ships inside Onahama Port, which was strictly off limits.

Autumn 2011  Asia-Pacific Newsletter  41

Of course, the line to clear customs was extremely long. Finally, thanks to a kind customs officer, we were cleared and could leave the airport.

Right out of the arrival gate, we were met by two Japanese friends of the head of the Taiwanese charity. They were also members of a Japanese nongovernmental organization (NGO) which plants cherry blossom trees around the world. I quickly realized that, in this kind of chaotic situation, the most useful source of information and assistance are through your own personal networks.

We could not get a rental car at the airport, which was not unexpected since the office was closed due to a gasoline shortage in the entire eastern part of Japan at that time. Our hosts called another car rental company they knew and a vehicle was procured for us. They informed us that Iwaki city was really suffering from a lack of food and other daily goods, due largely to the gas shortage. Then he called his friend in Iwaki city to receive us and help us to deliver the relief goods di-

This kindergarten was crushed by the tsunami. Fortunately, everybody managed to evacuate in time.

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Asia-Pacific Newsletter Autumn 2011

rectly to the people who needed them most.

Our final destination was thus decided upon.

To Fukushima

The drive from Haneda to Iwaki city took five hours. The traffic out of Tokyo was far less congested than usual. On the way to Iwaki, we saw stores with empty shelves, and the roads—even the normally wellkept highway—were bumpy and hard to traverse in Fukushima. It began to dawn on us the things that had happened there. Since Iwaki is situated 40-50 kilometers away from the power plant, we got nervous as we approached the city: Radiation is invisible, so the threat it poses is more about the tricks your mind plays on you than anything tangible. There were few lights on in the houses when we reached Fukushima prefecture at nine o’clock. It felt like a ghost town that night. Nobody ventured out into the streets, and even the neon signs above the restaurants were out. There we met Mr. Kushida, a Japanese businessman and friend of my fellow traveler. We stayed at a sauna that he owns. He took us from the

affected area to City Hall, where he introduced us to Mr. Sato, whose house was destroyed by the tsunami. We spent two days helping him clear his house of the rubble that had once been his possessions.

Iwaki city is the second-biggest city in the Touhoku area, after Sendai. It has a population of 340,000 people, minus the 19,000 who were evacuated after the initial earthquake.

When we arrived, there were 3,000 evacuees being sheltered in public facilities such as school gymnasiums and community centers. According to the vice mayor, 16,000 people were trying to leave the city because of the radiation. The damage wrought by the tsunami in Iwaki city was relatively light compared to the devastation in the coastal cities of Miyagi and Iwate prefectures. The biggest problem was the radiation, so that right after the nuclear power plant exploded the city distributed iodine to citizens aged 40 years and under. They took this measure in order to stretch their iodine supply: the effect of certain types of radiation exposure

only appears 20-30 years later.

As we helped him clean the remnants of his house, Mr. Sato told us that the residents in his town really wanted to come back to the city to begin the recovery effort. Actually, he had also evacuated to the home of relatives in Chiba prefecture several days ago.

However, opaque information on the nuclear plant prevented evacuees from coming back.

Once they come back to start their lives over again, there would inevitably be a change in the government-mandated evacuation area, and many never come back, even though they had the will to do so. Most were just waiting and watching how the situation played itself out.

At that time, we watched

as the government issued seemingly conflicting and contradictory orders, and too little information was released to make any solid decisions. Given the choice of staying put in an uncertain situation, it was much easier for many citizens to make the decision to leave everything behind and start new lives someplace else.

We also delivered the relief goods to evacuees sheltering in the gym at Iwaki Taira Third Elementary School. There were 30 people when we arrived. Most were not young, and nor were they wealthy. The accommodations looked neither convenient nor comfortable, but people were certainly thankful to have them. It looked like one giant room, without any walls or curtains for privacy. Some said they were under great stress and so decided to sleep in nearby cars.

Mr. Kushida took us to an area that was heavily damaged by the

tsunami. This area had been out of bounds just days ago, but recovery efforts had just begun, and people had started the preliminary work of removing debris from the roads to allow access. Little by little, people were filtering back in.

After Leaving Fukushima

By this point, two months had passed since the greatest disaster in Japan’s history had occurred, and yet the aftershocks continued to strike, reminding all that it was not yet over, and that it had not been just a bad dream. The nuclear power plant problem has still not yet been resolved, and some people living in the evacuation area are not yet able to go home. As of May 2, there were 15,000 victims and 10,000 people missing. Iwaki city still has 1,300 people who evacuated.

