Sovereignty already exists
James Wang (
The Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) is a product of its time, which in many ways is useful, but is also somewhat outdated especially when coupled with the "one China" doctrine.
In order for the Taiwanese to properly understand its present position, a number of anomalies need to be addressed.
First, the issue of sovereignty, which has two elements: Taiwan is irrefutably a bona-fide sovereign state which meets all the prescribed requirements laid down in international law. The question of sovereignty is not affected by the dispute regarding the Republic of China's occupation of Taiwan after World War II.
Even if it is argued that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) was an occupying power with questionable legitimacy, it does not detract from the proposition that today there are in fact two "Chinas" in existence. Notwithstanding recognition, determined by political and more importantly economic factors, it is also an indisputable fact that the Beijing regime exercises zero jurisdiction over Taiwan and never has.
The Taiwanese people's perception of their homeland has been fundamentally skewed by their forced KMT indoctrination over the past 50 years. It is clear that from the ethnic cleansing of the local leadership, begun on Feb. 28 1947, the KMT imposed an oppressive and repressive system of government and education, which still has profound effects on the present electorate.
That the Democratic Progressive Party is only celebrating its 17th anniversary is ample evidence of such persecution. However, given the guidance of past "insiders" such as former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), the Taiwan Solidarity Union and the current administration, one hopes that the people will be able to overcome their in-
grained prejudices and ignorance resulting from decades of KMT propaganda.
With the recent emancipation of Taiwanese society, one also hopes that the electorate will not be deceived by the nonsensical policies of the alliance between the KMT and the People First Party.
This includes seeing through blatantly transparent and unpatriotic maneuvers to stall legislation and subsequently lay blame on the hamstrung government, the totally unfounded accusations regarding the economy which, in fact, is performing remarkably well in the current circumstances and the obvious duplicity of the re-unified leadership to achieve short-term gains.
It is also important for the Taiwanese to learn from the so-called "opening" of China. The Chinese Communist Party is still an elitist clique mired in corruption which wantonly mistreats its labor force and tramples over a myriad of human rights. Champions of cross-strait investment are party to these abuses or are self-servers at best.
The lessons of Taiwan's autocratic past and the disastrous policies of today's Hong Kong should also provide more than enough evidence to dissuade voters from following misguided and antiquated notions of unification.
It is time for the Taiwanese to stand up and assert a sovereignty that already exists. There is no need to "claim" independence from anyone, nor is it necessary to "declare" an independence already in operation.
True freedom can only be attained by facing reality and rectifying the country's name and constitution to reflect the aspirations of the the Taiwanese people. This would be a genuine expression of patriotism and self-determination and when realized, it would be an accomplishment that would be criminal for the UN and the international community to ignore.
David Kinsella
Keelung
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