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Article: Riling China, and America too; Taiwan.(Taiwan's election)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- February 21, 2004
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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An election with some extra questions
TAIWAN'S President Chen Shui-bian rarely misses an opportunity to have a dig at China. In the island's first ever televised debate between presidential candidates, he noted that the event was also a first for a "Chinese society". But leaders in Beijing have greater worries than jibes about their aversion to cameras. In their view a victory for Mr Chen in next month's polls could embolden him to make a push for formal independence.
Opinion polls published after the two-hour television encounter between Mr Chen and his opponent, Lien Chan, suggest that the public saw the feisty president as the better performer. But ...