After World War II, more than 130 states around the world achieved autonomy or independence from their colonial rulers, with the exception of Taiwan.
Under the authoritarian rule of former president Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石), Taiwan pulled out of the UN in 1971, refusing to hold a seat at the UN under the title “Republic of Taiwan.”
Afterward, former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) went on to accelerate Taiwan’s democratic reform, while former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) proposed the “one country on each side” formula in 2002, strengthening democracy during his tenure.
With President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Taiwan has been undergoing an economic transformation. As the global community acknowledges Taiwan’s efforts and accomplishments, political leaders and delegations have started visiting Taiwan, unfazed by Chinese threats.
Tsai’s diplomatic progress with other nations and increasingly energetic efforts to elevate Taiwan’s status have won the recognition and support of Taiwanese.
A survey conducted by the Association of Chinese Elite Leadership said that 59.6 percent of respondents are happy with Tsai’s performance in safeguarding Taiwan’s sovereignty, 77.5 percent believed that the global community is more concerned about cross-strait issues, 60.5 percent thought that the international community has ratcheted up support for Taiwan and 57.1 percent believed that Taiwan has had a bigger influence on the global community.
Despite these efforts, that a democratic nation is still not recognized on the international stage as an independent and sovereign country is a source of pain and frustration for Taiwanese.
Ever since the pro-Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) regained the presidency seven years ago, Taiwan has made progress by leaps and bounds with its economy, technology and military. Given the changing political and geopolitical circumstances in the international order, Taiwan, as it strives to complete its normalization as a nation, must tackle long-term, pressing issues such as national sovereignty, national security, judicial reform, transitional justice, cultural education, social welfare, and environmental and economic development.
A pro-Taiwan coalition of civil elites and local non-governmental organizations recently launched a forum called the Civil Society Conference on National Affairs. By inviting local politicians to take part in discussions, the forum seeks to propose solutions and reforms to address the aforementioned issues and report to Taiwanese.
It is also calling on the candidates in next year’s presidential election to listen to people and introduce policy programs that are in accordance with the public’s needs in their campaigns.
As political parties in Taiwan have demonstrated explicit pro-US or pro-China stances, Taiwanese, when casting their ballots for their favored candidate, would be either siding with the democratic or the autocratic camp, which could lead to peace or war in due course.
For Taiwan, it could also mean holding on to a democratic, free society, or becoming a second Hong Kong under the oppressive thumb of China.
Taiwan’s fate should be decided by Taiwanese, and its democracy and freedom are the unwavering consensus and the most cherished values of every resident living in the nation. Taiwanese should once again come together to display their ironclad commitment to freedom and democracy in opposition to China’s autocracy in next year’s election.
Chang Yeh-shen is the founder of the Civil Society Conference on National Affairs and a former chairman of the Northern Taiwan Society.
Translated by Rita Wang
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