After China's enactment of its "Anti-Secession" Law last month resulted in a fierce response from Taiwan and other countries, Beijing launched another attack -- this time aimed at Taiwanese farmers.
In accordance with a directive issued by China's Premier Wen Jiabao (
Beijing will also select five Chinese cities to trade with Taiwan directly by establishing a so-called "green channel," with simplified customs processing that will reduce shipment time for produce to ensure its freshness.
Leaving aside Wen's gaffe in saying "Tainan" farmers when he meant "Southern Taiwan" farmers, the Taiwanese public recognizes China's "agricultural war" as yet another sinister move to achieve its political goals.
Through reports from China we have learned that five of the 10 products are star fruit, banana, mango, papaya and pineapple, and that they will receive express customs handling and preferential taxes. Strangely, Taiwanese agricultural experts say that the total value of Taiwan's annual fruit harvest is under NT$30 billion, so there is no need for China to spend so much buying up all of Taiwan's fruit. Unless, of course, the sum includes kickbacks for Chinese officials and commissions for Taiwanese middlemen. If we are talking about 30 billion yuan (US$3.6 billion), the sum is even more preposterous.
Experts say that the 10 fruits China is discussing all have a short storage life. As Taiwan's farmers will naturally wish to reduce losses incurred through extended shipping, it is evident that China's aim is to manipulate Taiwan's farmers to put pressure on the government to open up direct links. Analysts suspect that China is using this proposed purchase of fruit as another means of forcing the direct links into existence.
There is another factor at work. Last year Taiwan's agricultural produce exported to China was valued at just NT$9.3 billion. If Beijing now decides to use three times that amount to purchase 10 types of produce, farmers are bound to rapidly invest in new equipment to generate greater output and meet the increased demand. China would only have to call a stop to these purchases, and Taiwan's massive investment in new equipment would be lost overnight. Those who engage in eel, prawn and small abalone cultivation learned a painful lesson after Chinese government policy suddenly changed direction, halting imports of such products from Taiwan.
Even if China promises it will not suddenly pull out of agricultural markets, the pricing of this produce is likely to be manipulated by Beijing, given the amount it is purchasing. It is foreseeable that prices will gradually be forced down, leaving farmers without profit.
Political analysts in this country have pointed out that China is acting to assist the pan-blue camp by buying up votes in the traditionally green agricultural sector. If the government does not respond, then its support in southern Taiwan will eventually evaporate.
It seems likely that if China really does spend NT$30 billion a year through 2008 to purchase produce from southern Taiwan, that year's presidential election will certainly be won by a Beijing-supported blue camp candidate. To spend NT$90 billion to purchase a government friendly to Beijing does not seem an excessive price to pay.
We hope the nation's farmers and political leaders will not harbor any illusions about the real intent of Beijing's policy -- which is to sow division by pitting farmers against the government. If they can see through China's strategy, the nation will be able to defeat it.
The Chinese government on March 29 sent shock waves through the Tibetan Buddhist community by announcing the untimely death of one of its most revered spiritual figures, Hungkar Dorje Rinpoche. His sudden passing in Vietnam raised widespread suspicion and concern among his followers, who demanded an investigation. International human rights organization Human Rights Watch joined their call and urged a thorough investigation into his death, highlighting the potential involvement of the Chinese government. At just 56 years old, Rinpoche was influential not only as a spiritual leader, but also for his steadfast efforts to preserve and promote Tibetan identity and cultural
Former minister of culture Lung Ying-tai (龍應台) has long wielded influence through the power of words. Her articles once served as a moral compass for a society in transition. However, as her April 1 guest article in the New York Times, “The Clock Is Ticking for Taiwan,” makes all too clear, even celebrated prose can mislead when romanticism clouds political judgement. Lung crafts a narrative that is less an analysis of Taiwan’s geopolitical reality than an exercise in wistful nostalgia. As political scientists and international relations academics, we believe it is crucial to correct the misconceptions embedded in her article,
Strategic thinker Carl von Clausewitz has said that “war is politics by other means,” while investment guru Warren Buffett has said that “tariffs are an act of war.” Both aphorisms apply to China, which has long been engaged in a multifront political, economic and informational war against the US and the rest of the West. Kinetically also, China has launched the early stages of actual global conflict with its threats and aggressive moves against Taiwan, the Philippines and Japan, and its support for North Korea’s reckless actions against South Korea that could reignite the Korean War. Former US presidents Barack Obama
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), the leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), caused a national outrage and drew diplomatic condemnation on Tuesday after he arrived at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office dressed in a Nazi uniform. Sung performed a Nazi salute and carried a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf as he arrived to be questioned over allegations of signature forgery in the recall petition. The KMT’s response to the incident has shown a striking lack of contrition and decency. Rather than apologizing and distancing itself from Sung’s actions,
RSS