Though things have not improved very much, these things take time. My impression is that the future of Japan is not so dark as we had expected, as long as we have people working hard, helping each other, and rebuilding their communities. n

Japan still needs our help.

Please consider making a donation to the Lions Club International, the Red Cross, or any of the many charities working hard to help the people of Japan pick up the pieces.

-Ed

Image Courtesy Viktor Hugosson

Autumn 2011  Asia-Pacific Newsletter  43

An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger.

- Confucius

Liu Xiaobo: “I have no enemies: my final statement” June 1989 was the major turning point in my fifty years on life’s road. Before that, I was a member of the first group of students after restoration of the college entrance examination after the Cultural Revolution (1977); my career was a smooth ride, from undergraduate to grad student and through to PhD. After graduation I stayed on as a lecturer at Beijing Normal University. On the podium, I was a popular teacher, well received by students. I was also a public intellectual: in the 1980s I published articles and books that created an impact. I was frequently invited to speak in different places, and invited to go abroad to Europe and the United States as a visiting scholar. What I required of myself was to live with honesty, responsibility and dignity both as a person and in my writing.

Subsequently, because I had returned from the United States to take part in the 1989 movement, I was imprisoned for “counterrevolutionary propaganda and incitement 44

Asia-Pacific Newsletter Autumn 2011

Soft p tracting opwer is about a Unfortuna eople, not mone tXiaobo wotely, people like L y.

China. And uld rather escapiu dissidents where would suc e where peo escape to? A plac h an attractivple are free to talke with soft p e country; a countr ; ower. y Certain fa cts are ob most of th e governmveious to five conti nts n e deal with s nts that have on u c h inconvenie to as politica l o p p onents, a nces Internet, m fr periodic e edia freedom anee le c ble govern tions: A respons d rule; it gov ment does more tha iits policieserns. It has to defen n on how we, and it gets judge d gets remov ll it governs: and d toral proce ed through the ele it well. And ss if it fails to gove crn tries get inwhat do such cou n e x c hange for a trouble? R ll th e is s p e ct. Admira Soft powe tion. r.

For som be worthe reason (which ma two), Chin a dissertation oy remaininga belongs to the la r species of and nearly extin st are not w dictatorships whicct this simpleilling to understan h ple withou fact: Treating pe d attractive. t respect is just n oot Our stu Relationsdies in Internation ernments deal with what go al and I hav should do or not d vbe reminde found it useful o, governme ed that exceptionto influencednt policies are ofteal viduals. Liuby exceptional ind n individua Xiaobo is one s ihis wordsl, and I hope you fiunch as touchin g as I do.d Philippe C achia

to crime,” losing the platform I loved; I was never again allowed to publish or speak in public in China. Simply for expressing divergent political views and taking part in a peaceful and democratic movement, a teacher lost his podium, a writer lost the right to publish, and a public intellectual lost the chance to speak publicly. This was a sad thing, both for myself as an individual, and, after three decades of reform and opening, for China.

Thinking about it, my most dramatic experiences after June Fourth have all been linked with the courts; the two opportunities I had to speak in public have been provided by trials held in the People’s Intermediate Court in Beijing; one in January 1991 and one now. Although the charges on each occasion were different, they were in essence the same, both being crimes of expression.

Twenty years on, the innocent souls of June Fourth are yet to rest in peace, and I, who had been drawn into the path of dissidence by the passions of June Fourth, after leaving the Qincheng Prison in 1991, lost the right to speak openly in my own country, and could only do so through overseas media, and hence was monitored for many years; placed under surveillance (May 1995 – January 1996); educated through

Autumn 2011 Asia-Pacific Newsletter 45

labor (October 1996 – October 1999s), and now once again am thrust into the dock by enemies in the regime. But I still want to tell the regime that deprives me of my freedom, I stand by the belief I expressed twenty years ago in my “June Second hunger strike declaration:” I have no enemies, and no hatred. None of the police who monitored, arrested and interrogated me, the prosecutors who prosecuted me, or the judges who sentence me, are my enemies. While I’m unable to accept your surveillance, arrest, prosecution or sentencing, I respect your professions and personalities. This includes Zhang Rongge and Pan Xueqing who act for the prosecution at present: I was aware of your respect and sincerity in your interrogation of me on 3 December.

For hatred is corrosive of a person’s wisdom and conscience; the mentality of enmity can poison a nation’s spirit, instigate brutal life-and-death struggles, destroy a society’s tolerance and humanity, and block a nation’s progress to freedom and democracy.

