An apology owed
The government cannot achieve anything with its demands for an apology and compensation for Taiwanese comfort women, who were forced into sexual service by Japan during World War II, unless Taiwanese speak the same language on the issue (“Japan agrees to ‘comfort women’ talks: minister,” Dec. 31, 2015, page 3).
We had a president who had said that the issue of Taiwanese comfort women was closed a long time ago. A prominent businessman, surnamed Hsu, had said that Taiwanese comfort women were all volunteers.
There are still many others in Taiwan who maintain a pro-Japan stance. There are people who, for one reason or another, eulogize what Japan did in Taiwan during its 50-year occupation — they would rather say “rule” — in terms of infrastructure, such as building railroads and opening irrigation canals.
One of my university classmates is among them. When I said one of the main reasons why Japan built railroads around Taiwan was to expedite the looting of the island’s natural resources to fuel Japan’s war efforts against its neighbors, my classmate was shocked.
Taiwan sent the largest amount of donations and aid to Japan after it was hit by a massive earthquake and a tsunami on March 11, 2011. However, when it came to negotiating and striking a deal with South Korea over the issue of comfort women, which concerns Taiwan as well, Japan ignored the needs and feelings of Taiwanese.
It is a humiliation for President Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) government, which boasts having maintained good relationships with Japan.
Many say that Taiwan is going to have a female president who promises to bring the nation out of the political and economic quagmire that it is in. I hope she puts the issue of Taiwanese comfort women on the top of her agenda when she takes office.
If she can wrestle an apology and compensation from the Japanese government in her first term, her name would live forever in Taiwan’s history books.
Perseverance is the key to success when negotiating, but building consensus is no less important. A house divided would never stand. Taiwanese first need to reach a consensus on this issue before making demands from Japan.
David Tzou
Taoyuan
Here we go again
Your editorial reminds me of late US president Ronald Reagan’s famous saying: “Here we go again” (“KMT desperate to keep ‘consensus,’” Dec. 30, 2015, page 8).
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Eric Chu (朱立倫) must be so desperate that he has to reiterate the so-called “1992 consensus” that actually damages his campaign. Chu told Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) that “both sides belong to one China,” which is against the will of most Taiwanese.
Voters cannot understand why Chu replaced Deputy Legislative Speaker Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱), who talked about “one China, same interpretation.” Chu and Hung are twins in their political thinking.
Joining Hung and Chu, Ma told Xi in Singapore that “the 1992 consensus is based on the ‘one China’ principle.”
What the KMT promotes is “the 1992 consensus of ‘one China.’” Chu’s “one Taiwan” is a cover-up for “one China.” The KMT’s policy of “one China, different interpretations” is nothing but false advertising.
Meanwhile, People First Party presidential candidate James Soong (宋楚瑜) uses Xi’s words that say, “both sides are as intimate as a family” in his campaign. He also uses the slogan “Let us find a way out together.”
When he announced that he was joining the presidential race, Soong defined it as “a non-political way out.” He repeatedly asked Taiwanese to “be pragmatic,” implying that they should accept any political offer from Beijing.
China has warned that cross-strait relations would undergo “complex changes” if the KMT loses the elections.
It is difficult to understand why China favors the party that Taiwanese do not trust. Beijing and the rest of the world should respect the choice of Taiwanese.
Charles Hong
Columbus, Ohio
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