Taiwan wants to participate in the World Health Assembly (WHA) meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, that begins on May 22, but China has made it clear that it would not extend an invitation to Taiwan unless the nation were to acknowledge the so-called “1992 consensus.”
Taiwanese, just like other people around the world, not only need access to the WHO, but also justice and fair treatment. How can Taiwan convince other countries to treat it that way?
To be resourceful, one must be brave. Do not seek material wealth, but rather wealth of the mind. Without courage, it is not possible to overcome problems.
The Jewish people wandered from place to place for thousands of years until, in 1948, they re-established a nation bordering the Dead Sea, despite pressure from neighboring countries.
Today, 69 years after Israel was founded, it has a population of 8.43 million people. Although it is a small nation, it has always stood its ground when dealing with bigger countries, making it clear that it must be treated as an ally, not a bargaining chip.
That the nation has continued to exist for so long can only be because of the great courage of its people.
Everything we have today we have as a result of the efforts of people in the past. What is most lacking in Taiwanese society is courage and people who keep their promises. We must understand the importance of finding the courage within ourselves to make promises and to keep the promises we make.
Courage comes from hope. Hope motivates action. During World War II, the Russian song Katyusha told the story of a woman longing for her lover’s return from war. People’s hope of reunion with their loved ones kept them strong, and the BM-13 Katyusha rocket launcher was named after the song.
US writer Helen Keller said: “No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit.”
The emergence of a new concept often heralds the birth of a new era. How a society defines, understands and uses new things and how much it values them is often an indication of how advanced it is.
The nature of languages is to enable communication. As languages go through changes in form and meaning, do they enable people to promote change in a more balanced manner?
We must first crush falsehoods and pretense: The best strategy for Taiwan would be to reveal the truth and allow the general public to become the true masters of the nation instead of slaves to lies and deceit. All Taiwan has to do is stick to the truth and then implement this approach using scientific methods, high-tech tools and systematic action.
Taiwan needs an overall strategy not only because of sudden changes in the environment, but also because of the constant international disputes and the treacherous situation in the Taiwan Strait. Generational and ethnic conflict abound within Taiwan, so the nation needs an overall strategy to help it survive.
The Bible says, “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17). What is needed to turn Taiwan around is action and hope and it is time that everyone started thinking about how to contribute.
Wu Chin-sheng is a director of the Northern Taiwan Society and publisher of Brain Magazine.
Translated by Tu Yu-an
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