Wed, Jul 19, 2017 page8

• [ LETTER ]

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  It is good to be in Taiwan

  Thirty years ago martial law and the White Terror ended in Taiwan. Martial law began after the 228 Incident, while Taiwan was still a poor country. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) began a crackdown on dissent that killed thousands of civilians.

  For 38 years Taiwan was ruled by the KMT and there was very little political freedom and very limited freedom of speech. The KMT put people in jail for speaking out against them. People were disappeared, tortured and killed.

  During that time Taiwan also grew economically, was no longer a poor country and began its current healthcare system. Martial law was lifted in 1987. Taiwan later had its first free and fair democratic elections with multiple political parties. Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) was elected president. He said that Taiwan and China had “special state-to-state” relations. China did not invade.

  In 2000, Taiwan elected its first president who was not a member of the KMT: Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁). Chen was formerly a political prisoner thanks to the KMT. Chen was the first Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) president. The DPP supports an independent Taiwan. China did not invade.

  Last year, Taiwan elected its second DPP president and first female president, Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文). Today there is almost no street crime in Taiwan. There is almost no gun violence in Taiwan. And China has still not invaded.

  Taiwanese are free. They are even free to speak out against the government. Sometimes the independence supporters can be seen in Ximending directly across the street from the reunificationists. The independence supporters raise their banners and the green Taiwan flag. The reunificationists raise the People’s Republic of China (PRC) flag along with the Republic of China flag.

  Here in Taiwan we have the right to waive the PRC flag. We have the right to protest against the government. But in China, protesting against the government will get you disappeared, tortured or killed, or two of those or all of those.

  Ironically, the reunificationists have more freedom in Taiwan than in China, which they support. China is still living through its own White Terror and martial law. Taiwan is the China that could have been. Taiwan is the first and only Chinese-language democracy.

  Yes, an independent Taiwan is not recognized by the international community, but Taiwan is a better place to live in than China. Yes, it is more expensive here than in Vietnam or the Philippines, where possession of illegal drugs can be a death sentence, but there is less street crime here. Yes, Japan and South Korea have bigger economies, but they also have higher rates of alcoholism and suicide.

  Yes, politics can become violent. Politicians physically attacking each other is unacceptable and uncivilized. It makes Taiwan look like a poor country with a corrupt government when in fact Taiwan is not poor and the government is quite stable. The economy and everyday life of Taiwanese are quite stable.

  Taiwan is stable. Taiwan has its own military. Taiwan has its own government that is democratically elected in free and fair elections with multiple parties participating. The people of Taiwan have a distinct identity. It is good to be in Taiwan.

  Name withheld
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