A sovereign disorder
I totally agree with the Liberty Times editorial’s characterization of President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) policies as suggestive of a person with multiple personality disorder. (“President Ma gives away the store,” Sept. 15, page 8).
I could go further and say that Ma and his diehard Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) followers seem to suffer from a developmental disorder given that they continue to dwell in the past, thinking and believing that they still live in a country called the Republic of China (ROC), which exists only in history books.
In an interview with a Mexican reporter, Ma said the government should not waste time and effort trying to resolve the sovereignty issue. (“‘State to state’ theory is dead, Ma says,” Sept. 4, page 1). I wonder how much time and effort Ma’s administration has actually spent on this issue other than making hints at unconditional surrender.
The problem of Taiwan’s sovereignty will be solved as soon as the president is willing to declare that the country’s name is no longer Republic of China in light of the UN’s “one China” policy, which recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and not the ROC.
Ma and his followers have been trying hard to bury Taiwanese sovereignty even though Taiwan is regarded around the world as an independent country. His administration has actively refused to insist on Taiwan’s status in the world arena, and without any real pressure from outside.
I guess Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) and his people in the PRC must be overjoyed at seeing Ma surrender his title as president and then his country’s sover “Long live the ROC” will not resurrect it from obscurity.
I hope the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) will use the Double Ten festivities to organize some protest action by chanting “Long Live Taiwan,” which represents the only hope of a future for Taiwanese.
Top DPP officials should conduct public education campaigns from time to time to encourage people to demand the government hold a referendum on changing the nation’s title from the ROC to the “Republic of Taiwan,” or just “Taiwan.” If not, Taiwan will be gobbled up.
Kris Liao
San Francisco, California
Romanization woes
I have thought long and hard about the Romanization of geographical locations in Taiwan now that the government has decided to implement Hanyu Pinyin.
I am a supporter and advocate of an independent Taiwanese republic. I have no problem with Hanyu Pinyin, but think that people should be able to choose their own names.
I had a problem with the way the administration of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) dealt with Romanization. The stupid fight between Hanyu Pinyin and Tongyong was basically a fight over Mandarin. What a waste of time.
To say other languages in Taiwan could use Tongyong was an excuse to implement it; Tongyong and Hanyu Pinyin are in fact quite similar. So why not use something that is internationally recognized?
Here is the catch: If the Romanization of Hoklo [commonly known as Taiwanese] was as important to the DPP government as it should have been, then it should have implemented the Peh-oe-ji (POJ) system of Romanization for geographical names, including street names.
Hanyu Pinyin for Mandarin and POJ for Hoklo. That was the way to go, but the DPP government squandered the opportunity to Romanize Hoklo and promote it.
Even now there is still an opportunity to do this, given that public transportation includes announcements in Hoklo and Mandarin.
Kellvan Cheng
Dallas, Texas
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