by Pu Lin

語言:
English /// 中文
Photo Credit: VOA
Translator: Brian Hioe

Pu Lin is the secretary-general of Restoration of Taiwan Social Justice, which has been involved in past demonstrations over the M503 flight route, planned textbook revisions by the Ministry of Education, and most recently the Xi-Ma summit. The following piece was published in the original by New Bloom on November 9th.

NOT ONLY WAS it that the Ma-Xi meeting held in Singapore attracted the attention of international media and protests from Taiwanese citizens, but after the meeting, many people criticized the Ma-Xi meeting as “selling the country” and an “insult to national dignity.” We might take a look.

Ma Ying-Jeou Was Not Actually “Selling THE Country”

MA YING-JEOU’S behavior was not “selling THE country,” rather, we can even say that Ma was acting as the strongest defender of the ROC constitution. After all, within the parameters of the constitutions, there is the “mainland area” and the “free area,” the latter of which is Taiwan. Both are ultimately part of a larger unity. Ma was not doing anything not written in the constitution. Ma is not allowed to refer to “One China, One Taiwan,” according to the ROC constitution or the “One China, Two Interpretations” of the “1992 Consensus”—leaving behind only the “One China” aspect referred to in the meeting as the “One China Principle”. As for the “Two Interpretations” aspect, facing outward to the international world, this was discarded as useless, and it is only said inward directly towards Taiwan.

But these are not the most important points because the “different interpretations” of the Republic of China is a holdover regime of old China. However, this regime from old China rules Taiwan, internationally represents desires to represent Taiwan as “China,” and is ready to be merged with the “mainland area” as the ROC, Republic of China.

Many Taiwanese finally realize that they have been tricked into the frame of ROC. Let’s put the “1992 Consensus” or the upcoming “2015 Consensus” aside. Despite that Taiwanese has been fighting against KMT since 1945, when they shifted the ROC to Taiwan, Taiwanese ultimately accepted this regime till now. This has been the destined political situation.

Should Taiwanese Feel Hurt?

TOWARDS THOSE so-called “waishengren” who came with the KMT to Taiwan, they should feel pleased, given that the leader of their “nation” has finally done something to allow the ROC to to further develop and prosper: Bring Taiwan back into the fold of “China”. So, whether China is PRC or ROC becomes irrelevant.

So to these friends feeling disappointed and hurt right now and the Taiwanese people, you don’t need to be feel hurt. Because so long as you believe yourself to be Taiwanese, love Taiwan passionately and support Taiwan, but at the same time support the country called the ROC, there will be this kind of result. Is this too direct a statement? But you have to know, “cross-strait” relations are fundamentally relations of the PRC and ROC, two sides of the strait or two political regimes which already belong to one China. When you support or believe yourself to belong the ROC, I can only say, “There is no room for Taiwan, ONLY CHINA,” and it’s always been like this.

It is those who simultaneously love ROC and Taiwan or identify themselves as ROCers and Taiwanese at the same time that leads to my greatest confusion.

Taiwan In the End Does Not Belong to the Republic of China

TAIWAN HAS BEEN suffocated by the structure of ROC. This is the exact reason why every attempt to “tame” ROC or the policy of so-called Taiwan-izing the ROC seems to be in vain—at least, before the KMT’s empire collapses. Moreover, the ROC continues to claim authority to rule Taiwan after using its authority to allow for some democracy to be put into practice.

There will be a crystal clear direction to pursue if and when Taiwan shakes off the shackles of one China policy. People, there is no need to be anxious; no need to be grieve. There is always something that needs to be done.

There is still something to be done, before you think it’s too late!
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