Build state identity: conference

TALKS: At a forum on cross-strait issues, experts and academics said that Taiwan must show the global community it holds a separate public consciousness from China

By Chang Yun-ping

STAFF REPORTER

Sunday, Nov 02, 2003,Page 3

Cross-strait relations experts and government officials yesterday agreed that Taiwanese people must reinforce their state identity to allow for the establishment of a new constitution and change of the national title required to push for the country's legally independent status.

At the international conference of "Cross Strait Exchanges and National Security of Taiwan" held in Taipei by Taiwan Advocates, a think tank founded by former president Lee Teng-hui, local academics and government officials yesterday expressed views that Taiwanese people must build an independent country with a separate identity from China.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lin Cho-shui yesterday speaking at a panel session of the conference discussing Taiwan's sovereignty said that Taiwan is a country with independent sovereignty. He said, however, that its establishment as a complete state was not yet successful.

To that end, Lin said that the people's state identity awareness should be reinforced to enact a series of systematic changes needed for a transformation from the current de facto independence to de jure independence.

"The systematic change includes changes to the country's internal political structure ranging from writing a new constitution, changing the nation's name from Republic of China [ROC] to Taiwan, and introducing more Taiwan-centric education material in schools," Lin said.

In addition to these systematic changes, Lin said, acquiring international recognition is also very important to ensure Taiwan's independent status.

Another panelist Shih Cheng-feng, a professor at the Department of Public Administration of Tamkang University yesterday said currently the most serious challenge Taiwan faces was whether Taiwan could maintain its independence to counter China's threats to annihilate it.

Shih said that although the government's democratization in the past decade has allowed for the country's substantive independence, Taiwan is still not legally independent given the existence of the ROC, which prevents Taiwan from gaining a sovereign state status in the international society.

To cast off the ROC image, Shih said that Taiwan should undergo more systematic reforms to build a complete state such as the construction of a new constitution and the change of the national name.

Senior Advisor to the President Peng Ming-min, who presided over yesterday's panel session, said the next presidential election signifies a choice by the people of Taiwan between a new country and an old regime.

Peng said he disagreed with the pan-blue alliance's presidential candidate Lien Chan's remarks that the March presidential election was a battle to safeguard the legitimacy of the ROC.

Peng said, "The next presidential election is not a question of whether to destroy the ROC, rather it's about what the people want for their future -- a country of their own or the continuation of an old power."

"It's not just about choosing a new president, it's about choosing a country," Peng said.

Secretary General of the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Shi Hwei-yow, yesterday said the various formulas stipulating cross-strait relations proposed by the current and former administrations have resulted in the confusion of people's state identities and consequently led to inappropriate policy-making and legislation.

Criticizing the Mainland Affairs Council's recent move to allow non-governmental sectors to conduct cross-strait negotiations without the channeling of the Straits Exchange Foundation, the official channel to conduct cross-strait affairs, Shi said such a move will downgrade Taiwan's national status and virtually trap Taiwan into China's "one China" principle.

Lu warns public not to stumble into Beijing's `trap'

CNA , TAIPEI

Sunday, Nov 02, 2003,Page 3

Vice President Annette Lu warned yesterday of Beijing's new approaches toward Taiwan and urged the public to stay on high alert against China's "trap."

Lu made the comments while giving a speech at the opening of an international conference on cross-strait exchanges and Taiwan's national security sponsored by Taiwan Advocates -- a pro-independence group dedicated to Taiwan's cause.

On the political front, Lu said, the Beijing regime will continue to isolate Taiwan in the international community and intimidate Taiwan indirectly by putting strong pressure on the US.

According to the vice president, a Shanghai-based think tank led by Wang Daohan, China's top negotiator with Taiwan, has suggested "joint negotiations, joint development, joint prosperity, joint creation" as new political guidelines in bilateral exchanges with Taiwan.

