Tue, Sep 07, 2004 page8

• `One China' violates rights

  • By Alison Hsieh
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  Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (溫家寶) said that public statements by the US and other countries in support of the "one China" principle were good for stability in the region, and that he hoped these countries would "faithfully" live up to their commitments.

  Public acknowledgement of China's "one China" -- and no Taiwan -- principle violates the basic human rights of the citizens of Taiwan.

  Here's an example of how. My Taiwanese friend and her Greek boyfriend were going to get married. But when they went to the municipality where the Greek man resided, the city told them they couldn't get married. Why? Because there was a previous court case where a Taiwanese woman and a Greek man wanted to have a civil marriage, but his parents objected. The parents of the Greek man hired a lawyer to block the marriage. The lawyer used the argument that Taiwan is not a country, and therefore her identification was invalid. The Chinese embassy didn't help either, saying they had no records of Taiwanese citizens.

  Ever since then, some cities in Greece just won't marry any Greeks with Taiwanese. All of these couples are educated women and men who met at universities in the UK.

  Another example: In the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, the Taiwanese team was bound by the International Olympic Committee's unfair and outdated rules created especially for Taiwan, under pressure from China. Under these rules, although our athletes came from all over Taiwan and not just from Taipei, our team is not called "Taiwan," it is called "Chinese Taipei."

  Would the US team like to be called "British Washington DC"? Would the Greek team like to be called "Ottoman Athens?" Taiwan's national pride and dignity was also hampered by the Chinese Taipei flag designed only for the purpose of the Olympic flag-raising. The flag carries the symbol of the party no longer in power in Taiwan, and the Olympic five rings. By the same analogy, would any Greeks like to have their national flag replaced by a flag especially designed for the Olympic Games with symbols of the Pasok party and the Olympic five rings? Any Taiwanese spectators showing their national flag, or carrying signs with "Taiwan" (instead of "Chinese Taipei") risked being thrown out of the games without refunds.

  In the spring of last year, SARS, which originated in southern China, killed many in Taiwan. However, the WHO (World Health Organization) didn't send any delegates to help contain the epidemic until the situation was almost out of control. China claims that Taiwan is a province, and that Taiwan's healthcare system is well taken care of by them. Since Taiwan has never been under PRC administration, how can the health care system be taken care of by them?

  Yet during their attempt to join the World Health Organization (WHO) -- a bid which was blocked by China -- the delegates from Taiwan were greeted by the Chinese Health Minister with remarks like "Who cares about you, Taiwan?" or "Who pays attention to you?" Taiwan sends many medical personnel to under-developed countries in Africa and Central and South America. But Taiwan's contribution to the world did not help them gain membership in the WHO. Taiwanese people have suffered greatly because of China's campaign to block them from participating in every international organization.

  "The Strait that separate us can never cut off bonds of flesh and blood," Wen said. The US was founded by immigrants who left England. By the same analogy, should the US have remained under the control of the British crown because of bonds of flesh and blood?

  Aside from the immigrants from China, Taiwan is more multicultural than Wen realizes. Taiwan has 12 Aboriginal tribes whose ancestry is from the Pacific Ocean side, not from China. More recently, there are immigrants from countries such as Indonesia and Vietnam.

  Taiwan needs to have its existence recognized in a "normal" way so that the basic human rights of its citizens will not be sacrificed to international politics. In the meantime, Taiwanese hope their neighbor China will soon become a democratic country so that future generations can decide the course of the country. Any threats from China to take Taiwan into its territory by force will only push overseas Taiwanese extremists to become terrorists.

  Alison Hsieh

  Athens
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