Don't worry about referendum, VP Lu tells her US guest

CNA , TAIPEI

Vice President Annette Lu told former US ambassador to China James Lilley yesterday that even if Taiwan holds a referendum, it would never be so rash as to create tension between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Lu made the remarks while elaborating on President Chen Shui-bian's recent remarks regarding a referendum when she was hosting a luncheon in honor of Lilley, who is currently the senior researcher of the American Enterprise Institute think tank.

Chen has said that holding a referendum will be unavoidable, and that it would be held even if it meant losing the presidency.

Lu noted that after three decades of democratic development, Taiwan has moved toward liberalization and democratization, but has never been able to hold a referendum, although such a vote is an indispensable part of human rights and democracy.

She noted that Chen publicly declared support for a nuclear-free homeland and voiced his opposition to nuclear energy in his inaugural speech on May 20, 2000.

His announcement of the suspension of the one-third completed Fourth Nuclear Power Plant later that year triggered a political storm, and the president later was forced under tremendous pressure to restart the project, Lu said.

But the president had promised to listen to the voice of the people, and this is the reason why he wants to hold a referendum on the fate of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant.

Lu stressed that another reason that compels the president to speak out for a referendum is the obstruction of China, which hindered the World Health Organization (WHO) from sending experts to Taiwan to help contain the spread of SARS earlier this year.

In addition, China's delegates to the WHO's annual conference publicly humiliated Taiwan by saying that the country had no right to join the organization.

The Chinese officials also lied publicly that China had taken care of the people of Taiwan. Beijing's delegate Sha Zukang's had asked, "Who will care for you Taiwanese people?"

Lu claimed that this was a slap in the face of Taiwan.

She said that the president felt that he had heard the voice of the people, but not so Beijing, so that he had to let Beijing know unequivocally what Taiwanese people want via a referendum.

"We didn't ask for more, we were only asking for the basic right that a member of the international community should enjoy, " the vice president said.

Lu said that the US had been preoccupied with the war on Iraq, and she hoped that Lilley will now convey how the outbreak of SARS had changed the views of Taiwan people on cross-strait relations and China when he returns to the US.

Lu stressed that before SARS, some had regarded China as a friendly country and a vast market, but many people have now been awakened to the truth.

"The biggest difference between Beijing and Taipei is that we attach great importance to human lives and human rights, while Beijing ignores human lives and doesn't care about human rights, " Lu said.

Lu expressed the hope that friends in the US will "understand fully and respect Taiwan's feelings."

Why subsidize disloyalty?

Media reports say China's National People's Congress has passed a law to allow people from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan residing in China to apply for Chinese citizenship starting next year. This means the Chinese government will be able to control the numbers and activities of people from Hong Kong and Macau as well as Taiwanese residing in that country.

Whether this new measure is based on "united front" considerations is not important. What is of concern is that retired military men, civil servants and teachers from Taiwan now reside in China on a long-term basis. Under the incentive or pressure of this new measure, some of them may apply for a Chinese ID card and become a Chinese citizen, thereby gaining dual citizenship.

There should be a public debate as soon as possible on whether such people should be allowed to retain their Republic of China (ROC) citizenship and the benefits that it brings. The people of Taiwan should reach an early consensus on this issue so that future retirees will have legal precedent to follow.

The Mainland Affairs Council, Ministry of Education, Ministry of the Interior and Examination Yuan have all expressed their opinions on the matter. Most have agreed that people who obtain PRC citizenship should be viewed as having renounced their ROC citizenship and should no longer be eligible to receive government pensions. This would mean that people who plan to live in China on a long-term basis after they retire and obtain Chinese ID cards or passports will now have to take their pensions in a lump-sum payment. Such retirees would also lose their eligibility for the preferential 18 percent annual interest on savings.

People have the right to move and reside where they wish. However, given the current status of cross-strait relations, Beijing's unrelenting efforts to isolate Taiwan internationally and its military threats against this nation, it is inappropriate for Taiwanese to take the country's resources to China and spend them there. Such actions could trigger criticism that such retirees are abetting an enemy state.

According to statistics from the Veteran Affairs Commission, 6,000 veterans now live in China. The average monthly military pension is NT$13,000, which means these 6,000 people are costing the government NT$900 million a year. Given that a large number of children from low-income families can't even afford school meals, the government could do a lot better things with this money than sending it to China.

The idea that the government must pay stipends to retired servicemen who have moved to China is unbearable. If such people become Chinese citizens, then it is absurd for them to expect the country's government to use taxpayers' money to continue to support them

It would not beggar belief for the Chinese government to threaten or entice Taiwanese expatriates to accept Chinese citizenship. But this does not mean people living in Taiwan will buckle under such pressure and support unification. Beijing's actions in Hong Kong have made it very clear to the people here, as well as to the world, that maintaining "one country on each side" -- and as much distance from Beijing as possible -- is the best choice for Taiwan.