I hope therefore to be able to transcend my personal vicissitudes in understanding the development of the state and changes in society, to counter the hostility of the regime with the best of intentions, and defuse hate with love.

As we all know, reform and opening brought about development of the state and change in society. In my view, it began with abandoning “taking class struggle as the key link,” which had been the ruling principle of the Mao era. We committed ourselves instead to economic development and social harmony. The process of abandoning the “philosophy of struggle” was one of gradually diluting the mentality of enmity, eliminating the psychology of hatred, and pressing out the “wolf’s milk” in which our humanity had been steeped. It was this process that provided a relaxed environment for reform and opening at home and abroad, for the restoration of mutual love between people, and soft humane soil for the peaceful coexistence of different values and different interests. It provided the explosion of popular creativity and the rehabilitation of warm-heartedness with incentives consistent with human nature. Externally abandoning “anti-imperialism and anti-revisionism,” and internally abandoning “class struggle” may be called the basic premise of the continuance of China’s reform and opening to this day. The market orientation of the economy; the cultural trend toward diversity; and the gradual change of order to the rule of law: all benefited from the dilution of this mentality. Even in the political field, where progress is slowest, dilution of the mentality of enmity also made political power ever more tolerant of diversity in society, the intensity of persecution of dissidents has declined substantially, and characterization of the 1989 movement has changed from an “instigated rebellion” to a “political upheaval.”

The dilution of the mentality of enmity made the political powers gradually accept the universality of human rights. In 1998, the Chinese government promised the world it would sign the two international human rights conventions of the United Nations, marking China’s recognition of universal human rights standards; in 2004, the National People’s Congress for the first time inscribed into the constitution that 46

Asia-Pacific Newsletter Autumn 2011

“the state respects and safeguards human rights,” signaling that human rights had become one of the fundamental principles of the rule of law.

In the meantime, the present regime also proposed “putting people first” and “creating a harmonious society,” which signaled progress in the party’s concept of rule.

This macro-level progress was discernible as well in my own experiences since being arrested.

While I insist on my innocence, and hold the accusations against me to be unconstitutional, in the year and more since I lost my freedom, I’ve experienced two places of detention, four pre-trial police officers, three prosecutors and two judges. In their handling of the case, there has been no lack of respect, no time overruns and no forced confessions. Their calm and rational attitude has over and again demonstrated goodwill. I was transferred on 23 June from the residential surveillance to Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau Detention Center No. 1, known as “Beikan.” I saw progress in surveillance in the six months I spent there.

I spent time in the old Beikan (Banbuqiao) in 1996, and compared with the Beikan of a decade ago, there has been great improvement in the hardware of facilities and software of management.

In particular, Beikan’s innovative humane management applies more flexible management of what the discipliners say and do, on the basis of respecting the rights and dignity of detainees. This management, embodied in the journals Warm Broadcast and Repentance, music played before meals and when waking up and going to sleep, gave detainees a feeling of dignity and warmth, stimulating their consciousness of keeping order in their cells and countering the warders’ sense of themselves as lords of the jail. It not only provides detainees with a humanized living environment, but greatly improves the environment and mindset for their litigation. I had close contact with Liu Zhen, in charge of my cell. People feel warmed by his respect and care for detainees, reflected in the management of every detail, and permeating his every word and deed.

Autumn 2011 Asia-Pacific Newsletter 47

Getting to know the sincere, honest, responsible, good-hearted Liu, really was a piece of good luck for me in Beikan.

Political beliefs are based on such convictions and personal experiences; I firmly believe that China’s political progress will never stop, and I’m full of optimistic expectations of freedom coming to China in the future, because no force can block the human desire for freedom. China will eventually become a country of the rule of law in which human rights are supreme. I’m also looking forward to such progress being reflected in the trial of this case, and look forward to the full court’s just verdict—one that can stand the test of history.

Ask me what has been my most fortunate experience of the past two decades, and I’d say it was gaining the selfless love of my wife, Liu Xia. She cannot be present in the courtroom today, but I still want to tell you, my sweetheart, that I’m confident that your love for me will be as always. Over the years, in my non-free life, our love has contained bitterness imposed by the external environment, but is boundless in afterthought. I am sentenced to a visible prison while you are waiting in an invisible one. Your love is sunlight that transcends prison walls and bars, stroking every inch of my skin, warming my every cell, letting me maintain my inner calm, magnanimous and bright, so that every minute in prison is full of meaning. But my love for you is full of guilt and regret, sometimes heavy enough to hobble my steps. I am a hard stone in the wilderness, putting up with the pummeling of raging storms, and too cold for anyone to dare touch. But my love is hard, sharp, and can penetrate any obstacle. Even if I am crushed into powder, I will embrace you with the ashes.

