Like characters in traditional Taiwanese comic opera theater, several leading opposition figures are now jumping up and down to background music performed by clanging cymbals. What are they doing? They are expressing their "indignation" at the decision of the Chen Shui-bian (
Chen and his team decided after ample consideration, as well as a recommendation by a committee established precisely for that purpose by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, that it was in the long-term interest of the nation to discontinue the ill-conceived Fourth Nuclear Power Plant and to redirect Taiwan's energy reliance toward energy efficiency, renewable energy and energy conservation.
The three latter terms are household terms in the West, and have been part of energy policy in the US and Europe. However, under the "guidance" of the KMT -- yes, the party in which James Soong (
So, Soong and Lien have no right to be "indignant." The Taiwanese people are the ones who should be indignant about being led into the dead end of nuclear power. These two gentlemen bear the responsibility for perpetuating a nuclear power plant project against the advice of experts who have been saying since the early 1980s that locating such a plant in an earthquake-prone area near a major metropolis is irresponsible.
They should bear responsibility for blindly placing all their bets on one "nuclear power horse" instead of developing diversified energy sources, including energy generated by clean coal, natural gas turbines, and other renewable energy sources. Soong and Lien would be wise to tone down their opposition, disappear into the woodwork and indeed express support for Chen Shui-bian's redirection of energy reliance.
This new policy direction is built on the experience and technology developed in the US and Europe, and will in the long term lead to a stable and reliable energy supply on the island.
To turn this matter into a concocted "crisis" is reckless. Taiwan can't afford such a crisis, especially with China in the background as a player. Or do these gentlemen place their own political interests above Taiwan's interest? Maybe they just can't accept the fact that they lost the March 2000 presidential election?
It is time to stop the clanging of the cymbals, and to focus on building an efficient and renewable energy supply for Taiwan. Only then can Taiwan really be the beautiful island, Ilha Formosa.
Mei-chin Chen is editor of Taiwan Communique.
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