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Status quo? What status quo?

It is disappointing to read Ted Galen Carpenter's article ("Preserving the `status quo' brings risk with it," Apr 20, 2005, page 8), in which he laid out the differences in Taiwan, the US and China's definitions of the "status quo." He ended the article by warning of a danger. No insights, no solution.

People in Taiwan have been talking about the "status quo" since 1972 when Chiang Kai-shek's (蔣介石) regime was expelled from of the UN, taking Taiwan with it. Since then, Taiwan has lost most of its diplomatic ties with the world, including relations with the US, and Taiwan has moved from a terror-ruled colony of an illegitimate dictatorship into one of the most tolerant and democratic societies on earth. No "status quo" has been maintained.

The truth is that there is no status quo in the universe. If there were a status quo to be gotten, the cosmetic industry and all those anti-aging industries would not have existed. A youthful, vibrant teenager will eventually become a heap of dried bones, in spite of all the sweating exercise and vitamins; no status quo exists for one single second.

Why not freeze April 2005 as the status quo that should be maintained? Or, maybe the year 2002 when China pointed "only" 350 missiles to Taiwan as opposed to 700 now? Better yet, let's keep the status quo of 1976, when China locked itself in its own house and didn't bother its neighbors.

The key fact is that China is changing the "status quo" every day with its military build-up and Sun Tzu (孫子) -style manipulation of international politics.

The Taiwanese people have to face the fact that there is no status quo to be maintained. Most importantly, we as a people have to face the truth that we have three choices: (1) side with the US in the US-China conflict, (2) side with China against the US or (3) achieve a credible neutrality backed by our own will and power. There are no other options!

The third option would take many generations to achieve. For this generation, there are only two options: live and die for the US or live and die for China.

If we don't proactively make a conscious strategic choice, we will be dragged into the middle and have the worst of both worlds. If we choose to side with China, let's negotiate the best terms with China and forget about the US. If we choose the US, let's also tell the US that we don't want to hear the constant, untrue public belittlement that we, the Taiwanese, "are asking the Americans to die for us."

We want a fair deal.

Sing Young
Taoyuan
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