On the Road - by Bob Van Leer

Arrive in Taiwan - Sightsee and Meet with Public officials May 21, 2002

By Bob Van Leer

(TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Tuesday, May 21, 2002) – We spent our first full day in Taiwan sightseeing and meeting with public officials.

We arrived in Taipei yesterday evening after a 12 hour, 35 minute flight from San Francisco aboard a United Airlines Boeing 777. The plane took the great circle route and went directly over Medford where I started. We continued on towards Alaska and then across Japan to Taipei.

The tour was organized by the National Newspaper Association and 32 persons, including myself, are on the trip. It is sort of an old home week. Of the 31 others along, I was already acquainted with 22. The group is from across the United States – North Carolina, Louisiana, Minnesota, Oregon and points in between.

Taiwan has the Rodney Dangerfield Syndrome May 22, 2002

TAIWAN GETS NO RESPECT

By Bob Van Leer
(TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Tuesday, May 22, 2002) – Taiwan has the Rodney Dangerfield syndrome – it gets no respect.

Dr. Michael Kan, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (ROC), Taiwan, told us, “We are a major economic entity”. He said ROC is 13th or 14th in international trade, and number 7 in outbound trade. He said 70% of the laptop computers in the world are produced in ROC. Yet ROC has formal diplomatic relations with only 28 countries including such heavyweights as Republic of Nauru and Burkino Faso. No major nation recognizes ROC as a separate state.

Yet Dr. Kau told us, “As far as we are concerned, we are a sovereign state”. He said ROC dates to 1912, but after 1949 lost control over mainland China. He said mainland China, the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), refers to us as a province of China. He said we resist this, the PRC has never exercised any authority over this territory.

Meet the President of the Republic of China May 23, 2002

By Bob Van Leer

(TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Tuesday, May 23, 2002) – The highlight of today’s activities was a meeting with Chen Shui-bian, president of the Republic of China.

Pres. Chen reiterated that Taiwan doesn’t get any respect. He said the Republic of China (ROC) is the 14th largest trading nation in the world but has not enjoyed the dignity it deserves. Taiwan was admitted to the World Trade Organization but denied participation in the World Health Organization.

He said Taiwan participation in the U.N. would recognize Taiwan’s accomplishments contributing to peace and justice. He said we will continue our efforts.

Attend Reception at the Consul General's Home May 24, 2002

RECEPTION AT THE TOP

By Bob Van Leer

(HONG KONG, China, Friday, May 24, 2002) – This evening we went to a reception at the U. S. government-owned home of Kenneth Jarrett, acting consul general of the U. S. on top of one of the tallest peaks in Hong Kong.

The weather was a little hazy, but the view was still magnificent. The U. S. Embassy is in Beijing but the trade in Hong Kong makes the consul’s job in Hong Kong a busy one.

We left Taipai for an early morning Cathay Pacific flight that takes an hour and 20 minutes. A story in the Asian Wall Street Journal said this is the world’s busiest flight route.

Meet with the Press Assistant to the Governor of Hong Kong May 25 & 26, 2002

ONE COUNTRY-TWO SYSTEMS

By Bob Van Leer

(HONG KONG, CHINA – Saturday, May 25, 2002) – Our first meeting today was with Stephen Lam, press assistant to the governor of Hong Kong.

He called Hong Kong the most transparent, free and liberal society in Asia. But from other sources we hear there are invisible lines. You don’t know where they are until you cross them and then you are subject to discipline.

Lam said Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China and the agreed policy of “one country-two systems” worked out with the British before the handover five years ago is being faithfully implemented. The British pulled out when the 99-year lease for parts of Hong Kong expired in 1997.

Lam said Hong Kong’s challenges are mainly economic. Real estate values have halved and unemployment is up to 7.1% from 2%. Still, everywhere we look around here we see construction cranes and new high-rise buildings going up.

Beijing and the 2008 Olympics May 27, 2002

BEIJING PERPETUAL HAZE

By Bob Van Leer

(BEIJING, CHINA – Monday, May 27, 2002) – This morning we got up early and took a two hour, 40 minute flight to Beijing, capital of China.

We flew an Air China Boeing 777, not the line owing the plane that crashed and killed almost 300 persons two days ago. That was China Airlines.

Beijing has a perpetual haze, otherwise the day was bright. Beijing’s population is in the 11-12 million range.

Our first meeting was with Jiang Xaioyu, vice president of the Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. Beijing is hosting the games in 2008. Jiang said he has a staff of 60 now which will built to 300 in two-three years and up to 4000 by 2008. This is a major production and he estimates the total cost for the operation of the games will be $1.625 billion.

In late afternoon we visited Tianenmen Square, the huge ceremonial area in downtown Beijing. Our guide told us if we saw any demonstrations (which we didn’t) that we should refrain from photographing them. The square was alive with peddlers hawking kites, medals, The Thoughts of Mao and other cheap merchandise. Mao Zedong’s tomb is at one end of the square, but we didn’t go to see his corpse, which is on display as is Lenin’s in Moscow.

One observation I had about Beijing, which our guide said is correct, is there are far fewer bicycles and more automobiles than during our visit in 1991.

Tomorrow we will start the day with a visit to the Great Wall.
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A busy final day ending with traditional Peking duck dinner May 29, 200

LAST DAY IN CHINA

By Bob Van Leer

(BEIJING, CHINA – Wednesday, May 29, 2002) – Today was our last day in China and our guides made the most of it. We met with government officials, toured a newspaper, did sightseeing and shopping and finished off with a traditional Peking duck dinner.

We met at separate meetings with Ming Wei Zhou, vice minister of Taiwan Affairs and Zheng Zegnang, deputy director, General Department of North American and Oceania Affairs.