President Bush used three words
repeatedly in his speech; “freedom” “patience”
“justice”. They are the right words. But in Taiwanese
people’s mind the terrorists were coming from China. After the Sept. 11 tragedies in
the US, leaders from numerous countries expressed their grief. A web of
complex factors, including existing historical sentiments, ideologies and
conflicting political realities, means that a new conflict regarding
international relations could intensify in the wake of the terrorist
attacks and subsequent redefinition of US security. For Taiwan, the matter demanding the most attention is, of course, whether the triangular relationship between the US, Taiwan and China will change. With US President George W. Bush planning to visit Shanghai next month it seems that formal US-China relations have been moving in a milder direction since his earlier tough stance on China. Since the attacks, however,
US-China relations appear to have returned to mutual suspicion and
uncertainty. Because of this uncertainty, the two countries might even
return to a state of confrontation. Looking at the structure of
strategic positioning, China is already nervous that the US will get its
revenge on Afghanistan, even though the US has yet to launch an offensive
against that country. During the height of domestic outrage and
international sympathy, Beijing fears the US will also implement a
strategy to contain China. Because Afghanistan and China are
close neighbors, the Chinese military has already established a special
task force to tackle any new developments. In fact, following the
terrorist attacks, China and a number of Central Asian nations made
statements opposing a US attack on Afghanistan. The possibility of
US reprisals is therefore bound to produce friction between the US and
China. In addition, the nationalist
sentiment that erupted in China following the attacks in the US will
worsen the existing lack of trust in Sino-US relations. This sentiment
arises from the belief that the attacks were the result of US
"hegemony." Although Chinese officials have expressed their
condolences to the US, others were quick to cite the examples of Chinese
who suffered in the collision between a US surveillance plane and a
Chinese jet fighter in April. They also point to the US bombing of the
Chinese Embassy in Belgrade to illustrate the harm US "hegemony"
has inflicted on China. Although several major media publications have adopted an attitude of impartiality, there are others who take pleasure at the US misfortune, with headlines such as "US collapses" or "Stars and Stripes comes down." While Chinese officials have stated on the Internet that they have already responded to the tragedy and called for the Chinese people not to react to the events too emotionally, the Web site of the People's Daily newspaper still posted an article about how the US brought its predicament upon itself through hegemony. Looking at reports in the
mainstream US media, one finds it to be similarly full of distrust of
China. For example, the Washington Post reported on Beijing
providing military resources to Afghanistan, which prompted
China's foreign ministry to offer an explanation. The US also reportedly
expelled some visiting Chinese journalists for allegedly cheering after
viewing the Sept. 11 attack. China was also the only Although response from China may
suggest otherwise, a Mainland Affairs Council official said on Sept. 21,
2001 the cross-strait debate and the US' war against terrorism were
totally unrelated. As China responded to the US
effort to fight terrorism following last week's attacks, it added its own
terms to the definition of just what that fight is about. China hinted that if the US is to
fight terrorists it should also support China in its efforts to crush
separatists. Some foreign media have taken that definition to mean
that China was referring to Xinjiang -- where Muslim rebels are struggling
for independence from China -- Tibet and even Taiwan. "The cross-strait issue and
anti-terrorism are two totally different issues and shouldn't be dealt
with together," said Lin Chong-pin, vice chairman of the MAC. "We believe that the US
government understands the differences between the two issues for its own
interests and the stability of eastern Asia. The two sides should
negotiate the cross-strait issue on equal footing," Lin said. Earlier this week, Zhu Bangzao,
a spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry, said the US should support
Beijing in its own struggle against separatism in exchange for Beijing's
backing on anti-terrorism action. "The United States has asked
China to provide assistance in the fight against terrorism," Zhu
said. "China, by the same token, has reasons to ask the United States
to give its support and understanding in the fight against terrorism and
separatists." While Zhu did not clarify which
separatists and terrorists he was referring to, English publications like
The Asian Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post have interpreted
that comment to be a reference to Xinjiang, Tibet and Taiwan. The reports, however, did not
mention why Taiwan would be connected with separatists or terrorists. While Beijing did not elaborate on
its stance, Lin said the discussion that followed has been constructive
and that the government is monitoring the situation closely. An opinion piece in The Asian
Wall Street Journal on the same day as the story on China's bargaining
suggested China was using the US fight against terrorism to turn ordinary
Chinese against the democratic West. "The fight against terrorism
