A_musing Ac_dropout

I believe the recent protest against Japan is not unique to China, because South Korea also resents Japan’s WWII actions. However, South Korea’s protest was sparked by territorial dispute of island chains (Takeshima in Japanese and Dokdo in Korean) that Japan lays claim to in their new history books.

I don’t believe the protest in China against Japan are government sponsored, but more akin to individuals in authority (i.e. police, CCP, etc.) sympathize with the protestor on this issue, hence varying degree of enforcement from city to city.

In addition the protestors are not challenging the PRC government directly, unlike FLG and Tiananmen protest. The protestors in this case are protesting a foreign government’s political ambition in the UN and interpretation of a sore point in history, akin to Taiwan’s recent anti-secession protest, but as other poster pointed out with less government participation than Taiwan’s recent protest.

I also believe if it was not for the fact Japan is the only other influential country in the region with an apparent pro-Taiwan policy, many Taiwanese would not mind protesting Japan and reminding them the atrocities they committed on Taiwan (i.e. recent egg throwing welcome at CKS airport of a Taiwan political leader visiting a war shrine in Japan). That being the case, it is not prudent for pan-Green or pan-Blue to openly sponsor an anti-Japan protest.

However, I would like to point out in recent development of BB Batteries plight and the conflicted “spin” if Taidu proponents try to use the current events of local discontent in China to their advantage.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2005/04/18/2003250928

If one takes sides on the issue local protestors against big business on environmental pollution, it becomes difficult to side with Taiwan own business BB Batteries, since they will have a negative environmental impact even while complying with PRC regulation on waste water usage.

One the other hand if one supports PRC regulation and BB Batteries, then one inadvertently must have an opinion of resource allocation in the protection from rioters. If Japan and Taiwan both makes request from PRC to protect their property, the government will prioritize these needs. Given the publicity Japan has brought on the issue with their demand for protection and apology from China, they have force China to recognize their needs instead of Japan over those of Taiwan.

In addition the solution to these type of issue is adeptly cited in the article was being something the MAC should responsible for, however, given the ROC administration lack of interest in negotiating these issues which have nothing to do with Taiwan sovereignty, there have been no fruitful dialogue or results.

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Chen Chien-ming attempted to defend Su's visit, saying Su paid his respects to
about 28,000 Taiwanese soldiers enshrined there ahead of Tomb Sweeping Day.
"We do not agree with the acts and invasions of the Japanese militarism
(during World War II) but we should not let hatred persist,"
But only
yesterday

Chen Chien ming “asked that Kao-Chin direct her hatred
away from Taiwan or Japan and focus it on China.”

This is come from the party that are often so angered by the mythos of 228 and White Terror that they are dismissing Japanese atrocities on Taiwan.

Many people of Taiwan were so angered by this insensitive action that they threw eggs at Su when he returned from his trip at Chiang Kai Shiek International airport.

Perhaps instead of dictating what should or should not anger the people of Taiwan, the TSU and the TI sympathizers should come to understand the atrocity of Japanese actions on Taiwan which anger many people on Taiwan still to this day.

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http://english.www.gov.tw/index.jsp?action=cna&cnaid=8311

NATIVE LAWMAKER AGAINST TSU CHAIRMAN'S PLAN TO VISIT YASUKUNI SHRINE
2005/04/04 17:13:07
Taipei, April 4 (CNA) Aboriginal Legislator May Kao-Chin from the Non-Partisan Solidarity Union protested in strong words Monday against the forthcoming visit to Japan's Yasukuni Shrine by Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) Chairman Su Chin-chiang. Wearing head gear adorned with the Chinese characters for "protest" and historical pictures, Kao-Chin lodged the protest at the headquarters of the TSU, lambasting Su's plan to visit the Japanese temple dedicated to war dead as "selling his soul to the devil for political gain."

Local newspapers reported Monday that Su plans to pay tribute to the nearly
30,000 "patriotic" Taiwanese commemorated at the Yasukuni Shrine who were killed during World War II fighting for Japan.

If they were indeed "patriotic, " Kao-Chin asked which side they supported - - Taiwan or Japan? Japan, Kao-Chin added, killed numerous Taiwanese, including aborigines, before and during its rule of Taiwan. Kao-Chin likened Su's upcoming visit to the Yasukuni Shrine to the Jews worshipping their Nazi rulers and murderers. Discounting Kao-Chin's broadside, TSU Secretary-General Chen Chien-ming said that Su is not going to pay tribute to the Japanese war dead, but to the soldiers who came from Taiwan.

