The most astounding reconciliation between long-time foes since the end of the Cold War may very well have taken place on Thursday at the Arab summit in Lebanon. Iraq publicly promised to respect the independence and sovereignty of Kuwait and to refrain from repeating its 1990 invasion of its smaller neighbor. If archenemies such as Iraq and Kuwait are able to mend ties, is there hope for China and Taiwan?
Many people remain skeptical of Iraq's sincerity, and rightly so. But Thursday's declaration was at least a start. Moreover, the Iraq-Kuwait example demonstrates that a promise by the aggressor to refrain from using force is the first step needed to kick off a reconciliation. It was a strong reminder that the main obstacle to improved cross-strait relations, no matter what Beijing thinks, is not pro-independence groups but China's refusal to renounce the threat to take Taiwan by force.
The main reason for Iraq's sudden willingness to act friendly, of course, is the looming threat of US military action against Saddam Hussein. The US has shown no reluctance about openly earmarking Iraq as the next target of its anti-terrorism campaign, giving it prominence on US President George W. Bush's enemies list -- the "axis of evil." International pressure on Baghdad, in particular from Arab states, has also been growing.
China is certainly as qualified as Iraq for inclusion in Bush's "evil axis." It is just as guilty of the accusations against Iraq, North Korea and Iran -- developing nuclear, chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction, helping terrorist groups obtain such weapons and threatening world peace.
Unfortunately for Taiwan, the level of US and international pressure on Beijing to clean up its act remains limited. Not only are threats of trade sanctions against China absent, but companies from around the world are rushing to invest in China. The US has also requested Beijing's help with Washington's war on terror.
The US also shows no sign of being willing to renounce the now-clearly outdated three US-Sino communiques. Key to all three communiques is Washington's hands-off policy with respect to the Taiwan issue, since people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China. However, as Vice President Annette Lu (
At the time of the signing of the first communique in Shanghai 30 years ago, the KMT's authoritarian rule over Taiwan was at its height. The people of Taiwan had no opportunity to express or even develop any "Taiwan consciousness." This is no longer the case.
The three US-Sino communiques are a violation of the right of the people of Taiwan to self-determination. Only when the US has the moral courage to admit that the communiques are not just outdated, but harmful to Taiwan -- and when the international community is willing to also acknowledge that -- will enough pressure be brought to bear on China. Only then will there be the hope that Beijing will finally renounces its self-proclaimed right to use force against Taiwan. Only then will the people of Taiwan truly be able to breathe freely.
In an article published in Newsweek on Monday last week, President William Lai (賴清德) challenged China to retake territories it lost to Russia in the 19th century rather than invade Taiwan. “If it is really for the sake of territorial integrity, why doesn’t China take back Russia?” Lai asked, referring to territories lost in 1858 and 1860. The territories once made up the two flanks of northern Manchuria. Once ceded to Russia, they became part of the Russian far east. Claims since then have been made that China and Russia settled the disputes in the 1990s through the 2000s and that “China
China has successfully held its Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, with 53 of 55 countries from the African Union (AU) participating. The two countries that did not participate were Eswatini and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, which have no diplomatic relations with China. Twenty-four leaders were reported to have participated. Despite African countries complaining about summit fatigue, with recent summits held with Russia, Italy, South Korea, the US and Indonesia, as well as Japan next month, they still turned up in large numbers in Beijing. China’s ability to attract most of the African leaders to a summit demonstrates that it is still being
Trips to the Kenting Peninsula in Pingtung County have dredged up a lot of public debate and furor, with many complaints about how expensive and unreasonable lodging is. Some people even call it a tourist “butchering ground.” Many local business owners stake claims to beach areas by setting up parasols and driving away people who do not rent them. The managing authority for the area — Kenting National Park — has long ignored the issue. Ultimately, this has affected the willingness of domestic travelers to go there, causing tourist numbers to plummet. In 2008, Taiwan opened the door to Chinese tourists and in
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) on Thursday was handcuffed and escorted by police to the Taipei Detention Center, after the Taipei District Court ordered that he be detained and held incommunicado for suspected corruption during his tenure as Taipei mayor. The ruling reversed an earlier decision by the same court on Monday last week that ordered Ko’s release without bail. That decision was appealed by prosecutors on Wednesday, leading the High Court to conclude that Ko had been “actively involved” in the alleged corruption and it ordered the district court to hold a second detention hearing. Video clips
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