Sun Yat-sen: Is he still turning in his grave?

`Democracy came to Taiwan not because of the KMT but in spite of it. Democracy has still not come to the PRC.'

The end of April approaches and the newly elected Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Wu Po-hsiung (吳伯雄) is preparing for his trip to China. He has said that he wants to have "substantive talks" with the leadership of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Is it only me or does anyone else wonder why the newly elected leader of the KMT sees fit to first talk to the PRC instead of going to the people of Taiwan to see what they want?

This has always been the characteristic anomaly of the KMT -- a party that claims to be interested in Taiwan but consistently snubs localization. One has the feeling that the KMT's preferential attitude and mindset remains that "If it is good for the PRC, then it is good for Taiwan."

Wu of course only recently got the job as chairman because former chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) got caught with his hand in the cookie jar and had to resign.

Yes, pseudo Mr. Clean Ma is now on trial. We all remember him because in true double standard fashion, with faulty logic thrown in to boot, Ma was the one who insisted that President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) step down from the presidency because his son-in-law (not Chen himself) was indicted.

And now that Ma has been indicted, he decides to make a run for the presidency.

However, let us return to Wu, who is following the lead of other pan-blue camp leaders like former KMT chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) to cross the Taiwan Strait to find out what is good for Taiwan.

There is a tremendous irony involved here. Does anyone remember Sun Yat-sen (孫逸仙)?

He is that distinguished person whose picture adorns most government offices here and who is also allegedly revered in China.

Sun is most known for preaching the Three Principles of the People -- democracy, nationalism and livelihood. Remember those?

It is almost 100 years since Sun began touting those principles, so it is all the more ironic that those who profess to honor Sun are the very ones who have resisted putting those principles into practice. Democracy came to Taiwan not because of the KMT, but in spite of it. Democracy has still not come to the PRC.

The last prediction was that it might come after another 100 years. A more blunt way of saying it is: "Sun's principles of democracy are fine and should be adopted, but not while we are in power."

So Wu will head to China to find out what is good for Taiwan. Remember when Lien and Soong made their pilgrimages back to their (not Taiwan's) motherland? Sun's words about democracy, nationalism and livelihood were strictly taboo, verboten, mention-at-risk-of-getting-kicked-out.

If I were a betting man, I would lay heavy odds that while Wu may bow to some pictures of Sun, he won't dare to mention Sun's principles of democracy.

And Sun? He must be twisting and turning in his grave.

Jerome Keating is a Taiwan-based writer.