Over the past half century, Taiwan's sovereignty has been violated by the Republic of China (ROC), the People's Republic of China and neglected by most of the world.
As a result, establishing an independent "Republic of Taiwan" is a dream long held by the majority of the people of Taiwan. The concept entails a free, democratic and de jure independent Taiwan, a new constitution and rectifying the national title from "Republic of China" to "Republic of Taiwan" or "Taiwan."
The US, as the sole remaining superpower, should play a more proactive role in making this dream come true. Here is why:
At the end of World War II, in 1945, the US and its allies carelessly turned Taiwan (a Japanese colony since 1895) over to the control of Chiang Kai-Shek's (
Immediately, Chiang's KMT declared what became the longest period of martial law in modern history. The terror of martial law lasted from 1947 to 1987.
In 1949, China's nationalists, having lost the Chinese Civil War to Mao Zedong's (
Most countries in the world kept silent about the 228 Massacre -- the Taiwanese "holocaust." Chiang's bloody deeds were never condemned.
During these dark times, under the rule of the KMT, the Taiwanese lived with very limited political freedom and human rights despite their continuous attempts to participate in the political process.
Just before the lifting of martial law in May 1987, the first Taiwanese political party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), was established with the help of various pressure groups, including the overseas Taiwanese organizations and international supporters.
Thirteen years later, in March 2000, the DPP defeated the KMT in the presidential election. President Chen Shui-bian (
Last March, Chen was re-elected. Not only did his re-election seal the fate of the pro-Chinese parties such as the KMT and the People First Party, it was also a major victory for constitutional reform in Taiwan.
Taiwan still functions under the old ROC constitution, but the majority of the electorate voted for Chen -- a staunch advocate of a new constitution for Taiwan.
It is just a matter of time before a new Taiwan under a new name, with a new constitution will emerge. The time is ripe for the people of Taiwan to reclaim their own country and give it the name "Republic of Taiwan."
The US should now recognize this new Taiwan.
China continues to state that it will attack Taiwan if it proclaims independence. China has about 500 missiles aimed at Taiwan, keeping peace-hungry Taiwanese in a state of daily terror. The number of missiles is increasing every year.
Proclaiming independence is nothing more than a logical extension of Taiwan's democratic development. A referendum would be an appropriate vehicle and a peaceful way to let the people of Taiwan determine their own future.
Beijing will not be amused, of course. And that is where the US should remain firm. China will be less likely to engage Taiwan in armed military conflict if the US clearly states that it welcomes an independent "Republic of Taiwan" and expresses its explicit support for a democratic referendum to determine Taiwan's future.
The US needs to make it crystal clear to China that it will rally to Taiwan's side in case of an attack by China -- even if Taiwan declares independence. An ambiguous US policy toward China and Taiwan will lead to a much greater possibility of a disastrous war.
In the meantime, the free world needs to cease falling for the lies and propaganda of communist China as it claims a territory that it does not have the right to annex.
Why should the US support the "Republic of Taiwan"? The US and Taiwan share a strong ideology with regard to democracy, free enterprise, religious freedom and human rights -- all freedoms that are habitually trampled on by China.
If the US wishes to remain the champion of democracy and freedom, what better demonstration of American values is there than for the US to support a "Republic of Taiwan?" What better exercise in democracy?
Imagine the outcome of not standing up to fight for this "Republic of Taiwan" -- the US would lose credibility in the free world. And if we let a large "terrorist state" annex its small neighbor, we will lose a strategic pillar in Southeast Asia.
The creation of an independent "Republic of Taiwan" will be a boost to all freedom-loving people around the world. We need to make it happen -- here in the US and in the "Republic of Taiwan."
Michael Yeun
Paramus, New Jersey
In late January, Taiwan’s first indigenous submarine, the Hai Kun (海鯤, or Narwhal), completed its first submerged dive, reaching a depth of roughly 50m during trials in the waters off Kaohsiung. By March, it had managed a fifth dive, still well short of the deep-water and endurance tests required before the navy could accept the vessel. The original delivery deadline of November last year passed months ago. CSBC Corp, Taiwan, the lead contractor, now targets June and the Ministry of National Defense is levying daily penalties for every day the submarine remains unfinished. The Hai Kun was supposed to be
Most schoolchildren learn that the circumference of the Earth is about 40,000km. They do not learn that the global economy depends on just 160 of those kilometers. Blocking two narrow waterways — the Strait of Hormuz and the Taiwan Strait — could send the economy back in time, if not to the Stone Age that US President Donald Trump has been threatening to bomb Iran back to, then at least to the mid-20th century, before the Rolling Stones first hit the airwaves. Over the past month and a half, Iran has turned the Strait of Hormuz, which is about 39km wide at
The ongoing Middle East crisis has reinforced an uncomfortable truth for Taiwan: In an increasingly interconnected and volatile world, distant wars rarely remain distant. What began as a regional confrontation between the US, Israel and Iran has evolved into a strategic shock wave reverberating far beyond the Persian Gulf. For Taiwan, the consequences are immediate, material and deeply unsettling. From Taipei’s perspective, the conflict has exposed two vulnerabilities — Taiwan’s dependence on imported energy and the risks created when Washington’s military attention is diverted. Together, they offer a preview of the pressures Taiwan might increasingly face in an era of overlapping geopolitical
There is a peculiar kind of political theater unfolding in East Asia — one that would be laughable if its consequences were not so dangerous. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) on April 12 returned from Beijing, where she met Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and spoke earnestly about preserving “peace” and maintaining the “status quo.” It is a position that sounds responsible, even prudent. It is also a fiction. Taiwan is, by any honest definition, an independent country. It governs itself, defends itself, elects its leaders, and functions as a free and sovereign democracy. Independence is not a
RSS