It is time for Taiwan to “reconcile with China,” former minister of culture Lung Ying-tai (龍應台) said in a New York Times op-ed this week, criticizing the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and President William Lai (賴清德) for antagonizing China and stirring fear among Taiwan’s public.
Titled “The Clock is Ticking for Taiwan” and published on Tuesday, Lung said in her article that with US President Donald Trump “casting aside democratic values and America’s friends, Taiwan must begin an immediate, serious national conversation about how to secure peace with China.”
Lai’s “provocative labeling of China as an enemy ... [is] threatening peace and the progress Taiwan has made in building an open, democratic society,” she said.
Photo: Taipei Times
Lung said that relations with China were the best under former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), when “reconciliation seemed possible.”
Lung served as Taiwan's first minister of culture from 2012-2014 under the KMT and is a prominent writer and cultural critic.
Since the DPP won the presidency in 2016, relations with China have “reverted to confrontation and fear,” she said.
“Fear breeds hatred and distrust,” she said, “to the point that even suggesting peace with China is dismissed in Taiwan’s political discourse as naïve, unpatriotic or — worse — as surrender and betrayal.”
Chinese-state media the Global Times published an article in response yesterday, echoing Lung’s criticism of Lai and the DPP.
The article said that while Lung misunderstood the nature of cross-strait relations, her criticism of Lai and the Taiwan independence movement resonate with the growing dissatisfaction in Taiwan.
Commenting on the articles, Taiwan’s representative to Germany Shieh Jhy-wei (謝志偉) said that Lung’s focus was not on reconciliation with China but rather blaming Lai for the current tensions in the Taiwan strait, which spreads false information to the international community.
“The provocations and disturbances come from China, not Taiwan,” Shieh said, claiming that Lung’s “anti-Taiwan stance has become so extreme.”
Lee Jung-shian (李忠憲), a professor at National Cheng Kung University, said “pandering to China is not peace, it is the illusion of kneeling down to survive.”
“Once you choose to be a slave, don't foolishly think you are qualified for peace,” Lee said.
Democracy is not the result of peace, but an extension of free will, he said, adding that only by living with dignity does peace have meaning.
Otherwise, it is a kind of “enslaved silence,” he said, a humble plea of “I will not resist, so please do not hit me.”
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
RSS