Big-name Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) politicians and high-ranking military officers frequently visit former president Chiang Kai-shek’s (蔣介石) mausoleum in Cihu (慈湖) in Taoyuan’s Dasi District (大溪) to lay flowers and commemorate the self-styled “generalissimo” and his son former president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國).
However, are these “big beasts” of the pan-blue camp and top military brass really as loyal to the memory of the two Chiangs as their public pilgrimages make them out to be?
In April 2015, former premier Hau Pei-tsun (郝柏村) led a delegation of 21 retired generals and more than 100 other retired high-ranking officers to the Cihu Mausoleum to commemorate Chiang Kai-shek. Paradoxically, just nine months prior, in July 2014, Hau had visited Beijing to attend commemoration events marking the 77th anniversary of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident.
While in Beijing, Hau was interviewed by Chinese state broadcaster Chinese Central Television, during which he belted out March of the Volunteers — the national anthem of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) — at the top of his lungs. This begs the question: Did Hau ever believe Chiang Kai-shek’s exhortation that “gentlemen cannot stand together with thieves” or was he a viper in the nest?
Former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) was a favorite of Chiang Ching-kuo and fast-tracked for promotion. However, after Ma became president, he expended all his energy cogitating how to secure a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平).
When the meeting was finally secured, Ma seemed utterly unperturbed that Xi referred to him as “Mr Ma,” instead of his official title, “President Ma.” Was Ma ever on board with Chiang Ching-kuo’s “three noes” policy — no contact, no negotiations and no compromise with the Chinese communists — or is he nothing more than a traitor?
Top military brass loudly cheered “Long live the Republic of China [ROC]” and “Long live President Chiang” as serving officers. However, after retiring from the military, they scurried off to Beijing to drink and make merry with officers of the enemy camp.
In one infamous example, retired air force general Hsia Ying-chou (夏瀛洲) is reported to have said to a group of Chinese People’s Liberation Army officers: “Let us talk no more of the Republic of China armed forces and the People’s Liberation Army: They are both China’s army.”
Other retired generals stand respectfully for China’s national anthem, listen meekly to patronizing lectures delivered by Xi and attend set-piece military parades at Tiananmen Square. Were such people ever loyal disciples of Chiang? Did they ever truly believe in the ROC?
In stark contrast to these turncoats, retired army general Yu Pei-chen (于北辰) — who on Friday announced that he would quit the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) — has never cozied up with the PLA or switched allegiance from the ROC to the PRC after retiring from the military. Nor has Yu traveled to China to listen to Xi’s thoughts on “united front” tactics against Taiwan.
Instead, in retirement, Yu has appeared as a guest on Taiwanese political TV shows to provide honest, hard-hitting advice on why and how the KMT needs to reform itself.
Yu has clearly come to the conclusion that the KMT has changed beyond all recognition from the party he joined 36 years ago, and decided that it is time he and the party go their separate ways.
Yu has not betrayed his party; the party has betrayed him.
Chang Kuo-tsai is a retired associate professor at National Hsinchu University of Education and a former deputy secretary-general of the Taiwan Association of University Professors.
Translated by Edward Jones
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