In an interview with Bloomberg that was published on Oct. 19, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) made a series of blunt — some might say shocking — statements.
He said that “Taiwan must accept its status as a pawn in the great power game between the US and China.”
Never have truer words been spoken. Ko absolutely hit the nail on the head, issuing a warning that should hopefully arouse Taiwan from its stumped lethargy.
However, sometimes words that are left unspoken are just as important as what has been said.
Ko did not reflect on whether Taiwan, caught in the middle of a struggle between two larger powers, has an opportunity to turn the situation to its advantage.
Nor did he say what the choice would be when Taiwan is inevitably forced to choose between the US and China.
Ko could have asked the question: Should Taiwan sacrifice itself on the altar of democracy or make a pact with the devilish dictatorship in Beijing?
He said in remarks directed at US President Donald Trump that “Taiwan is just a product on a shelf.”
A sense of helplessness mixed with anguish rings out loud and clear in Ko’s words.
However, what he did not say was that if Taiwan were ever to choose China’s poisoned embrace over the US, all Taiwanese would instantly become students in a giant version of one of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) “re-education camps.”
Ko could also have said that Taiwan would be placed on Xi’s operating table, hooked up to a life support machine, its body scavenged for donor parts.
He might also have said that Taiwan’s future under Chinese rule would be akin to human cattle at one of Xi’s organ farms or the many civil rights activists trapped in the vortex of Xi’s “black prisons.”
When asked whether he thought Trump might sell Taiwan out, Ko said: “Of course.”
This is hardly a controversial statement.
“Might” is not the same as saying Taiwan will “certainly” or “definitely” be sold out by the Trump administration.
Of course, Trump might sell Taiwan out.
The question should be: If Washington were to do so, thereby ceding full control of the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait to Beijing, all foreign shipping could be forced to make a long detour, while the loss of Taiwan as an ally would open up the first island chain to China.
Since Trump is at heart a businessman, is it likely that he would allow such a scenario to happen by selling Taiwan out?
Could the government, unwilling to shoulder the risk of being sold out by the Trump administration — although the risk of this happening is extremely low — adopt Ko’s stance that both sides of the Taiwan Strait are “one family”?
The answer can be found by examining several cases of prominent Chinese businessmen and private individuals who have been dramatically cut down to size by their government — all of which have occurred this year alone.
First, on July 3, Wang Jian (王健), cochairman of Chinese conglomerate HNA Group Co, died in an accident in Provence, France. Before his untimely death, Wang owned 14.98 percent of HNA Group’s stock.
However, on his death, the entirety of his share holding in the company was “donated” to a Buddhist public welfare trust.
Next, Alibaba Group Holding cofounder Jack Ma (馬雲), whose personal wealth is valued at US$39 billion, on Oct. 1 “relinquished” his role as executive chairman of the company.
Then there is the case of Chinese actress Fan Bingbing (范冰冰) who “went missing” for 123 days following an investigation into tax evasion that centered around a so-called “yin-and-yang contract” — dual contracts, one of which states an actor’s real earnings and the other which claims a lower figure to be given to tax authorities.
However, after handing over 889 million yuan (US$127.7 million) to the government and issuing a groveling public apology, Fan managed to save herself.
Most recently, former Interpol president Meng Hongwei (孟宏偉), after returning to China at the end of last month, mysteriously “went missing.” His whereabouts are still unknown. That even the head of Interpol cannot protect himself from the strong arm of the Chinese state speaks volumes.
Every time Taiwan’s wealthy elite, who have previously endorsed Ko’s “one family” mantra, and prominent Taiwanese celebrities and artists — many of whom divide their time equally between Taiwan and China — read of such egregious abuses of power, the hairs on the back of their necks must stand on end.
Surely their liberty and lives are more precious than the extra coin they are making by fishing in China’s shark-infested waters? If this does not wake them from their slumber, what will?
Chang Kuo-tsai is a retired associate professor from National Hsinchu University of Education and a former deputy secretary-general of the Taiwan Association of University Professors.
Translated by Edward Jones
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