Given your love, my sweetheart, I would face my forthcoming trial calmly, with no regrets about my choice and looking forward to tomorrow optimistically. I look forward to my country being a land of free expression, where all citizens’ speech is treated the same; where different values, ideas, beliefs, political views ... both compete with each other and coexist peacefully; where majority and minority opinions will be given equal guarantees, and in particular, political views different from those in power will be fully respected and protected; where all political views will be spread in the sunlight for the people to choose; all citizens will be able to express their political views without fear, and will never be politically persecuted for voicing dissent; I hope to be the last victim of China’s endless literary inquisition, and that after this no one else will ever be jailed for their speech.

Freedom of expression is the basis of human rights, the source of humanity and the mother of truth. To block freedom of speech is to trample on human rights, to strangle humanity and to suppress the truth.

I do not feel guilty for following my constitutional right to freedom of expression, for fulfilling my social responsibility as a Chinese citizen. Even if accused of it, I would have no complaints. Thank you.

Liu Xiaobo, December 23, 2009 48

Asia-Pacific Newsletter Autumn 2011

Translation Courtesy Prof. David Kelly, China Research Centre, University of Technology, Sydney, February 7, 2010

Book Review

O

The Butcher’s Wife By Li Ang

f all the influential authors in contemporary Taiwan literature, Li Ang is definitely one of the most controversial fiction writers. Born on April 7, 1952, in the historical town of Lukang in central Taiwan, she graduated from Chinese Culture University with a degree in philosophy. She went on to study drama at the University of Oregon, after which she returned to teach at her alma mater. Beginning her writing career at the age of 16 with “Flower Season,” she has published nearly 20 novels or collections of short stories. Most of Li Ang’s novels revolve around the themes of modern man’s issues of love and sexual relations, while describing society’s transforming view of gender psychology and ethics with young people. The publication of “The Butcher’s Wife” in 1983 established her as a feminist writer whose work transgressed the boundaries of what was conventionally considered to be proper subject matter for a female writer. “The Butcher’s Wife” has been translated into more than 10 different languages, including English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Swedish, and Korean. In 2004, she was awarded The Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French minister of culture as an acknowledgement of her literary achievement.

Li Ang’s works have not only contributed to the development of Taiwan literature, but have also promoted the image of Asian women’s literature on the international literary scene.

“The Butcher’s Wife” was a sensation in Taiwan literature with its suggestion that ritual and tradition are the functions of oppression. Its critique of traditional Chinese male-dominated society caused widespread outrage with its unsparing portrayal of sexual violence and emotional cruelty. The story was indeed inspired by a groundbreaking case that occurred in Shanghai in the 1930s, where a woman killed and dismembered her

husband. In traditional Chinese patriarchy, any woman who murders her husband is presumed to have done so for adulterous purposes, not because she was first abused or mistreated. Five decades later, this tragic event inspired Li Ang to write a deep and terrifying novel that challenges this demeaning attitude toward the moral character of women that has been held in China for centuries.

After a childhood of starvation and hard work, Lin Shi is sold by her dead father’s brother into marriage with a sadistic pig butcher named Chen Jiangshui. He is a violent and abusive husband. He dominates her sexually and takes pleasures in frightening her in various ways. His brutality towards her knows no bounds. The more she screams, the more he likes it. The heroine is further isolated by the vicious gossip of her neighbours who condemn her for screaming aloud. When Lin Shi’s mind finally snaps and she murders her husband, the people of her

village refuse to see her as a victim and assume that she committed the crime for a lover.

This is the shocking story about the life that one innocent woman was forced to endure. Li Ang describes vividly the horror that Lin Shi went through and how she decided to take charge. She shows the readers a nonWestern view of the miserable conditions that Chinese women are forced to put up with. The issue of mental and physical abuse is a serious one that the author addresses in a manner that is at once simple and yet complex. “The Butcher’s Wife” is easy to read, but examines the intricacies of how domestic violence can affect the human mind. This book will grab you and force you to keep reading. It will certainly make you uncomfortable, and you will sometimes feel as if you are engaging in an act of voyeurism.

For example, the horrible description of the heroine’s rape and constant physical aggression will intrigue and disgust you all at the same time.

