Taiwan Independence turns Anti-American

Taiwan Independence turns Anti-American
United Daily News editorial
translated by Bevin Chu
August 9, 2007

Chen Shui-bian has exploited Taiwan independence ideology so shamelessly, it has undergone a total metamorphosis. Not only is the Taiwan independence movement moving farther and farther away from its original goals, it is actually working against itself.

One: One of the Taiwan independence movement's proclaimed goals was to tranform the Taiwan region of China into an "symbiotic ecological niche." But in recent years the Taiwan independence movement's Nazi rhetoric, such as who "loves Taiwan" and who "doesn't love Taiwan," or who "raped Taiwanese women" and who were their "Taiwanese rape victims" has torn Taiwan apart. Two: Another of the Taiwan independence movement's proclaimed goals was that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait would become "Brother Nations." But the Taiwan independence movement's endless provocations of "China," and its virulent hatred of "Chinese," have turned that ideal into a chimera.

In other words, within the confines of the island, Taiwan independence cannot unite people. All it can do is tear the island apart. Across the Taiwan Strait meanwhile, Taiwan independence can neither solve nor diminish any threats the mainland might pose. All it can do is provoke the mainland into passing its "Anti-Secession Law," making the plight of the Chinese people on Taiwan even worse. Chen Shui-bian's aggressive manipulation of Taiwan independence has unexpectly transformed the Taiwan independence movement into the highest-profile anti-America movement in 60 years.

Last May Chen Shui-bian embarked on his "Journey to Nowhere." Foreign Minister Huang Chih-fang said: "Taiwan refuses to be America's bastard son!" Chen Shui-bian was visiting Costa Rica at the time. Costa Rica and the Republic of China have since broken off diplomatic relations. At that time, Chen Shui-bian refused to transit through the US. Now however, he has applied once more for permission to transit the US. Presumably he wants to see who will yield first in a game of "Chicken." But if Chen Shui-bian reenacts last year's "Journey to Nowhere," he will merely be offering us a boring sequel no one wants to watch.

Even Frank Hsieh admits that the "Join the UN under the Name of Taiwan Plebiscite" is nothing but an election ploy. Chen Shui-bian wants to provoke the mainland into lashing back. But so far the mainland hasn't made any major moves. Chen Shui-bian also wants to provoke Ma Ying-jeou into a counter-attack. But the Kuomintang (KMT) is singing along with Chen's tune. The Chinese Communist Party has not been fooled. Ma Ying-jeou is not doing what Chen hoped. Suddenly and unexpectedly, Chen Shui-bian and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) have found themselves in sharp opposition with the US. The US sees the "Join the UN under the Name of Taiwan Plebiscite" as a Taiwan independence provocation "intended to change the status quo." Chen Shui-bian and the Democratic Progressive Party have ignored US carrots and US sticks. They have adopted the defiant posture: "Taiwan is not America's bastard son!" They have turned the "Join the UN under the Name of Taiwan Plebiscite" into an naked anti-America political struggle.

As matters stand, Taiwan independence has morphed into anti-Americanism. Taiwan independence leaders should stop to ask themselves: "What am I fighting for? Whom am I fighting for?" Does the Taiwan independence movement really want its most important foreign backer as an enemy? Has Uncle Sam suddenly become an effigy to be hanged and burned as part of the Taiwan independence movement's Jihad? Has anti-Americanism suddenly become the Taiwan independence movement's final article of faith?

The status quo in the Taiwan Straits depends largely on US support. Chen Shui-bian knows this perfectly well. Yet he rails against this fact. Needless to say he has angered the US. If the Taiwan independence movement loses American support, the ruling DPP's international security framework will completely collapse. Aren't Chen Shui-bian and the Democratic Progressive Party, with their newfound anti-Americanism, shooting themselves in the foot? Taking a step back, anti-Americanism is absolutely not in the interest of the Taiwan independence movement. Taiwan independence is not possible even if the Taiwan independence movement embraces the US. But will Taiwan independence become possible because the Taiwan independence movement opposes the US? Chen Shui-bian intially hoped that the "Join the UN under the Name of Taiwan Plebiscite" would provoke the mainland and Ma Ying-jeou. Instead, the only result of the "Join the UN under the Name of Taiwan Plebiscite" so far has been anti-Americanism. So the question is: What exactly are you fighting for? And for whom?

The "Join the UN under the Name of Taiwan Plebiscite" has become an anti-American farce. It has also put Taiwan independence leaders at loggerheads with the international community. The European Union, Japan, and Russia have all opposed the "Join the UN under the Name of Taiwan Plebiscite." The United Nations not only returned Chen Shui-bian's petition, unread, it reiterated its "UN Resolution 2758." These results did not benefit Taiwan, and were positively harmful to the Taiwan independence movement.

