MORE FROM TAIPEI

I'd like to point you to another article in the Taipei Times today, written by former Swedish deputy prime minister and Liberal Party leader Per Ahlmark. Mr Ahlmark, having consistently fought the terrors of dictatorship - an odd thing in Sweden for some reason - is one of my heroes.

In the article Mr Ahlmark worries about the direction in which the EU is moving, illustrated by the will to drop the ban on arms sales to the Chinese dictatorship. In particular he points to the fact that the issue of Taiwan and Taiwanese freedom isn't even brought up in the debate.

I'm a little surprised that this is the case. People like French president Jaques Chirac - who is realpolitik through and through, should be able to better read the possible consequences of what he proposes. If he has he is apparently willing to make a big gamble with the stability in the entire East Asian region and - something he probably cares more about - in effect the region's will to by European products.

All it takes to keep the ban on arms sales is for one European leader to step forth and make use of their veto. Just one. If there is not one such leader in all of the 25 EU countries we are in deeper trouble than we might think.

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