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Demonstrating won't help

Ever since China began deliberating the enactment of its "Anti-Secession" Law, various proposals have been raised as to how the Taiwanese government should react. As the law has become a reality, our government must have a set of policies -- here I emphasize policies -- to deal with the situation.

Up till now, what's been discussed most is the March 26 rally, which might have as many as 1 million participants. A reaction like this worries me, and is reminiscent of what happened in Hong Kong [on July 1, 2003.] A Hong Kong-style rally presents the image of a desperate population begging for the mercy of its motherland. If we are to stage a similar demonstration, and if it were to receive equivalent coverage from the international media, we have to fear that an analogy might be drawn that Taiwan is in the same boat as Hong Kong. We certainly don't want to create an image that we are already under the control of a totalitarian regime.

A big rally would also do little to help mitigate the impact of the legislation. On the contrary, once the public's anger has been raised, they might come back to ask their own government -- not the government in China -- to meet the demand. If they want to organize or even participate in such a protest, our government officials will have to think about a way to meet the demands of their fellow citizens once the show is over.

What we expect our government to do is to come up with a policy which can really increase our country's ability to face the crisis and alleviate the pain of its citizens. A solid program, say a permanent science fund to strengthen our defense, will accomplish much more than a Hong Kong-style protest. Our enemy has a long-term policy. Now it's our turn to have one.

C.H. Chen
Taipei

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