China’s ambition to annex Taiwan and its military threats against the nation are nothing new. While the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government has identified its aggression as a menace, there is an event bigger peril facing Taiwan: Politicians and the public lack a thorough understanding of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) true nature.
As a result of a collective naivete toward the CCP, Taiwan lacks sufficient vigilance against Chinese hostility.
This is evident in calls for unification by some members of the public and ignorant remarks by opinion leaders, such as Hon Hai Group chairman Terry Gou’s (郭台銘) wishful thinking that “the nation could rely on peace for national defense.”
Those who call for unification fail to see the true nature of the CPP, which is authoritarian, does not respect human rights and has no tolerance for dissent.
Blinded by Beijing’s flowery rhetoric and economic enticements, they fail to see the CCP’s censorship of political opinions, freedom of speech, religious beliefs, news coverage, TV shows and even people’s appearance, such as dyed hair, piercings and tattoos — which are all detrimental to democratic values.
Taiwanese politicians are no exception. Following Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) speech on Jan. 2 that laid the groundwork for his so-called “five points,” Beijing made it clear that the “one country, two systems” framework is now the guiding principle in its policy toward Taiwan.
Despite this, many Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) politicians still hang on to the fictional “1992 consensus” by insisting that it is the “ bridge in ensuring cross-strait peace, prosperity and stability.”
The DPP appears just as feeble in its attitude against Chinese infiltration as it drags its feet in promulgating laws to bolster the nation’s defenses.
While the nation appears to be blinded to the truth, “outsiders” seem to see things more clearly and point at real threats facing Taiwan.
For example, the 2019 Index of US Military Strength published by US think tank the Heritage Foundation says that China has employed political methods called the “three warfares” — legal, public opinion and psychological — to undermine Taiwan’s will.
China’s goal is to “win without fighting,” to take Taiwan without firing a shot or with only minimal resistance before the US can organize an effective response, it says.
Following Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu’s (韓國瑜) visit to China’s liaison offices in Hong Kong and Macau last month, Hong Kong democracy advocates Joshua Wong (黃之鋒) and Nathan Law (羅冠聰) urged Taiwanese to take the territory’s experience with the “one country, two system” framework as a warning, and protect their freedom and rights.
However, as the saying goes: “It is better late than never.”
DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) on Sunday said that his caucus would work to have the draft amendments to counter China’s attempts to annex Taiwan and protect the nation’s democracy passed this legislative session.
Gou also appears to have come to his senses, saying on Sunday that he understands the importance of developing advanced technologies to boost the nation’s security.
Appearance and words can be deceiving — only when the public and government share a clear understanding of the CCP’s true autocratic nature can they grasp a real sense of the threat posed by China.
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) were born under the sign of Gemini. Geminis are known for their intelligence, creativity, adaptability and flexibility. It is unlikely, then, that the trade conflict between the US and China would escalate into a catastrophic collision. It is more probable that both sides would seek a way to de-escalate, paving the way for a Trump-Xi summit that allows the global economy some breathing room. Practically speaking, China and the US have vulnerabilities, and a prolonged trade war would be damaging for both. In the US, the electoral system means that public opinion
They did it again. For the whole world to see: an image of a Taiwan flag crushed by an industrial press, and the horrifying warning that “it’s closer than you think.” All with the seal of authenticity that only a reputable international media outlet can give. The Economist turned what looks like a pastiche of a poster for a grim horror movie into a truth everyone can digest, accept, and use to support exactly the opinion China wants you to have: It is over and done, Taiwan is doomed. Four years after inaccurately naming Taiwan the most dangerous place on
Wherever one looks, the United States is ceding ground to China. From foreign aid to foreign trade, and from reorganizations to organizational guidance, the Trump administration has embarked on a stunning effort to hobble itself in grappling with what his own secretary of state calls “the most potent and dangerous near-peer adversary this nation has ever confronted.” The problems start at the Department of State. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has asserted that “it’s not normal for the world to simply have a unipolar power” and that the world has returned to multipolarity, with “multi-great powers in different parts of the
On Wednesday, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) drew parallels between the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) under President William Lai (賴清德) now and the fascism of Germany under Adolf Hitler. The German Institute Taipei, Berlin’s de facto embassy in Taiwan, expressed on social media its “deep disappointment and concern” over the comments. “We must state unequivocally: Taiwan today is in no way comparable to the tyranny of National Socialism,” it said, referring to the Nazi Party. “We are disappointed and concerned to learn about the inappropriate comparison between the atrocities of the Nazi regime and the current political context
RSS