Taiwanese free to choose
As human beings we are making decisions every moment of every day. Most of the time we voluntarily make our own decisions for our best interests and benefits based upon the best choice. Still, a lot of the time we are forced to make decisions or take action under the unacceptable conditions of poor choice. Of course, people always like to have the choice to make the most appropriate decision at the right time. The question is how to define the best choice.
On Jan. 16 next year the Taiwanese public will have a big decision to make about their new political leader and legislators. There is Democratic Progressive Party Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁), Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) and Jennifer Wang (王如玄) and People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) and Hsu Hsin-ying (徐欣瑩) as presidential candidates and running mates. The next president chosen will decisively disclose the choice of Taiwan’s future. Who to choose? Let us examine them one by one before casting our ballots.
Eric Chu tells us that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China, and his campaign slogan is “one Taiwan.” Does one Taiwan conflict with “one China”? Not really to Chu, because one Taiwan is nothing but an empty slogan he uses to deceive the Taiwanese to win their ballots. Chu criticized former KMT candidate Hung Hsiu-chu’s (洪秀柱) campaign strategy of “one China, same interpretation,” but holds that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China. Chu lied to his party members saying he would not run for president in the 2016 election and to New Taipei City residents saying he would “do his job well and complete his four-year tenure.” All his promises are nothing but lies. His one Taiwan policy is just hot air aimed at completely locking Taiwan into the “one China” framework to fulfil his dream of a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平).
Soong is a veteran of government with a prominent record. However, he is also a double talker, a fence-sitter and an opportunist. He originally signed up to visit China’s military parade marking the end of the second Sino-Japanese war, but PFP Secretary-General Chin Chin-sheng (秦金生) attended on his behalf. Just like Chu, Soong tried to kowtow to China on Taiwan’s behalf. They are abusing Taiwanese and are not Taiwan-centric politicians.
Tsai’s campaign policy is holding the “status quo.” President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), the political yesterday man, teasing her by asking “are you following in my footsteps and credit my cross-strait policy?” Obviously, Ma locks himself in the fantasy that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to “one China.” As the elected leader of 23 million Taiwanese, he is not even aware that Taiwan is not a part of China; no wonder he is known as a bumbler. What is Taiwan’s “status quo”? The US’ Taiwan policy always ties the three joint Sino-US communiques to the Taiwan Relations Act. As the elected president of Taiwan, Ma should really speak up for the autonomy of the nation he represents. Fortunately, Tsai insists on the “status quo” that Taiwan is not a part of China.
In about 50 more days Taiwanese will exercise their choice and elect the next president. It is a big decision to decide their future: to be a part of China or their own masters. Taiwan has suffered as a slave of foreign powers for more than 400 years. It is time that we stop being a scapegoat of superpowers. Please make sure you make the right decision and exercise the best choice for Taiwan this time.
John Hsieh
Hayward, California
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