In response to President Chen Shui-bian's (
On Feb. 8, China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) spokesperson Li Weiyi (
In an interview with China's state-run Xinhua news agency on Feb. 20, Xu Shiquan (許世銓), vice president of China's National Society for Taiwan Studies, accused Chen of trying to create confrontation between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and woo pro-independence fundamentalists in Taiwan in the hope of consolidating his political platform.
Xinhua then carried the criticism further by publishing the opinions of some Taiwan affairs scholars on Feb. 21, followed by the remarks of TAO Director Chen Yunlin (
On Feb. 23, Xinhua published a signed article titled "Despicable motive, dangerous provocation," which stressed that the abolition of the council and guidelines would threaten peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and that Chen Shui-bian would be held fully responsible. On Feb. 24, Li issued yet another warning that the abolition of the council and guidelines would cause severe damage to cross-strait relations.
While criticizing Chen Shui-bian, however, Chen Yun-lin also offered a "goodwill" gesture by expressing his willingness to engage in an exchange of opinions with any Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) member on cross-strait passenger and cargo flights as well as opening Taiwan up to Chinese tourists.
This situation is similar to China's verbal and military threats in1996. Before the 1996 presidential election, Beijing condemned then-president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) for creating "two Chinas" and "one China, one Taiwan," and even pursuing Taiwanese independence following his US trip in 1995.
As a result, it threatened Taiwan both verbally and militarily and applied pressure in the international community, while also separating its political and economic intimidation.
"Jiang's eight points," set forth by Chinese president Jiang Zemin (
In 1996, then Chinese premier Li Peng (
This is why then Taipei mayor Chen Shui-bian repeatedly stressed that "our biggest enemy is ourselves, rather than China," and that "we must be aware of China's tricks." Ten years later, as president, he reminded the public that without Taiwan consciousness, we will be unable to guarantee our national security or highlight Taiwan's national status internationally.
We must examine China's dual political and economic intimidation based on Chen's statements. Taiwanese investments in China are several times higher now than they were a decade ago, but so is the pressure on Taiwan. The government may be certain that it is on the side of what's right in the dispute over the abolition of the unification council and guidelines, but it is still necessary for pro-localization factions to show their support.
Huang Yung-jui is a commentator based in Taiwan.
Translated by Lin Ya-ti and Eddy Chang
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