Archive for 2-28

“An Open Letter to Ma Ying-jeou,” from Subing (酥餅)

via Diogenes Hwang

3 Apr, 2008  Comments off


Subing (酥餅) wrote the following, quite amazing, “Open Letter to President Elect Ma”on Sunday, Mar. 23, 2008*:

Dear President Elect Ma,

First, I must admit that I’m not one of your supporters. Although you said on CNN, before being elected, that “Taiwan is a sovereign country”, you’ve also said previously that “the future of Taiwan is to be decided by the people of both sides of the Strait.” In the past you also issued press release saying that Taiwanese should not carry [ROC] flags in support of Taiwan. So, I’m full of doubt as to whether or not you will protect Taiwan’s sovereignty. In addition, I also think this sovereignty should not be over-reliant on other countries–especially China’s economic model–or place Taiwan’s economic hopes at the mercy of the PRC’s good will or [future] tourists and [hope] that you’ll protect Taiwan’s long-term interests. Finally, although in the past you’ve apologized for the 2-28 Massacre, your party still blocked the passage of “compensation” (賠償) legislation for victims of the incident, changing it to “support” (補償) for them in the Legislature. This makes me highly suspicious of your shifting understanding of right and wrong, and your resolve to implement legislation.

Yet the outcome of the [3/22] election is clear, the majority of the Taiwanese people believe you. Although I don’t understand this [fact], I respect it. Although I am hurt, I do not hate. I toss and turn sleepless in bed, but I don’t think about going out in the streets to protest or vent my emotions. Since, for the 23 million people living in Taiwan our common interest is in mutual differences, the positive and the negative of the election result is that we are all hurt together.

As a citizen, over the next four years not only will I not retreat but, as long as it’s in Taiwan’s interest, I will help. Like Lee Teng-hui when he was helping the Taiwanese democracy struggle, although many people did not identify with the KMT, they would go and volunteer to help as long as it was to Taiwan’s benefit without thinking of personal gains or setbacks.

The future of Taiwan over the next four years is entirely in yours and the KMT’s hands. Absolute power means complete responsibility, and in the next four years we have no system of weights and measures–so we can only, like the Taiwanese people who did believe you, hope that you’re good to Taiwan and all the people who live in this land and preserve its autonomy. Do not just consider immediate, short-term economic advantages and sacrifice long-term interests or carry out shifty, unjust policies. Practice social equality, and I really believe you can prove my doubts about you were wrong.

As for Taiwan, my only motherland and permanent home, and the land of my children and gradnchildren, no matter what I will do everything I can to protect you.

God Bless Taiwan.

====

* Translation via your friendly neighborhood N0574bot. I’ve been saying it for a long time now, but if you read Chinese you really should spend a bit of time reading Subing’s blog–it’s hands down the best political blog in Taiwan…At least read some of the 154 comments attached to the original letter if you want to know what real Taiwanese people think about the election outcome.

China Tensions Could Sway Vote in Taiwan

via Diogenes Hwang

21 Mar, 2008  Comments off


tw.jpg

From the NY Times:

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Violent unrest in Tibet has created shock waves in another volatile region on China’s periphery, shaking up the presidential election in Taiwan and sapping support for the candidate Beijing had hoped would win handily.
Vincent Yu/Associated PressMa Ying-jeou, right, the presidential candidate for Taiwan’s opposition Nationalist Party, greeted supporters Thursday from his vehicle while in Kaohsiung City.

The suppression of Tibet protests by Chinese security forces, as well as missteps by the Nationalist Party, which Beijing favors, have nearly erased what had seemed like an insuperable lead for Ma Ying-jeou, the Harvard-educated lawyer who has been the front-runner in the race.

Concern that China’s crackdown could herald a tougher line on outlying regions that Beijing claims as sovereign territory, including Taiwan, has become the most contested campaign issue ahead of Saturday’s election.

On Thursday, China acknowledged for the first time that security forces had opened fire on Tibetan protesters in Sichuan Province, while also saying that protests had spread to several areas of China where ethnic Tibetans live.

Even if Mr. Ma wins, the election may now give him a weaker mandate for his goal of pursuing closer economic ties and reduced diplomatic tensions with China.

A loss by Mr. Ma, which campaign analysts say is unlikely but now possible, would be a major setback for China’s leaders. They have cultivated the Nationalists in recent years to undermine Taiwan’s current pro-independence president, Chen Shui-bian, and reduce the chances that his Democratic Progressive Party will hold the presidency after Mr. Chen’s mandatory retirement.

The stirring up of the election on Taiwan, which Beijing has long considered its top national security priority, is a potentially heavy price for the Tibetan unrest and the ensuing police action. Beijing also faces a stronger international outcry over its human rights record and scattered calls to boycott the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games, which China hopes will showcase the country’s rapid development.

Both the Nationalists and the Democratic Progressive Party promise to reduce tensions between Taiwan and China. But China has been wary of the Democratic Progressive Party’s presidential candidate, Frank Hsieh, who inherits a volatile coalition that includes many native Taiwanese who favor outright independence from China.

Mr. Hsieh and his party, with help from Mr. Chen’s ministers, have moved swiftly to turn Tibet into a central campaign issue. They contend that Tibet’s fate is a warning of Taiwan’s future if it does not stand up to Beijing.

“What has happened in Tibet in the past three decades, and what is going on now, is a warning to us,” said Shieh Jhy-wey, the minister of information and a Democratic Progressive Party member who takes a hard line toward Beijing. “We don’t want to have the same fate as Tibet.”

Mr. Hsieh abruptly turned a campaign rally in Taipei on Wednesday night into a candlelight vigil for Tibetans who have been killed, injured or detained during the Chinese crackdown. Party activists unfurled a huge Tibetan flag, and Tibetan students sang a Tibetan anthem.

A huge television screen at the rally showed a documentary on Tibetan history provided by the Taiwan office of the Dalai Lama, as well as a short video of Chinese soldiers mistreating Tibetans. Mr. Hsieh’s running mate, Su Tseng-chang, has scheduled a “Support Tibet” rally for Friday morning while Mr. Hsieh has scheduled a “Protect Taiwan Democracy” election-eve rally in Taipei for Friday.

With politicians from both parties concluding that the Tibet issue is hurting the Nationalists, Mr. Ma has focused on damage control. To the surprise of many even in his own party, he warned this week that Taiwan might boycott the Olympics if the Chinese crackdown in Tibet turned more draconian and if conditions there deteriorated further.

Known for his gentlemanly style, his reluctance to engage in personal attacks on political adversaries and his long-held desire for more cordial relations with the mainland, Mr. Ma has also rushed to distance himself from Beijing by using uncharacteristically harsh language.

When Prime Minister Wen Jiabao of China said Tuesday that Taiwan’s future should be decided by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and not just by Taiwan residents, Mr. Ma condemned what he described as a “ruthless, irrational, arrogant, foolish and self-righteous comment.” Mr. Hsieh has rejected any boycott of the Olympics.

Opinion polls showed Mr. Ma with a lead of up to 20 percentage points last week; Taiwan’s election laws do not allow the release of polls during the final 10 days before voting. PAGE 2