I went with Hsin-Yi and her family to take part in the demonstration in Taipei. The protest was arranged on President Ma Ying-Jeou's 100th day in office. The protest was to express dissatisfaction with the government, demanding a stronger economy, a transparent judiciary and better protection of national sovereignty.
The bottom line is that Ma Ying-Jeou is selling out Taiwan to China under the guise of maintaining a peaceful status quo through the continued use of ambiguous rhetoric.
Understanding Taiwanese politics is a little tricky but hopefully I can give an accurate dummies guide.
1. China's full name is the 'Peoples Republic of China' (PRC).
2. Taiwan is also referred to as the 'Republic of China' (ROC).
3. Taiwan is a democracy.
4. Taiwan has an elected president, currently Ma Ying-Jeou (KMT).
5. Taiwan has two main political parties: the DPP and the KMT.
6. The DPP (Green party) favors fully internationally recognized independence.
7. The KMT(Blue party) favors unification with China.
8. Taiwan passes its own laws, has its own defence and foreign policy, and its own currency.
9. Taiwan for all intents and purposes is already independent.
10. Taiwan's independence is not recognized at an international level due to the intervention of the PRC.
11. The PRC claim that Taiwan is a renegade province and belongs to them.
12. The PRC continually uses the threat of military action to scare the Taiwanese.
13. The PRC continually states that it has over 1000 missiles targeting Taiwan.
14. Taiwan, at no point in its history, has ever belonged to the PRC.
Why does the PRC believe that Taiwan belongs to them?
My understanding is that in around 1949 the Chinese Civil War was won by the Chinese Communist Party and the People's Republic of China (PRC) was founded on mainland China. The defeated government, the Kuomingtang (KMT) fled to Taiwan to maintain the Republic of China (ROC).
It is understandable that the KMT still thought of themselves as the true government of 'China' and unfortunate that they now based themselves in Taiwan (I view this as an occupation of Taiwan, although Taiwan was already governed by the ROC at this point in time, having been given Taiwan in 1945 after the defeat of the Japanese. Who had then been occupying Taiwan. Poor Taiwan!).
So because the ROC was governing Taiwan when the PRC defeated the ROC on mainland China, the PRC lays claim to Taiwan also. However, the PRC did not fight for Taiwan, have not occupied Taiwan, and Taiwan remains governed by the ROC.
Anyway this all seems like technicalities to me as surely Taiwan belongs to the Taiwanese? Right? I mean if you are born on Taiwan, then you shouldn't care about the claims of the PRC, or that the KMT came here 50 or so years ago. Your island has had a long rich history way beyond what has happened in the last half-century. You are Taiwanese!!!
To cut a long story short, in the last half-century, Taiwan has evolved into a fully-fledged democracy. Taiwan elects its own president, decides its own defense and foreign policy, passes its own laws, and has its own currency. Taiwan at no point in its history has ever belonged to the PRC. Taiwan is independent.
Why are the KMT currently in power?
Something really confusing for me is if the Taiwanese want to retain their democracy and are in favor of independence then why on earth did they vote back in the KMT???
Aside: Dear Taiwanese, please bear in mind that this demonstration in Taipei would not have been possible under the rule of the PRC.
The previous office was held by the DPP (ex-president Chen Shui-Bian) but failed to deliver. Unfortunately the DPP lost heart during their tenure and moderated their stance on independence. Furthermore and most damaging for the DPP, on November 3, 2006, Chen Shui-Bian's wife and three other high-ranking officials under the Presidential Office were charged with corruption for embezzling NTD 14.8 million of government funds using forged documents.
Thus with the DPP's image tarnished and the KMT making false promises of a new Taiwan, and repeatedly using the phrase 'Taiwan' in their campaign in preference to 'ROC' - the KMT are back in power.
Aside: Under the last reign of office by the DPP passports were then being issued that said 'Taiwan' instead of 'ROC'. Also postal stamps were using 'Taiwan' instead of 'ROC'. Despite the promises (empty) of the KMT, now that they are back in office, passports and stamps are back to using 'ROC'.
PLEASE SUPPORT PEACE AND INDEPENDENCE FOR TAIWAN!
PLEASE SUPPORT PEACE AND INDEPENDENCE FOR TAIWAN!
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