Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Taiwan's Fading Independence Movement

As I've noted before, one of the things that we can expect as the 2008 Presidential election draws near is a big push for Ma Ying-jeou and against Taiwan independence in the foreign, especially US media, echoing the similar push for James Soong that occurred in the 2000 election prior to the revelation of the missing millions of KMT dollars. I still remember with especial fondness John Pomfret's fall-down-laughing pitching of Soong as a "democratic reformer" in the Washington Post these many years ago, which generated an indignant letter from this writer.

This drive to put Ma in the Presidency in 2008 seems to have opened with Robert Ross' article in this month's issue of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan's Fading Independence Movement. Unfortunately an e-text is not yet available, but you can view the first few hundred words online there. This looks like one of the saddest articles on the Taiwan situation yet to appear in a major journal. Just glance at these two paragraphs here:

After 1996, the situation remained tense, and the repeated steps toward independence taken by Chen Shui-bian, Taiwan's president since 2000, fanned the flames. Although the independence movement enjoyed a high profile internationally, it never won widespread domestic support. The increasingly unpopular Chen and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the driving forces behind the independence movement in recent years, have suffered several electoral defeats, and advocates of greater cooperation with the mainland have gained ground. A new, calmer era in cross-strait relations seems to be dawning.

BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO

Taiwan shares a culture, language, and heritage with mainland China. But after Taiwan's half century of autonomy, economic progress, and democratization, and the resulting contrast between Taiwan and authoritarian China, many on the island have developed a strong sense of "Taiwan identity," and they believe that Taiwan now merits international recognition as a sovereign country. By the mid-1990s, the "Taiwan identity" movement had become a major force in Taiwanese politics. But it has not resulted in widespread calls for a formal declaration of independence. Voters, reflecting Beijing's military and economic hold on the island, have preferred to accommodate China's opposition to Taiwan's independence. By 2000, thanks to its accelerated missile and aircraft deployments, Beijing had developed the capability ...

ROFL. I can't wait to read the rest, if it is as slanted and as entertaining as this. "Never won widespread domestic support." Is there anyone out there who really believes that if Beijing did not threaten to ignite a regional conflict, that the Taiwanese would choose to become a satrapy of Beijing? Here's an understanding basic to grasping the situation here: not everyone who votes DPP does so because they favor independence, and not everyone who votes KMT does so because they are against independence. This is especially true of elections at the local level, which for all intents and purposes take place in an alternate universe. And further, that Chen Shui-bian and the DPP are not the end-all and be-all of the independence movement.

As pundits are wont to point out, the public strongly supports the status quo. In case the Robert Ross-s of the world haven't yet noticed, the status quo is a Taiwan that is independent of Beijing. Even the good Mayor Ma, Chairman of the KMT, who is not exactly noted around these parts for his political acumen, has apparently noticed that the great middle is solidly pro-independence, which is why he has played down unification and at times toyed with the idea of recognition of Taiwan independence as an alternative for the island.

Looking forward to seeing the rest next month.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hate to admit it, but this may be the popular view for the uninformed, including the world press. I came across a similar piece http://securitydilemmas.blogspot.com/2006/03/trouble-in-taiwan.html, dicussing Chen,the bad boy, doing futile things to provoke China, the peaceful giant. What’s sad about it is that the author is professor of international relation at the University of Puget Sound. If people like that can be uninformed....

I think DDP and the Foreign Ministry should both seriously step up PR work worldwide. Taiwan needs to feed the world press daily doses of its long term agenda just like China, rather than only doing damage control and remaining on the defensive.

Anonymous said...

A friend of mine came over a month ago to shoot a TV documentary which was was supported (and probably sponsored) by the GIO. The GIO official who was appointed to accompant the crew was continually bending his ear with claims that only a tiny percent of the population supported independence, the majority wanted 'reunification' and so on, the whole pan-blue propaganda spiel. It makes me sick to my stomach that this bastard's salary is paid from my taxes, but it comes as no surprise that these low-level apparatchiks, deeply loyal to the KMT, are still embedded in the system.
If there are even people in government employment that are spewing the CCP's crap, then what hope is there of getting the straight story out? This is the other edge of that double-sided sword that is free speech.

Anonymous said...

So where exactly is the independence movement in Taiwan headed?

If the middle voters are "solidly pro-independece" as you suggest, where were they during the last elections?

