Sat, Apr 05, 2003 page8

• Editorial: SARS is not China's only gift

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  The Department of Health (DOH) recently ran a newspaper ad: "Both SARS and bandit spies come from China, but with everyone's hard work, the cases of SARS infection are less than the number of bandit spies [in Taiwan]." The ad was severely criticized for juxtaposing medical and health issues with the highly sensitive and political cross-strait relationship. It was also called an inappropriate political act. However, in light of the ongoing spy game between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, the ad vividly depicts the fact that there are no barriers that severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and "bandit spies" can't penetrate.

  On Wednesday, the National Security Bureau and other law enforcement units cracked down on a group that specialized in brokering Chinese workers to work in this country while secretly smuggling in Chinese agents disguised as average workers. Government statistics indicate that this network probably brought in more than 500 Chinese. Only a further investigation will make clear how many of them were spies. For the moment, we appear to have backslid to the days when our entire country joined in the campaign to hunt down "bandit spies."

  With the spread of the SARS epidemic, it seems reasonable to associate China with the illness, which appears to have originated in Guangdong Province. The National Police Administration and the Council for Labor Affairs took turns in tightening the control and management of brides, workers, stowaways and other people from China. As the Temporary Provisions Effective During the Period of Communist Rebellion were abolished in 1987, the government no longer considers the two sides of the Strait to be in a state of war. However, China has adamantly refused to denounce the use of force against Taiwan and has also refused signing any treaty officially ending the war. Therefore, Taiwan has never really progressed beyond the stage of cross-strait hostility.

  When the Temporary Provisions Effective During the Period of Communist Rebellion were in force, there was a very clear awareness of enemy hostility, which made it easy to prevent enemy infiltration. With increased cross-strait interaction and flourishing economic and personal exchanges between the two sides, not to mention the abundant politicians who toddy to China, people have begun to lose their sense of alertness. Evidently, Taiwan has gotten used to comfortable living, completely forgetting about the existence of its enemies and the lurking of impending crises.

  In terms of national security, the SARS outbreak may herald a positive new beginning. As a result of the epidemic and the successful unearthing of the spy network, the government has a chance to re-establish an awareness of national security issues in the mind of the public, reminding people that China is a hostile enemy. Even as the SARS virus does its damage internally, Chinese spies are here to topple the country from within.

  Moreover, the government also needs to perform enhanced security checks on the Chinese entering Taiwan. Besides inspecting documents and paperwork, DNA checks of incoming Chinese dependents must be conducted to ascertain the existence of the required blood relationship. As for Chinese brides, they should also be followed and monitored. We must strengthen the management of Chinese workers nationwide. Perhaps the comparison between the SARS epidemic and "bandit spies" is questionable. But from the standpoint of national security, recent experience offers new revelations about the threat of Chinese spies.
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