Taiwan Has Experienced Three 'De-China Moves'

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, August 28, 2002

Taiwan Has Experienced Three 'De-China Moves'

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Chen Shui-bian's theory of "one country on each side" has aroused the strong indignation of all the Chinese people, including Taiwan compatriots, evoking voices of condemnations and criticisms from all parts of the country. Although Chen Shui-bian and his cohorts have been forced to "cool down" and "extinguish the fire", their "Taiwan independence" nature, however, will not change, we must not lower our guards.

We seem to have discovered that there is a common law of operation on the road taken by Lee Teng-hui and Chen Shui-bian plotting "Taiwan independence" and splitting the motherland, that is, "democratization-localization-de-China move-Taiwan independence". Actually, this represents the four steps they take in order to realize "Taiwan independence":

First is "democratization". So-called democracy is only a pretense, a tool they use to seize political power and realize their ambitions for "Taiwan independence". Under the pretext of "being masters of their own affairs", they stress that "Taiwan's future should be determined by Taiwan people".

Second is "localization", they stress "identification of Taiwan" and "priority to Taiwan", opposing "identification of China" and realization of reunification. Those who "identify Taiwan" and not "identify China" are seen as "loving Taiwan", otherwise are seen as "selling Taiwan".

Third is "de-China move", this is their most important aim in stressing "democratization" and "localization", as well as the crux of the matter, they remove all slogans, maps and picture albums, badges and marks, names of institutions, streets and companies having connections with China or the Chinese mainland.

Fourth is "Taiwan independence", i.e., after "democratization", "localization" and "de-China move" are more or less completed, they use "public will" to agitate "referendum", and finally realize the DPP's (Democratic Progressive Party's) goal of "independently establishing a state".

What is necessary to specially pointed out here is the question of so-called "de-China move". To the separatists, this is the most important and most arduous matter. In his important speech entitled "Continuing to Strive for the Accomplishment of the Great Cause of Promoting the Reunification of the Motherland" made on January 30, 1995, President Jiang Zemin said, "The 5,000-year splendid culture created jointly by sons and daughters of all ethnic groups of China has always been the spiritual bond linking all the Chinese, as well as an important foundation for realizing peaceful reunification". This remark is really well put and is a fact. Taiwanese are Chinese and an inalienable part of the Chinese nation, the territory and sovereignty of Taiwan are an inseparable part of the territory and sovereignty of the whole of China. History has proved that whoever attempts to launch a "de-China" move on this piece of land will not succeed.

This can be illustrated by the instances of the three "de-China" movements beginning with that initiated by Japan:

The first was the movement launched by the Japanese to make Taiwanese "Japanese imperial subjects". This movement actually was a "de-China" movement. Japanese aggressors were well aware that to really dominate Taiwan, they must first capture Taiwanese minds and cut off Taiwan's flesh-and-blood ties with the Chinese on the Island and China's mainland. To this end, they launched the movement to turn Taiwanese into "Japanese imperial subjects", they did so in all aspects from people's surnames, to written and spoken languages, living habits, ideology and beliefs and to various kinds of publications including textbooks and conducted "education" in these aspects. They concentrated their efforts to launch a large-scale such movement in 1941. But what was the result? With the exception of a handful people like Lee Teng-hui and his ilk who were thoroughly converted to "Japanese imperial subjects", no one of the rest was conquered. During the 50 years of Taiwan under Japanese colonial rule, the heroic Taiwan people had persistently waged indomitable struggle against the Japanese aggression.

The second was the "two-states theory" concocted by Lee Teng-hui. Superficially, this "theory" was put forward by Lee Teng-hui in 1997, actually in the 12 years during his administration, he had all along been pursuing his "two-states" idea in a planned way. What he thought of was the "two-states theory", what he actually did was "de-China-movement". He must push through the "de-China move" if he wanted to carry out the "two-states theory". "De-China move" is the crucial point of so-called "democratization" and "localization". "Localization" is also called "Taiwan orientation". Lee Teng-hui practiced "Taiwan orientation" not only in organizational set-ups, regional division and the personnel system, but also in political, military, ideological, educational and cultural fields. But what was the result? Lee, this "Taiwan independence" chieftain, was spurned by the overwhelming majority of the Taiwan people. Although currently he still puts up a last-ditch struggle, he never has "the power to save the desperate situation".

The third was Chen Shui-bian's "one country on each side" theory. Over the past two years since Chen took office on May 20, 2000, he has followed Lee Teng-hui at every step and exerted even greater efforts to push through the "de-China" movement. Lee Teng-hui practiced "radical Taiwan independence", while Chen is engaged in "gradual Taiwan independence". He pushes "Taiwan independence" forward bit by bit from near to far, small to big, inside to outside and quantity to quality. The two kinds of "Taiwan independence" are in the same train, they are different in form but are the same in nature. Like Lee Teng-hui, Chen Shui-bian has completely miscalculated the situation. He originally thought that as soon as his "one country on each side" theory appeared, not only the islanders would support, the United States would help by coordinated action, the Chinese mainland "would be unable to do anything" against him. He did not expect he has now become the second "new trouble-maker" following Lee Teng-hui. He was forced to withdraw troops, suffering one defeat after another. It can fully be certain that he will come to no good end.

It is clear from the above that from Japan's movement to make Taiwanese "Japanese imperial subjects", to Lee Teng-hui's "two-states theory" and Chen Shui-bian's "one country on each side" theory, all aimed to launch a "de-China" movement, all designed to totally separate Taiwan from the big family of the motherland.

Taiwan's divisive movement, or the "de-China" movement, is not isolated. In appearance, the matter stems from Taiwan and is participated in by a tiny handful of "Taiwan independence" elements, in fact, it is rooted abroad, without the involvement and participation of foreign forces, "Taiwan independence" elements cannot get anywhere. The involvement of foreign forces can roughly be divided into three periods: From Taiwan's return to the motherland after victory over Japan to the 1950s-60s, the base and center for "Taiwan independence" activities as a whole were in Japan; from the 1970s to 1980s, the base and center for "Taiwan independence" activities were shifted to the United States; from the late 1980s to the time since the beginning of the 1990s, the base and center for "Taiwan independence" activities were moved to Taiwan Island. However, it is known to all that "Taiwan independence", whether carried out by Lee Teng-hui or by Chen Shui-bian, cannot have become so rampant as it is today without the brace and bolster of foreign forces.

The Chinese people's determination to oppose "Taiwan independence" and all separatists is unshakable, the struggle against division and "Taiwan independence" actually is the continuation of the struggle against aggression, oppression and intervention in modern Chinese history, the continuation of the Chinese people's struggle in defense of national independence, state sovereignty and territorial integrity. This just struggle waged by the Chinese people will certainly win the understanding and support of all peace-loving personages and people of the whole world, including those of the United States and Japan. This just struggle will definitely win final victory.

This article, written by Li Jiaquan, is published on Page 5 of People's Daily (Overseas Edition) on August 28.

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