Even though President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) is to step down in less than a month, he still appears to be stuck in “la-la land,” feeling content with his governance and record with no sign he is aware of how Taiwanese really feel or mainstream public opinion.
Ma’s apparent delusional state is evidenced by his comments in a recent interview with the Straits Times from Singapore.
First, Ma urged Taiwanese not to think of the deportation of Taiwanese from Kenya to China as an issue of sovereignty. Even more shocking was that Ma, the man elected to assert this nation’s dignity and sovereignty, casually dismissed the deportations as “a problem stemming from division of labor.”
The Kenyan incident obviously hurt Taiwan’s sovereignty: Beijing breached human rights and the Cross-Strait Joint Crime-Fighting and Judicial Mutual Assistance Agreement (海峽兩岸共同打擊犯罪及司法互助協議) by forcibly removing Taiwanese from Kenya.
Many Taiwanese reacted with indignation to what amounts to extrajudicial abduction, yet Ma did not utter a single word of condemnation or protest in the interview, just a few words of regret.
He also maintained the fiction that Taiwanese support his China policies as he touted the fictitious “1992 consensus” as the crucial element to the cross-strait “status quo.”
Patting himself on the back, Ma said that it was because of his adherence to the so-called consensus that Taiwan was able to achieve its goal of representation at the WHO when it recived an invitation to the World Health Assembly (WHA) in 2009.
“There is no way the status quo can be maintained without the consensus,” Ma said — a statement many saw as a message to president-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) of the Democratic Progressive Party.
In response to a question about polls that show a growing number of Taiwanese are opposed to unification with China and how this might affect his successors’ adherence to the Constitution, Ma said the interviewer might “have some misunderstanding regarding Taiwan’s public opinion.”
Ma said that China’s reduced saber-rattling efforts ahead of elections in Taiwan was China “showing greater respect for a democratic society” and acting “in line with the expectations of a democratic society.”
Asked how the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) should reform itself amid growing Taiwanese identification, Ma said that independence was neither a viable nor a necessary road because the Republic of China has existed for 105 years, so there was no need to declare independence again.
The overall impression of the interview was Ma sticking to the lie of the “1992 consensus” while toeing Beijing’s line.
He remains blind to the fact that his examples of Beijing’s “goodwill” rest on condition that Taiwan’s government considers itself part of China, evident by the fact that Taiwan takes part in the WHA as “Chinese Taipei,” which to the rest of the world implies that Taiwan is under Beijing’s heel.
Beijing has never ceased its encroachment on Taiwan’s identity and international space, and the many conciliatory remarks and China-friendly policies from Ma and his administration over the past eight years have only served Beijing’s agenda and deepened the international community’s perception that Taiwan is part of China.
What good is this fraudulent cross-strait “peace” based on a fictional consensus when it is achieved only through the failure of the government to defend Taiwan’s dignity and sovereignty?
An obdurate Ma continues to claim his modus vivendi of not provoking China is the best way to ensure this nation’s interests.
Delusional to the end. It is a sad legacy to leave.
There is a modern roadway stretching from central Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland in the Horn of Africa, to the partially recognized state’s Egal International Airport. Emblazoned on a gold plaque marking the road’s inauguration in July last year, just below the flags of Somaliland and the Republic of China (ROC), is the road’s official name: “Taiwan Avenue.” The first phase of construction of the upgraded road, with new sidewalks and a modern drainage system to reduce flooding, was 70 percent funded by Taipei, which contributed US$1.85 million. That is a relatively modest sum for the effect on international perception, and
When former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) first took office in 2016, she set ambitious goals for remaking the energy mix in Taiwan. At the core of this effort was a significant expansion of the percentage of renewable energy generated to keep pace with growing domestic and global demands to reduce emissions. This effort met with broad bipartisan support as all three major parties placed expanding renewable energy at the center of their energy platforms. However, over the past several years partisanship has become a major headwind in realizing a set of energy goals that all three parties profess to want. Tsai
At the end of last year, a diplomatic development with consequences reaching well beyond the regional level emerged. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as a sovereign state, paving the way for political, economic and strategic cooperation with the African nation. The diplomatic breakthrough yields, above all, substantial and tangible benefits for the two countries, enhancing Somaliland’s international posture, with a state prepared to champion its bid for broader legitimacy. With Israel’s support, Somaliland might also benefit from the expertise of Israeli companies in fields such as mineral exploration and water management, as underscored by Israeli Minister of
An elderly mother and her daughter were found dead in Kaohsiung after having not been seen for several days, discovered only when a foul odor began to spread and drew neighbors’ attention. There have been many similar cases, but it is particularly troubling that some of the victims were excluded from the social welfare safety net because they did not meet eligibility criteria. According to media reports, the middle-aged daughter had sought help from the local borough warden. Although the warden did step in, many services were unavailable without out-of-pocket payments due to issues with eligibility, leaving the warden’s hands
RSS