China apparently believes in "panda diplomacy" -- the giving of bribes to influence the other side. Taiwan should use the same tactic.
The Chen government should now arrange to give back to China all the art and artifacts stolen from China in 1949 by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). They should also offer KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
Then all who follow this tottering traitor could get their fondest wish -- immediate unification of the two competing "Republics of China." Since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) now loves the KMT, everything should go well for Mainlanders in their old home.
Then Taiwan's vast native majority could get on with being their own nation -- without further dilution from those who naively trust the "democratic" nature of the CCP. (Taiwan should keep the gold bullion the KMT stole from China as reparations for the deaths of thousands of Taiwanese at the hands of KMT Mainlanders in 1947 -- as well as for decades of one-party, martial law rule thereafter.)
A Republic of Taiwan might not be the first Chinese democracy, but it would be the only one. In a way, by sending their leaders to China at this time, the KMT and People First Party (PFP) have done the DPP a huge political favor. Now Taiwanese can never elect a president from either of those sellout parties -- without signaling thereby that they are ready for immediate subjugation by China.
The minute China can convince the world (and US voters) that a majority of Taiwanese favor a leader who advocates eventual unification, all hope of democracy on either side of the Taiwan Strait will be lost for generations. In that day, China will not need their many missiles to subdue "their" beautiful island.
A handful of People's Liberation Army commandos in a speedboat would be sufficient. Americans would feel justified in looking away.
Jim Hale
Eugene, Oregon
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