Noting that the people of Taiwan were not only the victims of atrocities committed by the Japanese, they were also victims of Chinese brutality, Chen called for tolerance toward diverse voices and different opinions in society. Chen asked that Kao-Chin direct her hatred away from Taiwan or Japan and focus it on China. The Yasukuni Shrine, situated in central Tokyo just outside the moat to the Imperial Palace, is dedicated to about 2.46 million people who have died in Japan's conflicts between 1853 and 1945. Of the total enshrined, 1,068 are convicted war criminals. Su will be traveling to Japan in the near future, mainly to mark the establishment of a TSU branch in Japan. (By Deborah Kuo)
ENDITEM/mw

The TSU headed by their "spiritual leader" Lee Tung Huei, former President of Taiwan, must be the most destructive elements in Taiwan society. Not only are they insensitive to the fact that only a small minority of Taiwanese ever accepted the Japanese identity of being second class citizens on Taiwan, they cannot accept the fact that many people on Taiwan embrace their Chinese heritage and culture over the imposed Japanese colonial identity.

There argument of Taiwan Independence is very divisive on Taiwan, because it usually starts with controversial political positions, such as:

1. Taiwanese, not Chinese [both culturally and politically]
2. Japan's colonial period was better than KMT nation building period on Taiwan
   

One needs to question, like Legislature May Kao-Chin, where do these individual loyalties lie? Is it with the Japanese they so long admire and wish for the return of on Taiwan? Or is it to Taiwan and the ROC, the current government on Taiwan, which ironically gave the TSU political equality to have a voice, which the Japanese never allowed for natives of Taiwan.

Taiwan's past has always been intertwined with Chinese roots. Taiwan's future is also has China in it horizons. Those that reject their Chinese identity on Taiwan and the Chinese government on Taiwan are truly voices of a lost cause.

Even the Koreans, who were also colonies of imperial Japan, know they were never on equal footing with the Japanese. Many Zainichi suffer horrible discrimination to this day in Japan. They have enough sense to protest Japanese Presidents that have made visits Yasukuni Shrine. It is unfortunate the Japanese quisling on Taiwan, don't have that same kind of sense.

MAC (Mainland Affairs Council) is on the Taidu war path against the KMT. The ROC civil law, which the 34 KMT delegates are alleged to have violated, is Article 5-1 of the Act Governing Relations Between Peoples of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area.

The law specifically states:

Article 5-1

Any individual, juristic person, organization, or other institution shall
not execute any agreement involving the governmental powers of the Taiwan Area
or political issues with any individual, juristic person, organization, or other
authorities or institution of the Mainland Area unless authorized by the
Mainland Affairs Council, Executive Yuan or each competent authorities concerned
in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

Laws are enact to restict individuals and organizations. Punishments are explicitly stated to deter these behaviors. The punishment for violating 5-1 of the Act Governing Relations Between Peoples of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area is quoted as such:

Article 79-3

Any person who violates the provisions of Article 5-1 shall be
punished with an administrative fine of not less than two hundred thousand but
not more than two million New Taiwan Dollars; where the matter of violation is
serious or the person commits the same or similar violation again, it shall be
punished with imprisonment of not more than five years, or detention, or in lieu
thereof or in addition thereto, a fine of not less than five hundred thousand
New Taiwan Dollars

It seems like this was meant to deter white collar crime and not a political crime. The framers of this law knew that there would be repeat offenders and they would be tolerated in society to some extent. This law is meant to deter individuals who deal with the mainland from proceeding too quickly on serious matters. If it was meant to deter a serious political crime, the punishment would be harsher, as we could all imagine.

But no law exist in a vacuum, to uncover the true purpose of this law we need to look at this section.

Article 79-1

Any person who is entrusted to assist the handling of matters relating to any dealing between the peoples of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area or to negotiate or execute agreements and acts beyond the entrusted scope to cause damage to the national security or interests shall be punished with imprisonment of not more than five years, or detention, or in lieu thereof or in addition thereto, a fine of not less than five hundred thousand New Taiwan Dollars.

“To cause damage to national security or interest,” is a very intereting concept. If one is a Taidu (Taiwan Independence) supporter it can be seen how the KMT meeting with the CCP would damage Taiwan Independence interest.

It could be argued that Taiwan Independence has already caused much damage to Taiwan’s national security and interest. With the passing of the Anti-Seccession Law in China, tension across the Strait is at an all time high.

This is a breakthrough moment because the KMT Chairman, Lien Chan (連戰), is planning to visit Beijing in June. In addition, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) and the People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) have also expressed an interest in meeting with Chinese authorities. The beginning of true political interaction between PRC and ROC could be on the horizon.

So instead of looking for ways to punish these people, (who took a risk going to the PRC, China, and ironically, could now be facing dangers in ROC, Taiwan) we should be thanking them for opening a dialogue between China and Taiwan that has been long over due.

"The Party is not the Nation" is a common theme the DPP uses to criticize the KMT, for their past political behavior. Taidu interest is not the only national interest on Taiwan. It is time for the DPP to heed their own slogan.

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