Sun, Jan 04, 2004 page8

• Bravely follow the democratic path

  • By the Liberty Times editorial
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  Subsequent to the declaration by President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) that a defensive national referendum will be conducted on the day of the presidential election on March 20, the Legislative Yuan recently passed a resolution requesting Taiwan's allies to ask the UN to demand the removal of China's missiles targeting Taiwan and to ban further missile deployment against Taiwan.

  The series of moves seeks, on one hand, popular expression of resentment against the Chinese missile deployment through a referendum and, on the other hand, seeks to make the people of the world understand the barbarism of Chinese military threats against Taiwan, so as to invite their support in condemning the largest remaining totalitarian regime in the 21st century.

  If peace can be maintained between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, prosperity and stability in the Asia-Pacific region will be facilitated. In contrast, if conflicts and polarization persist, regional unrest will result, including the danger of war.

  Since Taiwan opened up cross-strait exchanges, it has made constructive contributions to China, as large amounts of capital, technology and talent have poured into China, making Taiwan a major contributor to the rapid economic development of China.

  Yet China continues to insist on the "one China" principle even as it seeks to attract more investors from Taiwan.

  It has adopted a two-handed policy.

  With one hand it seeks to peacefully unify with Taiwan under "one country, two systems."

  But with the other hand, it maintains that if Taiwan refuses "one country, two systems," it will not hesitate to launch an invasion.

  As it continues to use such tactics, China has not forgotten to expand its missile deployments against Taiwan.

  The number of missiles has increased to 496, and the figure continues to grow at the rate of 50 each year.

  These missiles can reach Taiwan within a matter of minutes.

  To the people of Taiwan, this is a matter of life and death.

  The military strength of Taiwan is not nearly as great as that of the US. The US' military strength made it possible for the US to demand that the Soviet Union remove missiles from Cuba against a backdrop of a looming world nuclear war.

  Therefore, Taiwan is seeking to use a peaceful referendum and make proposals to the UN as ways to express the repulsion and outrage that the people feel about Chinese missiles. This is an appropriate thing for a sovereign independent country seeking to protect the lives and homes of its people to do.

  In other words, Chen's motive in seeking to conduct an anti-missile referendum through the legal authority granted by the Referendum Law (公民投票法) is defense of the nation.

  This is the passive resistance of the oppressed. It is in no way an active provocation nor will it incite regional conflict.

  Therefore, the March 20 referendum, regardless of whether it is referred to as a "defensive referendum" or "preventive referendum" or "referendum for peace," the underlying theme is to oppose Chinese military threats.

  However, very regrettably, misled by China, democratic countries including the US, Japan and members of the EU have serious concerns about the motives for and impact of the referendum.

  They worry that Taiwan plans to hold a referendum on the issue of unification-independence, which they believe will only lead to cross-strait conflict and a disastrous war.

  Therefore, since Taiwan declared its intention to conduct a defensive referendum, US officials have repeatedly questioned the necessity of Chen's move. During a summit meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (溫家寶), US President George W. Bush expressed US opposition to any unilateral move for change by either Taiwan or China, and then singled Chen, suggesting that he intended to make unilateral changes.

  As indicated by Chen Chien-jen (程建人), the head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Washington, the current situation in the US-Taiwan relationship is "unprecedented," and much needs to be done to patch things up.

  In addition to all this, the Japanese government, which has usually remained low-profile about the Taiwan-Japan relationship, recently had Katsuhisa Uchida, Director of the Taipei Office of Japan's Interchange Association, visit Presidential Secretary-General Chiou I-jen (邱義仁) to express Japan's concerns about Taiwan's referendum.

  EU officials have also voiced strong concerns about Taiwan's defensive referendum.

  These voices of concern from the international community are being heard as a result of Chinese pressure.

  But the concerns also indicate the government's insufficient effort to communicate with the international community and publicize its policies.

  Diplomatic channels of communication have not performed their functions well either, so a situation has arisen in which the international community cannot understand the peaceful nature of Taiwan's defensive referendum.

  This has led to worries in the international community that Taiwan may be on the verge of becoming a "troublemaker."

  Therefore, the government's most pressing task at this point is to change misconceptions in the international community so that our friends can understand that the defensive referendum is simply a means through which Taiwan is seeking to pursue the universal value of peace, which is something compatible with the founding ideals and human-rights values of democratic countries.

  We call on the international community to recognize that Chinese deployment of hundreds of missiles targeting Taiwan is an act of terror that no independent sovereign country -- not just Taiwan -- can accept. Our European, Japanese and US friends should have the moral courage to voice support for the people of Taiwan, rather than staying mute or even becoming an accomplice to Chinese aggression.

  History has taught us a lesson: that pacifism and tolerance on the part of the international community do not bring peace and stability.

  Instead, ambitious superpowers take advantage of tolerance and are encouraged to invade other countries.

  Prior to World War II, the US and Europe sat idly by as Germany invaded its neighbors. The US and Europe believed that German aggression was none of their concern. This allowed one of the most horrible episodes in human history to take place.

  This part of our past serves as a harsh lesson.

  Therefore, against a backdrop of Chinese military threats, the US, Japan and Europe can, by siding with Taiwan, not only preserve the democratic way of life, but also make a wise choice that will ensure the interests and security of the free world.

  While the international community may still have its doubts, the government should not back down from its determination to hold a defensive referendum.

  Taiwan has faced Chinese obstruction on all fronts -- political, diplomatic and economic -- and even blatant military threats on a long-term basis. However, Taiwan has transformed itself from an authoritarian regime to a democratic one, and has left behind the shackles of the Chinese civil war between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party.

  Therefore, the country should express and voice its resentment of Chinese oppression, so as to forever walk out of the shadow of Chinese hegemony and follow a path of its own.

  At a time when the entire world is waiting for an answer from the people to the question of whether Taiwan is an independent country or part of China, we cannot afford to be divided internally.

  The people have no choice but to move forward and bravely follow the path of democracy.
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