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Dec.28,2000--- To: George
W. Bush |
Dear Mr. George W. Bush, It is our pleasure to send you the letter that relating Taiwan condition. Dec. 6, 2000 --- The majority of respondents to a recent public opinion poll think relations between Taiwan and mainland China are state-to-state in nature, the public opinion research center of National Sun Yat-sen University said. The center conducted the telephone poll of 1, 085 randomly selected adults last week at the request of Huang Chao-hui, a former legislator. Huang said the survey was aimed at exploring local views on the ¡§one China¡¨ concept after the cross-party President¡¦s Advisory Group on Cross-Taiwan Strait Relations issued ¡§three understanding and four recommendations¡¨ on the future development of cross-strait relations. Survey results show that 60.3 percent of those interviewed said they think that Taiwan and mainland China are independent of each other and that their ties should be defined as ¡§state-to-state¡¨ relations. According to the poll, 46 percent said they regard Taiwan-mainland China relations as ¡§fraternal relationship,¡¨ while 14.9 percent said they think that Taiwan-mainland ties are ¡§hostile.¡¨ The same survey also found that 75 percent of the respondents would not accept mainland China¡¦s rule of Taiwan, but 10.8 percent said they are willing to accept the Chinese communist rule. A further analysis of poll finding s shows that residents in northern Taiwan are more willing to accept the mainland rule than their southern Taiwan counterparts. Meanwhile, 51.8 percent said they think that ¡§one China¡¨ refers to the Republic of China, and 51.2 percent said they think ¡§national unification¡¨ means that mainland China rules Taiwan. Moreover, 52 percent said they think if Taiwan supports ¡§unification¡¨ or Beijing¡¦s ¡§one China¡¨ principle, the island would then fall under the rule of the ¡§People¡¦s Republic of China.¡¨ Analyzing the poll findings, Huang said the island¡¦s people and the ROC government should remain highly cautious and exercise wisdom when dealing with cross-strait issues since the majority of local people still oppose mainland Chinese rule of Taiwan. The people of Taiwan used their ballots to complete the ROC¡¦s first democratic transfer of power from the Kuomintang to his Democratic Progressive Party in the March 18 presidential election, Chen said the event marks a milestone in the global Chinese community. ¡§Taiwan has not only set a new model for democratic development in Asia but has also added a touching example to the world¡¦s ongoing Third Wave democratization,¡¨ President Chen said, adding that all local residents and overseas Chinese the world over should treasure this hard-won achievement and work together to usher in a new era in Chinese history. Chen vowed to establish a clean, efficient, forward-looking, energetic and competent new government with flexibility and expertise to cope with any emergencies and boost the well-being of people at home and abroad. Contrary to Beijing¡¦s threat, veterans of the island¡¦s democracy movement warned against complacency (Dec. 6, 2000) saying that Taiwan cannot rest on its laurels as far as human rights and democracy are concerned. In economics, the island republic used to be proud of its three advantages over the mainland, capital, talent and technology. But this edge is wearing out as the mainland has amassed one of the world¡¦s largest foreign exchange reserves and an unlimited supply of managerial and marketing experts along with the most advanced information technology. The mainland China remains one of the least free countries on earth. Democratic Taiwan has every reason to reject becoming a part of the PRC. The Beijing leadership no longer needs Taiwan as a contributor to the mainland¡¦s economic reconstruction. Its only purpose now is borne out of the nationalism which maybe irrational, but Taiwan has no means or capability to resist. It is understandable for Nobel Prize-winning scholar Lee Yuan-tseh, has called on President Chen Shui-bian to convene a meeting of the National Unification Council to help thaw icy relations with rival Beijing. How to assure that the island¡¦s democracy and security are kept intact, it would rock government¡¦s administration? W thought democratic power is the only way for dealing with Beijing. So, Taiwan needs your support.
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