Since the late 1980s, Taiwan has undergone a democratic transformation, including the lifting of martial law and bans on political parties and newspapers, and the holding of complete legislative elections and even direct presidential elections.
On the surface, the nation seems to already have accomplished its democratic reform process. However, judging from the performance of many politicians and members of the media, the foundations of our democracy are unstable.
Particularly, the "Greater China" consciousness often overrides democratic values, and is therefore threatening our democratic politics.
Many media outlets are still controlled by this "Greater China" consciousness, and a Taiwan-centric consciousness is often oppressed or smeared. Under such circumstances, opinions that uphold democratic ideals based on Taiwan's localization are especially valuable. The Lee Shiao-feng Column (
Lee, a professor at Shih Hsin University, analyzes things from the perspective of a historian. Using his articles to correct wrongs and fight against the "Greater China" consciousness, Lee can be called a sharp pen in Taiwan's democratization debate.
On the one hand, he mocks and satirizes politicians with a sense of humor. On the other hand, he interprets and analyzes news using his rich historical knowledge, which makes his articles cheerful to read.
Therefore, my wife and I have developed the habit of reading his column. My better half particularly enjoys his column, and often cuts his articles from the Liberty Times to preserve them.
As Lee says, many people are opposing Taiwan independence while living in an independent Taiwan.
This is complete hypocrisy, and a matter of self-alienation.
This phenomenon is shaped by many factors, but I believe that people's ignorance of their own land is perhaps one of the main reasons.
Taiwan has in the past experienced the rule of many foreign regimes. As those in power change, the target of the Taiwanese people's identification also changes, and so the teaching of our history has never completely taken root in Taiwan.
Lee has devoted himself to the teaching of history. Through the influence of history, he hopes to help more people know this land and the history behind it, so as to build their national identity.
After all, people can only identify with their land after truly understanding it. Identification without understanding is empty.
Promoting Taiwan consciousness is not advancing the division of ethnic groups. On the contrary, Taiwan consciousness is the glue that unites all residents.
I firmly believe that ethnic diversity is not the nation's original sin. Instead, it is a precious asset bequeathed to this land by history. The different ethnic groups in this nation will gradually form a community with a shared destiny and generate even more splendid cultural sparks.
If we all show compassion and tolerance, and put aside prejudices in order to build national identity, the Taiwanese people will certainly create a diverse and unique culture of their own someday. At that time, we will stride proudly ahead and walk our own way.
I believe that Lee's efforts over the years to write books and expound his doctrines will not be in vain.
Lee Teng-hui is the former president of Taiwan.
TRANSLATED BY EDDY CHANG
Concerns that the US might abandon Taiwan are often overstated. While US President Donald Trump’s handling of Ukraine raised unease in Taiwan, it is crucial to recognize that Taiwan is not Ukraine. Under Trump, the US views Ukraine largely as a European problem, whereas the Indo-Pacific region remains its primary geopolitical focus. Taipei holds immense strategic value for Washington and is unlikely to be treated as a bargaining chip in US-China relations. Trump’s vision of “making America great again” would be directly undermined by any move to abandon Taiwan. Despite the rhetoric of “America First,” the Trump administration understands the necessity of
US President Donald Trump’s challenge to domestic American economic-political priorities, and abroad to the global balance of power, are not a threat to the security of Taiwan. Trump’s success can go far to contain the real threat — the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) surge to hegemony — while offering expanded defensive opportunities for Taiwan. In a stunning affirmation of the CCP policy of “forceful reunification,” an obscene euphemism for the invasion of Taiwan and the destruction of its democracy, on March 13, 2024, the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) used Chinese social media platforms to show the first-time linkage of three new
If you had a vision of the future where China did not dominate the global car industry, you can kiss those dreams goodbye. That is because US President Donald Trump’s promised 25 percent tariff on auto imports takes an ax to the only bits of the emerging electric vehicle (EV) supply chain that are not already dominated by Beijing. The biggest losers when the levies take effect this week would be Japan and South Korea. They account for one-third of the cars imported into the US, and as much as two-thirds of those imported from outside North America. (Mexico and Canada, while
I have heard people equate the government’s stance on resisting forced unification with China or the conditional reinstatement of the military court system with the rise of the Nazis before World War II. The comparison is absurd. There is no meaningful parallel between the government and Nazi Germany, nor does such a mindset exist within the general public in Taiwan. It is important to remember that the German public bore some responsibility for the horrors of the Holocaust. Post-World War II Germany’s transitional justice efforts were rooted in a national reckoning and introspection. Many Jews were sent to concentration camps not
RSS