Regardless of what political pursuation you adhere to I don't think you can deny the de jure independence idea is fading.

George, what is your definition of "anti-democracy" in the KMT or PFP? Last time I checked they were *democractically* elected by the people of Taiwan in the legislature and town/county polls.

In case you haven't nocticed the only parties getting an "electoral ass kick" are the greens.

Anonymous said...

"If the middle voters are "solidly pro-independece" as you suggest, where were they during the last elections?"

Voting on local issues, since they were local elections.

"Regardless of what political pursuation you adhere to I don't think you can deny the de jure independence idea is fading."

Let's imagine I walk up to you in a dark alley and suggest you give me your wallet. You scream your head off, then I pull a gun on you. You shut up, right?
Does that mean you're happy to hand over your wallet? If I put my gun back in my pocket, you're probably going to start screaming again, no?

Anonymous said...

Michael, I think you're stretching a point linking 'Ma 2008' to one-sided articles like the above.

I don't doubt the KMT are busy trying to get their perspective on things over to all Western media - but they've been doing that (pretty effectively) since the Soong Mei-ling era. *Every* political party tries to push their vision on reporters, nothing unusual there.

Oh sorry, did I say every party? I mean every party apart from the DPP. If newspaper reporters have a KMT (or China) slant, then blame the DPP for not getting their message across, and the newspaper reporters for not researching properly.

You're right to slap that article down - it's pretty piss-poor. However, I'd suggest the big issue is that reporters need to get a clue about Taiwan (and the DPP need to get a clue about marketing).

Michael Turton said...

Time, I think, will tell on the "Selling of Ma 2008." I remember Soong's anointment from the laudatory Newsweek article, the fact that he was the candidate CNN interviewed first and alone, whilst they interviewed the Lien and Chen and Soong together later, the laudatory articles in the Washington Post, and other things. I decided that next time around I would watch more carefully. In '04 Lien and Soong joined forces, so it was redundant to ask which was favored. In '08 I'm going to watch very carefully how the international media handles Ma vs the DPP challenger.

Michael

MJ said...

if it's fading, it's because local media like UDN.com is doing a really good job at selling the point to the public that taiwan independce is poison for everybody.

http://udn.com/NEWS/OPINION/OPI1/3212780.shtml

Tim Maddog said...

If TI were "fading," why would the pan-blues constantly be crying their eyes out over it! I think their behavior reveals a lot.

The UDN editorial linked above distorts:
- - -
"一、台獨標榜終結中華民國:台獨的目標是在消滅中華民國。就此而言,台獨的目標與中華人民共和國的目標是一致的。"
- - -

My translation:
- - -
"First, Taiwan independence supporters praise the end of the ROC: their goal is to eliminate it altogether. In light of this, their goal is the same as that of the PRC."
- - -

What a load of crap they spew! The goal of both the PRC and the KMT's ROC party-state was/is to swallow Taiwan whole. Neither of them recognize Chen Shui-bian as Taiwan's democratically-elected president, neither will hold any kind of talks with him, and both believe that Taiwan is part of China. How much further from the truth could the UDN get?

Joseph Chen is right that UDN is equating TI with poison. I wish that someone could constantly inform the public about the UDN's poisonous lies.

Anonymous said...

I think the bottomline is a mix of few elements. Most of the "current" generation KMT politicians had the funding to go abroad to US or other country on the expenses of the people. So of course KMT is going to look more "media-appealing".

The problem of the false perception that the Taiwan Independence Movement is fading is mostly contributed by the media, which are pan-blue. The direct result of the media propaganda is the polarization of Taiwan; northern Taiwan feels proreunication is the way to go, and sounthern Taiwan knows the media is full of sh-t.

Remember, KMT was the one to claim, "反攻大陸" or Attach Mainland. They are the one who taught millions of kids, "三民主義救中國". But now they are kneeling and bowing to communism. Here is the thing, KMT never envisioned losing political control of Taiwan. With the election result of 2000 and 2004, Liang and KMT, including Ma, are desperate to gain the control back. Hence, the whole "pro-reunication" movement.

I like to tease my KMT friends, "Go wake up Chiang Kai Shek and ask him if reunification is okay." That old tyrant would go nuts on Ma and Liang.