On the military front, Lu went on, Beijing's strategy toward Taiwan is based on three major tactics -- attack, blockade and invasion. As the Beijing regime has repeatedly voiced its determination to resolve the Taiwan problem through military means, China's military authorities are in favor of setting a timetable to settle the issue, she said.

According to the vice president, the Chinese communists would first attack Taiwan proper and its offshore islands to paralyze Taiwan's leadership and destroy its information system before blockading the nation.

They would then force Taiwan to the negotiating table by creating chaos before sending their joint armed forces to invade, she said.

Since last year, Beijing has tried every possible means to underscore its sovereignty claim over the Taiwan Strait, Lu said. Pointing to a military exercise held last year by China authorities as example, she said China's naval vessels detoured purposely first to international waters some 100km off Taiwan's eastern coast before heading for Hainan Island.

Chinese authorities also protested last year to Australia over passage by Australian naval vessels through the Taiwan Strait on their way home after a joint military drill in South Korea, Lu said, adding that the repeated appearances of China's scientific research ships off Taiwan are also proof that Beijing seeks to make the world believe that the Strait is under its jurisdiction.

In view of China's relentless and renewed two-pronged strategy toward Taiwan, she called on the Taiwanese people to heighten their alert in order not to fall into Beijing's trap while Taiwan-China ties are still mired in stalemate, with many risks and uncertainties.

With the beginning of a new century, Lu nevertheless encouraged the Taiwanese people to resist China's leverage and effects by looking toward the eastern Pacific and shifting some of their attention and energy from the Taiwan Strait to the rest of the world.

"Taiwan must reach out to become a Taiwan for the whole world, " she said.

Chen vows change at award bash

POLICY PROMOTION: The president used his receipt of a human rights award to tell the rest of the world why Taiwan needs a new constitution

By Lin Chieh-yu

STAFF REPORTER , IN NEW YORK

Sunday, Nov 02, 2003,Page 1

President Chen Shui-bian was honored on Friday night with the 35th International Human Rights Award, for his long-term efforts and achievement in Taiwan's democracy movement and support for human rights.

Chen received his award during a dinner banquet and award ceremony held by the International League for Human Rights (ILHR) at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

Chen used the occasion to outline what he called as Taiwan's "inadequate constitutional framework," and to make a pitch for his government's plans for the promotion of the right of referendum and the need for a new constitution.

These measures were necessary so Taiwan could realize the concept of "sovereignty to the people" and deep-root democracy and human rights in the country, Chen said.

"As my country's leader, it is imperative that I shoulder responsibility for Taiwan's national development and set a clear vision for the future," Chen said during his 35-minute speech entitled "Taiwan: A Country Embracing Human Rights and Democratic Reform" at the award ceremony.

"I believe that a sound and sustainable constitutional framework can be created through rational debate and engendered by civic consciousness. This is the rationale upon which I have proposed the concept of hastening the birth of a new constitution," Chen said.

Chen used the US' process of creating and amending its Constitution over the past 200 years to stress that the US Constitution also endured continuous debate and amendment to be able to deal with the latest development in society and meet society's needs.

"The hastening of a new Taiwan constitution will determine whether or not our democracy can come into full bloom," Chen said.

"This, strengthened and supplemented by the institutions of direct democracy, such as referendums, would be a necessary step in advancing Taiwan's human rights and the deepening of its democracy," the president said.

"One must not be misled by the contention that holding referendums or re-engineering our constitutional framework, bears any relevance to the `five noes' pledge presented in my inaugural speech," he said. "Neither should matters concerning Taiwan's constitutional development be simplistically interpreted as a political debate of unification versus independence."

"The progression of democracy and human rights in Taiwan not only signifies a triumph of our people in the relentless pursuit for freedom, it is also a torch of democracy for all Chinese societies and has become an indispensable asset to the United States as well as the international society. I have great confidence that by advancing our democracy, we shall show where Taiwan stands in terms of values: a veritable part of the world's democratic community."

