Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) yesterday called on Taiwan and Japan to retain their identity and not to fall for “carrots” wagged by China.
“Considering the uncertainty regarding the future of China, both Taiwan and Japan should avoid being seduced by its carrots at first sight,” Lee said in Japanese during a speech at a forum in Tokyo marking the 60th founding anniversary of the Junior Chamber International Japan.
Lee, who arrived in Japan on Friday for a week-long private visit, told the gathering of about 2,000 people that the attitude Taiwan and Japan should adopt vis-a-vis China should be: “You are you, I am me. But we are good friends.”
PHOTO: AFP
In his speech, titled “The Pride and Hope of a Nation,” Lee offered suggestions on politics and international relations to the country’s youth turks.
He said that Japan should engage China moderately and in harmony with the common interests of US and Japan, adding that Japan would be better to enhance cooperation with Taiwan, which already has de facto independence.
Saying that he has long worked to build Taiwan’ sense of self-recognition, Lee added that Taiwan was being infiltrated by “Chinese thoughts.”
Lee said that the government should implement its policies by siding with the public.
Lee also congratulated the newly elected Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatoyama of the Democratic Party of Japan.
The priority of the new prime minister should be to bring people happiness and peace, Lee said.
However, the Japanese leadership should be more proactive and increase its efforts to rebuild declining Taiwan-Japan relations when it considers the East Asia community framework, he said.
“From the viewpoint of geopolitics, it’s not too much to say that Taiwan holds the destiny of Japan in its hands,” Lee said.
“Japanese leaders should take a long, careful look at the advantages and disadvantages of the [Taiwan] question and not see the forest for the trees,” he said.
Whether two-party politics in Japan would allow its leaders to adopt the right track and develop roots will depend on whether the Hatoyama administration can run the country in conformity with public opinion, he said.
Lee and his wife, who will go on a sightseeing tour of Japan, are scheduled to return to Taiwan via Fukuoka on Thursday.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY CNA
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