ROC Flag Appears at Diaoyutai Protest in Beijing

ROC Flag Appears at Diaoyutai Protest in Beijing
United Daily News editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
September 18, 2012

Summary: On Saturday, September 15, Diaoyutai Islands defense movement activists protested in front of the Japanese Embassy in Beijing. A red, white, and blue ROC flag appeared at the scene. Activists waved the giant flag for at least ten minutes, long enough for reporters from Taiwan to notice it and photograph it. The government on the Mainland underwent a change in 1949. This is probably the first time since then that the national flag of the Republic of China has appeared in broad daylight on the streets of Beijing.

Full Text below:

On Saturday, September 15, Diaoyutai Islands defense movement activists protested in front of the Japanese Embassy in Beijing. A red, white, and blue ROC flag appeared at the scene. Activists waved the giant flag for at least ten minutes, long enough for reporters from Taiwan to notice it and photograph it. The government on the Mainland underwent a change in 1949. This is probably the first time since then that the national flag of the Republic of China has appeared in broad daylight on the streets of Beijing.

On August 15, Diaoyutai Islands defense movement activists set sail from Hong Kong on the Chi Feng 2. They carried with them onto the Diaoyutai Islands two national flags. They carried with them the red, white, and blue ROC flag with them on their own initiative. This reflected a grassroots awareness of a "Big Roof China." This was not a "ploy to promote reunification" choreographed by Beijing officials. The national security system concluded that "The ROC national flag is being used as a tool to promote reunification." This newspaper published an editorial expressing disagreement.

Last Saturday Diaoyutai Islands defense movement activists waved a giant ROC national flag in front of the Japanese Embassy in Beijing. That may have been an officially choreographed "ploy to promote reunification." Protesters also carried a 10 meter long banner reading, "The two sides of the Strait are one family. Brothers may bicker at home, but unite against outside aggressors." This was a verbatim quote from Beijing's Taiwan Affairs Office. As a result, one cannot help feel differently about the flag waved on the streets of Beijing, and the flag waved on the Diaoyutai Islands.

We think the flag waved on the Diaoyutai Islands shows the respect ordinary citizens on both sides of the Strait have for the "Big Roof China." Their actions are not necessarily motivated by political advantage. Therefore they are particularly worth cherishing. But the flag waved on the streets of Beijing may have been the result of official calculation. Therefore we may need to factor that in when we interpret the political impact.

Consider the upside. Suppose the appearance of this flag was the result of official arrangements. That means Beijing at least accepts that the ROC national flag represents the Republic of China. On August 16, the Global Times, a publication of the People's Daily Syndicate, published photos of the national flag of the Republic of China on the Diaoyutai Islands. Such thinking does that one better. This may be a small step. But we hope it will impact Beijing's larger Taiwan policy.

Consider the downside. Suppose Beijing was merely using the Diaoyutai Islands conflict as a political ploy. Suppose it was merely using the national flag of the Republic of China as a "ploy to promote reunification?" Such political calculation would probably provoke greater antipathy and resentment among the public on Taiwan.

The two sides do not recognize each others' national titles, national flags, and official titles. This is mainly because Beijing does not accept the Republic of China's legal system. Several years ago the Mainland authorities protested the appearance of the red, white, and blue ROC national flag at international sporting events. During the 2008 Beijing Olympics the Olympic torch was supposed to transit Taiwan. But word emerged that Beijing actually wanted to prohibit the display of ROC national flags along the torch route. When cross-Strait exchanges were initiated and Mainland VIPs first arrived, Beijing wanted Taiwan hosts to cover up the ROC flags. Last month during the London Olympics, a red, white, and blue ROC national flag also had to be taken down on Regent Street. Given that cross-Strait exchanges having evolved to where they are today, are such moves irrational? Or are they merely obtuse?

Consider this distinctly disturbing scenario. Last Saturday a red, white, and blue ROC national flag appeared in front of the Japanese Embassy in Beijing. Does Beijing recognize this flag or not? If not, then why use it as part of a "ploy to promote reunification?" If it persists in using it as a "ploy to promote reunification," won't it have the opposite effect on the public on Taiwan?

Beijing hopes Taipei will uphold its "one China Constitution." But how can it simultaneously repudiate the ROC flag? Beijing should realize that "Taiwan is the water. The Republic of China is the glass. As long as the glass remains, the water remains. Shatter the glass, and the water spills everywhere." This is the "glass theory" championed by this newspaper. Does Beijing agree that "The Republic of China is part of China?" If not, how can it make the public on Taiwan accept "China?" How can it make Taiwanese see themselves as "Chinese?" Consider the two national flags under a "Big Roof China" landing simultaneously on the Diaoyutai Islands. Don't Chinese people the world over take such an image for granted?

On September 15, the red, white, and blue ROC flag appeared in front of the Japanese Embassy in Beijing. If it was merely a "ploy to promote reunification," then it was a big mistake. But if it represented a breakthrough in the Beijing authorities' thinking about cross-Strait political symbolism and cross-Strait policy, it is well worth encouraging.

The current conflict over the Diaoyutai Islands is having a significant impact on cross-Strait relations. One of the most important revelations is the emergence of the "Big Roof China" concept. Under the "Big Roof China" concept, the Republic of China is "democratic China." The People's Republic of China is "socialist China." Both are part of one China.

