Tue, Dec 24, 2002 page9

• Jingle bells ring for Jiang Zemin

  Christmas and the New Year gives us pause to reflect on the past and learn from its lessons, so as to formulate brave new plans for the future

  • By Lee Chang-Kuei 李長貴
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  Dear Mr. Jiang, merry Christmas and happy New Year.

  Christmas bells are being tolled all over the world in celebration of peace and Christmas. Good tidings have spread to each corner of the world since the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago. God's promise that "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests," (Lk 2:14) has come true for much of the world after people embraced the good tidings about the Lord's birth with open arms and the baptism of Christianity.

  

  ILLUSTATION: MOUNTAIN PEOPLE

  On Dec. 25 every year, in all the advanced countries of the world that celebrate Christmas, the streets overflow with a sense of joy and a festive mood. Increasing numbers of people in the world have learned the true meaning of happiness, serenity and peace because they have embraced the good tidings of Christmas. Joyful hearts have inspired meaningful lives. This in turn has become the foundation and the momentum for these Western democratic countries' productivity and competitiveness, bringing social development and prosperity.

  Mr. Jiang, happy New Year. After Christmas, there is New Year. New Year brings new hopes, new ideals, new directions and new opportunities. This means that, with happy hearts, we -- both China and Taiwan -- should discard old thinking, old ways of doing things and our old selves, so as to build a brave new world. This way, China's efforts to modernize will not be obstructed by old ideologies and obstacles. Our ancestors told us that, "Spring is the best time to plan ahead for the year (一年之計在於春)." It is time that the China and Taiwan leave behind all the sadness and grudges built up as a result of more than 50 years of unpleasant cross-strait interactions. It is time for the two sides to devote more efforts toward acceptance and embrace the reality that "one country [exists] on each side" of the Taiwan Strait. The people on both sides hope that their lives will improve day by day and year by year. They all hope that the societies in which they live will become more energetic, more democratic, more liberal and better developed, so that all the generations to come can joyfully live in a democratic society. Do not compel Chinese and Taiwanese people to emigrate and seek paradise in the US, Australia and New Zealand. As a result of past unpleasantness across the Taiwan Strait, nearly 1 million people have drifted from Taiwan to seek their fortunes elsewhere. Many youngsters in China also look for ways to leave the country. Some seek political asylum abroad, while others have died trying to sneak into the US. If these people have good reasons to stay at home, both Taiwan and China will have much to gain. Moreover, our respective foreign relations will cease to be the subject of ridicule, as if they were things bought with money.

  Sun Yat-sen (孫中山) told us in the last century that China must pursue the ideal of "universal brotherhood (世界大同)." Unfortunately, interactions between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait couldn't be further away from that ideal and this is something that disappoints other countries. Foreigners see China as intending to compete with the US for world leadership through diplomacy. In contrast, they see US foreign policy as seeking to export democracy, human rights and maintaining world peace. Chinese endeavors to obtain the throne of the world through political struggles have incited suspicion and resentment in neighboring countries such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia.

  Mr. Jiang, merry Christmas and happy New Year. We see Western democratic countries promoting world peace and helping poorer countries through the good offices of the UN. The hard work of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in this regard has won him a Nobel Peace Prize. We sincerely hope that next year you can become a helmsman for world peace and the world will come to respect the "Great PRC" as a defender of world peace and happiness.

  I want to congratulate you on China's participation in the various international organizations. The WTO is the counterpart of the UN in world economic affairs. Its role is to enforce win-win, fair, rational and positive international trade relations and trade mechanisms, so that powerful countries do not walk over smaller ones, and smaller countries do not take advantage of more powerful countries. Last year, both of our countries entered the WTO, but immediately became the butt of jokes at WTO negotiations. We did not comply with WTO rules. Moreover, we should give up the outdated capitalistic belief that "doing business is like fighting a battle (商場如戰場)." Instead, we should learn to do business, earn reasonable profits and do the right thing based on good faith and goodwill. Try to care for each other, help each other and encourage each other. Do not make complaints against the WTO. We are all civilized countries, so do not behave in a way that would give others an incorrect impression about us. The way interactions have been conducted on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait has shamed us in front of the world. Such behavior does not truthfully reflect noble Chinese traditions, right?

