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[ LETTERS ]

Withholding aid is cruel

J. Michael Cole’s suggestion that we refrain from sending aid to Myanmar and China based on the poor records of their governments is off base and downright cruel (“Why are we sending aid to China?”, May 23, page 8).

Helping those in need is the responsibility of all humankind, no matter how repulsive we find their government. Unfortunately, humanitarian crises take place almost exclusively in places with reprehensible governments, so by Cole’s logic we should never donate money to those in need, whether they be starving children in Africa or war victims in the Balkans, lest we “reward” their corrupt governments.

I don’t deny Cole’s argument that these governments may receive some residual benefit when we give, but where people are in need and children are dying and suffering, and if the government in question is unable (or unwilling) to provide adequate aid by itself, we have to bite the bullet and help those in need.

Cole also seems to forget that the money we give usually goes to non-governmental organizations and charitable groups, which then purchase food or send relief workers. Nobody would be dumb enough to write a check to Myanmar junta chief Than Shwe.

I don’t disagree that sending cash may provide some small support to these governments, but it is certainly not enough to make or break them. China’s government will do just fine whether we send aid or not. Only the children and other victims of this tragedy will suffer if we don’t.

Vincent Lalonde

Taipei



I was quite appalled by Cole’s piece. His insistence that we play politics during a time of national disaster is disturbing to say the least and immoral at its worst. This sort of selfish “the world revolves around Taiwan” mentality is what characterized the Chen years and led to Taiwan’s diplomatic isolation by not only China, but also the rest of the world.

I’ve had the opportunity to see firsthand the Chinese response to international aid, and it’s nothing short of amazing. These people are not, as Cole suggests, glorifying the government that is doing more coordinating than contributing. Instead, they are touched beyond words by the generosity of individual Chinese in China and people in Taiwan. Similar to the Myanmar situation, I think most people realize that at the basic level, helping innocent people means far more than attempting to induce revolution by withholding aid.

The US publicly expressed the idea of dropping food and supplies into Myanmar by air, regardless of what the government had to say. I am proud the US puts the needs of ordinary citizens ahead of the need to use natural disasters as political leverage. There will be more time to pressure both China and Myanmar in the future. While people are dying on the ground, this should take a back seat to the more important issues at hand.

There are many problems between Taiwan and China that should be resolved sooner rather than later. But the kindness of the Taiwanese has done more than any conference or consensus between cross-strait officials ever could. The people of China are well aware of Taiwanese generosity, and I guarantee that whether the government likes or it not, public resistance to attacking Taiwan will be stronger than ever.

Japan has learned the lesson of an island, export-driven nation: In order to stay relevant, one must continue technological innovation as well as be a substantial international donor. Even though the Japanese army is not as mighty as others, Japan commands the respect of the world for its economic prowess and reputation as a responsible international actor.

Taiwan can take the path of isolation and “about me” mentality, using natural disasters as political leverage. Or they can try to win over the ordinary Chinese with kindness and dialog.

This does not involve selling out sovereignty but may be difficult for those obsessed with the power of guns to understand. But the rewards will greatly surpass other alternatives. Taiwan will not have military supremacy over China for much longer, and so the battle they must wage is the soft power war. They have the will and ability to win this, but not through isolation and the type of cruelty Cole suggests.

In conclusion, I just wanted to say thank you to the people of Taiwan. My first trip to Taiwan gave me a wonderful impression of your people, and this only adds to my excellent opinion of you. You have made more of a difference to the ordinary Chinese than you realize, and have certainly saved dozens of lives in the process.

Adam Supernant

Shenzhen, China

Lee needs a better lawyer

Chinese Nationalist Party Legislator Diane Lee (李慶安) surely needs better legal representation. Why? The Republic of China (ROC) is per US law a legal non-entity; it has no de jure existence. As such Sec. 349(A)(4) of the US Immigration and Nationality Act cannot and does not apply.

Although you, I and most people in Taiwan believe that Taiwan is a sovereign nation, it is not recognized as such by the US legal system. Unless you have made an explicit legal declaration to forfeit your US citizenship, witnessed by US consular officials or another legally recognized witness, you are indeed still a citizen of the US. You are obliged by US law to file tax reports on all overseas income unless you have notified the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of your non-residency and have absolutely no assets or connections (address, bank account, etc) remaining in the US. The US government’s laws are very strict in this regard. Believe me.

I’m giving this advice in a public forum as I’ve had some personal experience of these difficulties, and I hope that everyone in Taiwan can benefit from your case.

I would advise you to put your assets offshore, travel to a third country where you cannot be bothered by any attempt to extradite you (for example, the IRS filing tax evasion charges), and hire a lawyer in the US federal court district where you last resided and file a petition to the court stating that you are indeed no longer a US citizen because you have claimed an oath of allegiance and serve as a public official in a foreign sovereign nation, the ROC.

The court will reject your petition but then you may appeal within the US court system. It will be your task to prove that the ROC is indeed a sovereign nation and this way you will protect yourself from prosecution in both the US and the ROC.

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