The Republic of China (ROC) regime is problematic because it is misleading China and the global community. I agree with Premier Frank Hsieh (
Also, international media reports about direct air links have misrepresented Taiwan's interests and this has been quite damaging. The direct flights across the Taiwan Strait during the Lunar New Year must be viewed only as temporary, and serve only as another olive branch extended by President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to China. This is because Taiwan's security is foremost. China's ambitions are clear, and Taiwan should be gravely concerned and not let businesspeople and economics dictate foreign policy. It's time to deconstruct the relationship of rivalry between economics and politics.
It has always been China's goal to have full direct links with Taiwan, so that it can annex the island and its off-shore territories by having absolute personal contact on more than just an economic level. For security reasons, Taiwan maintains "mini-links" not only to keep China at a distance but also to acquire more time to facilitate nationhood. Although this approach seems inadequate to some Taiwanese it remains important. For example, direct links represent unification efforts by China and the pan-blue alliance, whereas "mini-links" are indicative of the self-determination movement of the pan-greens and their allies.
In my opinion, full direct links with China will not be possible until Taiwan has been integrated into the world community and its citizens afforded UN protection. China, Chinese in Taiwan and Taiwanese businessfolk are local and regional China-centered forces that are marginalizing Taiwan and maintaining ethnic strife. Counter-hegemony provides security for Taiwan's interests. Since most UN members have been coerced into the "one-China" policy, in effect shaping their foreign policy, Taiwan must safeguard its own national security and not let time play into China's hands.
Now it is important for the Taiwanese government to accelerate Taiwanization and abandon the make-believe ROC. This will be the only way to communicate to the democratic nations and their citizens that Taiwan is not controlled by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and is still engaged in a post-civil war milieu with the People's Republic of China.
This is pertinent because many people in Canada, for example, still think that Taiwan is a refuge for the iniquitous KMT and its authoritarian regime. The KMT and its ROC aid Chinese hegemony at work all over the globe.
The ROC cannot enable Taiwan to gain entry into the UN, nor can it remove the "one-China" principle from the foreign policy of other democratic nations. As an example, Canada's foreign ministry states: "Canada is not the only country with a `one China' policy, and we did not invent the concept. Even today, the government of Taiwan continues to adhere officially to this principle. The fact is that there is no mechanism allowing a country to officially recognize both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China, as Taiwan persists in wanting to be called. Canada does not have diplomatic relations with the Republic of China." (Ms. Aileen Carroll, parliamentary secretary to Minister of Foreign Affairs William Graham.)
It was also the stance when I communicated with former minister of foreign affairs Lloyd Axworthy, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee for his work on human security, who insisted that the "Republic of China" was the only stumbling block to Canadian endorsement of Taiwan.
About World Health Organization (WHO) entry, Canada states: "Canada would support a consensus on Taiwan's participation in the WHO." Notice now, when speaking of integration, that the Canadian government refers to Taiwan and not the ROC.
Integration of Taiwan into the global community without the consent of China and Russia is only possible if Taiwan dissolves the ROC and removes these subaltern shackles from its hands and feet. This is the reason that China is so vehemently opposed to any name changes, even though this is not within its territorial sphere of influence. China knows that if Taiwan scraps the ROC, democratic governments will change their approach.
Now China is desperate to mend relations because it knows that Taiwan, by way of grassroots government, is on the cusp of consolidating its democracy and state. Taiwan should put politics before economics, since the later will always flourish in Taiwan with or without China. Let's not forget Taiwan built its powerful economy alone, albeit with Japanese -- not Chinese -- help. Taiwan's so-called "economic miracle" was not the result of Chinese Nationalist efforts as is claimed by their propaganda, but was in fact Taiwanese-driven. Other local, regional and global forces were also at work. For example, China's closed-door policy gave Taiwan more opportunities to progress with global cooperation.
In the short term, China could pull the plug on the economic relationship with a boycott and embargo, and Taiwan would be forced to reinvent itself by bringing much employment and capital back home, with the Taiwanese businessmen and businesswomen in China as well as some Taiwanese stockholders bearing most of the burden, since China's government is the majority owner in their high-risk investments. This would be very static and representative of one point in history.
In the long term, relations would normalize after Taiwan obtains UN protection and as China becomes accustomed to this reality over time. Chains of iron-clad indoctrination lead the Chinese into thinking that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. With the major democratic powers backing Taiwan, this would have to change. It seems an insurmountable task now, but time can change this Sino-centric mindset just as the Taiwanese ethos has evolved in Taiwan. The ROC is fungible and Taiwan is substantive enough now to survive.
All democracies must include Taiwan, not the ROC, and only then will these chains of ignorance be broken.
Christian Lloyd Bell
Victoria, Canada
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