Dec. 2,2000 --- To: Trent

[ Up ]

Palestine, like the Taiwan Strait, has been one of the world’s most dangerous trouble spots, different though the two regions are in the nature of their potential explosiveness. Above all, Palestine has been the scene of bitter struggles since antiquity. The present dispute can be traced to the Zionist movement in the late 19^th century, which vowed to create a Jewish Homeland in Palestine.

In 1971, Britain promised a home for the Jews in Palestine. The Balfour Declaration, a statement by the British government, favors the establishment of a Jewish home nation. It also states that the British would help Arab leaders create their own independent states.

But a misunderstanding arose that had a long-standing effect on the region. The Arabs thought Palestine would be among the newly independent Arab states. Yet the British said it had made no such plan, and neither did they intend for Palestine to be exclusively a Jewish state. Rather, they said, a Jewish state would exist within Palestine.

In November 1948, the United Nations voted to end the British Mandate by May 15, 1949, and to split Palestine into Jewish and Arab states. Jews established the state of Israel, and at the same time nearby Arab nations invaded the new nation.

By July 1949 Israel had repulsed the invasion, joined the United Nations, and been recognized by more than 50 governments around the world.

That unfortunately did not put an end to the turmoil in Palestine. Instead, the region became a scene of continual uprisings and fighting.

In 1998 Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu held talks with Arafat, with U.S. President Bill Clinton and an ailing King Hussein of Jordan acting as mediators in Maryland. Those and all the peace talks held later proved unproductive. The impasse appears as insoluble as ever.

In Taiwan side, “military confrontation over Taiwan seems a remote possibility, provided the key actors remain preoccupied by their other priorities,” the report said.

IISS said China’s was taking considerable steps to alter the military balance with Taiwan, in particular with the acquisition of SU-30 and SU-27 fighter jets from Russia.

The report said the first planes from an order of 200 SU-27s were delivered last year, and that 50 SU-30s were due to be delivered in 2002.

IISS said China’s navy had also been enhanced by the delivery of a Sovremenny class destroyer from Russia. It noted that a second vessel was due to be handed over this year and discussions were under way for two more ships.

It said despite reports China was trying to acquire an aircraft carrier, it would take more than two decades before its navy could fully operate a carrier-based aviation capability.

IISS said China was developing a new ballistic missile launching submarine, but it noted the nuclear-powered attack submarine being built with Russian help was still not operational.

After extensive talks with mainland China officials, including vice Premier Qian Qichen, Wu poh-hsiung, vice chairman of KMT said he came to understand that Beijing authorities regard current cross-strait relations as “very grim” and therefore must make all necessary preparations, including combat readiness to cope with any possible changes in Taiwan’s situation.

Wu pointed out that PRC leaders have been very suspicious of Taiwan’s policy direction since the Democratic Progressive Party gained control of the presidency.

Meanwhile; under pressure of WTO, the new government must do effort in strengthening academic exchanges in order to seek possible break through to the current cross-strait deadlock.

So, Taiwan needs your help.