Media said that several pan-blue figures — among them former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱), former KMT legislator Lee De-wei (李德維), former KMT Central Committee member Vincent Hsu (徐正文), New Party Chairman Wu Cheng-tien (吳成典), former New Party legislator Chou chuan (周荃) and New Party Deputy Secretary-General You Chih-pin (游智彬) — yesterday attended the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
China’s Xinhua news agency reported that foreign leaders were present alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), such as Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Myanmar’s junta chief Min Aung Hlaing.
Birds of a feather flock together. All throughout the world — regardless of nationality or ethnicity — the only people willing to attend a military parade with Xi are dictators. Yet these Taiwanese pan-blue figures also chose to stand alongside a dictator.
According to the historical perspective long upheld by the KMT, the victory in the war of resistance against Japan was achieved by the Nationalist government and military, led by Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石). Not only was the CCP not the main force that resisted the Japanese invasion, it often hindered the KMT. Then-CCP leader Mao Zedong’s (毛澤東) “7-2-1 strategy” — placing 70 percent of the focus on developing strength, 20 percent on government and 10 percent on resisting Japan — perfectly summarizes the party’s strategic intentions at the time.
These pan-blue political figures might worship Chiang’s spirit tablet at home and love paying respects at his mausoleum during elections to boost their visibility, but the moment the CCP calls, they change their tune. Such behavior can only be described as extreme opportunism.
The CCP has not ruled out the possibility of using military force against Taiwan. In recent years, it has continued to pressure Taiwan — circling it with military aircraft and naval vessels, and conducting military drills. The troops, strategic weapons and equipment showcased in Beijing are all tools the CCP use to intimidate Taiwanese. If these political figures still insisted on participating under such circumstances, can they be considered true Taiwanese?
Huang Wei-ping works in public service.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
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