Running the visa gauntlet

KMT Legislator Sun Kuo-hwa held a news conference on Wednesday to protest the Austrian government's requirement that Taiwanese present a financial statement as part of their application for a tourist visas. Although it turned out that Austria had abolished the requirement earlier this month, it is still worthwhile to explore the discriminatory treatment faced by Taiwanese who want to travel abroad.

Such discrimination is not really news anymore. Much of teh discrimination stems from pressures and obstructions brought by Beijing for political reasons, such as the recent controversy over China's demand that other countries not list "Taiwan" as the birthplace on the passports of their Taiwan-born nationals. While many countries, including the US and Canada, decided to ignore such a stupid request, other countries may succumb.

Moreover, foreign passport holders who list Taiwan as their place of birth have encountered problems in getting Chinese visas. Everyone is now also waiting to see whether the new Republic of China passports with the word "Taiwan" on the cover to be issued next month will cause problems for their holders.

Other types of discriminatory treatments appear to exist because the government is not powerful enough to make its protests count. For example, it has become increasingly difficult for Taiwanese to get visas to the US, Canada and some other countries. Why? There is no apparent political reason. But the large number of Taiwanese who overstay their visas and become illegal immigrants in those countries is clearly a factor, even though the number of illegal immigrants from China far outnumbers those from Taiwan. But considering every Taiwanese who applies for a visa as a potential illegal immigrant is, of course, extremely unfair to the majority of law-abiding people who enjoy a good life here and just want to go abroad for a holiday or for a specific term of study or work.

What was the reason behind the financial requirement for an Austrian visa? Illegal immigrants from Taiwan have come from all sorts of financial backgrounds -- certainly many have been rich enough to buy luxurious homes and and expensive cars in North American communities where large numbers of ethnic Chinese and Taiwanese reside.

If the intention is to make sure that Taiwanese visitors have enough money to throw around while traveling, these governments should rest assured that having that kind of money is hardly ever a problem for Taiwanese any more. Just go take a look at the Louis Vuitton stores in Paris, where Mandarin-speaking sales persons are employed fulltime to serve big spenders from Taiwan.

Requiring proof of financial capability in order to get a visa accomplishes no legitimate purpose, except to irritate and inconvenient law-abiding Taiwanese who simply want to have a good time traveling abroad and then come home. Moreover, this visa requirement seems at odd with the fundamental principal of the EU on the free movement of persons, as well as the goodwill expressed by the European Parliament through repeated passage of resolutions in support of Taiwan.

Chen urges China to renounce force

PEACE PUSH: The president said that he has made many overtures to Beijing in a bid to improve cross-strait ties and it was now China's turn to show some goodwill

By Lin Chieh-yu

STAFF REPORTER

"I hope the other side of the Strait will do away with its irrational threat to use armed force."－President Chen Shui-bian

President Chen Shui-bian yesterday urged China to meet his goodwill efforts halfway and renounce its threat of military force against Taiwan.

"I proposed establishing a `framework of integration for the two sides of the Strait' in my 2001 New Year's Eve talk and recently I announced a timetable to realizing direct links," Chen said.

"Those are concrete measures that promote economic and cultural integration and resolve political disputes. The measures can help create peace, democracy and prosperity for the benefit of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait," Chen said.

"I hope the other side of the Strait will do away with its irrational threat to use armed force," Chen said.

Chen delivered his message to China at the opening session of the fourth summit meeting of Taiwan and its diplomatic allies in Central America and the Caribbean in Taipei yesterday. At the summit, Chen also thanked the nation's allies for supporting Taiwan's recent bids to join the UN and the World Health Organization (WHO) and their assistance during the SARS outbreak earlier this year.

The president reaffirmed his sincerity toward resolving political confrontations between Taiwan and China through increased economic and cultural exchanges and integration.

"This is also the thinking behind the government's active participation in the process of Central American integration," he said.

