After 150,000 people took to the streets calling for the nation's name to be changed, a crowd of Chinese who refuse to identify with Taiwan also organized a march under the leadership of former New Party legislator Elmer Feng (
Holding banners that read "Defend the Republic of China," they demanded the death of former president Lee Teng-hui (
I admire their determination to defend the Republic of China (ROC). They remind me of their "national savior, helmsman of the times, and great man of the world" Chiang, who once said to us: "Our Republic of China has virtually perished with the mainland fallen into enemy hands at the end of last year [1949]. We're now the people of a conquered nation. How sad if we're still unaware of the fact. Comrades, if we still have some integrity or heart left, restoring the ROC shall be our goal from now on."
In order to show my respect to their determination to defend the ROC, I have listed a few methods for their reference. First, they should fight their way back to China to eradicate the Chinese communists. Why? It is the evil communists, not Lee, the internationally respected Mr. Democracy, who have occupied the mainland. So the ROC can't be restored while the Chinese communists are still around.
Should Feng dare to call upon the public to fight their way back to China, we will immediately drop our appeal to rectify the name of Taiwan and join them.
Second, they should eradicate Mongolia. According to their definition, the territory of Mongolia is still part of the ROC. So they need to take over Mongolia after they defeat the PRC so as to maintain the ROC's integrity.
Third, they should replace the PRC's seat at the UN. They should request the UN to revoke Resolution 2758 passed in 1971 and replace the PRC's delegation with the ROC's.
Should they have difficulty achieving these three suggestions, they can consider pursuing pursuing the following two.
First, they should find out who is responsible for making the ROC flag invisible. In recent years, each time the PRC's personnel or sports teams have visited Taiwan, their people, such as Taipei Mayor Ma ying-jeou (馬英九), cover or move away the flags or name of the ROC, showing absolutely no regard for the country. In such cases, I haven't seen them step forward and defend the ROC. In the future, they should stand up bravely and find out who has made the country disappear.
Second, they should look into Feng's actions and words. During the rule of Chiang Kai-shek and his son Chiang Ching-kuo (
I don't know when he started to disobey Chiang's "three no's" policy toward China -- no contact, no compromise and no negotiations with the other side. He has diligently traveled to Beijing and echoed its policy of "one country, two systems" -- a total betrayal of the ROC. The title of "traitor" which he awarded Lee would be more suitable for himself. Therefore, those who want to defend the ROC should investigate Feng's conduct rather than working with him because he helps the PRC market the "one country, two systems" policy.
Last, they accused Lee of being ungrateful. Let me explain what real ingratitude is. Fifty-four years ago when the communists drove the Chiang regime to the wall, had there not been Formosa, Chiang would have had nowhere to go. At the time, US General Douglas MacArthur said Taiwan was not yet an official territory of China so Chinese communists were not allowed in Taiwan after the collapse of the Nanking regime and the US would assist Taiwanese to acquire independence and present the case to the UN.
The US warned the KMT government that the US-led alliance was still responsible for Taiwan so the KMT could move its capital from Nanking to Guangzhou, but not to Taiwan. After fleeing to Guangzhou and then Chongqing, the KMT government moved to Taiwan in the end and was reluctantly received by the Taiwanese.
In return for such kindness, these newcomers have shown little gratitude and do not identify with Taiwan. They have suppressed the island under the outdated banner of the ROC, preventing Taiwan from forming a new country and participating in the international community. And now they accuse Lee of being ungrateful. They are the truly ungrateful ones.
Lee Shiao-feng is a professor at Shih Hsin University.
Translated by Jennie Shih
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