At some points, you will be even too repulsed to go on, but you will.

Li Ang is an accomplished writer who succeeds in keeping her readers fascinated. The tragic story of Lin Shi will definitely captivate you from start to finish. “The Butcher’s Wife” is a must read for anyone interested in female authors’ writing from this period and motivated to explore the link between tradition, violence and exploitation of Chinese women. This book is a courageous portrait of the emancipation of women, and ranks as a landmark novel in both women’s studies and Asian literature. n The butcher’s wife and other stories Boston: Cheng & Tsui Co., 1995, 246 pages, US$29.99.

About the author A student in the IDAS program, Greg Coutaz is a Swiss expat who has been living in Taiwan since 2008. He writes the “Reading in Taipei” blog on which he reviews books, mostly fiction. His blog can be found at: www.wretch.cc/blog/bookstaipei

Autumn 2011 Asia-Pacific Newsletter 49

What is the IDAS Program?

About IDAS The International Doctoral Program in Asia-Pacific Studies (IDAS) at National Chengchi University, located in northern Taiwan, is the first to offer an English-taught doctoral program in Asia-Pacific Studies in Taiwan. The IDAS program brings an interdisciplinary understanding of the Asia-Pacific region and offers students courses and research related to many aspects of the region.

Starting Fall 2011, we now offer four tracks–political economy, socio-cultural research, public governance, and international relations–that take advantage of NCCU’s excellent academic talent as one of Asia’s top universities. This program focuses on training professionals and places an emphasis on the combination of theory and practical research.

For students who want to broaden their horizons and stretch their boundaries, we offer an essential learning environment to equip students with well-rounded research skills and enhance their professional abilities.

We are part of NCCU’s College of Social Sciences, and draw on English-speaking faculty throughout the campus. We also offer the opportunity for students to study abroad, and those who come to NCCU can also take advantage of our excellent language center for learning Mandarin.

The Program

“Welcome to IDAS! This brochure gives a synopsis of essential program information, which I hope you find useful. Please contact us at idas@nccu.edu.tw .”

– The Director

Curriculum

Track1: Political Economy Independent Study Economic Analysis

Five (5) Elective Courses (examples)

Seminar on Industrial Development in East Asia

Five (5) Required Courses

Other

50

Track Core Courses (2)

Asian Economic Development

Our comprehensive, Asia-Pacific Studies program involves : • A minimum of 30 credit hours and specialization (see curriculum below) • A Qualifying Exam after coursework • Publishing or presenting at least one academic paper (in English) related to your dissertation in a national or international journal with an official anonymous peer review system • A dissertation of original research • Completing all requirements within 7 years, excluding 2 years for an approved sabbatical

Track 2: Social & Culture Independent Study Culture,Gender and Development in Asia

Track3: Public Governance

Track4: International Relations

Independent Study Political Development and Governance in Asia-Pacific

Independent Study Asia-Pacific Security

Public Management in Asia-Pacific

*Theories of International and Regional Relations

International Political Science, Technology and Society Civil Society and Citizen Participation Economic Studies in Asia-Pacific International Images and Global Cross-strait Relations Communication and the US-China-Taiwan Interactions Development and Culture in a Public Policy Governance in AsiaRegionalism and Global Context Pacific Southeast Asia

Asian Political Economy Cultures and Societies in a Changing World

Additional Tool Course IR Methods / Program Evaluation / Qualitative Methods / Statistics / Advanced Statistics /Methodology of Social Science / choose at least 1 Policy Analysis Foundation Courses (2)

Asia-Pacific Newsletter Autumn 2011

Research Methods Asia-Pacific Regional Development

National Chengchi University

College of Social Sciences

Scholarships

IDAS Faculty

Taiwan Scholarship Scholarships in the amount of NT$30,000 per month will be provided to qualified foreign students who want to pursue their Doctoral degrees at universities in Taiwan.

Visit the Ministry of Education’s website for details. http://www.edu.tw (Click on ‘English’)

Director, IDAS Distinguished Professor PhD, Public Policy, The George Washington University , USA w International Public Administration w Governance w Leadership and Performance w Human Resources Management

International New Student Scholarship New degree-seeking international students who are not recipients of other government scholarships are eligible for the Scholarship for New International Students. Please visit the website of the Office of International Cooperation at NCCU for details. http://oic.nccu.edu.tw/english/news.php IDAS Scholarship The purpose of the scholarship is to recognize and reward individuals who have achieved academic excellence. It encourages students to apply for and remain in the IDAS program. The number and amount of awards will vary from year to year. Please visit the IDAS website for details. http://www.idas.nccu.edu.tw

NCCU Facts - Dedicated to social sciences, international relations, communication, business, law, education, languages.

