Fair play is basic to democracy

It has been seven months now since Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) inauguration as president of Taiwan and yet the opposition parties still have not come to terms with their defeat. The destabilizing movement to recall President Chen and the reckless attempt to cut back the defense budget in the face of the ever growing military threat from China is the behavior of sore losers.

All parties need to learn to place common national interest above calculations of personal or partisan advantage. Otherwise, Taiwan's democracy is doomed.

Li Thian-hok is a freelance commentator based in Pennsylvania.