One thing that is so fascinating about Chinese history is the frequent mass denial of the blatantly obvious, of the willingness of politicians and citizens to ignore what is staring them in the face. During the reign of Mao Zedong (毛澤東), farmers, under pressure to meet impossible production targets, simply lied, claiming to have raised pigs the size of trucks -- and presented papier-mache models as "proof".
Of course, everyone knew that everyone else was lying, but no one could come out and state the simple truth. The same is true with the situation between Taiwan and China. China repeats with a straight face that Taiwan is not a country. And other countries in the world, who should know better, accept the lie willingly. They, too, know that China is lying, but are afraid to speak the truth.
So, we avoid the obvious by engaging in endless discussions about this treaty and that communique, the difference between "acknowledge" and "recognize," and the "Three Noes," the "Eight Nevers" and the "Seventeen Maybes." Taiwan is never mentioned by name, and we end up with something called "Chinese Taipei" participating in the Olympics, the "Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu" representing Taiwan in the World Trade Organization and the "Kwang Hwa Information and Culture Center" or Taiwan's embassy in Hong Kong.
But it's all irrelevant, as Dennis Hickey pointed out in his wonderfully refreshing letter (June 29, page 8). Taiwan is sovereign -- as he makes abundantly clear. We can argue about whether it should be in the future, or whether it was in the past, but there is no question -- absolutely none -- about its current status. So the next time I feel myself sinking into a sophistry-induced stupor as people discuss the exact relationship between Taiwan and China (State to state? Special state to state? Two sides on either side of the Taiwan Strait?), I'll remember Hickey's words, and be restored to consciousness and clarity.
Brian Schack
Taipei
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