Fourth, the ancestors of most people in Taiwan came from China. Very few people would deny that they were "Chinese Taiwanese." However, forcing people in Taiwan to acknowledge that they are "mainland Chinese citizens" is absurd, as the Chinese Communist Party has never ruled Taiwan. Engaging in stupid debates about whether we are "Chinese" is what provokes ethnic tension.
Fifth, if any central or local government officials of Taiwan intend to visit China, they must first obtain government approval. As long as the legal procedure is followed, even Taiwan's former premier can go. No one is sabotaging anyone's trips to China.
Sixth, if any country wishes to host the Olympic Games, it must file a petition. If, rather than seeking to host the games itself, Taiwan proposes to "co-host" the games with China, what does that do for Taiwan's integrity and sovereignty?
Seventh, the transfer of power in Taiwan and the Chen administration's refined handling of foreign affairs have won the respect of the international community. The new administration is fully rid of the diplomatic difficulties caused by the Sino-US alliance of the Clinton administration. US President George W. Bush has proposed a new thinking and a new strategy on the protection of freedom and peace.
Does the old thinking and old strategy of the US-Sino "strategic partnership" put Taiwan into a strategically dangerous position? Or does Bush's strategy put Taiwan in jeopardy? Isn't the answer clear enough? Chen's disregard of Roth's suggestions was correct. Had he listened to Roth, he would be turning down the chance to work with Bush and other freedom-loving countries in preventing the threat of a new military hegemony.
Eighth, aggravating the unification-independence debate and exacerbating ethnic tensions is part of Jiang's plot to divide Taiwan. Lien's prejudices have also aggravated the situation.
Only if the KMT puts aside its prejudices can it see that it is an entirely different world out there. In this new world, time is on the side of universal values, namely, freedom, democracy, peace and openness. When the free world joins forces, China will end its totalitarian rule and come to embrace freedom and democracy.
Ruan Ming is a visiting professor at Tamkang University and a former special assistant to former Chinese Communist Party Secretary-General Hu Yaobang (胡耀邦).
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