On Wednesday morning last week, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator-at-large Wu Sz-huai (吳斯懷) published an op-ed in the United Daily News titled “Unconstitutional martial law: Soldiers should have moral integrity.” Upon reading the words “moral integrity,” I nearly fell off my chair.
In the article, Wu references South Korea’s short-lived declaration of martial law and the KMT’s recently proposed amendments to the Martial Law Act (戒嚴法). He wrote nonsensically, saying lofty things like: “A soldier’s loyalty must be to the country, to their team, to their duties and to the people” — without skipping a beat.
Could it be that he has already forgotten the conference to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Republic of China founder Sun Yat-sen (孫逸仙) that China held in 2016? Wu attended the conference with a group of other retired generals and listened attentively to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) speech. He even stood up with everyone and sang the Chinese national anthem. Does this behavior constitute loyalty to one’s country, team, duties and people? What kind of “soldier’s loyalty” is this?
If he still insists that he was unaware of the conference’s proceedings, he would do well to remember that “calamity will befall those who are lacking in virtue.”
He brings shame to his rank as a lieutenant general. If he were this confused on the battlefield, his entire army would surely be wiped out.
Wu even quoted the “Attack by Stratagem” (謀攻篇) in Sun Zi’s (孫子) ancient text The Art of War (孫子兵法): “The general is the bulwark of the state; if the bulwark is complete at all points, the state will be strong; if the bulwark is defective, the state will be weak.”
In Wu’s case, something like: “If a general is weak, the state will fall” would be more appropriate.
The Ministry of National Defense has considered removing The Art of War from the curriculum of military academies. That would be a smart move. Students’ military management and battlefield skills tend to be underdeveloped and studying Sun Zi’s philosophy at that point is a waste of time.
It would be more appropriate to study it after graduating or during their career in the military.
Many retired military generals love to quote The Art of War, but they are simply echoing the words like parrots. They might recite it fluently, but they cannot use it in a meaningful way. They have yet to accept and adapt to modernity — ancient and modern warfare are two entirely different things.
During his military career, where he served as a lieutenant general and then deputy commander, Wu memorized The Art of War. Yet — in true parrot fashion — he still cheerfully listened to Xi’s speech and stood up with other conference attendees to sing the Chinese national anthem.
It is truly ironic that someone as stuck in the past as Wu has the audacity to use South Korea’s unconstitutional martial law declaration to discuss “moral integrity.”
Fang Ping-sheng is an international trader.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
Concerns that the US might abandon Taiwan are often overstated. While US President Donald Trump’s handling of Ukraine raised unease in Taiwan, it is crucial to recognize that Taiwan is not Ukraine. Under Trump, the US views Ukraine largely as a European problem, whereas the Indo-Pacific region remains its primary geopolitical focus. Taipei holds immense strategic value for Washington and is unlikely to be treated as a bargaining chip in US-China relations. Trump’s vision of “making America great again” would be directly undermined by any move to abandon Taiwan. Despite the rhetoric of “America First,” the Trump administration understands the necessity of
In an article published on this page on Tuesday, Kaohsiung-based journalist Julien Oeuillet wrote that “legions of people worldwide would care if a disaster occurred in South Korea or Japan, but the same people would not bat an eyelid if Taiwan disappeared.” That is quite a statement. We are constantly reading about the importance of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), hailed in Taiwan as the nation’s “silicon shield” protecting it from hostile foreign forces such as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and so crucial to the global supply chain for semiconductors that its loss would cost the global economy US$1
US President Donald Trump’s challenge to domestic American economic-political priorities, and abroad to the global balance of power, are not a threat to the security of Taiwan. Trump’s success can go far to contain the real threat — the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) surge to hegemony — while offering expanded defensive opportunities for Taiwan. In a stunning affirmation of the CCP policy of “forceful reunification,” an obscene euphemism for the invasion of Taiwan and the destruction of its democracy, on March 13, 2024, the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) used Chinese social media platforms to show the first-time linkage of three new
Sasha B. Chhabra’s column (“Michelle Yeoh should no longer be welcome,” March 26, page 8) lamented an Instagram post by renowned actress Michelle Yeoh (楊紫瓊) about her recent visit to “Taipei, China.” It is Chhabra’s opinion that, in response to parroting Beijing’s propaganda about the status of Taiwan, Yeoh should be banned from entering this nation and her films cut off from funding by government-backed agencies, as well as disqualified from competing in the Golden Horse Awards. She and other celebrities, he wrote, must be made to understand “that there are consequences for their actions if they become political pawns of
RSS