Another view is that currently China has all the intention to rage war against Taiwan, hence making China an enemey of Taiwan; same theory goes for US versus Iran. The general consensus in the US is that no one likes Iran, democrats or GOP. KMT cannot recognize the fact that China is an enemy of Taiwan, moreover brown-nosing China. KMT even broke the rules of engagement to establish an Taiwan organization (KMT Party) to foreign country forum, of which is highly illegal and in contempt of treason.

Why don't ya'll Americans try to establish similar forum with Iran or North Korea? Let's see if NSA, CIA, FBI and DHS will be knocking on your door tomorrow.

Get real. Stop looking at the superficial media for answer and "general consensus". Think before you act, and the crowd, especially on the streets of Taipei protesting, are blind.

Taiwan has no need for independence movement. Taiwan is independent in and of itself. The movement should be international recognition movement. Taiwan has its own consistution, its own armed forces, its own President, its own legislator body, and moreover its own people. The key is how to break away from the old-fashion thinking of KMT's ROC and establish Taiwan as a country, rather than ROC.

Taiwan doesn't belong to ROC. Look at San Fransisco Treaty, Taiwan was supposed to be of itself and the support of the international body to help Taiwan become a country. But KMT lost the Chinese civil war and came over as a hostile takeover, moreover proceed with genicide. These are international war crimes that everyone is forgetting. If you know Chinese, read Southnews.

I'm fed up with KMT. Can I ask Osama bin Laden to bomb the KMT headquarter in Taipei? Especially that sickening porn star Ma....

Anonymous said...

I don't agree with this article. I don't think the Taiwan independence movement is fading. This of course comes from personal experience and observation, but, frankly, the TI movement was never popular to begin with.

I don't know who you guys are or who you think you are. I have lived in Taiwan for 15 years and I think I may have some basis to say that the TI claims are way too detached from the daily lives of the average Taiwanese people. Why a declaration of TI? Even if the CCP promises not to use force, the majority of the people I know would still not pursue an out right declaration of TI. Why? What's in it for them? What would they gain? What's going to change when you switch ROC to ROT? A change of name? What would be different if Texas becomes Tejas tomorrow? Nothing. The Tejanos would still not likely vote Republican.

Please don't tell me about how great TI is and how the Taiwanese have suffered. The people have heard that for decades now, ever since the local elections in the 1980s. Those slogans were kind of interesting at first but tiresome by now. What else is new? What if the KMT was corrupt in the 1950s? We have voted for the DPP several times now and the DPP doesn't seem to be much better. At least KMT was doing much better on economy.

I suppose if you only read Liberty Times and Taipei Times, you'd get the impression that the green is running the show and the Taiwanese are dying for TI. But let's not kid ourselves here...these newspapers are not exactly known for accuracy. If you want to know what the people really want, please talk to the average folks (not the folks from the green gatherings, please), but the average, day to day, grassroot individuals and persons. I think they'll tell you why Mr. Chen Shui-Bian's approval rating is at 24% and why the DPP loses elections repeatedly, even in traditional green areas.

Michael Turton said...

I don't know who you guys are or who you think you are. I have lived in Taiwan for 15 years and I think I may have some basis to say that the TI claims are way too detached from the daily lives of the average Taiwanese people.

Catch that poll that came out yesterday on what the Taiwanese think of having control of their own future? I guess your 15 years of observation just went up in smoke.

What if the KMT was corrupt in the 1950s? We have voted for the DPP several times now and the DPP doesn't seem to be much better. At least KMT was doing much better on economy.

ROFL. Get an education, kid, on Taiwan's economic history. And threemore KMT city council speakers were just indicted on corruption charges -- but KMT corruption was a thing of the 1950s.

Sure.

I think they'll tell you why Mr. Chen Shui-Bian's approval rating is at 24% and why the DPP loses elections repeatedly, even in traditional green areas.

If this is the best analysis 15 years of living here can do for you, you'd best go home. Things are a lot more complex, especially at the local level, then you appear capable of apprehending.

Michael

Anonymous said...

Amen, Mike my man!

Anonymous said...

Yep, the Taiwanese people think they should take control of their own destiny, and they did! By using their votes, they clearly and unequivocally informed all of us: they ain't that interested in DPP and their slogans. Thank you for supporting my position!

Get an education on Taiwan's economic history? I am sorry, but on this issue, you are the apprentice. Please take some time to read Thomas Gold, Alice Amsden, and Simon Kuznets. Read their observations on KMT and their role in the development of the Taiwan miracle. And, please, please, please, don't base your conclusion from the things you read from green newspapers and books. The guys listed above are from real colleges (Harvard and Berkeley by the way; and, they are economists and sociologists, not English teachers) who have spent time researching and analyzing the true reason behind the Taiwan economical miracle. Let me assure you: it ain't caused by the DPP.

