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No need to redraw line on Taiwan
Lau Guan Kim Updated: 2004-04-20 09:44
No need to redraw line on Taiwan: It has been part of China from antiquity.
The flaw in the arguments by a Taiwanese is that Taiwan was never a Chinese state; never mind about the present reality.
No lines were redrawn by China regarding Taiwan from the Chinese position. Taiwan was a Chinese territory when the First Sino-Japanese War detached as spoils of war for the victor. The Cairo Conference 1943 declared, "territories Japan has stolen from the Chinese, such as Manchuria, Formosa, and the Pescadores, shall be restored to the Republic of China."
What China claims is what rightfully belongs to her from historical and political records. Her claim is not redrawing boundaries. Taiwan is within China's boundary even before China makes its case for reunification.
Manchuria remained within China but Taiwan (old name Formosa) and the Pescadores Islands (Penghu in Chinese) are separated by sea; before they could be reunited, the US stepped in suffering from its worst bout of rabid Cold War Syndrome arising from China's intervention to frustrate the US in Korea (1950 -1953).
There is nothing on the part of China to suggest because of its stronger military position, Taiwan belongs to her. The claim has always been there, whether from a weak or strong military position. Why this urgency now is the moves by Chen Shui-bian, with string pulling and advice by Lee Teng-hui, is employing every devious method to declare Taiwan independence.
Had Chen Shui-bian let the status quo remain, China even in it present superior military position would not want to use force to avoid spilling Chinese blood both sides of the Strait. It can afford to wait for a considerable time but not sine die (no time limit).
To say Taiwan is "sovereign nation" is specious.
What sovereignty when it is a territory of China divided in the Cold War? Thus China has every right to interfere vis-à-vis independence, and legally speaking, it can still use force to regain control, as this part of reclaiming Taiwan is an unfinished civil war from 1945, which should have been ended in 1950.
Perhaps we should argue from the point of Chinese not spilling Chinese blood both sides of the Strait. My criticism of China here is its strong rhetoric when all it need now is to reassure the Chinese in Taiwan not only it will not come down heavily on those who detract or dissent, but will take every step to ensure, even before the Taiwan Chinese come within the fold of the Motherland, that the franchise for free expression shall be broaden and improve for all Chinese.
That is the signal you and I should give to China.
Other than that, Taiwan is still an integral part of China.
| The above content represents the view of the author only. |
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