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When everything old is new again

Folks in the opposition parties and pro-China media have been going all out to attack the Chen Shui-bian government for supporting the US military strike on Iraq. All of a sudden the opposition camp has become one of the most vocal opponents of war.

But their opposition to war is very questionable. Remember, they have frequently served as Beijing's mouthpieces and have never missed a chance to use China's military threats to intimidate pro-independence forces. Every time former president Lee Teng-hui visits the US or Japan, they throw up a tantrum and accuse Lee of pushing for independence. Then they invariably bring out the idea of China's military threat.

Deep down, they are supporters of Chinese military power because they can use the threat of it to ensure their political influence. They habitually use Beijing's military threat to intimidate their political opponents.

Why did they become ardent anti-war advocates? It certainly was not out of any deep-seated belief in pacifism. The reason is very simple. They oppose Chen and therefore they oppose his policies. They oppose him because they suspect Chen is not loyal to China, because they view him as an advocate of independence and therefore an enemy of China.

Following the rise of Chinese nationalism across the Strait and the transition of political power in Taiwan, their feelings toward the US have become increasingly complex. In the days of KMT rule, former presidents Chiang Kai-shek and Chiang Ching-kuo adopted pro-US policies to counter Beijing. Apart from complaining every now and then about "tang wai" (outside the party) elements in the US, the KMT basically was not anti-US.

However, with the rise of native Taiwanese awareness and following the KMT's loss of power, the pro-unification folks have fallen into despair. Their feelings toward Taiwan and its people have also become increasingly complex. On top of this come the economic incentives from China and the calls of Chinese nationalism. All these have changed the pro-unification people's feelings toward the US and Taiwan.

The US no longer appears to be Taiwan's protector against a possible Chinese invasion. On the contrary, it has become a new hegemony aiding pro-independence forces, attempting to stop the unification of China and preventing China from becoming stronger. For them, China is no longer a threat. It is their motherland.

For this reason, the pro-unification media and scholars in recent years have always subscribed to anti-US opinions around the world. By disseminating fears about a unipolar world, they have tried to vilify the US and its role as a global policeman. Meanwhile, they have tried to paint China as the world's future superpower.

At every key moment in Taiwan's domestic politics or the international situation, the pan-blue camp has echoed the Chinese nationalists across the Strait. All these have been occasioned by Chen and the US. In their eyes, Chen is an obstacle to China's unification, the US an obstacle to China becoming strong.

Since coming to power the DPP has copied the KMT's foreign policy verbatim -- pro-US, pro-West and providing more aid to diplomatic allies. That's because Taiwan has no other choice. Taiwan of course would like to be pro-China, pro-Russia or pro-the entire world, but none of these countries support this country in the least bit. Now the opposition is criticizing the DPP for adopting the very same policies of the former administration. Supporting the US is now called kissing America's backside. Providing aid to allies is now called "sugar daddy diplomacy."

As they accuse Lee and Chen of attempt to split China, what a shame that the opposition folks don't realize they are attempting to split Taiwan.

Opposition continues to block referendum proposals

NO GO: Even though pan-green legislators took the teeth out of a draft law, the opposition continued to fret about China's reaction to wider democracy in Taiwan

By Tsai Ting-I

STAFF REPORTER

"Taiwan's future should be decided by the 1.3 billion Chinese. Attempts to separate Taiwan from China by holding a referendum are illegal, invalid and destined not to be realized."－Zhang Mingqing, China's Taiwan affairs spokesman

A watered-down version of a referendum law presented by a DPP lawmaker failed to make progress in the legislature yesterday after KMT and PFP legislators blocked its review in the Home and Nations Committee.

The pan-blue camp used a procedural technicality, as they did on Monday, to prevent review of the law submitted by DPP Legislator Trong Chai, saying that it would upset China.

However, the draft retains the possibility for referendums to decide "other important national policies," a term that is not defined but is interpreted as including such things as nuclear power generation and the legalization of gambling.

The new version of the draft states that a referendum can be called when 2 percent of the population, or half of all legislators, sign a petition on addressing "important national policies."

However, the amendments did little to assuage the fears of the opposition lawmakers.

KMT legislative leader Liu Cheng-hung said that the purpose of the referendum law was to eliminate the Republic of China.

To ensure the abandonment of the draft law, Tseng Yung-chuan, executive director of the KMT's Central Policy Committee, and heavyweight PFP lawmaker Chung Jong-ji both attended yesterday's meeting to manipulate the rules of procedure in the committee.

The committee was expected to vote at 11pm last night, and at press time it was expected that the two opposition parties would succeed in preventing a review of the law.

Shortly after the meeting was adjourned yesterday morning, China's Taiwan affairs spokesman Zhang Mingqing, echoed the two opposition parties by expressing his government's unhappiness with the draft law.

POLITICAL BICKERING: The president rued what he called the opposition's tendency to block his government plans `just for the sake of being contrary'

While Taiwan's society enjoys the liberties of freedom of speech and democracy, said President Chen Shui-bian, he regretted that these values are not properly employed.

Chen said that some media opinions show a lack of in-depth perspective and social responsibility, regardless of the liberty of free speech.

He also pointed out that rational debate was not applied in all public policy discussions, because political positions were often the determining factor.

Chen said the country became a full-fledged democracy after the peaceful transfer of power three years ago, but pointed out that there is a long way to go in terms of building a more rational and tolerant society where differing opinions can be respected.

Giving a speech prior to the opening of a seminar held by the Taiwan Economy and Industry Association -- a commercial group launched by the party's New Tide faction -- Chen said he couldn't sleep well whenever he thought that the opposition parties "oppose the DPP just for the sake of being contrary."

He cited the controversy over to a NT$50 billion public-construction package as an example.

The opposition parties have blocked the Executive Yuan's proposition to use loans to finance its NT$50 billion public construction package.

That package, along with the NT$20 billion public-service program, is designed to raise the GDP by 0.38 percent and bring the unemployment rate down by 0.5 percent by the end of the year.

Chen said the government hopes to expand public services and public construction to help workers weather the recession.

The opposition parties boycotted the proposal simply because it was a policy initiated by the DPP, Chen said.

The meaningless boycott, Chen said, was like "rubbing salt in a wound" for workers.

He said he hoped the association would produce professional assessments and rational discussions to help evaluate public polices, thereby aiding the effort to drive endless confrontation out of politics.

Addressing the economic situation, Chen said increased globalization and trade liberalization are two immediate goals for the nation after its entry into the WTO.

He added that more consideration should be given to Taiwan's special political conditions when mapping out industrial policies.

Chen again countered the assertion that the opening of direct links is a panacea for the ailing economy. He stressed that Taiwan will not disregard the significance of the Chinese market, but pointed out that it was by no means the only market in the world, nor is it the last market which ought to be considered.