The president vowed that the government would continue to defend democracy, freedom and peace on behalf of its allies and the world.

"By moving from the authoritarian to the democratic era, Taiwan has consolidated its democracy," Chen said. "Now we need to deepen the country's democracy by pushing for the realization of a referendum."

Meanwhile, Chen confirmed plans to make his third state visit to the nation's Central American allies in November.

"I have always believed that `head-of-state diplomacy' or `summit diplomacy' is an effective way to promote, not only international relationships, but also friendships between people of different countries," Chen said.

Representing the assembled heads of state, Belize Prime Minister Joan Musa said Chen's fight for freedom and democracy was admirable.

"His diplomatic efforts since assuming the presidency have been especially successful, and it is reflected in Taiwan's successful attempt to join the World Trade Organization," Musa said.

Musa also urged the WHO to give Taiwan a seat at its table and promised that Belize would continue to support Taiwan's efforts to join international organizations.

Musa also paid tribute to Chen's ideal of the majority taking care of the minority and added that the Republic of China (ROC) has made a major contribution to the development of Central America.

He thanked Taiwan for the assistance given to the region's banks, which has resulted in the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises, and Taiwan's continued support of the Central American economic development foundation.

"President Chen once said that Taiwan not only needs to stand up, but must also give a hand to other countries. I hope that in the future, exchanges between the ROC and its allies will continue to be based on mutual benefits and win-win strategies," Musa said.

US not a good model

Would someone care to explain Taiwan's unshakeable admiration of all things American?

Last week, we had Arthur Li's bizarre suggestion that Taiwan should be voluntarily occupied by the US (Letters, Aug. 15, page 8). His history is incorrect, incidentally -- the US did play a significant role in liberating the Far East from Japanese occupation and gave money to the KMT after 1946; Chinese troops did much of the fighting and Taiwan was unequivocally returned to Chinese rule (that is, to the KMT government) at the end of World War II. The US cannot claim sovereignty.

Then on Monday, we had Chen Ming-chung's fawning praise of American Institute in Taiwan Director Douglas Paal and his blind faith in American-style democracy (Letter, Aug.18, page 8). A few pages back from Chen, we get a glimpse of why the US really needs Taiwan: like many small, threatened nations, it can be easily pressured into buying weapons, one of the main props of the US economy ("Pan-blue criticize special budget," Aug. 18, page 4).

We learn that the US is "offering" to sell Taiwan outdated and barely-functional Patriot missiles, along with some submarines which would serve nicely as cannon-fodder in the event of a Chinese invasion (the Chinese navy fleet outnumbers Taiwan's by a factor of about 50). As well as making a pleasant new bulge in US coffers, the payments for this equipment would crush Taiwan's recovering economy just enough to keep export prices low without causing complete devastation. A win-win situation, some might say.

Taiwan needs to face two uncomfortable facts. First, that there is no defense against invasion from China except dialogue and negotiation. Taiwan is a very small country. An attack from China with ballistic or short-range missiles could destroy it completely in a matter of hours. However, it's unlikely that China would do such a thing: Taiwan's advantage is its economy, not its location, so an invasion would be via a massive ground attack. In either case, missiles, aircraft and ships would simply prolong the inevitable.

Taiwan is actually following the completely sensible route of universal conscription, ensuring that a landing army meets enormous resistance. The government would do well to enhance this system following the Swiss model, instead of buying high-tech junk from the US.

Second, Taiwan must defend itself against the US. Many countries -- not just Taiwan -- owe the US a debt of gratitude for its assistance during and after World War II. That debt has been paid many times over. Taiwan especially should never forget that during the past half-century the US laid waste to half of Asia with chemical, biological and nuclear weapons with no justification except political paranoia.

Li's ugly assertion that "conflict between the US and China is inevitable" may be true, but a war of that magnitude would probably be the greatest tragedy in human history, and Taiwan should not choose to be part of that.

