China has done everything in its power to give the impression it has some right to claim sovereignty over Taiwan, despite the fact that the communist dictatorship in Beijing has not ruled Taiwan in any way since the day it seized power in 1949.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), like so many other international organizations needing to fawn over Beijing and kowtow to its belligerent claims regarding Taiwan, Tibet, the Dalai Lama, Falun Gong and a host of others it considers dangerous to its dictatorship, has long prevented Taiwan from flying its flag at Olympic events, or playing its national anthem, or even using its real name. Taiwan is called "Chinese Taipei." As if.
Now, Beijing has blamed Taiwan for refusing to accede to its restrictions for the Olympic torch route, which include prohibiting people in Taiwan from displaying the nation's flag along the torch's route.
I have a newsflash for Beijing and the IOC. In a democratic nation like Taiwan, the government has absolutely no authority whatsoever -- despite former Taipei mayor Ma Ying-jeou's (
In a free country, there is no police power to prevent people from expressing themselves. I can understand why Beijing would not understand this, despite its attempts to use the terms "democracy," "free speech" and "human rights" as if it understands what they mean. We are well aware there is no precedent in the People's Republic of China (PRC) for citizens to exercise their rights to do anything the government doesn't like. But that's not how it works in free countries. Which only highlights the fact that the PRC and Taiwan are not the same country.
Of course, if the IOC prohibits displaying the flag and the Taiwanese display it, and millions of Taiwanese parade in the streets calling the name of Taiwan, and singing its national anthem, and carrying signs that criticize China and say that Taiwan is free and independent, the IOC probably can try to later refuse to allow Taiwan to host an event, or even participate in an event. But doing so would only highlight how the IOC is merely acting as a proxy for the world's most brutal communist dictatorship -- a distinctly political act. How embarrassing.
Taiwan is a free, democratic nation. The PRC is a totalitarian dictatorship, and is not a free country. We know it. The world knows it. Beijing should just concede it already, and get on with the games.
Lee Long-hwa
New York
In the event of a war with China, Taiwan has some surprisingly tough defenses that could make it as difficult to tackle as a porcupine: A shoreline dotted with swamps, rocks and concrete barriers; conscription for all adult men; highways and airports that are built to double as hardened combat facilities. This porcupine has a soft underbelly, though, and the war in Iran is exposing it: energy. About 39,000 ships dock at Taiwan’s ports each year, more than the 30,000 that transit the Strait of Hormuz. About one-fifth of their inbound tonnage is coal, oil, refined fuels and liquefied natural gas (LNG),
On Monday, the day before Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) departed on her visit to China, the party released a promotional video titled “Only with peace can we ‘lie flat’” to highlight its desire to have peace across the Taiwan Strait. However, its use of the expression “lie flat” (tang ping, 躺平) drew sarcastic comments, with critics saying it sounded as if the party was “bowing down” to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Amid the controversy over the opposition parties blocking proposed defense budgets, Cheng departed for China after receiving an invitation from the CCP, with a meeting with
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) is leading a delegation to China through Sunday. She is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in Beijing tomorrow. That date coincides with the anniversary of the signing of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), which marked a cornerstone of Taiwan-US relations. Staging their meeting on this date makes it clear that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) intends to challenge the US and demonstrate its “authority” over Taiwan. Since the US severed official diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979, it has relied on the TRA as a legal basis for all
To counter the CCP’s escalating threats, Taiwan must build a national consensus and demonstrate the capability and the will to fight. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) often leans on a seductive mantra to soften its threats, such as “Chinese do not kill Chinese.” The slogan is designed to frame territorial conquest (annexation) as a domestic family matter. A look at the historical ledger reveals a different truth. For the CCP, being labeled “family” has never been a guarantee of safety; it has been the primary prerequisite for state-sanctioned slaughter. From the forced starvation of 150,000 civilians at the Siege of Changchun
RSS