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Spend on China's poor, not arms

'We should no longer pin our hopes for Taiwan's security on instability in China. Instead, we should actively help China develop and stabilize itself.'

China recently made public its 141 billion yuan (US$17 billion) military spending plans for 2001, which is a 17.7 percent increase from last year. It is generally believed that China's actual defense spending is two to three times the official budget. Some of it is hidden in the budgets of non-defense ministries, while some is simply not listed in any official budget. The increase in defense spending appears ironic in the face of Beijing's repeated emphasis on peace and development.

On March 6, more than 40 students were killed in an explosion at an elementary school in Jiangxi Province. The students are reported to have worked at a firecracker plant on the school grounds in order to help fund the school. The people of Taiwan feel threatened by China's increased defense budget, but they are saddened by the reports about the school explosion.

By juxtaposing these two issues, we can see Beijing's lop-sided budget allocations and misplaced priorities in development. A little more creative thinking, however, may also show a way for Taiwan to better safeguard its national security and help China's poor.

In the logic of traditional strategies, Taiwan will have to purchase more defensive weapons to maintain a military balance across the Taiwan Strait following China's massive increase in defense spending. But will Taiwan's security truly be protected by blindly running in an arms race? Taiwan cannot possibly match China's massive military power, but it can help dissolve China's motivation for using military force against it. Only by eliminating China's will to start a war can we truly ensure security in the Strait.

Cross-strait relations will continue to revolve around a zero-sum game -- either compromise and surrender or start a war -- if they continue to get stuck in the "one China" and "unification-independence" disputes. The Jiangxi explosion shows us a worthwhile cause on which to focus our efforts. Taiwan can participate more in cooperative and humanitarian projects that help China develop -- such as the development of western China, finding solutions to agricultural, environmental and water supply problems and improving educational and medical facilities. By winning over the hearts of the Chinese public, we can cut down the legitimacy of military force and deprive China of any possible excuse for an attack.

Perhaps we can even make the bold assumption that if Taiwan pulls NT$10 billion from its defense budget and uses it to help China resolve its domestic problems, we will be able to reap better results than if we spend it on weapons. It will create a more favorable image of Taiwan's democracy and hopefully lead to greater support in the international media. We may also be able to preempt the use of military force by China and even call for a halt to the cross-strait arms race and negotiate a peace treaty.

The Jiangxi blast also shows that the Chinese will hardly benefit from an arms race. Taiwan has been gradually reducing its military spending, with its defense budget standing at US$446.42 per capita, or 3.5 percent of GDP. For China, the figures are US$14.67 and 1.9 percent.

Taiwan spends 5.4 percent of GDP or US$127.55 per capita on social welfare, while China spends only 0.2 percent or US$7.72 per capita. The people of China clearly have very few social welfare benefits to enjoy. In fact, meeting the food, education and medical needs of 1.3 billion people is a formidable task for the Chinese authorities. A halt to the arms race will free up a considerable amount of money that could be used to the direct benefit of China's citizens.

If China cuts its defense budget by 30 percent (US$5.8 billion or 0.6 percent of GDP), it will be able to free 92 million people from absolute poverty, provide an elementary education to 15 million illiterates and allow them to continue their studies into high school. By giving citizens a better education and a way out of poverty, China will gain a stronger work force, which it sorely needs for economic development. This can only improve its overall prowess and competitiveness.

Taiwan can help with education in less developed regions by providing scholarships and stipends, helping with the construction of schools and dormitories, and providing other materials, such as desks and computers.

Dealing with the cross-strait impasse has long been a difficult problem for Taiwan. In addition to traditional diplomatic talks, military balance, tit-for-tat security, arms reduction talks and new strategies for economic integration, Taiwan must continue to adopt humanitarian and non-violent approaches.

The most important thing about the spirit of peace is that it is reciprocal. If we avoid viewing the other side as an enemy and try to empathize with and understand the plight of China's poor, we have to trust this will be reciprocated. The idea of halting the arms race and helping China's poor is also very much in the spirit of three major declarations of the UN, including the eradication of poverty and improving educational aid.

Such a creative way out of the impasse would demonstrate a major step forward in Taiwan's post-Cold War thinking. We should no longer pin our hopes for Taiwan's security on instability in China. Instead, we should actively help China develop and stabilize itself. By replacing confrontation with assistance, we can create a win-win situation and seek the best possible benefits for the people on both sides of the Strait.

Chien Hsi-chieh is executive director of the Peacetime Foundation of Taiwan.

Translated by Francis Huang
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