  Your No. 2 man Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) has been named successor to your throne. The world is observing closely, with some anxiety and skepticism. Does Hu have sufficient experience to do the job and at the same time maintain stability within China? But then, of course, you will still be the chairman of the Military Commission and remain the big boss running the show behind the curtain. Only under your direction and supervision can Hu bring peace, prosperity and happiness to 1.3 billion Chinese.

  Before Chinese people can truly enjoy life in a good political and cultural environment, they must first cultivate an understanding, longing and appreciation for democracy. But, it is truly a difficult task to change the people's mentality. To help China democratize, the US has encouraged the industrialized countries of the world to invest in the west coast of China, turning it into the largest manufacturing base in the the world. These democratic and industrialized countries, Taiwan included, have helped China leave behind poverty and have provided the needed skills and management experience for the economic development of China. These countries believe that a natural consequence of economic affluence is a desire on the part of the people for political reforms and social peace. Do not misinterpret the good intentions of other countries in this regard. Unfortunately, this misinterpretation is clearly seen in the amendment of the Chinese Communist Party's charter, to incorporate your "Three Represents."

  Mr. Jiang, merry Christmas and happy New Year. Only if you change the militant thinking and nature of the Red Army toward the direction of "universal brotherhood" can there be peace at last. This is also the only way for the Red Army to shed off its frightening image and become the "Salvation Army," a keeper of world peace. If you can accomplish the impossible, you will surely become a major contender for the Nobel Peace Prize.

  All the industrialized countries of the world, including Taiwan, have been playing at being Santa Claus for China since the 1990's, sending extremely expensive and invaluable gifts in the form of capital, technologies and management know-how. Please make good use of these gifts. Use them to help save China from poverty and help educate Chinese people about democracy. You hold the supreme power in China. Only you can do it.

  Mr. Jiang, merry Christmas and happy New Year. After more than 50 years of mud-slinging and "saliva wars" across the Taiwan Strait, the world has come to associate Chinese with "foul mouths." In recent years, you have also deployed more than 400 missiles in an effort to make Taiwan succumb to the "one country, two systems" type of colonization. Your ruthlessness has long provoked the resentment of Taiwanese. Both the US and Europe are protesting and demanding the removal of the missiles. The leaders on either sides of the Taiwan Strait are smart people. Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) proposed a pragmatic solution -- "one country on each side," meaning the PRC and ROC, exist on the two sides. This is a solution that most countries of the world find reasonable and satisfactory. Yet, China won't have it. If you are so unhappy with what we propose, then why not sit down to negotiate with us? Taiwan would be more than happy to talk with you. Why do you keep putting off talks? The Americans are wise. They encourage the two sides of the Taiwan Strait to peacefully resolve their differences. China and Taiwan should calmly sit down to communicate and negotiate. That would be the smart thing to do, wouldn't it?

  Mr. Jiang, merry Christmas and happy New Year. Before China can become fully modernized, it must first take off its Leninist suits. Chinese officials, businessmen and teachers should dress in Western suits, which would help show how up-to-date they are. Participate in the most joyful and celebration of the world -- the Christmas festivities -- to learn more about the true meaning of "universal brotherhood" and "world peace."

  Mr. Jiang, merry Christmas and happy New Year. Your forefathers and ours have lived in Taiwan for more than 10 generations. Our great-great-great grandfathers came over from Xiamen to Taiwan to work side by side with the Aborigines. Together, we built temples to worship the God of Earth, whom we depended on to watch over our health, ensure that our livestock multiplied and that we had good harvests from the land. This is the way we have been living in this land for hundreds of years. Taiwan or "Formosa" has long been a home to generations of ancestors before us. We have long developed a deep and unbreakable bond with the land. With its beautiful, island environment as a backdrop, Taiwanese have developed a uniquely Taiwanese spirit and culture. After the KMT regime was driven out by the Red Army, it established a democratic country in Taiwan. Seven years ago, the then president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) materialized the ideal of "power by the people" through popular presidential elections. Both "old" and "new" Taiwanese can now elect our own president and lawmakers, making the "ROC on Taiwan" a model democracy. Please do not destroy all that we have built on this land over the past hundreds of years and the past 50 years under the KMT regime.

  Lastly, Mr. Jiang, merry Christmas and happy New Year. Let the two sibling countries across the Taiwan Strait -- Taiwan and China -- work together hand in hand for a better Taiwan and a better China. Finally, I wish you all the best.

  Lee Chang-kuei (李長貴) is the president of the Taipei Times and a professor emeritus of National Taiwan University.
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