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China sans democracy is a China sans peace

`If [China] can hurt Taiwan, it can of course do the same to other nations.'

The question of whether China's rise represents an opportunity or a threat to the world has been a topic of heated debate.

In 2003, Beijing came up with the slogan "China's peaceful rise," successfully triggering international thinking and debate about what a peaceful China means.

This concept, however, differs from the lesson that history teaches us.

Slogans about peace can themselves never bring about peace. World peace can only be achieved on the basis of democracy, and the rise of democracy is the best guarantee for peace.

Only when China rises democratically can it become a responsible stakeholder.

In 2000, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) was elected president, completing the transition of power in Taiwan.

In 2004, Chen was re-elected, which allowed the DPP to continue with its efforts to consolidate and deepen Taiwan's democracy.

Although the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is no longer in power, it and other old forces and groups still enjoy a legislative majority. Therefore, the DPP government has yet to secure full power.

If the KMT wins the 2008 presidential election, I venture to predict that the influence of Chinese nationalism will cause the KMT leadership to move toward a more centered position between China and the US, and weaken the relationship between Taiwan and Japan.

This would not only mean that Taiwan will move toward China politically, but also and more importantly that democracy in Taiwan would regress in the same way it has regressed in Hong Kong, leading people to start doubting their faith in democracy.

The international community has always hoped to engage with China and transform the country into a mature market economy and a democracy. China has now opened up economically. But it is also attacking democracy.

It has even intensified its attacks and wantonly interferes with Taiwan's domestic political affairs and attempts to destroy the functioning of Taiwan's democracy. There is an abundance of examples that attest to this situation.

Taiwan's experience shows that a growing, undemocratic and authoritarian China will wield economic power to damage the democratic system of another country.

If it can hurt Taiwan, it can of course do the same to other nations. I believe that China is working to gradually erode the foundations of the alliance of democratic nations established by the US.

Let me reiterate that Taiwan's hard-won democratic achievements are now facing a serious threat.

Taiwan is the most important base for promoting democracy in China. The consolidation of democracy in Taiwan is crucial to enlarging the Asian democratic community.

The international community should therefore consider Taiwan an asset for democratic enlargement and give it firm support against China's threats and the crisis China is creating in Taiwan.

Yu Shyi-kun is the chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party. Translated by Daniel Cheng
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