Prince Charles gave`appalling' Chinese a lashing over HK

AFP , LONDON

Scathing remarks against the Chinese government by Britain's Prince Charles made during the 1997 handover of Hong Kong were revealed in a British newspaper yesterday.

In his journal of the handover, at which he represented Queen Elizabeth II, Charles allegedly described Chinese diplomats as "appalling old waxworks", the Mail on Sunday reported.

The remarks attributed to Charles could cause a diplomatic row with China just three days after Chinese President Hu Jintao completed a short state visit to Britain.

Charles' Clarence House office are "seriously considering taking legal proceedings relating to the issue," a spokesman said, believing the material was accessed unlawfully.

The Mail on Sunday said the text came into its possession "entirely legitimately."

The prince allegedly described his horror at the "awful Soviet-style display" as Chinese troops "goose step" to "haul down the Union Jack and raise the Chinese flag" as part of a "ridiculous rigmarole."

British Prime Minister Tony Blair also came in for criticism.

The 3,000-word journal, entitled The Handover of Hong Kong -- or `The Great Chinese Takeaway' was circulated to a clutch of relatives, friends, political contacts and courtiers.

The Mail on Sunday called it a "brilliantly witty but acerbic memoir."

Charles writes a detailed account in his own hand after returning from foreign trips, which were freely circulated in his office during the 1990s.

Clarence House acknowledged the Hong Kong journal's authenticity and accepted its importance and historical interest, the Mail on Sunday said.

The prince allegedly wrote: "After my speech, the president [Jiang Zemin] detached himself from the group of appalling old waxworks who accompanied him and took his place at the lectern.

"He then gave a kind of `propaganda' speech which was loudly cheered by the bussed-in party faithful at the suitable moment in the text."

He said the Chinese brought in a wind turbine to ensure that their newly-hoisted flags would "flutter enticingly," it continued.

Charles worried that the Chinese army might intimidate local residents.

"One can only hope they are confined to barracks in Hong Kong," he allegedly wrote.

Charles revealed his apparent frustration at the bureaucratic Chinese regime and his fear that the rule of law would be abandoned in the former colony.

He also allegedly attacked the then new Prime Minister Blair for his use of advisers.

"They then take decisions based on market research or focus groups, or the papers produced by political advisers, or civil servants, none of whom will have ever experienced what it is they are taking decisions about," he allegedly wrote.

There was some sympathy for Blair, who spent 14 hours each on the flight to the Far East, in Hong Kong, then on the plane home.

He was also witty about his own flight arrangements.

Initially he was puzzled "as to why the seat seemed so uncomfortable" before discovering that he had been put in club class while political dignitaries had been seated in first class.

"Such is the end of Empire," he mused.

Join up to face China: experts

SAME VALUES: In the face of threats from China and North Korea, countries in the region that respect democracy and human rights should work more closely together

By Shih Hsiu-chuan

STAFF REPORTER

Countries in East Asia that respect the universal values of freedom, democracy and human rights should band together to face China, which is transforming into the main security threat in the region aside from North Korea, an academic said yesterday.

The academic made the remarks at a forum held by a think tank affiliated with former president Lee Teng-hui that was attended by scholars from Japan and Taiwan.

The academics said globalization, which has deepened economic interaction among countries, has exacerbated geopolitical conflicts rather than creating peace or spreading universal values.

"In the East Asia region, China and North Korea are the main concerns in terms of potential conflict, said Chang Hsi-mo, an associate professor in the Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies at National Sun Yat-sen University.

Given that North Korea has dedicated itself to developing nuclear weapons and China is expanding its military force and nurturing nationalism, they are most likely to be the initiators of conflicts in the Korean Peninsula, the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, which leaves other East Asian countries under the shadow of war, he added.

Kubota Nobuyuki, a professor in the Department of Education at Gakushuin Women's College, said that communist China -- which doesn't allow for the existence of organized religion -- is a country that doesn't know how to "put on the brakes".

"All [China] takes to heart is its economic and technology development and thus it always disregards values such as freedom, democracy and human rights," he said.

The forum, called "The Future of the Asia-Pacific," was hosted by the Lee Teng-hui Academy and aimed to discuss the possibility of forming an integrated "East Asia Community," a concept advocated in Japan's policy circles in recent years.

However, Cheng Ching-jen, a professor of history at National Taiwan University, said that if the Japan-sponsored "East Asia Community" comes into being, the country dominating it would be China, not Japan.

"China's economic development has led it to aim for hegemony in East Asia, which will surely exclude Taiwan's participation in the community," Cheng said.

Lee Min-yung, a local poet and social critic, said it would be difficult to form a community similar to the EU in East Asia, because of the different languages and religions in most countries of the region.

"Also, [a sense of] community in the region is weak," Lee said.

"Nevertheless, thanks to the average level of development in Taiwan, Japan and South Korea and their historical ties, the objective conditions for forming a community among the three countries are relatively mature," he said.

Kubota Nobuyuki said that all nations must realize the importance of preserving natural resources in the 21st century, but China has not been doing this.

"Taiwan shares the same values of freedom, democracy and human rights with Japan, and thus the two countries should enhance their cooperative relations to contribute to a prosperous future in the East Asia region," he said.

US commentator calls for revision of China policy

CHANGES: In a speech, a former US presidential assistant said that the US' stance is out of date and does not look after the interests of Taiwanese

CNA , LOS ANGELES

A well-known US political commentator said on Saturday that the US should revise its "one China" policy as both the policy and Beijing's so-called "one country, two systems" formula are out of date and do not meet with the current political situation nor the interests of Taiwanese people.