Oh and, yeah, the DPP is known for transparency I suppose? Don't know if you can read Chinese, but if you do, you should consider that the following list of things aren't done by the KMT:
2005/06/23 
用蘆薈潤滑避免肛門受傷,「民進黨汐止市黨部主委」蔡茂雄涉性侵害男童案移送士林地檢署。有妻有子,民進黨汐止黨部主委蔡茂雄有「性侵害」案底。
2005/11/16
李登輝助選時不實誣蔑誹謗敗訴,判決須賠償宋楚瑜一千萬元、並登報公開予道歉!
2005/11/17
「民進黨新竹縣黨部主委」陳文宏涉透過助理陳昌西賄選遭收押。
2005/12/1
民進黨新竹縣長候選人-台灣省政府主席林光華機要「選舉前夕」攜近五百萬港幣鉅款走私闖關中正機場遭查獲!
2005/12/16
為羅文嘉活動造勢動員賄選,「台北縣中原客屬協會理事長」廖本源等五人遭起訴求刑
中原客屬協會的5名成員,涉嫌以每個人200塊的金額發放走路工費。客屬協會理事長廖本源,還有客屬委員會的劉月梅、徐謝美妹、戴蘭添、謝雪香,5個人涉嫌在羅文嘉陣營造勢的時候,發放每個人200塊的走路工,檢方事後調查,有的人根本沒有參加活動,200塊錢還是進了口袋,賄選的動作明顯,依涉嫌賄選,正式將5人起訴,求刑1年2個月不等。
2005/12/17
22年歷史清三電子員工抗議許榮淑(董事長)關廠、積欠薪資!
22年歷史的「清三電子工廠」傳出積欠員工七個月薪水,還無預警關門,50多名員工到工廠抗議。董事長也就是民進黨立委許榮淑坦承公司營運不良,高達8,000多萬的遣散費需要時間週轉才發的出來。20多年的工廠,突然無預警關門趕人,桃園清三電子工廠的老員工激動抗議。
2005/12/21
連戰、宋楚瑜控告陳水扁(先前已有誹謗罪前科判定)政變說造謠誹謗案勝訴.
陳水扁須在台灣三家大報刊登半版道歉啟事
2005/12/30
民進黨大老「海基會副董事長」張俊宏(曾任中常委)涉掏空「全民電通」(民視)11億公款,檢近日約談,柯建銘同遭查
2006/01/05 
前行政院顧問、民進黨大老黃昭凱遭交往過女子爆料黃有拍攝、蒐集交往女友裸照和性愛照片「性癖好」
2006/01/07 
陳定南陳千桌餐「賄」案檢調起訴45人
陳定南客家後援會幹部,涉嫌以免費請客和發放餐券「賄選」一案,六日偵結起訴該會「會長」李元武、「副執行長」邱智賢、「南澳分會會長」范振東,以及四十二位選民
2006/01/02
政院高官涉勾結黑道王世堅兄指控逼退出19億元土地案
主管法務及治安的行政院二組參議何達仁遭立委王世堅的胞兄王世寧指控,何利用職權介入民間的土地糾紛,向刑事局施壓長期監聽他和公司員工的電話,甚至還與黑道勾結逼他讓出持有廣昌建設公司股權,及退出位於台北市仁愛路副總統官邸附近,價值十九億的土地開發案。
2006/01/21
民進黨台南縣縣長蘇煥智涉賄選求刑8個月,民進黨台南縣黨部主委被求刑6個月
2006/01/22
林義雄再度發表批評公開信、民進黨執政五年多來,幾乎沒有一件事值得喝采!批總統不應召見、指示部長
2006/2/7
詐A健保案,「立法院反賣台聯盟」民進黨立委林進興院長助理(同居人)劉淑仲被收押
溫宗明家族詐騙健保集團案,溫宗明集團涉嫌先向各壽險公司投保,再與高雄市永仁、太順、林進興、台南市富強等四家醫院勾結,由醫院製作假住院證明,向健保局詐領健保給付,溫家則向壽險公司詐領醫療保險金。溫集團詐A健保理賠案,中南部被查出有多家醫院涉案,其中民進黨立委林進興開設的醫院也被查出涉案,林進興院長助理(同居人)劉淑仲被收押。
2006/2/9
醫院涉詐A健保案,民進黨不分區立委邱永仁(院長)3百萬交保
溫宗明集團則向壽險公司詐領醫療保險金。溫集團案,永仁醫院涉嫌開具假住院證明詐領保險給付案,台南地檢署裁定立委邱永仁3百萬交保
2006/2/23
「立法院反賣台聯盟」民進黨立委(三鴇之一)侯水盛第五屆立委選舉期間,以不實言論和漫畫誹謗國民黨立委候選人洪玉欽與李全教,侯水盛二審敗訴,被判處有期徒刑六個月。
2006/2/26
民進黨前「苗栗縣平鎮市黨部主委」李紹情兒子李力帆開保時捷高級休旅車於中山高因逼車超車不爽,無端朝一被害劉姓女子(26歲)車輛開槍警告示威,被害劉姓女子車輛車身留下4個大彈孔,李力帆車上還有一張民進黨立委李鎮楠申請的立法院車輛識別證。
Yeah, not everyone from DPP is corrupt. Some are pedophiles too.

