For many in Taiwan, being called Chinese is a heavy burden. But Beijing's zealous pursuit of the question of whether President-elect Chen Shui-bian
To be Chinese, French, or Jewish is not simply a matter of blood, nor is it an expression of one's political inclinations. Rather, it is a manifestation of one's culture and spirit. Unfortunately, Beijing's leadership seems to view culture as a political weapon.
If one must have the spirit of Chinese culture before one can be called "Chinese," then Taiwanese society is more "Chinese" than that of the PRC, and Taiwanese have a better understanding of Chinese culture than China itself.
The Cultural Revolution was a cultural holocaust for China, destroying those elements of Chinese culture and the Chinese personality that were not already obliterated by Marxism-Leninism or distorted by the communist dictatorship.
As a result, the PRC is now a virtual "anti-China" China -- a China completely drained of all its Chinese characteristics. Young people in China have little knowledge of the Chinese classics while Taiwanese have a better command of Chinese philosophy and thought.
Taiwan's system of morality is also much more "Chinese" than that of the PRC and the understanding and realization of Chinese culture is higher in Taiwan.
Confucian thought is the pinnacle of Chinese thought and culture. A central tenet of Confucianism is that "good government pleases people within a nation's borders, and attracts those without
China's ruling class is now attempting to use nationalism to fill the ideological vacuum caused by the abandonment of communism. There are two types of nationalism, however. One is constructive, devoted to forging and building a nation, while the other is destructive and driven by bitterness and revenge. Unfortunately for Taiwan, the latter is all too common in China. A revengeful nationalist sentiment is the norm, a reflection of China's lack of confidence and its sense of insecurity.
China likes to stress that it is a wounded civilization whose pride has been humiliated. From its own standpoint, this gives China a unique right to redress a historical wrong. In fact, China is using nationalism to cover up domestic problems. The country is facing an internal crisis completely unrelated to events outside the country. Taiwan has become the scapegoat for China's lack of confidence.
The culture and history of Taiwan is fundamentally Chinese, but that does not mean we identify with the present regime in China. We would rather call ourselves Taiwanese. China's record on human rights and its freedoms, culture and politics have no attraction for the people of Taiwan and are not a source of pride for any true Chinese person.
Recently, China launched another diplomatic offensive against Taiwan, improperly linking its “one China principle” with UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to constrain Taiwan’s diplomatic space. After Taiwan’s presidential election on Jan. 13, China persuaded Nauru to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Nauru cited Resolution 2758 in its declaration of the diplomatic break. Subsequently, during the WHO Executive Board meeting that month, Beijing rallied countries including Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Egypt, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Laos, Russia, Syria and Pakistan to reiterate the “one China principle” in their statements, and assert that “Resolution 2758 has settled the status of Taiwan” to hinder Taiwan’s
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s (李顯龍) decision to step down after 19 years and hand power to his deputy, Lawrence Wong (黃循財), on May 15 was expected — though, perhaps, not so soon. Most political analysts had been eyeing an end-of-year handover, to ensure more time for Wong to study and shadow the role, ahead of general elections that must be called by November next year. Wong — who is currently both deputy prime minister and minister of finance — would need a combination of fresh ideas, wisdom and experience as he writes the nation’s next chapter. The world that
Can US dialogue and cooperation with the communist dictatorship in Beijing help avert a Taiwan Strait crisis? Or is US President Joe Biden playing into Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) hands? With America preoccupied with the wars in Europe and the Middle East, Biden is seeking better relations with Xi’s regime. The goal is to responsibly manage US-China competition and prevent unintended conflict, thereby hoping to create greater space for the two countries to work together in areas where their interests align. The existing wars have already stretched US military resources thin, and the last thing Biden wants is yet another war.
As Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu’s party won by a landslide in Sunday’s parliamentary election, it is a good time to take another look at recent developments in the Maldivian foreign policy. While Muizzu has been promoting his “Maldives First” policy, the agenda seems to have lost sight of a number of factors. Contemporary Maldivian policy serves as a stark illustration of how a blend of missteps in public posturing, populist agendas and inattentive leadership can lead to diplomatic setbacks and damage a country’s long-term foreign policy priorities. Over the past few months, Maldivian foreign policy has entangled itself in playing