Taiwan's Problem: The DPP and CCP Refuse to Recognize the ROC

Taiwan's Problem: The DPP and CCP Refuse to Recognize the ROC
United Daily News editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
November 7, 2008

The Ma/Chen Meeting lasted only seven minutes. One. The time was moved up to 11am to avoid clashing head on with the DPP's "siege of the city" protest. This ensured the dignity of the meeting, provided a buffer for the Democratic Progressive Party, and avoided even greater harm to society. Two. The "meeting with Chen Yunlin" turned into "consoling Chen Yunlin," and neatly sidestepped a difficult Q&A session. It also avoided issues that might have arisen had Chen Yunlin made a lengthy statement. This may not have been the conclusion to the Five Day Chiang/Chen Meeting the two sides hoped for. But changing the time and the nature of the meeting was certainly an interesting turn of events.
Let's sum up our impressions of the Five Day Chiang/Chen Meeting. One. It established three direct links. There is now no going back on cross-Strait exchanges. Two. The Ma administration's dilemma, caught between Beijing and the Democratic Progressive Party, is now clear to see. Three. Beijing's forbearance in the face of the assault against Zhang Mingqing and the Grand Formosa Regent Taipei hotel incident deserves affirmation. Four. During the past five days the Democratic Progressive Party has regressed. It is now a Taiwan independence party that abets corruption and incites violence.

Chen Yunlin's five day visit further confirms a perspective we have stressed, over and over again. The crux of the Taiwan problem is that both the Communist Party and the Democratic Progressive Party refuse to recognize the Republic of China.

After five days of clashes, we hope that Beijing's Taiwan policy will become more open-minded and pragmatic. Beijing must not return to the unilateralism of old. Beijing has abandoned "Liberate Taiwan!" as a slogan. The August 23 Artillery Battle was half a century ago. Beijing has found that "One Country, Two Systems" may be applicable to Hong Kong, but not to Taiwan. This has led to "maintaining the status quo," the "1992 consensus" (One China, Different Expressions), "mutual prosperity and win-win," and "peaceful development." Chen Yunlin's visit to Taiwan has hopefully made clear that reaffirming the Republic of China is the only way to maintain cross-Strait relations. Beijing may not recognize the Republic of China, but it must not repudiate the Republic of China. Through intermediaries, it can sign three links agreements with the Government of the Republic of China. Because without the Republic of China, the two sides cannot maintain the "peaceful and stable development framework" that Beijing advocates.

We have repeatedly stressed that sustainable cross-Strait relations hinge upon two major issues. First, self interest, i.e., the three direct links. Second, dignity, i.e., sovereignty, national status, the national flag, and the national title. Over the past five days issues of self interest have been swallowed up by issues of dignity. All because Beijing has not accorded the Republic of China sufficient dignity. This has given Taiwan independence elements an opportunity to issue demands. Chen Yunlin said on several occasions, "The public on Taiwan still does not understand us." But the Beijing authorities should also ask themselves whether they understand the public on Taiwan.

A nation can be divided into East and West Germany, or South and North Korea, as long as it maintains an overarching "Big Roof." The Chinese Mainland has a advantage over Taiwan. Since it knows the Republic of China is the key to stable cross-Strait relations, why can't it gradually implement some form of "One China, Different Expressions?" Taiwan is an island torn apart by conflicts over the Republic of China and the "Nation of Taiwan." One of the reasons for Taiwan independence is that Beijing's attitude toward the Republic of China implies disrepect for the public on Taiwan.

Chen Yunlin said, "Some people on Taiwan are unhappy because the two sides have issues that must be resolved, but have yet to be resolved." The "issues that must be resolved, but have yet to be resolved" include the aforementioned issue of dignity. Indeed, as Chen Yunlin said, "If cross-Strait relations fail to advance, they will retreat." It is our hope that after five days of conflict, the Beijing authorities' choice will not be to retreat, but to boldly and wisely resolve those issues that must resolved as soon as possible.

The Democratic Progressive Party's Taiwan independence is ersatz Taiwan independence. The real problem is that ersatz Taiwan independence has been already been demagogued to its current intensity. Even the most fanatical Taiwan independence elders know that Taiwan independence is self-deception. Are latecomers such as Tsai Ing-wen truly unaware that Taiwan independence is a blind alley? Tsai Ing-wen has taken the Democratic Progressive Party to the extreme, to where it is physically assaulting Mainland Chinese envoys. If the Democratic Progressive Party were to regain power, how could it possibly maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait? How can the public on Taiwan possibly return the Democratic Progressive Party to office, and allow it to destroy cross-Strait relations? Tsai Ing-wen lost control of last night's "seige of the city" at the Grand Formosa Regent Taipei hotel. In truth, she has become the female counterpart to Wang Ting-yu.

