Last weekend, I attended the annual meeting of the Global Alliance for Democracy and Peace (GADP) in Los Angeles at the alliance's invitation and delivered a speech there. This Chinese group has 98 branches worldwide, and the meeting drew over 300 participants, including people from the pan-blue and pan-green camps. My topic was: "Democracy is the greatest common denominator between the two sides."
I pointed out that although Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Vice Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (
Besides, even if China turns into a democracy, it will not take up Sun's Three Principles of the People as the basis on which the nation is built, for Sun maintained that socialism was embodied in the Principle of Livelihood, one of the tenets of his Three Principles of the People. We have all witnessed the disaster wrought by socialism on mankind, and Sun's attempts to ally himself with Russia and the communists show the pronounced influence of communist thinking.
Since democracy is the greatest common denominator, the resolution of cross-strait disagreements lies in the termination of the CCP's authoritarian rule. Only when China enjoys democracy can the Strait remain peaceful. This is also the only way that Taiwan's goal of becoming a normal country can be realized completely.
Today, many Taiwanese people are demanding a new constitution, and whether or not this document institutes a new national title, flag and national anthem, the right to such changes is a basic right of a democratic country. When former KMT chairman Lien Chan (
After my speech, however, the GADP's first president, Wu Ho-i (
But I simply responded that if a former chairman cannot be criticized, then former presidents Chiang Kai-shek (
Wu has resided in the US for many years. In his reliance on blocking the free flow of thinking by depriving people of a chance to speak, rather than trying to convince them through reasoned argument, we can clearly see the vicious consequence of the slavish mentality fostered by the KMT.
Many of the pan-blue camp's supporters are furious whenever they talk about Taiwan independence. This issue does not exist, however, because the ROC has always been an independent country. It has never belonged to the People's Republic of China.
The main question is whether the country should create a new constitution and change its name. And the only reason that this issue has arisen is that most countries in the world do not recognize the name ROC.
Indeed, when Lien and People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) visited Beijing, they did not dare mention the name "ROC." Lien could not admit he was a former ROC vice president, while Soong could not boast of being a former governor of Taiwan Province. So neither man is safeguarding the ROC. One might question the meaning of safeguarding a country that neither man dares to recognize.
Although the pan-blue camp's supporters have tried to block a name change, they are opposed by the international community. All US media refer to this country as "Taiwan;" none uses the name "ROC." This suggests that foreigners have already rectified the country's name, and whatever the sentiments of Chiang Kai-shek's supporters, they cannot change the Taiwanese people's rectification of Taiwan's name.
Cao Changqing is a writer based in New York.
Translated by Eddy Chang
There is much evidence that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is sending soldiers from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — and is learning lessons for a future war against Taiwan. Until now, the CCP has claimed that they have not sent PLA personnel to support Russian aggression. On 18 April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelinskiy announced that the CCP is supplying war supplies such as gunpowder, artillery, and weapons subcomponents to Russia. When Zelinskiy announced on 9 April that the Ukrainian Army had captured two Chinese nationals fighting with Russians on the front line with details
On a quiet lane in Taipei’s central Daan District (大安), an otherwise unremarkable high-rise is marked by a police guard and a tawdry A4 printout from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicating an “embassy area.” Keen observers would see the emblem of the Holy See, one of Taiwan’s 12 so-called “diplomatic allies.” Unlike Taipei’s other embassies and quasi-consulates, no national flag flies there, nor is there a plaque indicating what country’s embassy this is. Visitors hoping to sign a condolence book for the late Pope Francis would instead have to visit the Italian Trade Office, adjacent to Taipei 101. The death of
By now, most of Taiwan has heard Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s (蔣萬安) threats to initiate a vote of no confidence against the Cabinet. His rationale is that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led government’s investigation into alleged signature forgery in the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) recall campaign constitutes “political persecution.” I sincerely hope he goes through with it. The opposition currently holds a majority in the Legislative Yuan, so the initiation of a no-confidence motion and its passage should be entirely within reach. If Chiang truly believes that the government is overreaching, abusing its power and targeting political opponents — then
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), joined by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), held a protest on Saturday on Ketagalan Boulevard in Taipei. They were essentially standing for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which is anxious about the mass recall campaign against KMT legislators. President William Lai (賴清德) said that if the opposition parties truly wanted to fight dictatorship, they should do so in Tiananmen Square — and at the very least, refrain from groveling to Chinese officials during their visits to China, alluding to meetings between KMT members and Chinese authorities. Now that China has been defined as a foreign hostile force,
RSS