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Rejection of torch route indicates confidence

Mistaking deviousness for cleverness, China has abused its rights as the host of next year's Beijing Olympic Games, attempting to use the Olympic torch relay to spread its propaganda that Taiwan is a part of China. Such action is both disgusting and childish.

Taiwan should use this opportunity to attract international attention to show that it is a sovereign state and that China has no control over it.

Beijing consistently takes every opportunity to belittle Taiwan. China attempted to use the torch relay route politically by claiming that Taiwan would be the first "domestic" stop within "China's territory."

Taiwan certainly has the right to fight back. When China chose not to change the route, Taiwan had no choice but to reject the plan to expose Beijing's lies. The fact that the torch will not be able to enter Taiwan without the government's consent proves that Taiwan is not a part of China.

It is not surprising that Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) politicians actually welcomed Beijing's plan to treat Taiwan as part of China's territory.

It comes down to an issue of confidence, which the Democratic Progressive Party exhibited in its opposition to the route.

When former president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) insisted on the "three noes policy," his subordinates should have told him to be confident. And as the pro-China lobby kowtows to Chinese leaders, what has happened to their confidence in Taiwan?

We really hope that the international community, especially the US, can stop China's suppression of Taiwan. But if they are unable to stop Beijing, Taiwan, as a sovereign state, must take the measures it deems appropriate.

Washington should support the policies of a democratically elected government.

The US has promised to protect security in the Taiwan Strait and provide Taiwan with necessary defensive weapons, which shows that Washington supports Taiwan's right to defend itself against China's military.

Washington should not ignore Beijing's diplomatic containment and political oppression of Taipei. Nor should it criticize Taiwan for fighting back by using democratic and peaceful means.

Shen Chieh is a journalist based in the US.

Translated by Eddy Chang
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