Confirmed: AIT to be guarded by U.S. Marines

A new beginning....

Read the story on the Taipei Times web site:

 

An Old Ally in a Difficult Position

Taiwan appears to be in a conundrum; attempting to train their conscripts during their 4 month stint of military duty, and maintaining a strong military.

Yesterday's Taipei Times newspaper had a interesting article on Taiwan's military training and those who serve. 

Link to the story below:

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2018/07/19/2003696933 

Chinese Tourists in Taiwan

An article in today's Taipei Times newspaper hit home for me.

Chinese citizens (tourists) have been visiting Taiwan for about 10 years.  

I have experienced their deportment on many occasions, especially tour groups.

Individual visitors are not as easily recognized as Chinese tour groups.

This article, written by a staff writer for one of Shanghai's newspapers hits the nail on the head!

Here is the Taipei Times article

Worth your read!!!

Looks Like our Marines Will Guard AIT....

It's the old story, everyone is dancing around the subject!

In Saturday's Taipei Times newspaper, an article quoting CNN as saying US Marines would be sent to guard our new AIT complex in Taipei..But, is that FAKE News?

The CNN Story:

Today, no one talks.

A Taipei Times follow-up article in today's newspaper

New AIT Facility Dedicated in Neihu

It took many more years to build than planned, but the new American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) compound was finally dedicated yesterday in Taipei.

Here is the Taipei Times story ---

Here is link to the On-Line story at the Taipei Times Website which is probably easier to read:

 

Memorial Day Gathering in Taipei 2018

Click below to watch video of ceremony... https://youtu.be/nat62UR6RFM

 

We gathered just beyond the 3 trees by the truck, about 11:00 AM, on Memorial Day 2018.

I arrived before anyone else. It was overcast with slight threat of rain.

Here's the end of the old prison wall. 

 

Looking back toward the end of the wall. 

During the ceremony, you will hear Michael Hurst talk about what happened to the bodies of those executed inside the prison.

Here is that old gate, now bricked-up, where bodies were placed.

During the ceremony, Michael Hurst talks about the prison wall being constructed from the stones that once were the wall around old Taipei, torn down during the Japaneses period and used to construct the wall surrounding the huge Taipei Prison.

Here, some of the people who came to the service, talking story before the ceremony commenced.  

Courtesy Michael Hurst
  Here some of the folks that came out for the Memorial Day gathering.

Courtesy Scott Ellinger  
Last photo taken this Memorial Day 2018.

The Memorial Day gathering was organized by:

Michael Hurst  MBE
Director, Taiwan POW Camps Memorial Society

Thank you Michael.

Before you watch the video below, I would like to mention that the portable audio system that is usually used was not functioning.  Apparently the batteries were gone, and there was not time to replace them.

As the ceremony began, the wind begin to blow as the rain clouds blew over the site.  A sprinkle of rain here and there, but the largest problem was the wind whistling past the camera as I was recording, blocking out the speaker, Michael Hurst occasionally.  

What's important, we gathered to remember those who were men who lost their lives here at the prison and all around the world.

Memorial Day 2018 along the wall outside the old Taipei Prison.  

Click to watch video of ceremony... https://youtu.be/nat62UR6RFM

THIS YOUTUBE VIDEO WANTS TO BEGIN AT 5.11 MINUTES IN.

I ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT IT A NUMBER OF TIMES, BUT IT WON'T MOVE.

SO, WHEN IT BEGINS, JUST PUSH THE RED LINE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE VIDEO TO THE LEFT AND THEN LET GO, IT WILL BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING..

"Look Back" at the Ransacking of the Taipei U.S. Embassy

On May 24th 1957, the United States Embassy in Taipei was ransacked.
This week marks the 61st anniversary of that unfortunate incident.

In a story I wrote back in April 2012, looking back at some of the many U.S. Marine Corps Security Guards stationed at our Taipei Embassy, I included a number of photos taken inside and around the embassy complex after the incident came to a close.

Here is a link to my April 2012 story... 

This past Sunday, the Taipei Times Newspaper carried a full page story in their "Features" page, authored by Han Cheung under his series of stories, TAIWAN IN TIME, published every Sunday.   

This week Han Cheung titled his story -   A 'great national shame'

Here is a link to the Han Cheung Taipei Times story...

Interestingly, in June 2018, less than two weeks away, the United States will open a large, new complex of buildings housing the American Institute in Taiwan, which, in my opinion, should have very large signage on it's new street facing, main building, announcing:

The United States Embassy

It's time to re-name our official United States government agency in Taiwan.

If anyone can change the name, it will be President Trump.....

Amen.