Since he came to office in May last year, President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) pro-China policies have become so transparent that a US-based satirical magazine was prompted to compare cross-strait relations to courtship, with Ma “wooing China.”
It would be unfair, however, to look down at the magazine for making a political analogy so absurd as to belittle Taiwan, for in his words and deeds over the past year-and-a-half, Ma has encouraged this very image, especially for those looking in from the outside.
Not only has Ma openly — and repeatedly — praised his Chinese counterpart, President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤), but he has also credited Beijing for the most absurd ephemera, such as allowing him to open the Kaohsiung World Games.
Undeterred by reality, Ma has gone as far as saying that he hoped the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would one day nurture “its own Hu Jintao.”
Apparently interpreting the magazine’s sarcasm in labeling him one of the “gutsiest” world leaders as flattery, Ma took his “China wooing” even further on Monday.
In a speech at a memorial service for the victims of Typhoon Morakot, “gutsy” Ma went beyond expressing gratitude to the many volunteers, soldiers and foreign governments for their hard work and donations during relief operations by making sure that a certain country received extra praise.
“The Mainland authorities’ and Chinese compatriots’ zealous contributions have so far amounted to donations that exceed NT$5 billion [US$152.9 million], the single-largest donation [Taiwan has received] from overseas,” Ma said.
“This shows that blood is thicker than water among the people across the Taiwan Strait. I hope people across the Taiwan Strait will continue to learn from each other and share experiences in disaster relief and reconstruction work.”
If a donation of NT$5 billion from the world’s third-largest economy can earn China such praise, what about the generosity shown by Tuvalu, Taiwan’s diplomatic ally? Despite the poor state of its economy, the small South Pacific nation donated 1 percent of its GDP, or about US$210,000, to help Taiwan with relief work. To put things in perspective, 1 percent of China’s GDP would represent US$79 billion.
Was Tuvalu’s generosity not worthy of special mention by the president?
If, by Ma’s logic, Beijing’s donations were proof that “blood is thicker than water,” this still cannot explain the 1,500 or so missiles that China continues to aim at Taiwan, nor the new weapons systems that it is acquiring and developing that one day could be used against this nation and its people.
Here we have a president who showers Beijing with compliments greatly disproportionate to the so-called “goodwill” it has shown, while downplaying the threat that China continues to represent to our security and way of life.
If only Ma were an exception in his administration.
Sadly, others, such as Straits Exchange Foundation Chairman Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤), have engaged in similar doublespeak, with comments such as “Taiwan owes China a debt of gratitude” because of its donations in the wake of Morakot.
Taiwanese only have themselves to blame if foreign media make fun of a small nation whose leaders bend over backwards to create an illusion of peace in the Taiwan Strait.
Taiwan aims to elevate its strategic position in supply chains by becoming an artificial intelligence (AI) hub for Nvidia Corp, providing everything from advanced chips and components to servers, in an attempt to edge out its closest rival in the region, South Korea. Taiwan’s importance in the AI ecosystem was clearly reflected in three major announcements Nvidia made during this year’s Computex trade show in Taipei. First, the US company’s number of partners in Taiwan would surge to 122 this year, from 34 last year, according to a slide shown during CEO Jensen Huang’s (黃仁勳) keynote speech on Monday last week.
When China passed its “Anti-Secession” Law in 2005, much of the democratic world saw it as yet another sign of Beijing’s authoritarianism, its contempt for international law and its aggressive posture toward Taiwan. Rightly so — on the surface. However, this move, often dismissed as a uniquely Chinese form of legal intimidation, echoes a legal and historical precedent rooted not in authoritarian tradition, but in US constitutional history. The Chinese “Anti-Secession” Law, a domestic statute threatening the use of force should Taiwan formally declare independence, is widely interpreted as an emblem of the Chinese Communist Party’s disregard for international norms. Critics
Birth, aging, illness and death are inevitable parts of the human experience. Yet, living well does not necessarily mean dying well. For those who have a chronic illness or cancer, or are bedridden due to significant injuries or disabilities, the remainder of life can be a torment for themselves and a hardship for their caregivers. Even if they wish to end their life with dignity, they are not allowed to do so. Bih Liu-ing (畢柳鶯), former superintendent of Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, introduced the practice of Voluntary Stopping of Eating and Drinking as an alternative to assisted dying, which remains
President William Lai (賴清德) has rightly identified the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as a hostile force; and yet, Taiwan’s response to domestic figures amplifying CCP propaganda remains largely insufficient. The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) recently confirmed that more than 20 Taiwanese entertainers, including high-profile figures such as Ouyang Nana (歐陽娜娜), are under investigation for reposting comments and images supporting People’s Liberation Army (PLA) drills and parroting Beijing’s unification messaging. If found in contravention of the law, they may be fined between NT$100,000 and NT$500,000. That is not a deterrent. It is a symbolic tax on betrayal — perhaps even a way for