Before the award ceremony started, hundreds of Chinese students gathered nearby the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel to demonstrate their opposition to Chen, and exchanged abuse with Chen's overseas Taiwanese supporters across the street.

Chen referred to the incident in his speech, saying the Chinese students "went to the wrong place and abused the wrong person," because his reception of the award in New York showed that human rights was an universal value and Taiwan's achievement in democracy and human rights should be able to serve as a beacon for China.

"You [the Chinese students] should go back and ask, if Taiwan can, why can't China?'" Chen said.

The dinner banquet was co-hosted ILHR President Scott Horton, the US House of Representatives' senior Democrat, David Lantos, and president and CEO of defense contractor United Defense, Thomas Rabaut.

They took turns introducing Chen's achievements since the 1979 Kaohsiung Incident, and urged the US government to invite Chen and his wife for a visit to Washington DC.

Important guests present at the ceremony included former AIT chairmen Nat Bellocchi and Richard Bush. ILHR Executive Director Louise Kantrow said it was the most successful the league had ever held.

Congressman Gary Ackerman, who was also present at the ceremony, made note of a resolution passed unanimously by Congress the previous day welcoming Chen's visit, to applause from the participants.

Taiwan `now entering its most dangerous period'

INEVITABLE: China's apparent strength is an illusion and the regime could be history within a decade, but this does not mean Taiwanese can be overconfident

By Melody Chen

STAFF REPORTER

Sunday, Nov 02, 2003,Page 1

"First, the economy will fail, and then the political system will disintegrate. The Communist Party will no longer be governing China."

－Gordon Chang, author of The Coming Collapse of China

Taiwan, caught by increasing worries that China's recent economic and diplomatic victories would mar its future, yesterday received comfort from a China expert who said Taiwan will survive because the communist regime will shortly collapse.

Defying the recent wave of applause for Chinese leaders, both in Asia and around the world, Gordon Chang, author of The Coming Collapse of China, told a largely pro-independence audience that intractable problems hidden in China will eventually bring the People's Republic to its knees.

Speaking to a packed hall at an international conference titled "Cross Straits Exchange and National Security of Taiwan" in Taipei, Chang said: "Today the 23 million people of Taiwan face their most dangerous moment."

"These days Taiwan looks so weak, and China appears so mighty as it goes from strength to strength and from victory to victory," Chang said.

"Many in the pro-China camp say political integration with Beijing is Taipei's only option, and, should Taiwan fail to unite with the People's Republic [of China], it will be left with nothing," Chang said.

"Some people here say that Taiwan cannot compete with Chinese industry. Taipei, therefore, could be forced to reconcile with the Mainland's leaders so that the island's business community can participate in the booming economy across the Strait," he added.

Chang, who has lived and worked in China for almost two decades, predicted China will collapse within this decade.

"First, the economy will fail, and then the political system will disintegrate. The Communist Party will no longer be governing China," he said.

"I say, although this is Taiwan's most dangerous moment, it is only a moment. In the long term, the trends are in Taiwan's favor. Soon we will see Taiwan get stronger and China get weaker," Chang said.

Cataloging China's enormous problems "from the economy to the environment, from debt to disease, from chaos to corruption," Chang said behind China's brilliant performances lie serious crises hard for the country to take.

"Yet China's failure does not necessarily mean Taiwan's success," Chang cautioned.

Vice President Annette Lu and former President Lee Teng-hui, both strong advocates of Taiwan's independency, gave the opening speeches in the conference hosted by the think tank Taiwan Advocates.

Lee recently launched a serious of activities and conferences to urge the public to realize Taiwan is a sovereign country.

Chang perceived now is a time some Taiwanese have found their confidence about the future wavering because China seems to score successes wherever it goes.

Lee, in his speech, emphasized it is urgent Taiwanese have to know Taiwan is an independent country and that the country is separate from China.

People in Taiwan will find it thorny to handle international affairs and cross-strait relations if they do not realize Taiwan and China are two distinct states, Lee said.