Bruce Herschensohn, who once served as a deputy special assistant to the late US president Richard Nixon, made the comments in a speech entitled "One China Policy and the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA)," to local Taiwanese expatriates in Hacienda Heights near Los Angeles at the invitation of Ted Anderson, president of the Friends of Taiwan, a pro-Taiwan association in the US.

Talking about US President George W. Bush's upcoming visit to China which will begin next week, the commentator said that although Chinese President Hu Jintao will mention the so-called "one China" policy while meeting with his US counterpart, Bush will surely reiterate Washington's longstanding stance by emphasizing that it will continue to respect the TRA.

Misunderstanding

According to Herschensohn, the "one China" policy actually stems from a misunderstanding of a few phrases in the "Shanghai Communique" which was signed by Nixon and Chinese leaders, which he said has never been debated nor contemplated in US academic circles or among US lawmakers.

Unfortunately, he continued, several pro-China officials in the US State Department intentionally explained the communique incorrectly so that the "one China" policy has become an operating principle in US-Taiwan-China relations.

Noting that the "one China" policy and the so-called "one country, two systems" formula are out of date, the commentator said that "they also go against the wellbeing of Taiwan people's and should be abandoned entirely."

He also described the "Anti-Secession" Law passed by China in March of this year as a "bad law," saying that this can be proved by the fact that the EU suspended its discussions related to lifting its arms ban on China after the law was passed.

US pledges

Pointing out that the US would certainly help Taiwan to defend itself in accordance with the TRA if China were to start a war against Taiwan, the commentator said that if Washington does not do as it promises, it will not only violate the spirit of the founding of the state, but will also go against the pledges made by many US presidents advocating freedom and democracy in the world.

Besides actively helping Taiwan to defend itself and providing it with sophisticated military technology, the US should also use the term "Taiwan," the correct designation for the island, when referring to Taiwan, he concluded.

Australia mulls joining regional terror task force

GOOD NEIGHBOR: The staunch US ally seems  increasingly interested in engaging its Asian neighbors and fostering regional cooperation

REUTERS CANBERRA

Australia indicated yesterday that it would consider joining a new regional anti-terrorism task force reportedly being set up by Asian neighbor Indonesia.

Attorney-General Philip Ruddock told Australian television that Canberra would look at any move to increase cooperation.

COUNTER-TERRORISM

The Sunday Telegraph newspaper said Indonesia wanted to set up a regional counter-terrorism task force, and might even put the proposal to police chiefs from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta this week.

The paper said Indonesia had also invited Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty to attend the meeting and to deliver a speech, although Australia is not a member of the 10-nation ASEAN grouping.

Ruddock said Canberra already had strong police and setacity links with the region and was working to build intelligence links and capacity in countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia.       

"Obviously it's important for us to have the best possible intelligence arrangements within the region, and to improve capacity," Ruddock told Australian television. "We'll look at any arrangement that will enhance those capacities."

Australian Federal Police have built a close relationship with their Indonesian colleagues, and helped Indonesian authorities gather evidence following last month's Bali bombings, and the 2002 Bali nightclub blasts, which killed 202 people, including 88 Australians.

Australian police also worked with Indonesian authorities to track down Azahari bin Husin, the Malaysian-born militant killed last week. He was believed to have been the brains behind the bomb attacks on western targets in Indonesia.

Australia, which has gradually increased its anti-terror laws since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the US, is currently considering new plans to give police extra powers to detain and question suspects.

The new laws, proposed after the July 7 London bombings, will allow police to detain suspects for up to seven days without charge, and make support for insurgents in countries such as Iraq an offence punishable by seven years in jail.

NUSLIM COMMUNITY

Australia’s Muslim community initially endorsed the new laws, but has now withdrawn support and rejected Prime Minister John Howard’s call for the community to "spy on" and report on extremists.

"A community organization like mine is not a police force," Australian federation of Islamic Councils president Ameer Ali told Australian television. "We do not monitor the behavior of every individual."

Last week Australian police in two states arrested and charged 18 men following the country's largest counter terrorism operation.

Australia, a staunch ally of the US with troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, has never suffered a major peacetime attack on home soil.

The KMT never repented

By Yang Ji-charng, UNITED STATES

In his letter (Nov. 11, page 8) addressing a Taipei Times editorial, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Su Chi admitted that the KMT has an authoritarian past, but claimed that it has bid farewell to that tradition. The party loyalist's claim is merely spin.

The father and son dictators -- former presidents Chiang Kai-shek and Chiang Ching-kuo -- together imposed martial law on Taiwan for nearly 40 years but are still viewed by the KMT as heroes. KMT heavyweights still pay homage to the two Chiangs by visiting their tombs every year.

KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou visited the tombs right after winning the chairmanship. Ironically, former president Lee Teng-hui, who terminated the KMT's authoritarian tradition, was banished from the party by former KMT chairman Lien Chan. Apparently, Lien Chan and the KMT are more comfortable dealing with Beijing's dictators than the democratically elected president of Taiwan.

The dictators may be gone. But the KMT is still enjoying its looted assets and faces no repercussions whatsoever for the crimes it committed during its White Terror. The KMT's authoritarian rule may have ended, but they still cherish their authoritarian past. Their totems of power still stand high, their assets are still abundant and their crimes are still not subject to accountability.

The KMT never truly repented. They coddle Beijing's authoritarian regime and practice their "one China" war against Taiwan. With their "united front," all hell has broken loose. Can Taiwan survive this enduring authoritarian connection?