Two ostensibly unrelated events occurred Tuesday on either side of the Taiwan Strait. These events illustrate the sharp contrast between the development paths that China and Taiwan have chosen to take.
On this side of the Strait, during a symposium promoting a human-rights law in Taiwan, Lin Chia-cheng (
The message was that Taiwanese society is not yet satisfied with its democratic achievements, and that under Chen's leadership the country will move toward new milestones in human rights protection.
On the other side of the Strait, however, Wang Daohan (
In a menacing voice, Wang said "Such behavior is a serious provocation to the fundamental interests of the Chinese people. [It] pushes cross-strait relations ... to the brink of danger."
So while Taiwan is moving along the path of constitutional reform and better human rights guarantees, Beijing holds on to the fictitious idea of a Chinese empire.
Dictators past and present have used similar methods to rule their empires -- they create fear among the people in order to achieve their goal of repression. The Zhongnanhai leaders are still trying to order the Taiwanese people around; but dictators can only have their way as long as people fear them.
A strongly worded statement by the Chinese authorities on Monday demonstrates their mindset. The statement criticized Chen's advocacy of referendums and a new constitution as an attempt to "unite the various, divided Taiwan independence forces under the pretext of public opinion, and wantonly engage in Taiwan independence and splittist activities."
History has shown that China's threats against Taiwan do not help the pro-unification camp, but instead create a backlash in public opinion. China's missile tests in 1996 led to a landslide victory for former president Lee Teng-hui (
Over the past year, China has tried hard to remain silent in the face of Chen's election strategies. But its recent vitriolic statements show that imperialist tendencies remain strong in China's leadership.
Taiwan is evolving toward being a country based on human rights, while China does not even hold credible elections. It's hard to imagine how these two countries can engage in dialogue. Forget about staid slogans such as "the descendents of Qin Shi Huang," and "blood is thicker than water." The more talk there is about "one China," the more ludicrous the idea becomes.
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
The gutting of Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA) by US President Donald Trump’s administration poses a serious threat to the global voice of freedom, particularly for those living under authoritarian regimes such as China. The US — hailed as the model of liberal democracy — has the moral responsibility to uphold the values it champions. In undermining these institutions, the US risks diminishing its “soft power,” a pivotal pillar of its global influence. VOA Tibetan and RFA Tibetan played an enormous role in promoting the strong image of the US in and outside Tibet. On VOA Tibetan,
Former minister of culture Lung Ying-tai (龍應台) has long wielded influence through the power of words. Her articles once served as a moral compass for a society in transition. However, as her April 1 guest article in the New York Times, “The Clock Is Ticking for Taiwan,” makes all too clear, even celebrated prose can mislead when romanticism clouds political judgement. Lung crafts a narrative that is less an analysis of Taiwan’s geopolitical reality than an exercise in wistful nostalgia. As political scientists and international relations academics, we believe it is crucial to correct the misconceptions embedded in her article,
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), the leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), caused a national outrage and drew diplomatic condemnation on Tuesday after he arrived at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office dressed in a Nazi uniform. Sung performed a Nazi salute and carried a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf as he arrived to be questioned over allegations of signature forgery in the recall petition. The KMT’s response to the incident has shown a striking lack of contrition and decency. Rather than apologizing and distancing itself from Sung’s actions,