The ‘status quo’ is rocking
On Nov. 29, Taiwanese sent a very clear message to President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) that they distrust Ma and rejected the KMT’s leadership via a landslide vote in the nine-in-one elections that resulted in the KMT losing 9 out of 16 county and metropolitan level executive positions, with the party’s popularity dropping from 55 percent to 40 percent.
On Wednesday last week, Ma responded to the disapproval by saying that KMT reforms had not occurred fast enough to meet public expectations, which explained the election results. He apologized to supporters for the disappointment and then stepped down as KMT chairman after Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) and KMT Secretary-General Tseng Yung-Chun (曾永權) resigned.
Did Ma make this decision to focus on political reform? On one hand he resigned as chairman, but he then authorized the appointment of Wu Dun-yi (吳敦義) to succeed him and the appointment of Mao Chih-kuo (毛治國) to replace Jiang as premier.
The new chairman should be elected by the central committee, not appointed by an ousted chairman. Mao is Ma’s “yes-man.” Ma’s appointments not only disappointed the pan-blue camp, but also upset the pan-green camp.
Where does Ma’s loyalty really lie? Does he support the Republic of China (ROC)? If so, why did he not care how the People’s Republic of China (PRC) envoy greeted him as “you” instead of “president?” It seems he cares only about a summit meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). What a shame. Obviously Ma believes that Taiwan is part of the ROC and the ROC is part of China.
Independent Taipei mayor-elect Ko Wen-je said Taiwan is his main concern in cross-strait relations with China, labeling the latter a foreign nation. Ko’s campaign director Yao Liming (姚立明) agreed that Ko’s stance on Taiwan’s independence was very straightforward.
DPP Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) on Tuesday last week at Capitol Hill in Washington said the nine-in-one elections in Taiwan were not a referendum on Ma’s cross-strait policy, and should not be regarded as a failure for China. So, it sounds like the DPP agrees with and endorses Ma’s China policy.
So, what is Taiwan’s “status quo?”
US President Barack Obama said it is based upon the Three Joint Communiques and the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA).
To the US, the ROC is separate from Taiwan, which means Taiwan is not the ROC and the ROC is not Taiwan. Unfortunately, the KMT believes Taiwan is part of the ROC and the ROC is China. The DPP believes Taiwan is the ROC and the ROC is Taiwan.
Following the elections, Taiwanese have realized that they have a voice in deciding their future and that of the nation.
Over the past 400 years, Taiwanese have been treated as second-class citizens or slaves of a foreign government.
Now the “status quo is rocking.”
Are people waiting to be enslaved again and annexed by the PRC? Or are they willing to share their responsibility and be their own boss?
John Hsieh
Hayward, California
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