Elections Require Competition, Nations Require Unity

Elections Require Competition, Nations Require Unity
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
October 13, 2011

Summary: The Republic of China is one hundred years old. The Republic of China and Taiwan have become inseparable. One may advocate reunification or one may advocate Taiwan independence. But one must understand others and care for others. One must not harm others or hate others. Tsai Ing-wen wants Ma Ying-jeou to declare that "The Republic of China is Taiwan." But Tsai Ing-wen and Taiwan independence advocates must also admit that "Taiwan is [an integral part of] the Republic of China." They must also admit that is the "Taiwan consensus." Elections require competition. Nations require unity, There truly is no need to stir up differences over the Republic of China and Taiwan.

Full Text Below:

Ten minutes of fireworks, two hours of troop reviews, and the Republic of China's centennial celebration was over. This is normal for a democracy. The passage of one hundred years presents us with a rare historical opportunity. Every Republic of China citizen on Taiwan has experienced this unique moment in time. This includes DPP Chairman Tsai Ing-wen. She was not present at the National Day celebration. No matter. She attended the DPP's Tainan City flag raising ceremony. She also amended her previous assertion that "The Republic of China is a government in exile." She said the ROC is the same as Taiwan. For both Green camp advocates of Taiwan independence and Blue camp advocates of Chinese reunification, the Republic of China has become the greatest common denominator.

The course of history has never been smooth. The Republic of China has been in existence for a full century. Its capital has been transferred from the Chinese mainland to Taiwan. The Chinese mainland and Taiwan diverged but are now converging once more. The Republic of China was founded on the Chinese mainland. It had a 38 year long history on the Chinese mainland, Taiwan was then under Japanese occupation. It underwent a very different course of development. Neither course of history can be undone. Both courses co-exist. But the two sides' experience overlap as well. Assertions that the Xinhai Revolution had nothing to do with Taiwan, fly in the face of historical fact.

Tsai Ing-wen asserts that national identity on Taiwan must be confined to the Taiwan Region and the inhabitants of Taiwan. She argues that it must not be based on the Xinhai Revolution that took place 100 years ago. She says the Republic of China she recognizes, is the Republic of China after it transferred its capital to Taiwan -- or perhaps the Republic of China after the 1996 presidential election. She says watching the two sides simultaneously celebrate the Xinhai Revolution leaves her with a queasy feeling. She says the celebrations move the two sides in the direction of "one China." She says "It is alrigh to commemorate history, but not to harm Taiwan's sovereignty."

Tsai Ing-wen's objections are superfluous, Commemorating the Centennial of the Xinhai Revolution will not harm "Taiwan's sovereignty." Beijing is attempting to outdo Taipei in commemorating the 1911 Xinhai Revolution. Taipei must not allow others to speak for the Xinhai Revolution that founded the Republic of China. Tsai Ing-wen may insist that she recognizes only the post-1949 Republic of China, or the post-1996 Republic of China, or even the Republic of China that has celebrated its centennial. It makes no difference. The Republic of China exists and will continue to exist. This is indisputable fact. If Beijing views the Republic of China in a positive light, can Taipei do otherwise? At the moment the Republic of China's future is confined to the Taiwan region. Therefore this is where the smoke from the incense commemorating the sacrifices of the martyrs of the Xinhai Revolution is the thickest.

One cannot say that the Xinhai Revolution has nothing to do with Taiwan. When the Xinhai Revolution erupted, Sun Yat-sen's Revive China Society and the Tongmenhui (Chinese United League) conducted revolutionary activities on Taiwan. Taiwan business tycoons such as Liang Teh Yang Hang General Manager Wu Wen-hsiu, Yi Ho Yang Hang Sales Manager Jung Chi-nian, and business world elder Chao Man-chao, were all Revive China Society members. They donated huge sums of money to the cause. When news of the successfuf revolution broke, Penghu fisherman Chang Chi-pu sailed across the Strait to join the revolutionary troops. During the Yuan Shi-kai Restoration and the second revolution against Yuan, Revive China League members Ong Chun-ming and others went all out to raise money on Taiwan. Lin Chu-mi and others even renounced their Japanese nationality and became Republic of China citizens. They returned to Zhangzhou in Fujian Province and persuaded others to join the anti-Yuan campaign. Lin Chu-mi followed Sun Yat-sen and became the Generalissimo's military attache. Taiwanese who restored themselves to Republic of China national status include Lien Chan's grandfather Lien Ya-tang, Lin Chi-ching, Wu Chi-yu and other intellectuals.

On Taiwan a whole string of anti-Japanese democratic revolutionary movements erupted. The best known occurred between 1912 and 1914. Luo Fu-hsing organized anti-Japanese uprisings in Taipei, Keelung, Taoyuan, and Hsinchu. Meanwhile, in southern and central Taiwan, in Taichung, Nantou, and Tainan, additional uprisings took place. Nine hundred and twenty-one people were arrested by the Japanese police. Those arrested were all tried by temporary courts in Miaoli. The Japanese referred to this as the Miaoli Incident.

These are all historical events. They happened. They cannot be dismissed as "reunificationist history." After the Republic of China government transferred the nation's capital to Taiwan in 1949, the 2/28 incident and the White Terror left difficult to heal wounds in the hearts of Taiwanese. They also created a rationale for pro-independence elements. The pain felt by the public on Taiwan, is an integral part of the pain visited upon the Republic of China, Both left marks on the century old Republic of China that linger until today.