On August 15, the two national flags appeared on the Diaoyutai Islands. On September 15, the Republic of China flag appeared in front of the Japanese Embassy. This starts one thinking. These two scenarios confirm that the "Big Roof China" already exists and the "Big Roof China" must be maintained.

The day before yesterday ARATS President Chen Yunlin visited Kenting. An ROC national flag hung high above the entrance to the Cape Eulanbi Lighthouse. The photo even made the newspapers. "One's horizons determine one's world, one's ideas determine one's path." Is this merely one small step for Chen Yunlin? Or will it be one giant leap for the two sides of the Taiwan Strait?

北京保釣出現中華民國國旗
【聯合報╱社論】
2012.09.18

上周六，九月十五日，北京日本大使館前的保釣示威現場，出現了一幅中華民國青天白日滿地紅國旗；那幅巨旗至少在現場揮舞了十分鐘左右，足供台灣記者發現並拍下照片。這應當是大陸一九四九年易幟以來，首度在光天化日之下的北京街頭出現中華民國國旗。

八月十五日，香港「啟豐二號」保釣船擎持了「兩幅國旗」登上釣魚台；那幅青天白日滿地紅國旗應是由保釣人士主動攜往，可謂是反映了「大屋頂中國」的民間意識，而非出自北京官方設計安排的統戰動作。當時，本報社論曾對「國安系統」視那幅國旗為「利用國旗為統戰工具」，表達了不同的看法。

但是，上周六北京日本大使館前出現的那一幅中華民國國旗，看來卻很像是官方安排的「統戰工具」，再加上遊行隊伍出現十幾公尺長的橫幅標語，上書「海峽兩岸一家，兄弟鬩於牆，外禦其侮」，更是直接出自北京台辦的新聞用語；令人對北京街頭的這幅旗，與釣島的那一幅旗，有不同的感受與解讀。

我們認為，釣島的那一幅旗，顯示了兩岸民間對「大屋頂中國」的懷想，由於未必出自政治算計，因此格外值得珍惜。然而，北京街頭出現的這一幅旗，則可能是出自官方的政治算計，因而亦不妨解讀其政治效應。

從正面效應看，此旗若是出自官方安排，至少顯示北京已默認或接受了青天白日滿地紅國旗為代表「中華民國」的政治符號；此種思考，比《環球時報》（人民日報系統）於八月十六日完整刊出中華民國國旗登島的照片又進了一步。這雖是小而微妙的一步，但希望能自此帶動北京對台政策的整體思考。

從反面效應看，這若只是用於保釣個案的權謀動作，亦即只是將中華民國國旗當作「統戰工具」而已，則此種政治算計，恐將更加引發台灣人民的不平與反感。

國號、國旗及政府官銜等政治符號，迄在兩岸間互不承認，這主要是因北京不接受中華民國的法理體制。就在幾年前，國際運動比賽的觀眾席上出現青天白日滿地紅旗，還常遭大陸方面「抗議」；○八年京奧，原本商議聖火過境台灣，居然傳說北京禁止台北沿途出現中華民國國旗而告吹；再到了兩岸交往開通，屢生大陸客人到，台灣主人須將國旗遮起來的怪事；一直到了上個月的倫敦奧運，攝政街上一幅青天白日滿地紅旗也被撤去。兩岸交流已至今日境界，細看這類舉動，真是何其無理，更是何其愚蠢？

再以這些歷歷在記憶中的惱人景象，與上周六北京日本大使館前出現的那一幅青天白日滿地紅國旗對照；北京若不承認這幅國旗，又何必用作「統戰工具」？若用為「統戰工具」，對台灣民眾會不會有反效果？

北京希望台灣能持守「一中憲法」，卻豈能否定中華民國國旗？北京應當深切體認，「台灣是水，中華民國是杯；杯在水在，杯破水覆」，此為本報主張的「杯子理論」。北京若不接受「中華民國為一部分的中國」，怎使台灣人接受「中國」？又怎使台灣人自我認同為「中國人」？何況，兩幅國旗在「大屋頂中國」的理念下同登釣島，豈不正是全球華人皆認為理所當然的圖像？

九月十五日，北京日本大使館前出現的那一幅青天白日滿地紅旗，倘只是「統戰工具」，應屬敗筆；但若能顯示北京當局在兩岸政治符號上的開明思維與在兩岸政策上的進取與突破，則是值得鼓勵。

這次釣島風暴，其實正重大且深刻地影響著兩岸關係；其中最重要的啟示是，「大屋頂中國」的理念已然浮現。在「大屋頂中國」的概念下，中華民國是「民主中國」，中華人民共和國是「社會主義中國」，兩者皆是一部分的中國。

從八月十五日釣島上的兩幅國旗，與九月十五日北京日本大使館前的中華民國國旗出發，啟動思考；即知，這兩個場景都證實了「大屋頂中國」的本來就存在，與「大屋頂中國」的必須被護守。

正在此際，大陸海協會會長陳雲林前天訪問墾丁，迎對著一幅高懸的青天白日滿地紅國旗進入鵝鑾鼻燈塔，照片還上了報紙；「眼界決定境界，思路決定出路」，這只是陳雲林的一小步，或將是兩岸的一大步？