The idea that China would scrap its “Anti-Secession” Law out of consideration for the Taiwanese public is just a pipe dream, an academic attending a cross-strait forum said yesterday after the government said China should scrap the law.
“They are either naive or have a low IQ,” said Wang Szu-wei (王思為), a professor at Nanhua University’s department of non-profit organization management. “If [Beijing] had taken into consideration the feelings of the Taiwanese people in the first place, it would never have made the law.”
Wang made the remarks at a forum on “China’s ‘Anti-Secession’ Law and the Development of Cross-Strait Relations” when asked for comment on a Presidential Office statement yesterday marking the law’s fourth anniversary.
The Presidential Office said the “Anti-Secession” Law was “unnecessary” because the cross-strait detente was a reciprocal process in which both sides must show goodwill.
Wang said it was “ridiculous” for a government to make such a remark because a responsible administration should use its leverage to make demands rather than hoping Beijing will show some goodwill.
The statement was “politically incorrect” and “showy diplomatic language aimed at placating the public on a special occasion,” Wang said.
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) was a vocal critic of the law during his terms as Taipei mayor and during his campaign for the presidency. By comparison, he has been quiet on the issue since taking office in May, critics said.
Wang Kun-yi (王崑義), a professor at National Taiwan Ocean University, said the Presidential Office’s statement was as useless as “a dog barking at a train.”
Wang Kun-yi said that while Beijing had never strayed from its goal of unification, it had adjusted its strategy, adopting a softer approach.
A recent example was Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s (溫家寶) wish to visit Taiwan, Wang Kun-yi said.
Wen said on Friday that he would like to visit Taiwan someday, even if old age meant he could not walk and had to crawl.
Another example was a reported invitation to former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) to visit China, Wang Kun-yi said. While Beijing previously invited only politicians who accepted “one China,” it now welcomes anyone who supports peaceful development in the Strait to visit in any capacity, he said.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) might be the most reluctant to see Lu visit China because Beijing has always insisted on the “one China” principle in dealing with KMT figures, he said.
The incident also highlighted the power struggle within China, he said, adding that many politicians hoped to score political points by making Lu’s trip possible.
George Liu (劉志聰), a researcher at Nanhua University’s Center for Peace and Strategic Studies, said the government’s foreign policy depended entirely on Beijing’s goodwill to gain observer status at the World Health Assembly this year.
“If [Beijing] is happy with Ma’s performance, it might let us in, but if he makes [China] unhappy next year, it will make us suffer,” he said.
Liu blamed the communication platform between the KMT and the Chinese Communist Party for bringing about the “Anti-Secession” Law.
Liu said Beijing’s goal was to eliminate support for independence and advance its unification agenda. The KMT on the other had, would do whatever it takes to stay in power, for which it will require China’s assistance, he said.
Later last night, a rally was staged in front of the Presidential Office to protest the “Anti-Secession” Law and the Ma administration’s policies, which the protesters slammed as skewed toward China.
Around 1,000 people participated in the rally organized by the Taiwan National Congress, an alliance of more than 20 local and international groups supporting independence.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY RICH CHANG AND CNA
Three batches of banana sauce imported from the Philippines were intercepted at the border after they were found to contain the banned industrial dye Orange G, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday. From today through Sept. 2 next year, all seasoning sauces from the Philippines are to be subject to the FDA’s strictest border inspection, meaning 100 percent testing for illegal dyes before entry is allowed, it said in a statement. Orange G is an industrial coloring agent that is not permitted for food use in Taiwan or internationally, said Cheng Wei-chih (鄭維智), head of the FDA’s Northern Center for
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
About 4.2 million tourist arrivals were recorded in the first half of this year, a 10 percent increase from the same period last year, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. The growth continues to be consistent, with the fourth quarter of this year expected to be the peak in Taiwan, the agency said, adding that it plans to promote Taiwan overseas via partnerships and major events. From January to June, 9.14 million international departures were recorded from Taiwan, an 11 percent increase from the same period last year, with 3.3 million headed for Japan, 1.52 million for China and 832,962 to South Korea,
REWRITING HISTORY: China has been advocating a ‘correct’ interpretation of the victory over Japan that brings the CCP’s contributions to the forefront, an expert said An elderly Chinese war veteran’s shin still bears the mark of a bullet wound he sustained when fighting the Japanese as a teenager, a year before the end of World War II. Eighty years on, Li Jinshui’s scar remains as testimony to the bravery of Chinese troops in a conflict that killed millions of their people. However, the story behind China’s overthrow of the brutal Japanese occupation is deeply contested. Historians broadly agree that credit for victory lies primarily with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)-led Republic of China (ROC) Army. Its leader, Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石), fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a
RSS