Of pan-blue pro-China politicians' attacks on President Chen Shui-bian's government, Lee said that such people had teamed up with China to stand against their own government.

China is Taiwan's enemy, Lee said, citing various examples to prove his point. "But there are people in Taiwan who treat our government as their enemy and China as their partner," he said.

Taiwan's over-dependence on China's economy triggered wide discussion in one conference session titled "The Cross Straits Economic Exchange and Its Impact on the National Security of Taiwan."

Economists and government officials joining the conference were worried about Taiwan's economic development because it has been too closely tied with China's economy.

Chen pays respects to Soong Mayling at New York home

By Lin Chieh-yu

STAFF REPORTER , IN NEW YORK

Sunday, Nov 02, 2003,Page 3

President Chen Shui-bian paid his respects to the late former first lady Soong Mayling as soon as he arrived in New York on Friday.

Chen said that it was the first time he had handed out an ROC national flag and official commending order.

Soong, who is also known as Madame Chiang Kai-shek, died in New York last week.

Chen was accompanied to Soong's residence in Manhattan by Taiwan's representative to the US, Chen Chien-jen, director general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York Andrew Hsia and American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) chairwoman Therese Shaheen.

Chen and his entourage were greeted by Chiang Hsiao-kang, son of the late general Wego Chiang.

When Chen entered Soong's ninth floor apartment, he walked toward the memorial area and bowed to pay his tribute. He then and gave the national flag and the commending order to Chiang Hsiao-kang.

Members of the Chiang family, including Kung Ling-yi, Hsu Nai-Chin and Chiang Fang Chih-yi were present at the occasion, with Chen shaking hands with all of them.

Chen stayed at Soong's residence for about 25 minutes, before giving a short speech to reporters waiting outside.

Shasheen said that the meeting between Chen and the Chiangs was quite moving, and she did not show any objection to Chen's interview with the media. It showed that the US and Taiwan had reached an agreement, and that the US respected Chen's freedom of speech.

Chen told reporters, "After I landed I immediately came to the residence of our most respected [Soong Mayling.]

"I myself came here on the behalf of the Republic of China government and its people to show the highest respect for our Madame Chiang, and show the deepest grief and consolation for her unfortunate death. May she rest in peace," Chen said.

Forum warns of many risks to `Fortress Taiwan'

SAFETY FEARS: Panelists said that migrants, disease and the brainwashing of children were all dangers posed by increased exchanges with China

By Stephanie Wen

STAFF REPORTER

Sunday, Nov 02, 2003,Page 3

Former deputy chairperson of the Mainland Affairs Council Wu An-chia, yesterday warned that "a fortress is most easily attacked from inside" as an international conference concluded that increasing cross-strait exchanges pose serious risks to Taiwan's national security.

Panelists at a session on cross-strait security used the fortress analysis to examine three ways in which Taiwan is exposed to risk from China.

In terms of composition, Lin Wan-i, professor of department of social work at National Taiwan University, said that since the government opened up social exchanges back in 1987, it had been impossible to close the floodgates. The government would be criticized as inhumane if it was to halt applications from people in China to visit their relatives in Taiwan.

While the increase of migrants from across the strait may have some benefits such as increasing the number of professionals from China and increasing birth rates, the detriments far outweigh the benefits, Lin said, adding that it is unlikely that Chinese authorities would allow professionals to come to Taiwan.

"One of the biggest problem would be the conflict in the recognition of sovereignty," Lin said. "The view that the sovereignty of Taiwan belongs to the PRC [People's Republic of China] is going to become the majority view if the number of Chinese migrants to Taiwan increases. Naturally, those who came from China are going to see the PRC as the sovereign state."

Disease was also discussed as a weak point in Taiwan's defensive walls and many participants cited the recent SARS epidemic as a case in point.

Director-General of the Center for Disease Control Su Ih-jen said that the center had done the best it could to combat the disease.

"But migrants from China, and indeed Taiwanese who travel across the strait, are highly likely to carry disease to Taiwan," he said.

