Pandas better off in Taiwan
I read with great confusion the letter by Christina McFarquhar (Letters, Jan. 12, page 8), in which numerous misstatements are made about the pandas China is considering sending as a gift to Taiwan.
McFarquhar somehow sees this as a "persecution" of the animals. Unlike obvious Taiwan-bashers like McFarquhar, I am convinced that Taiwanese would do a far better job than their People's Republic of China (PRC) counterparts of taking care of these animals. Having lived in Asia for more than 20 years and in Taiwan for just under a decade, I have simply grown tired of mean-spirited attempts by jaded and ill-informed foreigners to trumpet how Taiwan is "not as good" as the PRC. Enough already!
She says that "a majority of Taiwanese conservation groups" have been excluded from the process, but this is an issue of cross-strait politics first and providing proper care for the pandas second. It is not really a conservation issue, unless, of course, she's afraid the pandas will break out and start mauling Taiwanese wildlife! That would be a first for pandas. Conservation of Taiwanese wildlife is not endangered in any way by the arrival of these pandas, anymore than it has been "hurt" by the fact that numerous other animals are on display at the Taipei Zoo.
McFarquhar also claims that the dioxin-laced air in Taipei will harm the pandas. Once again, this is apparently the voice of someone who has never been to China, a nation of smokestacks belching noxious fumes. Lest we forget, these pandas were born in captivity and are destined for an urban Chinese zoo if they don't make it to Taiwan. Coming to Taiwan will be a blessed relief for these pandas from the unrelenting smog covering nearly all PRC cities and it is a profound error for her to present the choice as being between "pristine" Sichuan bamboo forests and some imagined horrible life in a cloud of Taiwanese smog. Such a hamhanded comparison is simply unfair to Taiwan and the Taiwanese people.
McFarquhar makes reference to insane bears "walking in circles" and "constantly shaking their heads," but the only circles I am seeing are the whirlpools of her logic, and the only shaking of heads is from those of us who bristle when Taiwan is insulted. Instead of blaming Taiwan's conservation challenges upon the pandas (and presumably also the bears, elephants, monkeys and penguins), we can only hope that the Taiwanese people will be inspired by nature in its great diversity and take the matter into their own hands.
As for the pandas' names, let's welcome a re-christened "Freedom" and "Democracy" to Taiwan -- the PRC may find it hard to make any public relations mileage out of that!
Beatrice Worth
Taoyuan
The CCP is the enemy
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is martialed by intelligent men who are adept at playing win-win games with the Taiwanese. Taiwan's government must get its priorities right and do the right thing for the people of this country. If the government tries to cosy up to China now, they will lead this country down a path that is nothing but a dead end.
Despite what some politicians say, the CCP is the enemy of all Taiwanese people. Do not be deceived and do not deceive anyone else: The CCP has 700 missiles pointed at Taiwan and continues to build more each year, while simultaneously developing a powerful military and drawing up plans for war. By contrast, Taiwan seems to be asleep -- we are deaf and blind to the threat we face.
These days, government officials seem to focus on what the pan-blues have to say or what the CCP believes to be the priority. They have failed to take steps to defend the country and protect the human rights of its citizens. This should be the first priority, but the government seems to disregard the rights and wishes of the nation's 23 million citizens.
The government should focus on domestic priorities and avoid expending its energy on the CCP or the pan-blues -- the taxpayers should be the masters of this country.
Is being a "good friend" to the CCP really something to be proud of? Some Taiwanese seem to be satisfied even with the status of CCP lapdog. Why does the CCP need Taiwanese "friends"? After all, there are more than 13 billion people in China. The truth of the matter is that the CCP is only interested in getting its hands on this country's wealth.
Do not be suckered by the CCP's divide and conquer tactics. It aims to create dissension within Taiwan in order to weaken the community and make its goal of "unification" easy to achieve.
Louise Chen
Taipei
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