Month: October 2005

Olympic Torch Relay

There were a few big stories today, but here’s a seemingly minor one:

For some time, the Chinese Olympic Committee has been "generously" offering to allow the 2008 Olympic torch relay to pass through Taiwan.

What’s the catch?

Well, Beijing would classify Taiwan as part of China’s "domestic relay route", thereby asserting its "right" over the country to the rest of the world.

It’s all part of the regular battle over verbal symbolism between the two countries.  Outsiders would be mistaken to be dismissive of the matter.  The average man on the street told ad nauseum that "Taiwan is a part of China" is apt to sooner or later believe The Big Lie.

Words mean things.  They matter.

Fortunately, the Taiwanese Olympic Committee today rejected the entire exercise in self-abasement.

Taiwan Cool on Offer of ‘Domestic Route’ in Olympics

Introduction.

This is the first post for The Foreigner in Formosa.  Welcome to the site.

I envision this blog as a kind of information clearing-house and electronic diary.  First and foremost, I plan to provide links to interesting or significant stories & editorials from the three English newspapers that are published in Taiwan.  The emphasis will be on subjects directly or indirectly related to Taiwan.

With regards to these, I will sometimes provide my own thoughts and comments, based upon an anti-communist, pro-democracy weltanshuung.  Those with differing world-views may not find that this blog suits their tastes.

C’est la vie.

Readers should bear in mind that the opinions expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of the Taiwanese.  Rather, they are those of an outsider, a stranger, a foreigner in Formosa.

In short, they are mine, and mine alone.

– The Foreigner.