"While in Taiwan, the main cause of death is chronic illnesses, in China, the main cause of death is still infectious disease such as malaria and sexually transmitted diseases," he said. "The increase of cross-strait travel would only endanger those living in Taiwan."

The mind is also another part of the fortress that is being exposed to attack, Cheng Cheng-Lung, a Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) lawmaker, said.

Cheng raised the point that as children of Taiwanese businessmen move to China and study in China, their minds are being brainwashed.

Even if the children went to Taiwanese-organized schools, the deputy principal needed to be a Chinese citizen and schoolbooks were still subject to approval by the Chinese government, he said.

Cheng noted that where "ROC" was written, it had to be changed to "PRC;" where "Taiwan" was written, it was changed to "China- Taiwan."

The ROC's national flag and the ROC's national symbol were to be erased from the text books and the Japanese occupation of Taiwan was chastised, Cheng said.

"Imagine how brainwashed the children who go to normal Chinese schools are," Cheng said.

Academia Sinica sociologist Michael Hsiao said that as far as cross-strait issues were concerned, one needed to bear in mind the premise that Taiwan-PRC relation are a"abnormal" and that "we all need to recognize that China is hostile toward Taiwan."

How not to dance to China's tune

By the Liberty Times editorial

Sunday, Nov 02, 2003,Page 8

After three days of silence, the pro-China Hong Kong newspapers Wenhuibao and Takungpao ran articles on Tuesday, criticizing the pan-green camp for pushing for a new constitution by referendum. Before this, the spokesperson of China's Taiwan Affairs Office issued a statement on Oct 26, repeating that "the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are one country, and that Chinese sovereignty and territory are indivisible." Apparently, following Chinese President Hu Jintao's return to Beijing from a recent overseas trip, the Chinese government discussed how to move against President Chen Shui-bian's proposal for a new constitution. That the authors of the newspaper articles both had the character wu ("force") in their names suggests that their views are being backed up with force. This is consistent with China's typical tactics of propaganda and intimidation.

Generally speaking, before China takes any official position on political advances by Taiwan, it speaks through the Hong Kong media. Exaggerated news reports about military exercises conducted by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) are often released through Hong Kong media at around the same time. A rally organized by the pan-green camp in support of the right to holding referendums saw more than 200,000 people protest in Kaohsiung on Oct. 25. The rally enhanced popular support and strengthened demands for a new constitution compatible with Taiwan's democracy and its rebirth as a normal, complete and great country. Under the circumstances, therefore, it was entirely predictable that the Hong Kong media and even the Chinese media would launch attacks against this new development.

According to the article in Takungpao, China believes that "under international law, if Taiwan seeks to create a new constitution and therefore a new country, it cannot be decided by only the people of Taiwan through a public referendum, but rather by the entire Chinese people through a referendum." This was because "after October 1, 1949, the government of the People's Republic of China [PRC] government had succeeded the Republic of China [ROC] government in exercising, on behalf of China, sovereignty over all its territory, including Taiwan." Any Taiwanese who reads this article would surely smirk. How can a totalitarian, communist country believe it is entitled to interfere with a model democratic country, or to declare sovereignty over another sovereign and independent, democratic country? It is even more ludicrous for China to shamefully claim that Taiwanese are not qualified to decide the constitutional framework of their own government for themselves through popular democracy, but that these matters must instead be submitted to a referendum of the Chinese people.

Apparently, China has not yet realized that, as it aims hundreds of missiles at Taiwan and refuses to denounce the use of force, its claim of being the "mother country" of Taiwanese and of being sovereign over Taiwan has nourished Taiwanese demands to be their own masters. This has led to a rapid surge in popular support for Taiwanese independence. On the other hand, a number of political parties and their members, who proclaim themselves to be "defenders of the ROC," call for the safeguarding of the ROC on the one hand and advocate the extension of Chinese sovereignty to Taiwan by unification with China on the other. This is as ridiculous and as pathetic as the small band of people who shrieked "long live Hu Jintao" as they attended the ROC's Double-Ten Day ceremony.