The Democratic Progressive Party's core goal is a "Nation of Taiwan." The Democratic Progressive Party uses its "Nation of Taiwan" premise to confront the People's Republic of China. Over the past five days it has gone so far as to repudiate all cross-Strait exchanges. In the eyes of the Democratic Progressive Party the other side is "Communist bandits." The DPP has gone so far as to physically assault the other side's envoys. The Democratic Progressive Party uses its "Nation of Taiwan" premise to confront the Republic of China. It has repudiated the Republic of China. It has repudiated the cross-Strait consultations presided over by the duly elected government of the Republic of China. It has used accusations of "traitors to Taiwan" and "treason against Taiwan" to smear police officers struggling to maintain order, and to incite mob violence. Invoking its "Nation of Taiwan" premise, the Democratic Progressive Party has invented a "crime" called "treason against Taiwan." It has authorized itself to physically attack visiting envoys. It has arrogated to itself the right to decide how much latitude the police must give them. This is the sort of justice the DPP's imaginary "Nation of Taiwan" dispenses while it hides behind the good name of the Republic of China. This is the sort of rule the virtual "Nation of Taiwan" can be expected to manifest in the real world.

In five short days, the Democratic Progressive Party has become a Taiwan independence party that abets corruption and incites violence. The Democratic Progressive Party's assault on Zhang Mingqing, and its seige of Chen Yunlin have done nothing to advance the cause of Taiwan independence. If anything, they have made Taiwan independence and the DPP the sworn enemy of 1.3 billion compatriots on the other side of the Strait. The Democratic Progressive Party's Taiwan independence proclivities and escalating violence have made mainstream society on Taiwan even more dubious and fearful about the party.

Over the past five days the public on Taiwan has been deafened by the Democratic Progressive Party calls to "Eradicate the Communist bandits!" Translation: "Eradicate the Republic of China!" That's because their slogans will never "Eradicate the Communist bandits." They will merely tear the nation apart. They will merely "Eradicate the Republic of China!"

The two sides of the Taiwan Strait are held together by the Republic of China. The past five days will hopefull encourage Beijing to contemplate the meaning of Hu Jintao's "confront reality, acknowledge each other." Cross-Strait relations since March 22 have in fact been moving in this direction. We must not retreat in the face of setbacks experienced over the past five days. The problem is the Democratic Progressive Party. On the one hand it wants to "Eradicate the Communist bandits!" and destroy cross-Strait relations. On the other hand it wants to repudiate the Republic of China by shouting "treason against Taiwan" and "traitors to Taiwan." The DPP has mired itself in a self-delusional "Nation of Taiwan." Unable to extricate itself, it has chosen to tear Taiwan apart.

台灣癥結：民進黨及共產黨皆否定中華民國
【聯合報╱社論】
2008.11.07 03:15 am

馬陳會只有七分鐘。一、時間提前至早上十一點舉行，避過與圍城正面交鋒，一方面維護了會面的尊嚴，另一方面也可謂為民進黨作了緩衝，再一方面也避免了可能 發生更大的社會傷害。二、由「會見」改成「慰勉」，則避過了陳雲林對答的稱謂難題，也省去陳若發言可能引發的枝節。這雖未必是兩岸各自對「五日江陳會」原 本期望的句點，但改時間及改為慰勉，亦有峰迴路轉的意趣。

五日江陳會，總結的印象是：一、實現三通，兩岸交流已是不可逆轉之局；二、馬政府在北京與民進黨的夾擊下，形勢之艱難有目共睹；三、北京在張銘清事件及晶華酒店事件中表現的隱忍，應可肯定；四、民進黨經此五天已完全倒退到護貪逞暴的台獨黨。

陳雲林來訪五日，更可證實我們反覆申論的一個觀點：台灣問題的癥結，是在於共產黨及民進黨皆否定中華民國。

經歷五日衝擊，我們希望北京當局的對台政策應當更趨開明與務實，不要走回「單邊主義」的老路。北京早已放棄「解放台灣」的論調，八二三砲戰已是半世紀前的 事；後來，又發現「一國兩制」雖可用諸香港，卻不能用於台灣；於是，遂有「維持現狀」、「九二共識」（一中各表）、「互利雙贏」、「和平發展」等思維架 構。此次陳雲林來台的經歷，更應已經體會，「中華民國」是維繫兩岸關係的唯一平台；北京雖不承認中華民國，但亦不能否認中華民國，而認可由白手套與中華民 國政府簽約三通。因為，沒有「中華民國」，兩岸就沒有北京近年所主張的「和平穩定發展架構」。