The above is not my analysis, and frankly, I haven't even begun yet. I tried very hard to keep it simple so that even you can understand this:
The DPP is not better than anyone else. They came from the same background as all other political parties. They are not gods or saints. They are wrong a lot of the time too.

Also:
Please be very, very careful when you talk about the TI movement and how it's the voice of the Taiwanese people. It's not. The Taiwanese people have told you that, in fact, repeatedly.

Michael Turton said...

Child, I was reading Alice Amsden while you were still figuring out how to unhook your girlfriend's bra in the back of your father's car.

But I was also reading Susan Greenhalgh, and Danny Lam's wonderful little piece on guerilla capitalism, and industrial districts and flexible production and much other stuff. The "KMT led Taiwan's growth" is strictly a bit of propaganda that helped to legitimate KMT rule in the 1980s. We're all grown up here, and we know that life is more complex than that.

BTW, my doctoral work is on Taiwan's economic history. About which I know a heck of a lot more that Simon Kuznets or Thomas Gold, for that matter.

I don't make the elementary mistake of confusing DPP and TI, and I certainly am not stupid enough to believe that one pedophile a disaster doth make.

More later.

Michael

Anonymous said...

I'm just curious what makes some Americans think they are the ones who know best about what Taiwanese people want.

What's TI all about for ordinary Taiwanese people? Other than a bunch of slogans?

Michael Turton said...

I guess if you can't answer that question yourself, anon, then nothing any of us can say will be able to make you undersand.

Anonymous said...

I guess if you can't answer that question yourself, anon, then nothing any of us can say will be able to make you undersand. _______________________________

Mike, I'm not sure which one of the questions you meant - the "what makes some Americans think they know it all" one or "what's TI about other than a bunch of slogans" one.

If you meant the latter, well, I do have my own answer for that - TI means nothing but a bunch of slogans to ordinary Taiwanese people. What are your thoughts on this one?

And BTW, I'm still curious about your anwer to the first one.

Michael Turton said...

Sorry, anon, I've been five years an admin and moderator on several different boards -- like Infidels (www.infidels.org) where smart people hang out. Rhetorical questions like "what makes some Americans think they know it all" are just games. I'm not going to play. If you have specific criticisms of specific claims -- and many people do, and I always note when I make errors -- by all means post them.

As for the second question, I see no way to move you off of the "TI = slogans" position, judging from the rhetorically loaded first question and the rhetorical load you placed on the second as well. By all means please consider TI a bunch of slogans, it will spare you the hard work on puzzling out what it means to the locals, and me the trouble of explaining the last century of Taiwan history to you.

Michael

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you have the self consciousness that no one can claim to be a self-designated opinion representative of Taiwanese people.

And talking about history, if you have some knowledge of the region's history since the first Opium War, with basic understanding of relevant geopolitics, it won't be hard for you to see that Taiwan Independence, no matter what rhetorical color it's been paint, is just dead end. It will never happen, period.

Michael Turton said...

it won't be hard for you to see that Taiwan Independence, no matter what rhetorical color it's been paint, is just dead end. It will never happen, period.

Then relax! Your superiority is manifest.

Michael

Anonymous said...

Your superiority is manifest.
______________________________

Well, I'm just stating a fact, with no condescension intended.