The average Taiwanese knows that the "one China" to which China refers is the PRC. This is something from which China cannot possibly back down, whatever phrasing it uses to mask its intent. If we continue to support the "one China" principle, it would be equivalent to surrendering to China. The pan-blue camp should give more thought to abandoning all this talk about a "one China roof," and then explicitly communicate to the Chinese the political reality of "one country on each side" of the Taiwan Strait. This is the best way to leave behind the complicated web of issues that beset Taiwan and China, and to discredit all of the excuses China uses to walk all over Taiwan. The need for new thinking on Taiwan's status cannot be ignored.

In addition, to further upgrade and strengthen political democracy in Taiwan, it is necessary to thoroughly reform the Constitution, a document which came into force in China in 1947 in an entirely different time and place. Regardless of whether Taiwan opts to amend the existing Constitution or adopt a new constitution, it must be compatible with -- indeed, tailored to -- the existing political situation. This is a major political project critical to the future of Taiwan.

In the face of steep requirements for amending the Constitution, and the passive resistance of the legislature to everything, except providing a showcase for trivial bickering, there is a genuine need to compensate for these inadequacies with referendums. Although both the ruling and opposition camps supposedly agreed on the need to draft a referendum law, the version of the draft recently proposed by the pan-blue camp unfortunately imposes various restrictions. If passed, the law would serve very little purpose, stifling the spirit of popular democracy underlying the referendums. It is abundantly clear that the pan-blue camp is an assassin of the referendum, rather than a champion.

Regardless of whether a new constitution is generated through amendment or adopting an entirely new document, and regardless of any compromise during negotiations between the opposition and ruling camps, the result will be the fruit of the country's own political system. Any issue raised will be enthusiastically dealt with by the Taiwanese people, as long as it is within the democratic mandate and compatible with political development.

Regardless of whether China sees the proposal for a new constitution by referendum as "election sloganeering," "incremental Taiwanese independence," or "progressive Taiwanese independence," these perspectives of the Chinese government are irrelevant to Taiwan's political democracy. Taiwanese politicians have no need to dance to China's tune. China should put in more thought as to how to amend its own socialist Constitution, so that it can be more compatible with democratic ideals, more capable of protecting its own people's rights, and more able to stimulate economic growth. The Taiwanese people will decide their own future and decide upon their own Constitution, and this is none of China's concern.

Blue camp can't accept the looting is finished

By Lee Min-yung

Sunday, Nov 02, 2003,Page 8

`The split between Lien and Soong in the hunt for the presidency was an example of new-leader politics -- grab and steal.'

The transfer of power in 2000 in effect meant that non-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) politicians took over the management of the Republic of China (ROC), a country brimming with muddle-headed controversy, both in theory and in practice. But the party-state structure, with its monopolizing mind-set, was obviously unable to accept the fact that power had been transferred into the hands of others. Although the new leaders and their team have declared again and again that they will perform the duties incumbent upon them to the utmost, the resistance that remains is still resistance.

From the moment former president Lee Teng-hui passed the torch to President Chen Shui-bian, every cog of the KMT machine has treated a localized ROC as the "other." KMT Chairman Lien Chan and People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong, leaders of an authoritarian party that split to compete against itself, have rejoined forces with the shared goal of overturning the government. The goal? To win power, nothing more, nothing less. When Chiang Ching-kuo handed power to Lee, it was proof that man cannot overcome fate. But will the KMT and the ROC now be forced to part ways?

Using the KMT and the Provisions Effective During the Period of Communist Rebellion, the Chiang family monopolized and controlled Taiwan for over 40 years. Peripheral party, government, army and intelligence structures surrounding the two Chiangs have been described by political scientists as clients of an authoritarian system. Apart from sharing in the spoils of power, these clients could only act according to their will. Within these client structures, many dreamed of succession, waiting to take power following the death of the father and his son.