Tsai Ing-wen is running for President of the Republic of China. If elected, she will become the leader of the Republic of China government. This government is the product of the Xinhai Revolution, the successful Northern Expedition that took place on the Chinese mainland, the victory against the Japanese in the War of Resistance Against japan, and the Retrocession of Taiwan to the Chinese nation. No one who runs for high office in the Republic of China, can forget the trail of blood and tears trod by predecessors. Even less can they divorce themselves from it. The Republic of China is not past tense, It is present tense. It is future tense. Some DPP leaders insist that the Republic of China is a "government in exile." Yet they eagerly and brazenly pocket Republic of China issued civil service salaries. This demonstrates how remarkably tolerant the Republic of China government on Taiwan is.

The Republic of China is one hundred years old. The Republic of China and Taiwan have become inseparable. One may advocate reunification or one may advocate Taiwan independence. But one must understand others and care for others. One must not harm others or hate others. Tsai Ing-wen wants Ma Ying-jeou to declare that "The Republic of China is Taiwan." But Tsai Ing-wen and Taiwan independence advocates must also admit that "Taiwan is [an integral part of] the Republic of China." They must also admit that is the "Taiwan consensus." Elections require competition. Nations require unity, There truly is no need to stir up differences over the Republic of China and Taiwan.

選舉需要競爭 國家卻需要團結
2011-10-13 中國時報

十分鐘煙花，兩小時閱兵，中華民國一百年生日就這麼過去了，完全符合民主社會的平常。百年一瞬是難得的歷史機遇，所有中華民國在台灣的人們，其實共同走過了這個特殊的歷史時點；包括民進黨主席蔡英文，儘管缺席國慶大典，卻也在民進黨執政的台南市參與升旗，也修正先前所謂「中華民國是流亡政府」的說法，強調中華民國等於台灣。不論台灣內部的藍綠或統獨歧見，中華民國確實已經成為最大共識。

歷史發展的軸線，從來不是平順無折。中華民國歷經一百年，從大陸到台灣，兩條路徑從分到合，中華民國肇建自大陸，曾經在大陸有過卅八年的歷史，同時間的台灣則在日據之下，有著迥然不同的發展歷程，兩者並存都不能抹滅。而且，兩者確乎有重疊交錯之處，要說辛亥革命完全與台灣不相干，也未盡符合史實。

蔡英文強調，台灣的國家認同在於土地和人民，而不是發生在一百年前的辛亥革命。基本上，她認同的中華民國是來台之後的中華民國，甚至是一九九六年總統直選後的中華民國。她認為兩岸同慶辛亥革命讓人不安，是向「一個中國」靠攏，「紀念歷史可以，但是不能傷害台灣主權。」

蔡英文多慮了，紀念辛亥革命一百年並不會傷害台灣主權。當大陸爭搶辛亥革命的歷史傳承時，台灣絕對不能把辛亥革命民國肇建的話語權拱手讓人。不論蔡英文認同的是一九四九之後的中華民國，或者一九九六之後的中華民國；中華民國紀元一百年，而且還要繼續紀元下去是不爭的事實。對岸無法正視中華民國，台灣豈能漠視中華民國？畢竟中華民國此刻、未來都還在台灣，這就是辛亥革命先烈們犧牲生命創建的國家，香火還愈來愈旺。

辛亥革命和台灣不可謂不相干，事實上，辛亥革命爆發前，孫中山領導的興中會、同盟會都曾在台灣進行革命活動，台灣商界人士諸如良德洋行總經理吳文秀、義和洋行買辦容祺年、商界大老趙滿潮都是興中會會員，且捐助大筆經費。革命成功消息傳來，有澎湖漁民章吉輔駕船渡海參加革命軍，袁世凱復辟，討袁二次革命期間，同盟會會員翁俊明等人亦大力號召台籍人士捐輸，林祖密等人甚至申請脫離日本國籍，並隨即加入中華民國國籍，返回漳州號召有志之士參加討袁戰役，林祖密跟隨孫中山成為大元帥的侍從武官。當時，復籍者還有連戰的祖父連雅堂、林子瑾、吳子瑜等知識分子。

在台灣更有一連串的抗日民主革命運動，最為人熟知的即一九一二年到一四年間，羅福星在台北、基隆、桃園、新竹等地準備抗日起義，同時中南部的台中、南投二廳及台南等地也相繼發生多起起義事件，被日警逮捕人數達九百廿一人，被捕者全部集中在苗栗臨時法院審判，日人統稱為「苗栗事件」。

這些都是發生過的歷史事實，不能僅以統派史觀錯認之。無可諱言，中華民國一九四九年來台前後，先有二二八事件，後有白色恐怖，在台灣人民心中確實留下難以撫平的歷史傷痕，也造就了獨派人士的立論基礎。中華民國的傷痛中，包含台灣的傷痛，兩者都在中華民國一百年的歷史過程中留下印記，以至於迄今難解。

但是，不論蔡英文願不願意接受，她正在競選的中華民國總統，承繼的就是中華民國政權。這個政權起源於辛亥革命，曾在大陸北伐成功，領導抗日戰爭取得勝利，而且收復台灣，凡競逐中華民國大位者，不能忘記前人走過的血淚道路，遑論切割。中華民國不是過去式，而是「現在進行式」，部分仍堅持中華民國是流亡政府的民進黨人，還能堂而皇之領中華民國發給的公職薪水，這就是中華民國在台灣實現民主最可貴之處。

時至中華民國一百年，中華民國與台灣已經合為一體，統獨史觀各有立場，需要彼此諒解與安撫，而非彼此傷害與仇恨。蔡英文呼籲馬英九正視「中華民國就是台灣」的事實，同樣的，蔡英文和獨派人士也必須正視「台灣就是中華民國」是對台灣人民最有利的國家共識。選舉需要競爭，國家卻需要團結，真的不必再刻意挑起中華民國與台灣之間的分歧了。