- About 16,000 students - About 1,000 international students - About 650 faculty members - Big, wooded campus, 15 minutes from downtown Please visit: http://www.nccu.edu.tw/english/ Also: http://oic.nccu.edu.tw/international/en/

Evan Berman

Ping-yin Kuan Director, IMAS Coordinator, Social-Cultural IDAS Track Department of Sociology PhD, Sociology, University of Virginia, USA w Sociology of Education w Social Stratification w Research Methodology/Statistics

Fu-kuo Liu Institute of International Relations Coordinator, International Relations IDAS Track PhD, Politics, University of Hull, UK w Regional Security in the Asia-Pacific w South China Sea and Regional Security w The Development of Regionalism in the Asian Pacific Area

Ching-Ping Tang Coordinator, Political Economy IDAS Track Associate Dean, NCCU College of Social Sciences PhD, Public Administration, University of Southern California, USA w Democratization w Technology Policy w Community Development in the Asian Pacific Area

Don-Yun Chen Coordinator, Public Governance IDAS Track PhD, Political Science, University of Rochester, USA w E-government w Bureaucratic Politics w Citizen Participation and Democracy

Mei-Chuan Wei Graduate Institute of Development Studies PhD, Department of Government, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK w Politics and History w Political Culture

Tsung-Jen Shih International Master’s Program in International Communication Studies (IMICS) PhD, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Wisconsin-Madison w Internet and Civic Life w Culture and Public Opinion on Scientific Issues w Data Analysis in Communication Studies

David Scott Ackerman International Master’s Program in International Communication Studies (IMICS) PhD, Marketing and Consumer Behavior, University of Southern California, USA w Consumer Behavior w Marketing and Maintaining Research in Social Influence w Cross-Cultural Research

Yuang-Kuang Kao Graduate Institute of Development Studies PhD, Political Science, National Chengchi University, Taiwan w Methodology of Social Science w Comparative Political Institutions w Local Government and Autonomy w Political Development

… and other faculty who teach in our program!

Autumn 2011 Asia-Pacific Newsletter 51

in Asia-Pacific Studies

International Doctoral Program Student Organization and Activities

Admission Requirements

The Asia Pacific Studies Association (APSA) was established in December 2008 by students of Asia Pacific Studies at National Chengchi University. The association is devoted to knowledge exchange among students and scholars of regional studies in multiple disciplines. Students from all over the world come here for our program and are a significant international presence at academic events as well as extra-curricular activities.

NCCU offers many student activities and dedicated support services for international students. See also NCCU International Association at: http://nccuinternational.wordpress.com

1. Application form 2. Autobiography 3. Research Plan 4. Master’s Thesis or other sample of writing 5. Official transcripts of Master’s degree 6. Two letters of recommendation 7. Photocopy of TOEFL/IELTS/TOEIC scores within two years. (Optional for those who have earned graduate degrees in English-speaking countries.)

8. Personal honor or other record of award

Estimated Tuition and Fees Program Costs (per academic year) Tuition (based on 15 credit hours) Incidental Fee Subtotal

NT$ 45,750 NT$ 49,200 NT$ 94,950

Other Costs (per academic year) Health Insurance IT Facilities Fee Campus Housing (if necessary) Living Expenses Subtotal

Approximate Amount NT$8,300 NT$1250 NT$29,000 NT$120,000 NT$158,550

Total (per year)

NT$253,500

Approximately US$7,681 (per academic year/based on US$1:NT$33) Tuition, fees and expenses are subject to change and annual adjustment. *Credit fee is pending for the adjustment

* For more information, please visit: The Office of International Cooperation (in English) http://oic.nccu.edu.tw/english/admission/index.php The Office of Academic Affairs (for Taiwan Citizens) http://www.nccu.edu.tw/admissions * To Apply: use the above links, or contact us at the IDAS Program, idas@nccu.edu.tw (Ms. Angel Li).

Contact Us 12F, North Wing, General Building of Colleges No. 64, Section 2, Zhi-nan Rd., Wenshan District Taipei City 11605, Taiwan (ROC) Tel: +886-2-2939-3091 ext. 51278 Fax: +886-2-2938-7449 E-mail: idas@nccu.edu.tw Please visit the IDAS website for more information. http://www.idas.nccu.edu.tw