The final departure of Soong Mayling after her defeat in the power struggle that followed the death of Chiang Ching-kuo showed that the clients of this authoritarian system shared a common ambition, but also that they were cultivating different plans. Then, the new leaders robbed the old officials. With one slap, James Soong destroyed the old officials' dreams. The split between Lien and Soong in the hunt for the presidency was an example of new-leader politics -- grab and steal. The clients then basked in their power, fearing noone, grabbing what they could.

But who could have thought that power would instead fall into the hands of someone outside the KMT? Alright, said the stunned former leaders, let's cooperate to get it back.

Now that Lien and Soong are the new lords of the manor, a new set of clients will of course gather around both of them.

And what of the illegitimate son of Chiang Ching-kuo? Who cares? The now-powerless Chiang clique barely recognizes him, so why should the new lords pay any attention to him? The chaotic political situation in Taiwan is simply a matter of an authoritarian syndrome continuing to wreak havoc.

Let Lien and Soong make their move. The people will grow tired of them after they lose once more.

Lee Min-yung is a poet and president of the Taiwan Peace Foundation.

Editorial: Arms procurement under fire

The issue of Taiwan's arms procurement from the US has again come under serious scrutiny in recent days, highlighting a number of conflicts of interest.

Two events on Thursday and Friday have rekindled public interest in the topic -- an article in The Washington Post published on Friday, and a visit by a group of US naval officials to the Legislative Yuan on Thursday to push through a plan for Taiwan to purchase eight conventional submarines.

The Post article is right in pointing out US concerns about the rapid shift in the cross-strait balance of military power in China's favor, and that Taiwan's government is experiencing obstacles in the way of upgrading and modernizing its military and defense capabilities. However, it is not entirely correct about the obstacles holding back the Taiwanese government.

It is a gross understatement to say "the [arms procurement] process has been complicated by Taiwan's increasingly assertive legislature." The Legislative Yuan, in which the opposition pan-blue alliance maintains a majority, has presented a major, if not the biggest, obstacle to the DPP government's implementation of its policies, arms procurements being just one of the thorny issues in a long list.

Clearly the US government is beginning to get a sense of where the real problems lie, which was demonstrated by the US naval officials' visit to the legislature, where budgets for arms procurement are facing serious cuts. The trip does at least serve one constructive purpose -- enhancing the public transparency of the decision-making process for arms procurement and eliminating public skepticism about the rationales behind purchase decisions.

However, many members of the pro-unification camp, which has traditionally disputed the legitimacy of the need to arm Taiwan against China, were quick to denounce the move as the exertion of undue pressure by the US government for the purchase of arms by Taiwan. It would be foolish to underestimate the group's ability to use the incident to incite public resentment by preying on some long-existing skepticism about arms procurement.

These long-standing doubts stem in part from the confounding sense of national identity many people in Taiwan have. The question weighing on these people's minds is: "If we are all Chinese, and if peaceful unification with China is our long-term goal, then why purchase all these arms?"

Of course, the Chinese government, which is rapidly expanding its military power and pointing hundreds of missiles at Taiwan, is really the one that should answer this question, rather than Taiwan, which is simply arming defensively.

The fact that big bucks are being spent to purchase arms at a time when the Taiwanese government is buried under high deficits, triggers skepticism as well. Frankly speaking, the concern over the lack of money is not unfounded. But the people of Taiwan also need to realize that it is virtually impossible for Taiwan to purchase arms without US aid, because China has grown big enough to scare off other foreign countries interested in selling arms to Taiwan. It is not the same as purchasing commercial jets, for example, where Taiwan gets more latitude to pick and choose between different foreign suppliers competing for our businesses. Taiwan simply doesn't have the leverage to haggle too much about arms prices. This is indeed a very sad dilemma unique to Taiwan's situation.

Finally, the Post article's statement that President Chen Shui-bian is "reluctant" to lock horns with the military to push through all the badly needed reforms would probably be more accurate if it said that Chen is "unable" to push through the reforms.

