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Watch Tibet too

Much has been written these weeks about Hong Kong's economy going down and its press freedoms becoming increasingly endangered. Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) recently pointed to the failure of the "one country, two systems" model as it operates in Hong Kong, while at the same time warning the Taiwanese people about China's military threat after a US study of China's military situation was published on July 12 ("Pay more attention to China threat: Lu," July 29, page 3).

I would like to emphasize that even if Hong Kong was performing very well economically and if it's freedom of speech was not being compromised, it would not mean that the "one country, two systems" model might be applicable to Taiwan. It is understandable that Taiwan is watching with huge interest what is happening to the former crown colony, but in fact the model practiced in Hong Kong by the Beijing government is only a trap set for the people here.

The point is that a government that does not respect human rights, autocratically rules the country and behaves like an absolutist monarch by arbitrarily arresting or executing people can always change its own policies for one or another raison d'etat.

Rather than observing Hong Kong's economic performance or hoping for some goodwill from Beijing, the people of Taiwan should take a closer look on what is going on in Tibet. With its own unique culture, Tibet is far more similar to Taiwan than Hong Kong. Des-pite British colonial rule, Hong Kong has not experienced as many influences as Taiwan has in the past and therefore has not developed such a strong cultural identity, let alone established its own democracy.

Tibet also represents a "good" example for what is happening to a people that affirms its own cultural identity toward the central government in Beijing while they have no means to defend it.

The vice president is absolutely right to say that Tai-wanese should be more self-confident and pay more attention to the threat from China.

If international relations between democratic countries are not always easy, the outcome of dealing with a totalitarian country is completely unpredictable.

Jens Kleindienst

Taipei

Street vendors should stay

I was deeply troubled by the proposal of letter-writer Garry Perkins that vendors be chased off the streets of Taipei (Letters, July 31, page 8). He describes street vendors as an "annoy-ance" and proposes they be fined NT$5,000 -- an amount that he surprisingly characterizes as "small." I can't imagine a more elitist and totalitarian approach to this "problem."

First, doesn't he realize that for many in Taiwan, NT$5,000 constitutes a good portion of the average person's wages? Sure, dinner in Chicago -- the city where Perkins says he's from -- may set you back NT$5,000. But the sum means a lot to the average street vendor, who typically earns no more than NT$20,000 monthly and who is trying to do nothing more than put food on his or her own table.

Also troubling is Perkins' contention that Taipei cannot become an "international city" until it gets rid of the annoyance of street vendors. This smacks of cultural arrogance. I suppose Perkins has never seen any street vendors in places such as New York, that most famous of "international" cities? I suppose there aren't vendors hawking pirated CDs or movies in New York? Or selling hot dogs and knishes around Central Park? Or watches or original artwork around the MOMA? These vendors lend New York character; it's the same with Taipei.

Perhaps Perkins lacks appreciation for the entrepre-neurial spirit, a quality I find common in people in Taiwan and much admire. Maybe he doesn't realize that it's better to be the head of chicken than the tail of a donkey.

Michael Logan

Taipei

Taipei will never become "a great international city" by offering incentives to its police officers for making arrests. Such a proposal would make them overly focused on their own personal profit and cause them to neglect their public service duties.

Perhaps Garry Perkins should be better acquainted with Taiwanese culture and norms first before making such ludicrous suggestions, as everyone already knows, for the most part, Taiwanese people love sidewalk vendors and that these hawkers routinely offer small bonuses directly to police officers anyway without such elaborate schemes.

M. Bob Kao

Taipei
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