Taiwan appears to have successfully carried out its democratization and developed a Taiwanese identity. This is reflected in how parties other than the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) can be elected to rule. As it stands, if the KMT rejects desinicization, it will have no chance of a comeback.
Culturally, however, Taiwanese find themselves mired in the remaining fragments of the party-state ideology from the Martial Law era: a cultural affinity for China, hostility toward democracy and an obsession with outdated, conservative feudalism.
These are factors that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and other parties must face before Taiwan’s democracy and national identity can be further consolidated. Although the DPP has been voted into power, the nation’s arts and cultural scene remains under the influence of the party-state ideology.
Many DPP politicians also identify with the old culture, having grown up with it. The same holds true for a majority of Taiwanese.
Political transformation must go hand-in-hand with cultural transformation. Otherwise, no amount of effort can bring true awakening to a society.
If the KMT were not so anti-Taiwanese, lacking in “Taiwaneseness” and unfairly disadvantaged, there would be no guarantee that it would never regain power. A reminder of this danger was when Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) in 2009 replaced former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) after having successfully promoted himself as an upright, law-abiding citizen.
Education reforms carried out by former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) helped build the foundation for a new sense of national identity, which has become more rooted among Taiwanese born since the 1990s.
However, this was not a structural change, as the definition of Taiwan’s national identity has differed depending on the party in power.
Following the chaos caused by the KMT during Ma’s presidency, President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration must set things straight.
Today, Taiwanese still lack the vision required to transform Taiwan into a normal, progressive nation. The proportion of classical Chinese in Chinese textbooks is but one aspect of this issue, as it concerns only the form of the literary works, while the content and spirit of the works included in textbooks remains undiscussed. In a world that is continually progressing, Taiwan’s Chinese education is doing little to inspire students.
Poet and essayist Yu Kwang-chung (余光中) passed away at the age of 90 on Dec. 14. Although Yu was known as a leading literary figure, he was also controversial — both loved and hated. The passing of time should permit people to evaluate his contribution more accurately.
Chinese educational, social and cultural circles in Taiwan have long been dominated by similar views on culture, leading to many generations being confused about national identity.
The re-evaluation will not be limited to Yu, but will include the contributions of many other artists and intellectuals.
After World War II, both the winners and the losers had to rise from the ashes and move forward. Having neither won nor lost, Taiwan made the economy a priority, but gave little toward culture under the quasi-colonial rule of the KMT.
Post-war Taiwan had no opportunity to build a Taiwan-centered identity. Under the KMT, the nation was nothing but a military base where the Republic of China (ROC) could be revived.
Although Taiwan has undergone democratization and localization, it has yet to develop a true national culture. The KMT has used it to replace its dead ROC — this is not a political problem, but a cultural problem.
Lee Min-yung is a poet.
Translated by Tu Yu-an
There are moments in history when America has turned its back on its principles and withdrawn from past commitments in service of higher goals. For example, US-Soviet Cold War competition compelled America to make a range of deals with unsavory and undemocratic figures across Latin America and Africa in service of geostrategic aims. The United States overlooked mass atrocities against the Bengali population in modern-day Bangladesh in the early 1970s in service of its tilt toward Pakistan, a relationship the Nixon administration deemed critical to its larger aims in developing relations with China. Then, of course, America switched diplomatic recognition
The international women’s soccer match between Taiwan and New Zealand at the Kaohsiung Nanzih Football Stadium, scheduled for Tuesday last week, was canceled at the last minute amid safety concerns over poor field conditions raised by the visiting team. The Football Ferns, as New Zealand’s women’s soccer team are known, had arrived in Taiwan one week earlier to prepare and soon raised their concerns. Efforts were made to improve the field, but the replacement patches of grass could not grow fast enough. The Football Ferns canceled the closed-door training match and then days later, the main event against Team Taiwan. The safety
The Chinese government on March 29 sent shock waves through the Tibetan Buddhist community by announcing the untimely death of one of its most revered spiritual figures, Hungkar Dorje Rinpoche. His sudden passing in Vietnam raised widespread suspicion and concern among his followers, who demanded an investigation. International human rights organization Human Rights Watch joined their call and urged a thorough investigation into his death, highlighting the potential involvement of the Chinese government. At just 56 years old, Rinpoche was influential not only as a spiritual leader, but also for his steadfast efforts to preserve and promote Tibetan identity and cultural
Strategic thinker Carl von Clausewitz has said that “war is politics by other means,” while investment guru Warren Buffett has said that “tariffs are an act of war.” Both aphorisms apply to China, which has long been engaged in a multifront political, economic and informational war against the US and the rest of the West. Kinetically also, China has launched the early stages of actual global conflict with its threats and aggressive moves against Taiwan, the Philippines and Japan, and its support for North Korea’s reckless actions against South Korea that could reignite the Korean War. Former US presidents Barack Obama
RSS