Dear Mr. Prime Minister John Howard,
　 　Mr. Kofi A. Annan,
　　 Mr. Secretary-General George Robertson,

The United Nations human rights commission has agreed to set up an international commission to investigate gross human rights violation in East Timor. But the commission prompted by the European Union, is being greeted with mistrust not just from Indonesian but also from its Southeast Asian neighbors. Mainland China's human rights was ignored by U.N. because its special position. People in the west may be quite clear about what they consider to be the difference between good and bad or black and white. But the governments in the East find it hard to believe that the west. On the other hand, the history of Asia countries was colonized by the west that they suspect the west of having its own solid interests, if not a form of neo-colonial ideals.

Nevertheless, the violation of human rights, wherever and by whoever, can no longer go unpunished --- and that this is in the interests of all people in all states. The west should establish the credibility of its motives to let Asia country understand that protecting human rights is more importance than "country's sovereignty."

Millions of mainland Chinese can not enjoy mainland's celebration of 50^th anniversary. Unfortunately, the celebration only for communist rule, not for Chinese people.

BEIJING, Sept. 29 ---
Far from the fireworks, parade and flower displays celebrating Friday's 50th anniversary of communist rule, thousands of unwanted migrants, street children and beggars languish in harsh police detention centers.

Police have detained millions of mainland Chinese in "custody and repatriation" centers that lack rudimentary sanitation and other basic needs, a human rights group said in a report released Wednesday.

Children, the mentally ill the homeless and others deemed unsightly or undesirable are crammed into such facilities, beaten and forced to labor long hours without pay in violation of international treaties signed by Beijing, said the New York-based group Human Rights in China.

What kinds of guilty for Taiwanese must kneel down to Beijing's doctrine.

If President Jiang Zemin is to establish himself as the third Great Helmsman --- after Mao and Deng --- he must show some accomplishment like democratic reforms and make work at Cross-Strait mutual trust and good advantage with both side of Chinese.

China faces enormous problems from millions of dissatisfied peasants, to labor grievances, to disenchanted party members, to wealth disparities between coastal cities and the interior, to decreasing land for cultivation and a tremendous environmental impact. China is the most polluted nation on earth.

Add to these such man, made problems as corruption and nationalism used by vested interests such as the military, mainland Chinese President Jiang Zemin told world business leader on Friday (Sept. 24, 1999) that a strong and modern China posed no threat to the world.

In a speech that could have been made to the rank-and-file of communist party, Jiang also told the world's capitalist chieftains that Beijing would follow its own path on human rights.

(Is the human rights have different surveyor's rod?) "China's development does not pose a threat to anyone, instead it will only help to advance world peace, stability and development," Jiang said in a speech to the Fortune Global Forum, a gathering of top executives of some of the world's biggest companies.

"We must first and foremost safeguard the people's rights to survival and development, otherwise we can not even begin to talk about other rights," he told businessmen before, shark's fin and Chinese steak.

The leader expressed condolences to the people of Taiwan after a massive earthquake, which killed more than 2,000 people last week, but he repeated Beijing's pledge that it would not renounce the use of force against the island.

Mainland China sees Taiwan as a renegade province and view with suspicion perceived moves towards independence by Taipei. Relations took a turn for the worse in July after Taiwan said ties should be banded on a "special state-to-state" basis.

The people's Republic of China is celebrating its 50th anniversary with considerable energy and enthusiasm. It is interesting to note, however, the blatant hypocrisy of this 50-year anniversary. In preparation for its big birthday party, the PRC has taken steps to eliminate any voices of dissent, any indicators of problems, such as homeless people, poor people and crippled people, from the city streets in order to not spoil the celebrations. This is a standard ploy used in any totalitarian state during public celebrations. The removal of undesirable by the PRC government in the run-up to the 50th anniversary tells a lot about what the 50 years have brought to the PRC. What it has brought from a human rights or civil liberties perspective is nothing compared with what the people deserve.

Fifty years ago in China there was no rule of law. Fifty yeas later there is still no role of law. Fifty years ago in China people did not have basic human rights. Fifty years later the people still do not have basic human rights. Fifty years ago Chinese politicians spouted empty nonsense about helping the people. Fifty years later Chinese politicians still spout nonsense about helping the people. Fifty years ago power and money were all that mattered in China. Fifty years later power and money are all that matters in China. Fifty years ago executions were the government's answer to crime. Fifty years later executions remain the government's answer to crime. Fifty years ago imprisonment without a trial or with a show trial was the government's answer to political dissent. Fifty years later imprisonment without a trial or with a show trial remains the government's answer to political dissent.

