Fri, Feb 13, 2004 page8

• Editorial: Beijing tries to cloak its favoritism

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  On Wednesday, Zhang Mingqing (張銘清), the spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of China's State Council told a press conference that the office's attitude toward the stance of Taiwanese businesspeople vis-a-vis the presidential election is "first, no interference, and second, no comment." That same day the Shanghai authorities banned pan-blue supporters from campaigning in the city. Yesterday Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) warned Beijing to keep its hands off the March 20 poll. These incidents are aimed at creating the impression that China does not favor a particular candidate or party and that it is not doing anything to influence the election. This, however, is too hard to accept.

  Missile exercises during the 1996 campaign; saber-rattling comments by then-premier Zhu Rongji (朱鎔基) shortly before the 2000 election -- when has Beijing not tried to meddle in Taiwan's presidential elections? This year is no exception. While Beijing has learned to diversify and be innovative in its tactics, intimidation remains its core strategy.

  This year, enraged by President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) plans for a referendum and a new constitution, Beijing has tried to sway the election through pressure from other countries. Allies and friends of Taiwan, including the US, Japan and France, have stepped up to parrot their opposition to these plans. When that didn't work, Beijing trumpeted the arrest of Taiwanese "spies." The arrests were more than just an attempt to muscle Taiwanese living in China, as relected in the accusations of opposition law-makers that the alleged "spies" had been exposed because Chen said there were 496 Chinese missiles targeting Taiwan.

  Then there is the fact that Beijing has turned a blind eye to the recent grand opening of a pan-blue campaign headquarters in Shanghai -- which, coincidentally, is right next to the Taiwan Affairs Office building. It is hard to believe that Beijing didn't know what was going on -- after all, Chinese authorities keep a tight leash on all political activities. How could Beijing not have realized that a group of Taiwanese businesspeople -- many of whom are not only wanted fugitives in Taiwan but are well connected with high-ranking Chinese officials -- were establishing a campaign office?

  On Wednesday, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Wen-chung (李文忠) said a confidential Beijing document indicated that the Taiwan Affairs Office was preparing to support campaigning for the March 20 election as those taking part in such activities opposed the referendum and Taiwan's independence. The pan-blue's Shanghai office obviously met the criteria.

  Even more interesting is the way the Taiwan Affairs Office was so quick to deny any attempt to meddle in the election, and the Shanghai authorities' ban on campaigning after the KMT came under attack in Taiwan for its election-related activities in China. Since when has Beijing ever cared about criticism from Taiwan? The only possible explanation is that it does not want to be seen to be doing anything that might negatively impact Lien's campaign. Under the circumstances, despite the pan-blue's denials, it is obvious that Beijing favors Lien.
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