The recent suicide terrorist attacks in the US shocked the whole world. Apart from creating a military situation that could explode into war at any moment, the direct effect of the attack has been to destroy in one fell swoop the hope that the global economy would be brought back to life by the US economy. Stock markets in various countries have been hit hard, one after another, and Taiwan is no exception.
In such circumstances, we have no choice but to sit down in quiet reflection over whether something has happened to the values and behavior that modern man has held and practiced in the past, leading the world into economic recession and political turmoil in the 21st century.
Here in Taiwan, today marks the second anniversary of the Sept. 21, 1999 earthquake. Reconstruction is still incomplete, while in the meantime, landslides caused by typhoons and torrential rains have stolen dozens of precious lives. It is as though everybody is watching the Manhattan disaster with eyes wide open, while landslides threaten outside.
There is of course a great difference between the two disasters -- one manmade, one natural -- but when mankind faces great tragedy, a solemn feeling spontaneously awakes in him, a hope of avoiding future tragedy through a collective effort. Finding the right direction and method for this effort, however, is often the most difficult task.
In the same way, discussion is rife in the media over why the US in particular has been attacked by extremists, with most reports arguing that terrorism cannot be rooted out by avenging violence with more violence.
Many observers believe that unless the US changes its policies in the Middle East and stops ignoring the Muslim world, no progress will be made to tackle the underlying cause of the violence.
If we look at these two seemingly unrelated disasters, they carry the following message: Mankind should not be too self-centered. Regardless of whether it is economic over-development or authoritarian political rule, in the end there is always the possibility that the price paid will be too great. The mainstream values of capitalism in particular are too shortsighted, looking for short-term profits without paying any particular attention to justice.
More tangibly, the Economic Development Advisory Conference did not for one moment consider long-term development, but just repeated the same "squeeze land and labor to meet the needs of the corporations" approach, leading to criticism from non-governmental organizations. Given the slowing global economy, the optimistism generated by the conference appears unjustified. All parties and the industrial elite should seriously consider whether the suggested "99 consensus" is also a development towards respect for the environment, human rights, equality and justice.
Disaster humbles people, and in the wake of Sept. 21, 1999 and Sept. 11 we should not miss the opportunity for deep reflection. If we do, we will never learn our lesson and we will never be able to turn crisis into opportunity.
Ku Chung-hwa is a professor of sociology at National Chengchi University.
Translated by Perry Svensson
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.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, people have been asking if Taiwan is the next Ukraine. At a G7 meeting of national leaders in January, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida warned that Taiwan “could be the next Ukraine” if Chinese aggression is not checked. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said that if Russia is not defeated, then “today, it’s Ukraine, tomorrow it can be Taiwan.” China does not like this rhetoric. Its diplomats ask people to stop saying “Ukraine today, Taiwan tomorrow.” However, the rhetoric and stated ambition of Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) on Taiwan shows strong parallels with