When looking at President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) main policies, it is quite easy to feel that he has a multiple-personality disorder. Ma calls for a diplomatic truce and the improvement of cross-strait relations on the one hand, and on the other he talks about ending war but not fearing war, and preparing for war but not asking for it, as if Taiwan would not step back from a war with China.
During a visit to Taiwan’s outlying islands a few days ago, Ma said the improvements in cross-strait relations his policies have brought about should not affect the military’s preparedness for war because Taiwan needs that strength as a backup. He said Taiwan cannot relax its efforts to build its army and prepare for war, as this is the only way the government can defend the public’s interests and national dignity and sovereignty when engaging in discussions with China. He also said basic military procurement must continue and that Taiwan should acquire the weapons it needs.
In a speech on Armed Forces Day, Ma said the government’s efforts to improve cross-strait relations already have brought hope for peace. He said that we must not forget that China has more than 1,000 missiles aimed at Taiwan.
Ma has made it sound as if he has no plans to rest in terms of national defense, despite his diplomatic truce and the attempt to improve cross-strait relations. He has called for strengthening the military and preparing for war, but has also placed cross-strait relations ahead of diplomatic policies, recognized the so-called “1992 consensus” and announced that the relationship that exists between Taiwan and China is not a state-to-state relationship. This is tantamount to saying that Taiwan is part of China or, in other words, the “Taiwan Area of China.”
These moves must have confused the armed forces and they must feel like they have no idea what they are fighting for or who they are supposed to be protecting.
The Constitution says the military must be loyal and serve the nation. However, it is questionable if the armed forces even know which “country” Ma is talking about when he refers to “our country.” Could he mean the “enemy” country on the other side of the Taiwan Strait?
Remember how the Ministry of National Defense changed the words in the Youth Daily News from “Fight for the survival and development of Taiwan” to “Fight for the survival and development of the Republic of China” after Ma was elected?
In fact, although Ma emphasized that the Republic of China (ROC) is a sovereign nation during his campaign, since taking office he has worked hard at dismantling that sovereignty and diminishing Taiwan’s status into that of a “Taiwan Area” within the “one China” framework. He is even willing to be referred to as “Mr Ma” when dealing with Chinese officials. Now that the ROC’s president is content at being referred to as “Mr Ma from the Taiwan Area of China,” isn’t it time that our armed forces, which are supposed to “fight for the survival and development of the Republic of China,” stepped forward and declare war on Ma?
A little bit of Taiwan’s national sovereignty slips through Ma’s fingers every day. He has said “Chinese Taipei” is the most suitable name to use when applying for UN membership and talked about how “Taiwan and China belong to the same China.” He has also said that relations between China and Taiwan are “special,” but are not state-to-state relations.
Ma’s promise to “protect the nation” when he was sworn in as president has turned out to be as hollow and as much of a joke as his “6-3-3” economic policy and his big talk about how the stock market would hit 20,000 points if he was elected.
National sovereignty, regardless of whether we call the nation Taiwan or the ROC, is now merely a sacrificial object that Ma uses in his dealings with China.
Ma’s dismantling of Taiwan’s sovereignty has been strongly opposed by those who hold that Taiwan is a sovereign and independent nation. However, those who are in favor of protecting the ROC should also unite to oust Ma.
People such as former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Lien Chan (連戰), People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) and KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) have spoken about protecting the ROC while on Taiwanese soil but lacked the guts to defend Taiwan when visiting China. At least those incidents happened in China.
Ma, however, shamelessly denigrates his nation on Taiwanese soil and even to the foreign guests he meets at the Presidential Office. What an irony to hear Ma shout slogans like “Long live the ROC” on Taiwan’s National Day.
With Ma failing to deliver on his “6-3-3” promise, the economy has taken a dramatic turn for the worse. Ma should take responsibility for this.
More important than the economy, though, are the moves he is making to rob Taiwan of its sovereignty.
Faced with such a crisis, everyone — regardless of whether they support “Taiwan” or the “ROC” — should step forward and stop Ma from conspiring with Beijing to make this country a part of China. If we give up national power, we can stop discussing the broken “6-3-3” promise, since one day we may wake up without even the most basic democracy, freedom or human rights.
Translated by Drew Cameron
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