The US has achieved many great things. She has also committed great atrocities (I wonder, for instance, how many Taiwanese people know the recent history of Nicaragua) and achieves her economic power not by enlightened management but by exploitation, price-fixing, political manipulation and indiscriminate arms-dealing.

For those Taiwanese who have never been there, but have heard stories of this far-off land of plenty: if you aspire to a life of obesity, a two-hour commute to work, 155 channels of cable TV and a president who talks like Homer Simpson, then the US is for you. I don't believe Taiwan should try to be like the US.

Taiwan has a great deal to be proud of and many things she could achieve. She has no need to bow and scrape to the great powers for inclusion in their cliques and clubs. Despite the noise from China, Taiwan is free to develop along her own path, with her own ideas, values and sense of pride.

Taiwan is, in fact, in a unique position: as an outsider to the UN, she may, if she chooses, become a model of peace and true democracy in a world where those concepts have been distorted beyond recognition.

Most of all, I hope she chooses the path that leads to Formosa, not Bikini Atoll.

Tony Weir

Taipei

China's mixed stance on N Korea

By Paul Lin

`Anyone with a normally functioning brain would be unwilling to see a neighboring country develop nuclear weapons. Not even the authorities in Beijing want the crazy North Koreans to have nuclear weapons.'

A six-nation conference between the US, China, Russia, Japan and North and South Korea will be held in Beijing next week. The US has highly praised China for hosting the talks and the occasion has been seen as a new high point in Sino-US relations. To please the US even more, Beijing is doing its utmost to make the talks a success -- it is sending its deputy minister of foreign affairs, Wang Yi, to Pyongyang for talks, while Minister of Foreign Affairs Li Zhaoxing is going to Japan and South Korea.

On the face of things, Beijing is making an effort, but its mouthpiece the China Daily has reported that there is a consensus only to hold formal talks, and that more sincerity and compromise is needed if the North Korean nuclear weapons issue is to be resolved. The report warns that it is too early to say that the risk of war on the Korean Peninsula has been eliminated. It seems China is trying to avoid having the US expect too much since that would only mean greater disappointment and another blow to Sino-US relations.

By looking at where Beijing is sending its representatives we can see how there is more formality than substance. Beijing has sent only its deputy foreign minister to North Korea, while its foreign minister has gone to Japan and South Korea, making it clear that the visit to Pyongyang is only a deception. North Korea therefore is either waiting coolly, or has a tacit understanding with Beijing to put on a show. It is thus easy to foresee that this meeting is unlikely to produce any more substantive results than the previous three-state meeting.

The US government is in fact completely clear on the basic character of the "evil" North Korea, and that is why the US is constantly preparing an attack. A former top US military intelligence official recently revealed in the Washington Post that the US had finalized a detailed plan for attacking North Korea, possibly in an attempt to exert pressure on the North Koreans. This is of course not just empty posturing. If North Korea continues its thickheaded ways, an implementation of the plan cannot be ruled out.

There are two reasons why the US has no plans to immediately implement the plan. One reason is that the US still isn't able to pull out of Iraq, and therefore must do what it can to avoid war on two fronts. The other reason is the question of whether China once again will send troops to assist the North Koreans against the US. The first reason is just a matter of time, but the second reason is a major concern for the US.

In June, the Social Survey Institute of China asked 1,000 Chinese: "If the Korean issue cannot be satisfactorily solved and if it leads to a war, would the Chinese public be willing to support the government in once again helping North Korea resist the US?" The results showed that 57 percent of the participants were willing to do so and 24 percent were unwilling to reveal their opinion. Only 19 percent said they would oppose such an action. Fifty-four percent of the participants also believed that North Korea should be allowed to develop nuclear weapons if they really wanted to. How should we interpret these results?

First, this organization has an official background. Few would want to reveal their true feelings to such a group. All those 24 percent unwilling to reveal their opinions are probably opposed to sending troops, but are afraid to say so for fear of being called unpatriotic.

