Taiwan President Shot (Update: Wounds not life-threatening)

[BurbankKarl]

KCAL9 News reported just went across the wires

[lonevoice]

Prayers going out for President Shui-bian.

[Alia]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6142-2004Mar18.html (posted two hours ago). "Election in Taiwan Is a Vote on China"

"We have to say no to China!" the 51-year-old factory manager exclaimed, arguing that Chen would stand up to Beijing and prevent a rush to invest in the mainland that could leave the island too dependent on its giant neighbor. "The survival of Taiwan is at stake," he said. "We want to tell the world Taiwan is an independent, democratic country."

and:

"Across town at another rally, Chang Shen-an agreed the election could decide Taiwan's future. But the retired nurse wanted to kick Chen out of office. "If he continues talking about independence and provoking China, the Chinese Communists will attack us," said Chang, 76, who favors Chen's opponent, Nationalist Party leader Lien Chan, in Saturday's election. "Independence is impossible for Taiwan -- we're too small, and they're too big. We should focus on the economy instead, and we can't do that by isolating ourselves from the mainland." " But Chen, who has struggled to govern because he won the presidency with only 39 percent of the vote in 2000 and has trailed Lien in public opinion polls for much of the year, managed to narrow the gap in recent months by stepping up the anti-China rhetoric and proposing that a referendum be held on the same day as the presidential election. The move prompted a series of strong warnings by China, which has long opposed any referendum in Taiwan as a potential step toward an island-wide vote on independence. "

Maybe it was just a firecracker? I pray he has not been shot.

[Mo1]

Any thoughts?

Not until there is more information

It could be just a nut case .. or it could be someone wanting to cause big troubles

[demlosers]

Aren't the Chinese and French holding naval exercises together recently?

Yup...

[Cindy]

TAIPEI TIMES.com
http://www.taipeitimes.com

[Arkinsaw]

Commercial airliners, once small bodies of advance troops have secured an airfield or two.

Taiwan is a heavily fortified island, even if the PRC could get enough troops across the strait (which they can't), they couldn't maintain supply lines to supply them.

[Howlin]

Not good.

[Charles Henrickson]

Looks like it's going to be a lousy weekend with more terrorist bombings, terrorist sympathizers marching for "peace", and assassination.

The Euro-weenies and others are so stupid in not wanting to eradicate all forms of terrorism. All terrorism, any terrorism, is a threat to all civilized nations everywhere.

[leadpenny]

Over here.

[faithincowboys]

How do the Rats play this on wonder?

[Arkinsaw]

a deep wound about three centimeters (1.2 inches) deep in the stomach,"

Such a wound would not feel good, but 1.2 inches is not that deep.

[lewislynn]

this reeks of chicommies

Hey, be careful how you talk about our trading partners...They're looked at with greater respect than patriotic American union members around here.

[Mo1]

"The president suffered a deep wound about three centimeters (1.2 inches) deep in the stomach," lawmaker Wang Hsing-nan told TVBS cable news.

Sounds bad

[JustPiper]

Hal, thanks for these updates!

[Howlin]

Lead, I can't think of a breaking news event I haven't shared with you........LOL.

[leadpenny]

And I just got up to make some tea and wee.

[KneelBeforeZod]

Taiwan has one of the biggest ports in the world. all the Evergreen shipping containers you see probably have left from there at one time.

Just about any ship can come in through Tamsui. All they have there are a few tanks in the treeline...then its on to Kaoshung or Taipei

[zarf]

Is Asian Reporter Trisha Takanawa on the scene?

[DoughtyOne]

Interesting. We'll have to wait and see what's up. What other nation has elections coming up besides us? This seems like a pattern building, but may just be coincidental.

[July 4th]

Anyone notice that the subject line is spelled wrong?