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.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) on Tuesday returned from her visit to the US, where she had met with several US senators and representatives, think tanks, and overseas Taiwanese and Chinese communities, espousing her vision of promoting cross-strait dialogue as a way to evade war. On Monday last week, she sat down with US academic Orville Schell and Asia Society Policy Institute distinguished fellow Daniel Russel. Russel is a seasoned diplomat who has served in positions related to East Asian and Indo-Pacific affairs. At the conclusion of the discussion, Russel employed his considerable diplomatic experience and knowledge
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