Second, more than half of the participants approve of letting North Korea develop nuclear weapons. Such an answer is pretty crazy. Anyone with a normally functioning brain would be un-willing to see a neighboring country develop nuclear wea-pons. Not even the authorities in Beijing want the crazy North Koreans to have nuclear weapons. But the participants in this survey may be completely unaware of the government's policies, and simply think that it is worth supporting someone having nuclear weapons as long as they think such wea-pons enables them to resist the US. This shows that the survey lacks credibility.

Third, participants in Chinese surveys regarding a war on Tai-wan or assisting North Korea will approve going to war because they are dissatisfied with the social situation. They hope that a major jolt to society will change their situation, but they are not willing to become cannon fodder themselves.

The Chinese government is keenly aware of the following.

First, the youth in the right age for going to war are all "small emperors" from the one-child generation. They fear hardship, and death even more so, and their will to fight is therefore weak.

Second, the Chinese army is very corrupt, just as it was during the later part of the Qing dynasty. Its morale can therefore not be compared to its morale just after World War II ended and the Chinese Communist Party first came to power.

Third, the US has no intention of invading China. They did not have the intent during the Korean War, and they have even less motivation now. During the Korean War, the Chinese government lied about American intentions in order to make the Chinese people accept sending troops to North Korea. If the US intended to occupy China, why did it abandon Chiang Kai-shek instead of intervening directly? Nor did they let Taiwan send troops to North Korea.

Most importantly, if China once again assists North Korea against the US, it will forfeit the results of its economic development over recent years and speed up its own collapse. What's more, if North Korea succumbs, the US will not stay around for long, but hand matters over to South Korea. The question of how China will react to a Greater Korean nationalism is a different issue.

Paul Lin is a political commentator based in New York.

Chinese official warns HK lawmakers against backing Taiwan's independence

AFP AND CNA , HONG KONG

A senior Chinese official yesterday warned rebellious Hong Kong lawmakers against supporting Taiwan's independence, insisting they should advocate unification.

Zou Zhekai, deputy director of the Beijing Liaison Office in Hong Kong, was reported as saying lawmakers who recently took part in political activities in Taipei were making a "complete mistake if they advocate Taiwan independence."

Zou, whose comments came as he joined a Hong Kong group on a Beijing trip, said legislators should stick to the "one country" concept which they pledged to uphold when they were sworn in under the territory's Basic Law.

Zou did not mention names in his comments, which came just days after two pro-democracy lawmakers, Emily Lau and James To, attended a seminar in Taipei.

The official China Daily newspaper criticized both for openly supporting pro-independence forces in Taiwan, but its claims were rejected by both Lau and To.

Meanwhile, media in the territory reported that representatives of Hong Kong's Bar Association had been excluded from a visit to Beijing organized by the Liaison Office because of their criticism of proposed new security laws.

Bar Association chairman Edward Chan told reporters that neither he nor other members of the council had been invited to join the 40-strong Hong Kong delegation which met justice ministry officials in Beijing on Monday.

"It could be that they had a deliberate policy to marginalize the Bar. [Or] it could be that they wanted to invite people whose views they feel they do not know -- and perhaps the Bar has already made its position so clear it is no longer thought necessary to invite us," Chan told the South China Morning Post.

Association members were prominent participants in a mass protest last month against proposed anti-subversion laws and have been vocal in debate over the legislation.

The bill was shelved by Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa after more than 500,000 people marched through the streets in protest.

Critics and opponents of the legislation have said the bill threatened Hong Kong's political, religious and media freedoms.

Meanwhile, the Washington Post said in Thursday's editorial that China should let Hong Kong people have more democracy.

In the editorial, titled "Democracy for Hong Kong," the paper said the massive demonstrations last month in support of democracy and against the anti-sedition law do not seem to have shocked China's rulers enough to accept the remedy for the dilemma, which would be more democracy.