'Taiwan Independence': Root cause of tense cross-Strait relations
( 2002-08-31 11:33 ) (10 )

"Taiwan independence" of any form is an impassable blind alley. Chen Shui-bian's violation of the one-China principle and his attempt to split the country are futile whether using his "gradual Taiwan independence" to nibble away the foundation for peaceful reunification or jumping out to advertise his "one country on each side" theory.

Chen Shui-bian has, on many occasions, openly declared that his mainland policy is "to devote efforts to maintaining stability of cross-strait relations", and more than once professed that he "has the ability, and all the more has wisdom and creative power to stabilize and enhance cross-Strait relations".

However, if people make a comprehensive survey of what he has done since he came to power two years ago, they will easily see it is he who obstinately sticks to his "Taiwan independence" stand, refuses to accept the one -China principle and pushes through "gradual Taiwan independence" in political, social, cultural and various other fields, thus seriously undermining the political foundation for stable cross-Strait relations, leading to the delayed breaking of the political deadlock between the two sides of the Straits and pushing cross-Strait ties to the verge of crisis.

Shortly after Chen Shui-bian took office, he was faced with an infirm foundation, terrorized by pressure from various quarters, he took a "soft" political posture by declaring "si bu, yi meiyou" (I will not declare independence, I will not change the national title, I will not push forth the inclusion of the so-called "state-to-state" description in the Constitution, and I will not promote a referendum to change the status quo in regard to the question of independence or unification. Furthermore, the abolition of the National Reunification Council or the National Reunification Guidelines will not be an issue).

However, he always refuses to admit his status as a Chinese and to accept the one-China principle, he denies the "consensus reached between the two sides in 1992" and advertises that "Taiwan is a sovereign independent state". Moreover, Chen Shui-bian plays a farce, (or appears in a "black-and-white countenance", together with radical "Taiwan independence" elements under the pretexts of so-called "human rights" and freedom of speech, he encourages and connives at their rampant and wild deeds done in the Island.

For more than two years, with his support and connivance, various radical "Taiwan independence" forces inside and outside of the Island have stirred up one roaring "Taiwan independence" wave after another. The "interim government of the republic of Taiwan" founded by the "jianguo party" has begun operation; the book "On Taiwan" in which ultra-rightists of Japan trumpet "Taiwan independence" was published in the Island; the so-called "world Taiwanese meeting" and the "federation of world Taiwan townsmen associations" rigged up by overseas "Taiwan independence" elements held successive activities clamoring for "Taiwan independence"; the "Taiwan north association" and other organizations formed at the sponsorship of "Taiwan independence" elements on the Island have held frequent activities in the name of seminars to push forth the "rectification of the name of Taiwan".

In May this year, a few "Taiwan independence" organizations sponsored the so-called "May 11 Taiwan name-rectification parade", the largest "Taiwan independence" meeting and parading activity organized by the radical "Taiwan independence" forces in recent years. The complete legalization of the advocacy and action of "Taiwan independence" in the Island in the past two short years have greatly boosted the swollen arrogance of "Taiwan independence" forces.

Under the leadership of Chen Shui-bian, Taiwan authorities, under the banner of "localization" and the pretext of "si bu, yi meiyou", and taking advantage of their administration status and resources, have unceasingly pushed through their "gradual Taiwan independence" line, attempting to comprehensively carry out the "de-China" moves in the political, economic, cultural and educational fields, thereby paving the way for finally leading Taiwan to "independence".

Soon after his assumption of office, Chen Shui-bian, in order to give prominence to his idea of "Taiwan independence", painstakingly tried to replace "China" with "Taiwan", comprehensively removing all "political marks" with the symbols of "China" and "reunification", demolishing placards bearing slogans concerning "reunification of China" and "opposition to Taiwan independence"; Taiwan's "press bureau" suspends the use of the old bureau emblem bearing the words "territory of China"; the new edition of so-called "passport" is added with the word "Taiwan"; all institutions stationed abroad have begun to carry out the "renaming" plan, etc.

In the cultural field, Chen Shui-bian carries out "cultural independence of Taiwan" in a big way, sedulously separates and juxtaposes "Taiwan culture" and the Chinese culture, vainly attempting to make "Taiwan culture" independent of the parent body of Chinese culture and allowing a batch of "Taiwan independence" elements to take charge of important cultural and educational institutions and adopting various measures to create an ideological and cultural foundation for "Taiwan independence".

In the educational field, Chen Shui-bian further intensifies "local education" among the youngsters. After Chen Shui-bian took office, Taiwan authorities overturned the original decision on the use of the common international scheme for the Chinese phonetic alphabet (hanyu pinyin), and changed over to the use of so-called "locally researched and developed" "tongyong pinyin", offered the course of "native language" in primary and middle schools, forcibly propelling teaching in the "Taiwanese language", so as to weaken the status of the standard "Chinese language" (or putonghua). The 9-year compulsory education has begun to push "native teaching" in primary and middle schools, taking the textbook, entitled "Understanding Taiwan" with a strong "Taiwan independence" inclination and completed on the instruction of Lee Teng-hui, as the model teaching materials. To match with it, Taiwan authorities produced concrete measures, , encouraging government-run universities to set up the "department of Taiwan literature" or Taiwan literature research institute to train "native teaching" faculties.

This "gradual Taiwan independence" tactic, featuring breaking up the whole into parts used by Chen Shui-bian, receives the support and response from the "Taiwan independence" separatist force represented by Lee Teng-hui. Recently, the radical "Taiwan independence" forces make diverging advance and converging attack together with Chen Shui-bian, raising an uproar about the so-called "movement for the rectification of the name of Taiwan"; the "Taiwan solidarity union" manipulated by Lee Teng-hui even tabled a motion demanding that the Heluo language be designated as the "second language", only those born in Taiwan can participate in the election of Taiwan leaders and the promotion of the "rectification of the name of Taiwan" is included into the DDP program. After Chen Shui-bian dished out the call for "conscientious thinking of the importance and urgency of referendum legislation", diehard "Taiwan independence" elements within the DDP and the "Taiwan solidarity union" immediately itched for action, ready to join hands to promote preparations for the draft of the so-called "referendum law"

Chen Shui-bian's "gradual Taiwan independence" line and the various acts of the "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces pose a serious provocation to the one-China principle, totally violate Taiwan public's desires for peace, stability and development and harm the fundamental interests of the entire Chinese people, its consequence is bound to be tension in the cross-Strait relations. Practice over the two years and more has proved that Chen Shui-bian's violation of the one-China principle and his pursuit of the "gradual Taiwan independence" line are the crucial reason and the root cause for the difficulty in breaking the deadlock between the two sides of the Straits, in maintaining a stability in the Taiwan Straits situation and for the growing crises existing on all sides.

"Taiwan independence" of any form is an impassable blind alley. Chen Shui-bian's violation of the one-China principle and his attempt to split the country are futile whether using his "gradual Taiwan independence" to nibble away the foundation for peaceful reunification or jumping out to advertise his "one country on each side" theory.