Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Taipei on Saturday to protest against the Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) administration’s policies and to demand that the sovereignty of the nation be safeguarded.
Ma has only been in office for 100 days, but the streets of the nation’s capital were brimming with protesters, while Ma’s approval rating has dipped to a mere 37 percent. The honeymoon that never was is now over.
Some may think 100 days is not long enough a period for a government to bring results. But during this time, the economy has plumbed new depths: Economic growth projections for this year dropped from 4.78 percent to 4.3 percent, July inflation reached 5.92 percent and unemployment hit 4.06 percent. These negative results speak for themselves and get even louder in light of Ma’s 633 election promise of 6 percent economic growth, 3 percent unemployment and US$30,000 in national income per capita.
Even Ma’s cure for all ills — allowing a greater influx of Chinese tourists — has only had a limited effect.
It is true that cross-strait relations have entered their most relaxed period in many years. There are now chartered cross-strait passenger flights, more Chinese tourists are allowed into Taiwan and Beijing and Taipei ostensibly no longer compete for diplomatic recognition. This diplomatic “truce,” however, is built on Taiwan voluntarily blurring its own status. It no longer dares call itself an independent and sovereign state. Rather, it was called “Chinese Taipei” at the Olympics and some diplomatic allies have even called it “China, Taiwan.”
This is the result of the self-inflicted humiliation by a government that domestically still claims to be the government of the Republic of China. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs didn’t even dare forcefully rebut Chinese Ambassador to the UN Wang Guangya (王光亞) when he responded to Taiwan’s application for WHO observer status by saying that Taiwan was not qualified for membership in any UN organization. Following the Olympics, more countries have been calling Taiwan “Chinese Taipei,” which has prompted the ministry to ask embassies and representative offices to explain to their host countries that the country’s name is the “Republic of China.”
Taiwan may want cross-strait peace, but the administration is so oblivious to other opinions that it has failed to notice that many Taiwanese feel the government is too strongly pro-Chinese. Even worse, it has ignored its principal allies, the US and Japan, who while they acknowledge the need for better relations across the Taiwan Strait, have questioned the speed with which Taiwan has sought rapprochement with China, saying it could jeopardize regional stability.
Maybe the government feels it is too early for protests. But it was Ma who made the 6-3-3 promise, who said: “We are ready,” and that as long as he was elected, “everything will improve immediately.”
Ma therefore has no reason to complain when people are disappointed. Fulfilling the 6-3-3 promise may be difficult, but this does not mean that people should accept a rapidly deteriorating economy.
Ma has no excuse for not fulfilling his election promises and disappointing those who believed in him. He should apologize and stop issuing promises and instead explain the economic situation, take care of the economically disadvantaged and clarify his views on the nation’s status and future direction. He should also explain what the diplomatic “truce” actually entails.
Saturday’s demonstration was a warning. If the situation doesn’t improve soon, the next protest could be even more forceful.
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