Letter: Hu can't change the truth

It was not mere serendipity that former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Lien Chan (連戰) met Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤). It was deliberate, like homicide, not merely negligent, like manslaughter.

The intention of course is to cause death -- death to Taiwan's democracy, death to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), death to all things "Taiwanese." It is Christmas in Beijing for Lien, and with bended knee and hat in hand, he is hopeful the dictator of China will help him destroy the part of Taiwanese society that yearns to be free so that the KMT can re-seize control, and call it "democracy."

Lien's is perfect, because his second surrender of Taiwan will aid Hu on his trip to the US -- people will say: "Look at how well they cooperate; isn't that better than those DPP troublemakers?"

Of course, Hu doesn't trust the KMT one bit. The Chinese Communist Party will destroy the KMT right after destroying Taiwanese democracy.

It is also not serendipity that Hu is scheduled to meet US President George W. Bush in Washington now. It, too, is deliberate, like murder, not merely negligent. The intention there is also to cause death -- death to Taiwan, death to Tibet, death to the troublesome Uighurs, death to Falun Gong, death to democracy in Hong Kong and China, death to human rights, free speech and anything else Hu can jam onto his wish list. It is also Christmas for Hu, and his list for Santa Bush is long.

Hu leverage because the US is embroiled in daunting diplomatic squabbles with two irrational and highly volatile regimes -- Iran and North Korea -- and because to save humankind from the potential horror of a nuclear war, the US needs the cooperation of, among others, China.

The timing is therefore perfect. Taiwan sits between these two malevolent men, Lien and Hu, and their malevolent missions. Caught between treachery and ruthlessness, between surrender and appeasement, Taiwan can only cover its eyes and hope for the best.

When betrayed by a family member, one can only shake one's head, and lament how cheap loyalty must be. When sold into slavery for a few abstentions in the UN, one can only shake one's head and lament the situation created by lunatics like North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. It is tragic to think the fate of 23 million Taiwanese could hinge on the ravings of these two, but that appears to be the case.

But can such helplessness be sublime? In theory, it is not helplessness at all. No matter the ruthlessness of Hu, the appeasements offered by Bush, or the treachery of Lien, none of them can change the fact that Taiwan is independent and its people are free. Free even at this moment to write of surrender, appeasement, treachery and, of course, freedom. Try to do that in Beijing.

A people can survive on that. Ruthlessness, appeasement, surrender and treachery reap their own rewards. No unholy relationship can undo what has already been done, or unring the bell of freedom. They can talk themselves blue in the face, pat each other on the back and congratulate themselves, and the fact will remain unchanged -- 23 million Taiwanese have achieved what 1.3 billion Chinese only dream of: The right to wake up in the morning and taste freedom.

Lee Long-hwa
United States