To hold a referendum on whether to join the World Health Organization is to show the will of the Taiwanese people to arrogant China. The pan-blue camp has once again distorted the referendum issue into a "Taiwan-independence referendum." In fact, Taiwan is already a sovereign state. Therefore, a referendum on independence is no longer an issue in Taiwan. There is only a need for a referendum on unification, but the need is not urgent.
China has been treating Taiwan with contempt at international events, insulting it as a "province of China." China has never renounced the use of force against Taiwan. It harbors a repulsive ambition to annex Taiwan. And the chairmen of the KMT and PFP have been echoing China's argument with their "one China" and "inevitable future unification" comments.
If one day there is a showdown, it will take shape as a referendum on unification -- to see how many Taiwanese agree to unification with China -- instead of a superfluous referendum on independence.
China has worked to keep Taiwan out of the UN, and even worked to block Taiwan's entry into the WHO, which involves the health rights of 23 million people. The basis for such action is the claim that "Taiwan is a province of China."
On the basis of self-determination, we can speak via a referendum on WHO entry and let the people of Taiwan express their will as to whether they are willing to become a province of China.
This will also clarify the KMT-PFP definition of the country's status. If the people support Taiwan's entry into the WHO, then it means Taiwan is a sovereign state. Those who keep talking about "future unification" should then be quiet. Otherwise, how could they qualify to run in the presidential election?
The aim of a referendum on WHO entry is an external one (ie the People's Republic of China), not an internal one (partisan wrangling, for example).
Likewise, a referendum on unification is also aimed at China's territorial ambitions on Taiwan. Anyone who identifies with Taiwan should unite and say "no" -- via a referendum on unification -- to Chinese annexation. But this is a countermeasure to be used only when China launches a military attack against Taiwan.
We only want to hold a referendum on WHO entry, and some TV call-in programs and newspaper commentaries are already magnifying it into a "unification-independence" referendum. People like UFO Radio's Jaw Shau-kong (
In fact, the purpose for holding a referendum on independence no longer exists. Would people like Jaw dare agree to a referendum on unification? If Taiwan will have to unify with China sooner or later, why don't we put an end to the pain earlier by persuading the KMT and PFP lawmakers to pass a referendum law and hold a referendum on unification? Such a referendum would abolish China's hopes of annexing Taiwan. It will also wake up KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) from their "one China" dreams and stop their fantasies about "inevitable unification of China." It will also spare the people of Taiwan from the disturbances over unification and give them the peace of mind they need to focus on the economy.
If 51 percent of the Taiwanese people vote for unification with China and for becoming a province thereof, then I believe the pro-independence people will have the democratic upbringing to accept the results.
To people of Jaw's ilk: how about holding a referendum on unification?
Huang Yao-ming is a board member of the Coconut Tree Foundation.
Translated by Francis Huang
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