is a global trend and no country would be accepted by international
society if it tried to bargain in its support for US efforts against
terrorism," Lin said. "We hope that China would
evaluate the situation carefully and react intelligently," Lin said. Beijing wants to share
anti-terrorists by way of exterminating Xinjiang, Tibet and Taiwan’s
independent activities; it would hurt the spirit of human rights. General Douglas McArthur once said
"old soldiers never die, they just fade away." In Taiwan,
however, an old soldier who refuses to fade away -- even if it is because
his country needs him -- faces humiliation, injustice and betrayal. This
has been proven by a series of appalling insults against former president
and KMT chairman Lee Teng-hui that culminated by the KMT deciding to oust
Lee on Sept. 21, 2001. The campaign of attrition and humiliation against Lee started the day the KMT lost the 2000 presidential election. Many of those who enjoyed a privileged life as cronies of the Chiang Kai-shek regime blamed Lee and couldn't wait to retaliate to avenge their loss of power. It began with the siege of the Presidential Office and the KMT's headquarters by angry mobs after the election results were announced. Lee was compelled to step down early from the post of KMT chairman under pressure from the very man he had picked as his successor. Then there were vicious allegations by New Party lawmakers that Lee and his wife had left the country with suitcases stuffed with cash. The benefits Lee enjoys as a former head of state have been whittled down at the behest of a KMT-dominated Legislative Yuan. How sad to see the way Lee is
thanked for leading this country and his party through countless political
battles and victories -- battles that helped Taiwan achieve its miraculous
democratic reforms. The KMT has said that Lee's party
membership was suspended because of his criticisms of the party and his
endorsement of the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU). The problem is the KMT
deserves all of Lee's criticisms and then some. After the hard work Lee put
in to give the party a "Taiwanese" identity and soul, the KMT
has now reverted back into the "Chinese KMT." Party members and
officials have been stampeding across the Taiwan Strait to pay homage to
China's leadership. According to a
report issued by the US think-tank Center for Strategic and International
Studies, KMT members have been busy persuading Beijing's government to
shut the door on dialogue with the Chen Shui-bian administration. How ironic that the KMT now willingly kisses the feet of its old archenemy. But the irony does not end there, as the party has also rediscovered a brotherhood with James Soong and his People First Party, as well as the New Party. The tolerance and generosity of
the KMT and its chairman Lien Chan toward these new friends are
frightening. Lien turns a blind eye to all of Soong's backstabbing,
including a secret meeting with Chen. Why couldn't Lien have been this
loving toward little brother Soong before? Had Lien been willing to step
aside and let Soong stand for the KMT in the 2000 presidential election,
the KMT would still be the ruling party. The KMT has reversed its position
so many times since Lien became chairman that it is impossible to keep
count. How can Lee not get upset seeing the destruction of his life's
work? Why wouldn't he have endorsed the TSU, a party that promises to
uphold a "Taiwan first" ideology? Lee represents many things in which this country takes pride -- democracy and the "Taiwan first" ideology top that long list. By severing its ties with Lee, the KMT has turned its back on everything Lee stands for -- and so many people in Taiwan have fought and died for. Taiwan would do everyway to
support United States over anti-terrorists. The reports from
government’s statement … The US, while eager to win China's
support to help avenge terrorist attacks on its soil, will not sacrifice
its ties with Taiwan or play down the importance of peace in the region,
Premier Chang Chun-hsiung said on Sept. 21, 2001. Chang, who was in Hawaii when the
tragedy struck and whose return was delayed for two days, said that the
government had made all necessary preparations to cope with potential
fallout from US military action against Afghanistan. "While in Hawaii, Richard
Bush [chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan] assured me there would
be no change to Washington-Taipei ties in the wake of the terrorist
assault," Chang said during interpellation in the legislature. The US is seeking international
support for its pledged retaliation against the terrorists, who the
superpower maintains are hiding in war-torn Afghanistan. For its part, Taiwan has offered
condolences for the victims of the tragedy and thrown its weight behind
the anti-terrorist campaign. Echoing Chang's comments, Minister
of Foreign Affairs Tien Hung-mao said that officials based in Washington
have been told that bilateral relations will remain unchanged. The premier, however, would not
answer to news reports that the country could fall prey to terrorist wrath
because of its purchases of US weapons. Defense Minister Wu Shih-wen said
that the armed forces have braced for the worst possible scenarios and
made maximum preparation. "Though there are no
diplomatic links between Taiwan and the US, we are closely monitoring the
situation," Wu said. On Thursday, President Chen
Shui-bian convened the National Security Council and set up a special task
force to advise him on the possible repercussions of war between the US
