Following the plebiscites in Kurdistan and Catalonia, some Taiwanese are asking why they cannot do a similar thing, while others recoil on hearing the very words “independence referendum.” For them, the best situation would be to avoid war.
These two positions encapsulate Taiwan’s dilemma.
The need to avoid war illustrates the Taiwanese preoccupation that there is an enemy with designs on starting one. Although it might not be explicitly stated, everyone is fully aware that China is that enemy.
China has vast territory, a huge population and a formidable military. There is no way that Taiwan can compete on individual terms — that is an objective fact.
At the same time, China does nothing to hide its threat of military annexation. This being the case, Taiwan has no choice but to think about how it can best use the hand it has been dealt in this game of survival.
Taiwan has no intention to invade or wrest territory from others, or to kill, plunder or enslave. Taiwanese are not terrorists or arms peddlers seeking to incite war. If there is a choice between war and peace, there is no reason to choose the former.
Unfortunately, the cross-strait situation is constantly in flux and time is not on Taiwan’s side. Clearly, there is not really a choice between war or peace — Taiwanese have to decide whether to prepare for battle or surrender.
Is this not true? To avoid being labeled a troublemaker, Taiwanese are obliged to remain silent whenever China gets angry. When China scowls, Taiwan doffs its cap and lowers its head in compliance. When China extends the back of its hand, Taiwan presses its lips to it.
At every turn, it is: “Yes sir, no sir, three bags full, sir.”
When Beijing balks at the use of the name “the Republic of China” (ROC), Taiwanese call themselves “Chinese Taipei.” Beijing does not want to hear “ROC” — those who would shout “long live the ROC” in front of Chinese are told to keep their mouths shut, unable or afraid to speak of its existence.
Neither does Beijing want to see Taiwan’s national flag displayed in Taiwan — well before Chinese officials arrive, all ROC flags are removed.
What kind of peace is this? China is still not satisfied, no matter how apologetically accommodating Taiwanese are. Why not just surrender and be done with it?
China has pushed Taiwan to the edge of the crevasse; Taiwanese must either kneel and surrender or rise up and resist. This is the choice.
If China, like the US or Japan, had a political party system, respected human rights and emphasized freedom of expression, it might have something to offer Taiwan, which has already gone through several democratic transitions of power and gives everyone a voice.
All China offers is a totalitarian government that threatens to end all that Taiwanese hold dear, ban democratic elections, disregard human rights and suppress freedom of speech.
At the same time, Hong Kong has seen a regression of its democracy, liberty and human rights since its handover to communist China from British colonial rule. This is the same Hong Kong that Beijing holds up to Taiwan as an example of what could happen. Are Taiwanese expected to want to repeat that experience, or to be impelled to guard against it?
There are no victors in war. There were no winners or losers in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War or in Afghanistan; there have only been Pyrrhic victories and tragic losses. Is this not why China has long been mouthing off about solving the “Taiwan question” through military means, yet dragging its feet about actually starting a war?
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have been threatened by Russia for centuries and were annexed by the Soviet Union during World War II. Their attitude was that they would not actively seek war, but would fight if forced to. In the end, this led not to war, but to peace.
Should Taiwan not be inspired by this?
Chang Kuo-tsai is a retired associate professor at National Hsinchu University of Education and a former deputy secretary-general of the Taiwan Association of University Professors.
Translated by Paul Cooper
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