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Taiwan and the right to self-determ



Subject: Taiwan and the right to self-determination

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    =20
    =20
      THE NATION - August 4, 1999=20

      Mailbag=20


      Taiwan and the right to self-determination

      PHILIP Bowring in his article ''The route to reunification'' =
(South China Morning Post, Friday July 23, 1999) wrote that geography =
and history have given Taiwan the reality of ''one country, two states'' =
not ''one country, two systems''. This argument needs to be emphasised.=20

      Firstly, the notion of ''one country, two states'' is, in reality, =
a misnomer. Taiwan has always been a country in every sense of the word =
and one only need to look back at the past decades, when it was a full =
member of the United Nations, until expelled in favour of the People's =
Republic of China.=20

      If the so-called UN and international community have given in to =
the bullying of PRC to withdraw the recognition of Taiwan, it is their =
own responsibilities and choices. But the fact remains that Taiwan has =
been a country with all trappings and bearings of a nation-state, even =
without a UN seat, before the PRC was even born. Thus, the PRC and =
Taiwan are two separate entities and the notion of ''one country, two =
states'' should be corrected as ''two countries, two states''.=20

      Secondly, the KMT occupation and colonisation troops, which by 28 =
February 1947 had massacred 10,000 to 20,000 indigenious Taiwanese =
resisting its rule, is a stark reminder that the relationship between =
the mainlanders and the Taiwanese is nothing but ''colonial''.=20

      Thirdly, the KMT's recent change of heart to embrace =
''democratisation'' and toying with the idea of ''independence'' and =
''nation-state'' are in line with the Taiwanese aspirations. The =
Democratic Progressive Party, which has been spearheading the =
establishment of an independent nation-state, is, more or less, also in =
agreement with President Lee, at least where self-determination of the =
people of Taiwan is concerned.=20

      Fourthly, if ethnicity alone is going to play a significant role =
in determining the existence of a country or nation-state, the Thais =
should have built a vast country encompassing part of China, Shan State, =
Laos and even part of Vietnam, where the Tais are settled. The same will =
also be true for the German ethnic groups where they are spread out all =
over Europe. The examples could go on and on. The fact that ethnicity =
alone should have a final say in determining the boundry of a country is =
not a valid or acceptable notion. Then why should Taiwan and China be =
the exception. Apart from that, the Taiwanese don't even consider =
themselves to be of the same kind with the mainlanders.=20

      Given such circumstances, the UN or international community should =
give the Taiwanese electorate a chance to decide for itself, in a =
referendum, whether it would like to be part of PRC or want to be left =
alone. We should not let the size and influence of Beijing force the =
rest of the world to swallow the notion that there can be only one =
Chinese state.=20

      The United Nations' Secretary General Kofi Annan once said that =
''the struggle for independence, for self-rule -- for the right of a =
people to be a master of its own destiny -- is the struggle for human =
rights''. If so, why should we leave out the Taiwanese from exercising =
their right to self-determination.=20

      Sai Wansai=20

      Shan Democratic Union, Europe Coordination Office=20

      GERMANY
    =20


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THE NATION - August 4, = 1999=20 

Mailbag 



Taiwan and the right to=20 self-determination

PHILIP Bowring in his article ''The route to reunification'' = (South=20 China
Morning Post, Friday July 23, 1999) wrote that geography and = history=20 have
given Taiwan the reality of ''one country, two states'' not = ''one=20
country,
two systems''. This argument needs to be emphasised.=20 

Firstly, the notion of ''one country, two states'' is, in = reality, a=20
misnomer. Taiwan has always been a country in every sense of the = word and=20
one only need to look back at the past decades, when it was a full = member=20
of the United Nations, until expelled in favour of the People's = Republic=20
of China.=20 

If the so-called UN and international community have given in = to the=20
bullying of PRC to withdraw the recognition of Taiwan, it is their = own=20
responsibilities and choices. But the fact remains that Taiwan has = been a=20
country with all trappings and bearings of a nation-state, even = without a=20
UN seat, before the PRC was even born. Thus, the PRC and Taiwan = are two=20
separate entities and the notion of ''one country, two states'' = should be=20
corrected as ''two countries, two states''.=20 

Secondly, the KMT occupation and colonisation troops, which by = 28=20
February
1947 had massacred 10,000 to 20,000 indigenious Taiwanese = resisting its
rule,
is a stark reminder that the relationship = between the=20 mainlanders and the
Taiwanese is nothing but ''colonial''.=20 

Thirdly, the KMT's recent change of heart to embrace=20 ''democratisation''
and
toying with the idea of ''independence'' = and=20 ''nation-state'' are in line
with the Taiwanese aspirations. The=20 Democratic Progressive Party, which has
been spearheading the=20 establishment of an independent nation-state, is,
more
or less, = also in=20 agreement with President Lee, at least where
self-determination of = the=20 people of Taiwan is concerned.=20 

Fourthly, if ethnicity alone is going to play a significant = role in=20
determining the existence of a country or nation-state, the Thais = should=20
have built a vast country encompassing part of China, Shan State, = Laos
and=20
even part of Vietnam, where the Tais are settled. The same will = also be=20
true for the German ethnic groups where they are spread out all = over=20
Europe. The examples could go on and on. The fact that ethnicity = alone=20
should have a final say in determining the boundry of a country is = not a=20
valid or acceptable notion. Then why should Taiwan and China be = the=20
exception. Apart from that, the Taiwanese don't even consider = themselves=20
to be of the same kind with the mainlanders.=20 

Given such circumstances, the UN or international community = should give=20
the Taiwanese electorate a chance to decide for itself, in a = referendum,=20
whether it would like to be part of PRC or want to be left alone. = We=20
should not let the size and influence of Beijing force the rest of = the=20
world to swallow the notion that there can be only one Chinese = state.=20 

The United Nations' Secretary General Kofi Annan once said that = ''the=20
struggle for independence, for self-rule -- for the right of a = people to=20
be a master of its own destiny -- is the struggle for human = rights''. If=20
so, why should we leave out the Taiwanese from exercising their = right to=20
self-determination.=20 

Sai Wansai=20 

Shan Democratic Union, Europe Coordination Office=20 = 

GERMANY
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