Unsubstantial photo ops
I am not surprised by your headline “Ma patches up spat with Philippines” (March 15, page 3) or the accompanying photo of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and Philippine envoy Manuel Roxas II smiling.
The Ma administration has again shown its lack of interest in asserting Taiwan’s independence and sovereignty. Unfortunately for those Taiwanese interested in strengthening national sovereignty, the Philippines’ deportation of 14 Taiwanese fraud suspects to China based on the Ma-endorsed “one China” policy happened too early. Ma still has a year until the next presidential election. Only then will he begin to voice his concern for Taiwan’s diplomatic isolation and increasing economic reliance on its most potent threat, the People’s Republic of China.
However, Ma will obfuscate, rather than examine and confront the fundamental problems of cross-strait relations that are premised on “one China” and the so-called “1992 consensus.”
In the article, Ma claims “the incident” had “nothing to do with sovereignty.” Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Yang (楊進添) has also said the Philippines’ explicit reference to its interpretation of “one China” “has unnecessarily touched upon a delicate area that should not be involved.” Ma and Yang equate non--confrontation to resolution. Both are delusional.
Taiwan does not necessarily lack the ability to pressure the Philippines’ government into apologizing. Instead, Ma lacks the judgment and will needed to defend Taiwan. His spineless leadership ensures there will be another occasion for “confusion” over the “one China” policy. The next nation to trample on Taiwan’s sovereignty will then dutifully send a “special envoy” to not apologize, wait until controversy wanes and then hold a photo op with Ma’s successor.
The next president of Taiwan needs to clarify that there is one China and one Taiwan. Both are sovereign, independent nations.
SOPHIA SOLIVIO
Northampton, Massachusetts
Tsai to make history
In US presidential history, the youngest president was Theodore Roosevelt, who became president at the age of 42 in 1901. In 1961, John F. Kennedy was the second-youngest at 43. Kennedy was also the first Catholic and first Irish American to be elected president. What would become even more historic was the election of Barack Obama. Until 2008, who would have thought US voters would elect an African-American president? It should also be pointed out that Obama defeated his Democratic senatorial colleague Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary elections. If he had not, Clinton may have become the first woman president of the US.
In Taiwan’s political history, there are a number of significant firsts. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was established in 1986, when martial law was still in effect. In 1988, a native-born Taiwanese accidentally became president. Then a 49-year-old DPP candidate was elected president in 2000 and re-elected in 2004.
Due to the prevailing -influence of authoritarian Confucian culture, Taiwan has been a male-dominated society. However, it is now not only possible, but highly likely, that Taiwan will have its first woman president for several reasons. First, Taiwan has been progressing socio-politically. Second, the DPP is not only democratic, but also progressive. It has more women in its leadership circle than the other major political party in Taiwan. More importantly, the DPP’s Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is by far the best qualified among the potential and declared candidates. In addition to her being highly educated, teaching at universities, proven administrative experience (including serving as vice premier) and the top leadership role in the DPP, she even served as the chair of a biotechnology firm for a year before she assumed the DPP leadership in May 2008.
History will be made when Tsai is nominated by the DPP and elected president by voters.
CHING-CHIH CHEN
San Marcos, California
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