Taiwan: Chen's Legacy via Reuters "News"

I found this link at the ever-readable View from Taiwan blog. There Michael Turton has a commentary on a news story by Reuters, but I can't resist making a few remarks of my own.

In a nutshell? This Reuters piece is, for a large part of it, laughably bad. Here is how it begins:

His wife may have been indicted for graft and his anti-China rage upset major ally the United States, but departing President Chen Shui-bian charted Taiwan's future by firming up its self-identity and cooling down Beijing.

"Anti-China rage"? Biased much, Reuters? I love how some ludicrous "news" outfits love to portray Taiwan as the troublemaker and China as the innocent bystander. It's all Taiwan's fault. Oh, wait, there's more!

Chen's provocative China stance, including talk of seeking formal independence and efforts to join the United Nations, also raised hackles from once staunch ally the United States.

Washington is legally obligated to help Taiwan in a war against Beijing but wants good relations with China, as well.

Damage to U.S. ties will be repaired only if Ma breaks new ground with China without capitulating to Beijing's political demands, political experts in the United States and Taiwan say.

Chen's other major legacy, his emphasis on a Taiwan identity over the Chinese one promoted by Ma's Nationalist Party (KMT), is more likely to endure as Hong Kong-born Ma is expected to tread softly on the issue, analysts said.

Does Reuters dare to dignify this bit of rubbish with the name of "professional journalism"? If one of my undergrad students had written this in an essay, I would have circled it in red ink and demanded to know just who these "experts" and "analysts" actually were -- plus full documentation.

Pfffft.