Soong enamored with PRC
One of PFP Chairman James Soong's (宋楚瑜) favorite mantras is that we should put the economy first and politics second. Let us decode this statement to reveal its real meaning.
Soong frequently attacks President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) insistence on national security, his comment that there is one country on each side of the Taiwan Strait and the fact that the "one China" policy is unacceptable to the people of Taiwan. This is what Soong means by politics. This is what he criticizes about the interview Chen gave to the Far Eastern Economic Review ("Soong slams Chen over `FEER' interview," July 26, p. 4).
Based on what Soong says, the thing that matters most is economics, which, if we look again into his real meaning, means what is good for Taiwan-ese businesses operating in China. "Chen is provoking China at the expense of business," Soong said. So according to Soong, the security and prosperity of Taiwanese businesses in China are the only things that matter. As long as these businesses prosper, it doesn't matter whether the people of Taiwan lose their rights and freedoms; it doesn't matter if Taiwan loses its sovereignty.
For Soong and his supporters, the fact that the president of Taiwan is insisting on respect for the nation's sovereignty is somehow behavior that is provocative and out of bounds.
Soong speaks as if he were a young person in love. When a person is in love, the object of his affections can do no wrong. It would seem to be the case that Soong is in love with the PRC. He is constantly harping on the bad relationship between Taiwan and the PRC, always putting the blame on Taiwan's government. From Soong's perspective, any negative aspects of this relationship could never be Beijing's fault. Based on his past and present rhetoric, one would infer that Soong would even view the 450-plus missiles Beijing has aimed at Taiwan as somehow being Chen's fault. And this is why Soong behaves like a person in love -- the object of his affections could never be at fault.
People who follow this line of thinking are the biggest threat to the democracy in Taiwan, even more so than Beijing's missiles. They are willing to prostitute themselves, to turn Taiwan over to the enemy in order to obtain power and financial security, to get the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow they see in the skies over China.
This is the thing that I find most disappointing in Taiwanese society -- that there are people like Soong, who will eagerly abandon sovereignty and the democratic ideals of Taiwan just for money and power. They don't have an iota of the spirit found in people who had to fight for their freedom and independence, the spirit embodied in mottos such as New Hampshire's state motto, "Live free or die," or the Spanish communist revolutionary slogan, "It is better to die on your feet than live on your knees."
It seems Soong and company would be happy to live on their knees, as long as they have a nice, fancy, plush, Chinese cushion to kneel on.
Taiwan is a wonderful country, but it is also somewhat strange in one respect. It is the only country I know of where a leading politician can consistently make remarks criticizing the government in a way which even in democratic countries would be considered unpatriotic at the least, yet not be thoroughly denounced as a traitor. Such a politician, who attacks the president and government in a way that mimics the political attacks from a hostile, foreign government, should be tossed out into the street and pelted with rotten produce.
Kevin Hsu
New Jersey
In their recent op-ed “Trump Should Rein In Taiwan” in Foreign Policy magazine, Christopher Chivvis and Stephen Wertheim argued that the US should pressure President William Lai (賴清德) to “tone it down” to de-escalate tensions in the Taiwan Strait — as if Taiwan’s words are more of a threat to peace than Beijing’s actions. It is an old argument dressed up in new concern: that Washington must rein in Taipei to avoid war. However, this narrative gets it backward. Taiwan is not the problem; China is. Calls for a so-called “grand bargain” with Beijing — where the US pressures Taiwan into concessions
The term “assassin’s mace” originates from Chinese folklore, describing a concealed weapon used by a weaker hero to defeat a stronger adversary with an unexpected strike. In more general military parlance, the concept refers to an asymmetric capability that targets a critical vulnerability of an adversary. China has found its modern equivalent of the assassin’s mace with its high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP) weapons, which are nuclear warheads detonated at a high altitude, emitting intense electromagnetic radiation capable of disabling and destroying electronics. An assassin’s mace weapon possesses two essential characteristics: strategic surprise and the ability to neutralize a core dependency.
Chinese President and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Chairman Xi Jinping (習近平) said in a politburo speech late last month that his party must protect the “bottom line” to prevent systemic threats. The tone of his address was grave, revealing deep anxieties about China’s current state of affairs. Essentially, what he worries most about is systemic threats to China’s normal development as a country. The US-China trade war has turned white hot: China’s export orders have plummeted, Chinese firms and enterprises are shutting up shop, and local debt risks are mounting daily, causing China’s economy to flag externally and hemorrhage internally. China’s
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) were born under the sign of Gemini. Geminis are known for their intelligence, creativity, adaptability and flexibility. It is unlikely, then, that the trade conflict between the US and China would escalate into a catastrophic collision. It is more probable that both sides would seek a way to de-escalate, paving the way for a Trump-Xi summit that allows the global economy some breathing room. Practically speaking, China and the US have vulnerabilities, and a prolonged trade war would be damaging for both. In the US, the electoral system means that public opinion
RSS