The "Join the UN under the Name of Taiwan Plebiscite" is not the only cause of discord between Chen Shui-bian and the US. The leaked text of the DPP's "Resolution to make Taiwan a Normal Country" also provoked opposition between the Democratic Progressive Party and the US. It even embarrassed Frank Hsieh during his trip to the US. Mutual trust between the Democratic Progressive Party and the US is now non-existent. This has harmed both the Democratic Progressive Party and the Taiwan independence movement. Because no matter what, if the Taiwan independence movement turns into an anti-American movement, it will be in defiance of all political logic.

On September 15, the Taiwan independence movement will hold a "Join the UN under the Name of Taiwan Plebiscite" protest march. In response to anti-mainland provocations, the mainland has maintained its composure. In response to anti-Ma provocations, Ma Ying-jeou has chosen to sing the same tune. This being the case, the "Join the UN under the Name of Taiwan Plebiscite" million man protest march will probably turn into the largest scale "pro Taiwan independence, anti-America" protest in recorded history. One really doesn't know whether to laugh or to cry.

「台獨」變成「反美」
【聯合報╱社論】
2007.08.09 03:24 am

台獨被陳水扁操弄到今日地步，已經全盤變質走調，非但與台獨的原始憧憬漸行漸遠，甚至根本已是背道而馳。

一、台獨的憧憬之一是將台灣打造成一個「生命共同體」。但是，近年來「愛台灣／不愛台灣」、「強姦者／被姦者」之類的台灣納粹論述，已將台灣徹底分割撕裂。二、台獨原本楬櫫的兩岸憧憬是與中國成為「兄弟之邦」，但在不斷挑激敵意下，這當然也成了泡影。

也就是說，對內，台獨不能團結國人，而只是一逕撕裂國家；對外，台獨亦對解決或緩和中國的威脅毫無作用，反而因此逼出了《反分裂國家法》等等，致使台灣的處境更形窘迫。現在，變本加厲的是，在陳水扁的操弄下，如今台獨竟然變質成六十年來台灣層級最高及傷害極深的反美運動。

去年五月陳水扁出人意表地演出「謎航之旅」，外交部長黃志芳說：「台灣不做美國的龜兒子！」當時，陳水扁是赴哥斯大黎加訪問，如今台哥已經斷交；當時，陳水扁峻拒過境美國，如今卻再次向美申請過境，看誰會在「懦夫賽局（Chicken Game）」示弱。只是，陳水扁若再演出「謎航之旅」，其實已是一部了無新意的餿劇本了！

入聯公投，連謝長廷都承認這只是選舉操作而已。陳水扁想惹中國發飆，但至少迄今中國尚無大動作；陳水扁也想激馬英九反撲，但國民黨「拿香跟拜」。中共不上當，馬英九不捧場；一時之間，居然演成了陳水扁及民進黨逕與美國當局針鋒相對的尖銳對抗。美國將「入聯公投」視為「意圖改變現狀」的台獨節目，陳水扁及民進黨則罔顧美國的柔勸強阻，仍擺出一副「不做美國龜兒子」的姿態，遂使「入聯公投」變質走調成一場赤裸裸的「反美」鬥爭。

事態至此，「台獨」變成「反美」，台獨運動者似應停下腳步想一想：究竟為何而戰，為誰而戰？台獨難道要與台灣最重要的國際支柱美國為敵？難道美國竟然成了台獨聖戰的最後一個稻草人？難道反美竟然成了台獨聖戰的最後歸趨？

台灣海峽能夠「維持現狀」，主要是靠美國扶住這一把梯子；陳水扁明知如此，卻偏在梯子上猛搖亂晃，自然惹惱了在下邊扶梯子的美國。失去美國的支持，台灣的國際安全架構將完全解構；陳水扁及民進黨反美，豈不是自毀長城？退一步言，反美亦絕對不符台獨的利益，台獨擁美尚不可能實現台獨，則台獨反美豈有推進台獨的可能？陳水扁原想藉「入聯公投」惹怒中國、挑激馬英九；但如今反美竟成「入聯公投」的唯一效應，反美亦成「入聯公投」的唯一目標。試問：究竟是為何而戰？為誰而戰？

入聯公投不但演成反美鬧劇，而且儼然已經演成了台灣與主流國際全面對立的情景。歐盟、日本、俄國相繼反對「入聯公投」，聯合國則非但逕自退回陳水扁的入聯申請書，更重申《二七五八號決議文》的效力；這些效應，對台灣無益，更對台獨大不利。

尤應注意的是：「入聯公投」發展至今，不僅是陳水扁個人與美國當局的齟齬，更因《正常國家決議文》的文字洩漏而演成了整個民進黨與美國台海政策的對立，亦使得謝長廷在台美關係中失去主體性；可謂是民進黨與美國當局互信的大解構。這些重大的傷害，害了台灣，害了民進黨，其實也害了台獨。因為，無論如何，「台獨」變成「反美」，這已完全違反了一切的政治理性。

九月十五日，台獨將發動「入聯公投」大遊行。反中，中國不動聲色；反馬，馬英九「拿香跟拜」。倘係如此，這場「入聯公投」的百萬人遊行，恐將變質成一場歷來規模最大的「台獨反美」大遊行，豈不令人啼笑皆非？