and Afghanistan's Taliban regime. Chang told the legislature that
there would not be a price increase for gasoline, as the country has
sufficient supplies. "There is no need to worry
about a gas shortage as we have in stock crude oil that can meet demand
for 80 days," he said. "An additional 30-days' supply is being
shipped to the country." The price of crude oil has slipped
back to US$27 a barrel, after jumping to US$31 in the first few days after
the terrorist attacks. Chang declined to comment when
asked what the Cabinet would do if any war were to last beyond the 110
days of stock. Economics Minister Lin Hsin-yi
said he believed that oil-exporting nations would increase their output
when demand increases. Taiwan is willing to offer
assistance to fight global terrorism. On behalf of Minister of Foreign
Affairs Tien Hung-mao, his deputy, Wu Tzu-dan, yesterday signed a book of
condolence for victims of last week's terrorist attacks in the US. The signing took place at the Taipei office of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), in a show of the government's support for the US in its efforts to eliminate terrorism. Wu was received by the acting director of AIT, Pamela Slutz, who thanked him for Taiwan's support. Ministry spokeswoman Katharine
Chang said that, during Wu's meeting with Slutz, Wu reiterated Taiwan's
support for US determination to crack down on terrorism. Chang said that the US would not
sacrifice its close ties with Taiwan in exchange for China's support for
US-led anti-terrorist measures. "Judging from our past
experiences with the US, the American government has handled Taiwan-US
relations separately from other issues," Chang said. "We strongly believe the US
will not link our bilateral relations to the matter of terrorism." "We have been opposing
China's intention to link cross-strait relations to any other issue under
any circumstances, or to exchange cross-strait relations for any political
interest for which China yearns," said Chang. Chang said Taiwan is willing to
offer assistance to fight global terrorism if necessary. Chang was responding to an appeal
by US President George W. Bush for global cooperation in fighting
terrorism. Bush said in a speech delivered to
a joint session of Congress on Thursday: "The civilized world is
rallying to America's side. They understand that if terror goes
unpunished, their own cities, their own citizens may be next." Chang said no matter what cause
terrorists pursue, Taiwan cannot tolerate any violent terrorist action
that threatens human beings or their property. "We have also offered to
provide any necessary assistance to the US-led anti-terrorism
campaign," she said. Beijing wants to use this
anti-terrorists’ sentiment to exterminate pro-democratic parties and
independence of Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjinag. The shining hope of a new
millennium lies in ruins, buried beneath the debris of the World Trade
Center towers, and a new generation is called to defend civilization from
a foe bent on its destruction. As the coalition to put an end
to terrorism begins to build, China is seeking to push its skewed view of
human rights as the only legitimate one, portraying the harsh crackdowns
on civil liberties that have become its hallmark as fully justified. Beijing's strategy for taking
advantage of last week's tragedy is two-fold. First,
it seeks to win the world's acquiescence in its harsh treatment of
Xinjiang's Muslim separatists, the beleaguered Tibetan minority in the
west, and, more importantly, to force Washington to deny Taiwan the means
to defend herself in return for China's support of the anti-terrorist
coalition. Second, and for the long term, it seeks to win the much larger debate over the freedom of the individual. Always thinking ahead, Beijing
sees this entire episode as an opportunity to win carte blanche from the
international community to continue to treat its own citizens as part of a
mindless collective. The Chinese Communist Party is well aware that
free-thinking people are a threat to its stranglehold on political power. In Beijing's view, anyone who
questions China's xenophobic, one-party state must be done away with --
and the terrorist attacks last week on the beacon of democracy are to be
used to legitimize that effort by exploiting the West's new-found
vulnerability -- its now evolving crisis of security. This is one of the mine fields
of the emerging period of history. It will be a challenge to modern
civilization to maintain civil liberties and freedoms in the face of the
now all too evident terrorist foe. China will try and persuade the
free peoples of the world that stifling dissent, limiting freedom of
information, freedom of movement, freedom of the press, freedom of
religion has been justified all along, and that the democracies should
follow suit for the sake of their own security. This we must not do. The terrorist attacks last week
were attacks on a way of life that Beijing continues to oppose. The
irony that China is seeking to turn the battle against global terrorism
into further justification for the abuse of its own citizens must not be
lost on policy makers around the world when they seek Beijing's support. Unless China chooses to
participate on the basis that innocent people should not be slaughtered
for the sake of making a political statement, then the world should let
Beijing stew on the sidelines as the freedom-loving people of the world
defend their hard-won liberty without its help. So, Taiwan needs your help.
Yours Sincerely,
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