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The U.S.-anchored TPP and the China-centered RCEP may be compatible or in rivalry. Regardless of the future relationship of the two trade pacts, Taiwan does not have the luxury of picking and choosing. Given its domestic entrenched political cleavages and very challenging geo-strategic and geo-economic environments it faces, Taiwan should pursue membership in both blocs. Indeed, pursuing one can help its bid for the other. Should Taiwan be excluded from both, its economy would not be doomed, as there are still some unrealized trade benefits to exploit. However, a Taiwan not able to join the two clubs would have to absorb psychological and real impacts. Whether as an outsider or insider of the two trade blocs, Taiwan will have to go through industrial upgrading in a big way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In most liberal capitalist societies, the working class is generally protected by laws regulating an 8-hour working day and a 5 day work week. But in China today, such rules are a luxury most laborers do not enjoy. This paper explores overtime working conditions that the Chinese working class currently suffers, especially migrant workers who have flowed from bankrupted rural villages into urban centers by the hundreds of millions. They supply the "surplus" labor force demanded by the booming manufacturing industry as China has quickly become the world's leading producer of industrial goods. This paper not only documents this tragic situation but tries to answer the question: how could this seemingly pre-modern capitalist phenomenon have occurred in an ostensibily socialist country like China? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dimethylformaide (DMF) is a major solvent predominately used in synthetic leather and resin production. Many human and animal studies have linked the cause of hepatoxicity to DMF. Previously, the authors demonstrated the significant dose–response relationship between abnormal liver function tests and DMF exposure and the interaction with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Taiwanese workers. Because the toxic effect of various chemicals can be modified by metabolic traits, the study also investigated the influence of the glutathione S -transferases (GSTM1 and GSTT1) on the toxic effect of DMF. The average DMF exposure concentration was 23.87 ppm (range 5.2–86.6 ppm) in the high-exposure (≥5 ppm) group and 2.41 ppm (range 0.9–4.3 ppm) in the low-exposure ( [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this essay, we seek to provide an overview of the relationship between the English-language study of Taiwan and the social science disciplines, focusing primarily on political science, yet touching also upon sociology, developmental studies, and economics. We identify three main periods in the evolution in Taiwan studies. The first period, from the end of Worm War II to the late 1970s, saw the marginalization of Taiwan studies vis-à-vis China studies. The second extended from the early 1980s to the late 1990s, when, due to Taiwan's rising economic strength and democratic transition, Taiwan studies began to rise to fame, to become well-integrated with the social sciences. The third stage extends from 2000 forward, with Taiwan studies now facing both challenges and opportunities as it tries to remain integrated with the social sciences. We close with a comparison of the different research environments in both the United States and Taiwan, discuss their respective roles in influencing the overall development of Taiwan studies, and suggest ways in which the social science research conducted in these two major venues for Taiwan research can be integrated more closely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the exposure of synthetic leather workers to dimethylformamide (DMF), epichlorohydrin (ECH) and toluene, in a manufacturing plant. The correlation between biological and environmental monitoring for DMF was also investigated. Environmental monitoring of the three solvents included personal and area sampling based on time of day (morning and afternoon). Urine samples were taken at the end of the shift and urinary N-methylformamide (NMF) was then used to biologically monitor DMF levels. Results for solvent concentrations based on air sampling were considerably higher in area than in personal sampling. Of 41 area samples, 15 (36.6%) and five (12.2%) exceeded permissible exposure levels for DMF and ECH, respectively, compared with 22 (28.6%) and three (3.9%) based on 77 personal samples. Overall, urinary NMF concentrations were lower than the Biological Exposure Index (BEI) suggested by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). A significant correlation (r=0.32; P < 0.05) was found between environmental and biological monitoring. Even though urinary NMF concentration was within permissible levels for Taiwan, the authors recommend that immediate measures be taken to decrease DMF and ECH concentrations in synthetic leather manufacturing plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]