What has changed is not enough. The list of what has not changed could go on and on. The PRC government's answer to this would be that human rights and civil liberties have had to be sacrificed to make economic progress. An earlier answer would have been that human rights and civil liberties had to be sacrificed to advance the cause of Marxiam-Leninism-Maoism. Those answers are absurd. There is no conflict between economic development and human rights. The opposite is true. Solid, sustainable economic development is possible only in a nation that has the rule of law and respect for individual human rights.

For some sectors of Chinese society, economic development has brought a level of prosperity. But overall the picture is a chimera. A chimera is mythological beast that represents unchecked imagination and illusion. Financial wealth without the rule of law, without a government that respects individual freedom and dignity, has too limited value. As our parents taught us, not all that glitters is gold. The PRC would have reason to celebrate if in its 50 years the rule of law had been set solidly in place, if individual human dignity were respected, if rights were respected and enforced, if its people did not live in fear of "their" government, if their government's rhetorical commitment to human rights were backed up by action.

Unfortunately, none of that is true. We hope the fate of the people on the Chinese mainland will be significantly better over the next 50 years.

Taiwanese people are seeking a new identity, despite historic linkage in cultures, languages and value systems, because Taiwanese people have learned the way of thinking about democracy and protect human rights.

TAIPEI ---
Half a century of intimidation by mainland China has only widened the political rift with Taiwan and made more remote any prospects for reunification, officials and analysts say.

The Taiwan people cannot help but doubt the sincerity of a regime that bombards it with constant threats to its people's lives, freedom and hard-earned wealth, they say.

Shaw Yu-ming, deputy secretary general of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT), admitted that cross-strait ties have been "in a stalemate since the two sides could not even agree on the rules of the game."

"Only a dialogue based on mutual trust and respect for history and political reality can break the deadlock," Shaw told AFP.

He regretted Beijing refused to accept the reality that the ROC had existed as an independent sovereign state for many years.

Beijing has said talks are possible only if Taipei honors the one-China policy --- accepting there is one China of which Taiwan is an unalienable part.

Chances for dialogue were further dimmed in July when ROC President Lee Teng-hui declared the two rivals should be considered separate states linked by a "special" relationship.

Lee said Taiwan was not giving up its aim of eventual reunification of the two territories, separated in 1949 at the end of a civil war that brought Mao Zedong's communists to power in Beijing.

But "the reunified one-China is in the future," he added.

Beijing has since renewed vitriolic attacks on Lee, calling him a pro-independence "splittist" and threatening to invade the island it considers a renegade province.

It has also stepped up efforts to block Taipei's attempts to establish itself on the world stage, including the island's seventh bid to have its membership application to the United Nations discussed.

Since it took Taipei's U.N. seat in 1971, Beijing has spared no effort in ousting the island from major world bodies and sabotaging the island's diplomatic efforts.

Taiwan has diplomatic recognition from only 29 countries --- mainly minor nations in Central America, the Caribbean, the Pacific and Africa.

With US$100 billion in foreign exchange reserves, the small high-tech island has mounted a campaign to win international recognition with billions of U.S. dollars in aid.

But despite being the world's 13th largest trading nation. Taiwan is still shut out from major world economic groups including the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

"Amid China's suppression, many people here are seeking a new identity, despite historic linkage in cultures, language and value systems," said Ho Fo, political science professor at the National Taiwan University.

Shaw agreed. "China's rigid policy backfires," he said. "It has caused negative emotional reaction from our people and boosted the inclination, or sympathy, for independence."

Six years ago, some 40 percent of the Taiwan population considered themselves "Chinese" compared to 13 percent now, he said.

But Shaw stressed an "inclination" towards independence was different from actively "promoting" the cause, which Beijing has declared sufficient cause for an invasion.

Mainland China has held "a misperception that we are walking away from the mainland," Shaw said.

"People's self-consciousness was heightened but we certainly won't take the risks of promoting independence.

Besides, how can we do it when cross-strait civilian and business exchanges are booming?" he asked.

Some 40,000 local enterprises have poured U.S.$40 billion into the mainland, making Taiwan a major foreign investor.

Hoping to profit from any separatist tendencies is the pro-independence main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Yu His-kun, DPP secretary general, said: "China's hostility and narrow-minded nationalism have widened the cross-strait distance, and in fact, helped boost pro-independence sentiments."

The DPP says Taiwan is a sovereign state and that any change in the country's status should be decided by a plebiscite.

In our views, those who respect human rights is a big country that beyond geographic limitation and the count of population. Taiwan --- a big country is worth to help.