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Our desire for comfort today risks danger later

`Most voters in Taiwan are content to maintain the status quo, which seems peaceful and attractive to the current generation.'

Swing voters present a frustrating challenge to politicians.

A focus of attention in the current presidential election is what the swing voters, who make up 3 to 5 percent of voters, will do in response to President Chen Shui Bian's (陳水扁) push for a referendum in his re-election campaign.

Polls have consistently shown that the majority of voters prefer to maintain the status quo. Pro-China politicians and the news media claim that any referendum will irritate China and push it to invade Taiwan.

When voters are asked if they want China to take over Taiwan, the answer is always a strong "no."

But how far can the status quo go? Taiwan is being isolated more and more as time passes, while China on the other hand is gaining strength economically and militarily.

Don't the voters know that?

After a lot of soul-searching, I want to tell a story.

The story is based on what is required to produce delicious apples for consumers. To purchase apples is very easy; an abundance of apples is good for the consumer and everybody enjoys them.

However, there is a great deal of work involved in getting the apples to the consumer.

If you are the one actually planting the apple trees, you will find the labor to be very tiring, for it takes years to produce fruit-bearing trees.

This process also requires people to pick the apples and people to make them attractive so the consumer will find them eye-catching enough to buy. Not to mention the role of those involved in transporting the apples.

Finally, the consumer is the one who admires the beautiful fruit and is willing to pay for the apples and the good health they bring.

The point is that everybody plays a role -- but I happen to prefer the role of the grower, who knows what life really means.

Most voters in Taiwan are content to maintain the status quo, which seems peaceful and attractive to the current generation, which only wants to enjoy the apples.

But if we maintain the status quo, the future of Taiwan will become more uncertain. Taiwan will not only be isolated and marginalized; it will become a part of China.

Going down this path, China will not even have to use force to conquer Taiwan.

To those voters who want Taiwan to be prosperous and stand tall in the global village, I challenge you to climb the trees pick the apples.

Tell your undecided friends to wake up and not to sit on the sidelines.

It is up to you, who would suffer the most if Taiwan became part of China, to take immediate action.

Decide your own destiny in this contentious presidential campaign.

Let Taiwan be Taiwan and China be China. We are two separate countries that should respect one another's existence.

Tien C. Cheng is a member of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission.
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