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Greenpeace China and unification demands
By Gloria Hsu 徐光蓉
Saturday, Apr 24, 2010, Page 8
Greenpeace China is in the process of opening a Taiwan office. While saying that
Greenpeace China will not issue opinions on political issues, a representative
said the Taiwan office would be subordinate to the Chinese office and that one’s
position on Taiwanese independence would be a consideration when interviewing
applicants.
Thanks to its public relations skills, Greenpeace International is probably the
world’s best known environmental protection organization. It has clashed with
Japanese whalers on the high seas to protect whales and tracked international
transports of toxic waste. It has sneaked into and closed down coal power plants
and hung banners from chimneys. In 1985 the French secret service sank the
organization’s boat The Rainbow Warrior in New Zealand to stop it from
interfering with nuclear arms tests in the South Pacific. This fearless pursuit
of its goals is admired by many who want to protect the environment.
In the past, shared ideals have led the Taiwan Environmental Protection Union
(台灣環境保護聯盟) to cooperate with Greenpeace International in protests against
nuclear power and the handling of nuclear waste. It has shared the Taiwanese
environmental protection experience with other countries, and feels strongly
that it is only through solidarity and mutual help that weaker groups will be
able to protest against the inequalities created by the existing political and
economic system. That is why we are very happy to see international
environmental protection organizations set up offices in Taiwan. Greenpeace
China’s plan to open up an office in Taiwan, however, raises many concerns.
Greenpeace opened an office in Hong Kong in 1997, and in 2002 it set up an
office in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. Over the years, the activities of the
Chinese branch have differed vastly from what people might expect: It has
focused on opposing genetically modified foods and promoting renewable energy.
On issues where Greenpeace International has clashed with other countries, such
as nuclear safety, nuclear pollution, nuclear waste treatment, industrial
pollution, toxic waste, over-development, excessive logging and so on,
Greenpeace China has done nothing. Did Greenpeace China show any concern for
possible leaks of radioactive materials during the great earthquake in Sichuan
Province in 2008 or the recent deadly earthquake in Qinghai? No.
I find it hard to believe that the introduction of genetically modified foods is
the most serious problem facing an industrializing country like China, and I
also find it difficult to believe that China does not suffer from the
environmental issues afflicting other countries. Could it be that Greenpeace has
chosen to accommodate the Chinese government and decided to remain silent on
highly controversial, highly sensitive issues? Is this the result of some kind
of agreement? Could it be that Greenpeace China is not only neglecting China’s
massive environmental problems, but that it is also accommodating the Chinese
state apparatus in declaring that Taiwan is part of China? Doesn’t making one’s
view on Taiwan’s independence or unification with China a criterion in the
employment process mean that Greenpeace has chosen to prioritize politics and
abandon everything else?
Too many organizations in Taiwan place politics above all else, and this has
created a climate where it is very difficult to maintain a calm tone in public
debate. We certainly don’t need yet another organization claiming to work for
the protection of the environment to come to Taiwan and further complicate our
environmental protection efforts.
Gloria Hsu is a professor at National Taiwan University’s
Department of Atmospheric Sciences and former chairwoman of the Taiwan
Environmental Protection Union.
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