我們屢次強調，兩岸關係繫於兩大議題。一、利益議題（如直航三通）；二、尊嚴議題（如主權、國格、國旗、國號）。但這五天來，利益議題的進展，卻幾乎被尊 嚴議題的異化所吞噬。原因無他，因為「中華民國」與北京交往未獲足夠尊嚴，所以使台獨訴求有了空間。陳雲林幾次說，「台灣民眾對我們還有很多不理解」，但 北京當局亦應自問：「我們對台灣民眾的心理，是否亦有很多不理解？」

分裂分治的國家，可以有東西德，可以有南北韓，但皆能維持「屋頂理論」；中國大陸以相對的優勢面對台灣，既知「中華民國」是維繫兩岸關係的唯一平台，卻何 以不能循序漸進地做到一定程度的「一中各表」？台灣已是被「中華民國」與「台灣國」撕裂之島，而台獨的主因之一，正源於北京對「中華民國」的態度不能滿足 台灣人的自尊。

陳雲林說：「有些台灣人民因為兩岸今後必須解決而未解決的事情而導致他們心中的不滿。」一般猜測，所謂「今後必須解決而未解決的事情」，應當包括前述「尊 嚴議題」。的確，亦如陳雲林所說：「兩岸關係不進則退。」我們希望，經歷五日衝擊，北京當局的抉擇不是緊縮後退，而是以大膽高識來早日大幅解決那些「必須 解決」的事情。

民進黨則是假台獨，更嚴重的問題是已經把假台獨操作到如此亢奮的地步。即使是最狂熱的老輩台獨，現在亦應已知台獨是「自欺欺人」；至於如蔡英文這類後起 者，更難道不知台獨是死路一條？何況，蔡英文現在將民進黨帶到向對岸來使進行人身侵害的程度，民進黨若再執政，豈可能維持兩岸和平？而台灣人民又如何敢把 政權再交回民進黨而撕裂兩岸關係？前晚在晶華酒店及昨日圍城失控的蔡英文，其實已淪落成一個「女版王定宇」。

民進黨的中心思維是「台灣國」。民進黨用「台灣國」的思維來對抗「中華人民共和國」，因此，這五天已至全盤否定任何兩岸交流協商的地步；對岸在民進黨眼中 已化約至「共匪」二字，甚至瘋狂攻擊來使。民進黨亦用「台灣國」的思維來對抗「中華民國」，既已根本否定中華民國，則亦否定中華民國的民選政府所主持的兩 岸協商，而謂為「台奸」、「賣台」，又否定維安的警察而發動暴民攻擊。正是出於「台灣國」的前提，民進黨自定「台奸」、「賣台」的罪名，又自授侵害來使的 權力，更要自行來決定警察維安的鬆緊輕重尺度。這是在「中華民國」中，幻想「台灣國」的正義，虛擬「台灣國」的統治，而且竟然真正付諸實踐。

經過這五天，民進黨已成了既護貪腐又逞暴力的台獨黨。但是，對外而言，民進黨僅憑撂倒張銘清、圍堵陳雲林這兩招，非但不可能完成台獨，更已使台獨及民進黨 成為對岸十三億人口的死敵；對內而言，民進黨的台獨外露、暴力升高，將使台灣主流社會對其更形疑懼，亦將使台獨更難獲人心。

這五天裡，國人耳裡聽到民進黨所喊的每一句「消滅共匪」，其實皆可還原譯讀為「消滅中華民國」。因為，這些口號的實質效應，絕不可能「消滅共匪」，而只是要撕裂國家，「消滅中華民國」而已！

兩岸的維繫全在「中華民國」。現在的情勢是：北京經此五日，應可仔細咀嚼「正視現實／互不否認」的寓意，且兩岸關係在三二二後確實亦漸朝此方向發展，唯希 望勿因這五日的挫折而退縮；問題卻在民進黨，一方面要「消滅共匪」撕裂兩岸關係，又以「賣台」、「台奸」否定中華民國，以致陷於自欺欺人的「台灣國」，既 不能自拔，又撕裂台灣。