As a virtually lame duck during his first term as president, there is very little Chen can do. However, the bright side of things is that with the campaign to push for a new Constitution and referendum rights, the people of Taiwan are on their way to building a clearer sense of national identity, which would ultimately change the military's conservatism and give rise to a greater awareness of the need for self-defense.

New constitution is badly needed

By David Huang

Sunday, Nov 02, 2003,Page 8

In an interview with the Washington Post on Oct. 8, President Chen Shui-bian said that "Taiwan is an independent, sovereign country," but "the 23 million people of Taiwan do not have a constitution that genuinely belongs to them." He also said that "as the leader of this country, I have a duty, responsibility, and a strong sense of mission" to push for a new constitution that truly fits the people of Taiwan.

Indeed, the Constitution of the Republic of China (ROC) currently implemented in Taiwan does not belong to Taiwanese people. This Constitution was formulated on the basis of China and the Chinese people. In terms of international law, the San Francisco Peace Treaty, in which Japan renounced its claim over "Formosa and the Pescadores," did not stipulate that Taiwan's sovereignty belongs to China. Since Taiwan is not part of China and since the ROC does not own Taiwan's sovereignty, the ROC Constitution certainly does not belong to Taiwanese people.

Although the ROC Constitution has been imposed on Taiwan and a prototype of Taiwanese democracy has been based on it, it was not tailor-made for Taiwan and its people. Like an adult's outfit put on a kid, it could not fit the child even after alterations. We need a new one. Now is the time for Taiwan to create a constitution to fit the needs of its 23 million people.

In addition, the creation of a constitution can prevent Taiwan from falling into China's trap. If Taiwan still holds onto the ROC Constitution, which claims that Taiwan is part of China, then this is no different from digging its own grave and jumping into the "one China" negotiation trap set up by China. This is definitely not something we want to see.

In fact, only the "one country on each side [of the Taiwan Strait]" platform fits in with Taiwan's optimum benefits in cross-strait negotiations. In his recently published book entitled Ten Sentences that Influenced Taiwan, Examination Yuan President Yao Chia-wen quoted a declassified telegraph from 1971 which revealed that vice foreign minister Yang Hsi-kun and ambassador to the US George Yeh told then president Chiang Kai-shek that the Taiwan government should completely separate itself from, and severe its links with, the People's Republic of China (PRC) government so that Taiwan will not be annexed by the PRC.

Obviously, only by separating itself from China will Taiwan gain its optimum benefits. The ROC Constitution established on the basis of "one China" should have been scrapped long ago.

KMT Chairman Lien Chan has previously served as foreign minister, premier and vice president, but rather than emulating the wise people of the past, he has acted against his conscience to proclaim that Taiwan is part of the ROC's territory and that Taiwan should amend, rather than rewrite, its constitution so that he can snatch the presidency. He has audaciously attempted to force Taiwan into a disadvantageous position in cross-strait relations, sacrificing the benefits to which the people of Taiwan and Taiwanese businesspeople in China are entitled.

Through integration following the two world wars, Taiwanese people have transformed into what former president Lee Teng-hui called "the new Taiwanese people." A "contract" ought to be signed between them to show their identity with this land. This contract will be Taiwan's new constitution. No matter what content will be stipulated in the constitution, it will be jointly decided by the 23 million people, rather than being forced onto us by 1.2 billion Chinese people. It will be a "new contract" for the "new Taiwanese people."

In addition to reforming the government's structure, this new contract will also declare that Taiwan is not part of China, Taiwan enjoys independent sovereignty and self-determination, and Taiwan is an independent nation. Therefore, the foremost goal of creating a constitution is to build a nation. This will be the only way to meet the needs of Taiwanese people and pursue optimum benefits.

Let us pool our efforts to support President Chen's bid to push for a new constitution and achieve the great cause of building Taiwan as a nation.

David Huang is commissioner of the Civil Service Protection and Training Commission at the Examination Yuan.