Taiwan: A friend in need is a friend indeed: Part 1

By Denys Springer

Those who want to control Taiwan at all, cost more so, under false pretences because they think that ‘might is power’ and therefore military threats and provocative actions is apt because they want to destabilize that country, has touched a raw nerve that infuriated the US; so much so, that they reiterated their solid commitment to Taiwan. Japan and other countries have done likewise.

Instead of both countries having something to celebrate over the last week; that of the embryonic stage of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) and at the same time allowing the Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan to celebrate their embryonic stage, the founding of the ROC under Sun Yat Sun in 1911, China prefer to intimidate Taiwan by flying dozen of military aircraft into or close to their air zone.

As the 10/10 celebration takes place, I want to say clearly to the world that Taiwan is a fully democratic country that is being persecuted by one who calls himself and his people a big brother, because these were Xi Jinping’s treacherous words to ex-president Ma in Singapore. Yet, he is the same leader who thinks that Taiwan belongs to China and sees them as a renegade country and that the two must be united by force if necessary, although in the last communiqué he said peacefully. The country he calls a renegade country has never been ruled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and has made its way in the world without China’s help per se.

In the late 80s and early 90s over one million young people with technical ability travelled from Taiwan to China; to help in its development. The Taiwanese government was worried that there would be a brain drain and that they would have a serious problem. But the Taiwanese people being resolute, disciplined and hardworking rolled up their sleeves and worked even harder in educating their people.

During my research fellowship years and the diploma I did on Taiwan and China for over two years, I found nothing to show that Taiwan is a renegade part of mainland China. Therefore the duplicity of China’s self-appointed emperor in his theory on Taiwan is false and unwarranted.

Xi Jinping, the self-appointed Emperor of China and who longs for world domination wants to create a state that could stand against the US and other countries of the world; one that has a form of hegemony in the Indo Pacific. However, that domination needs Taiwan. What he fails to realize is that this form of domination stinks in the Taiwanese nostrils.

This false Emperor lacks the skill of thinking realistically about politics more so geopolitics. His whole attitude towards Taiwan and the countries in that region seems violent and treacherous. Xi Jinping’s world of politics is turning out to be one of distrust amid uncertainty which may lead to a third World War. Thank god for Tsai Ing-wen for her leadership; Taiwan has a leader who is able to keep her mental and moral balance amid the instabilities that Xi Jinping has created in the Indo Pacific.

His greed for power sees the seizure of Taiwan as a bonus in his ‘power-mad mind’. Being somewhat lost in his little world not realizing the consequences of a third world war. I see a seemingly racist intent, more so with his country’s treatment of the Muslims from Xianjian province, which in my view and many others, is unacceptable. The Australians and many others have voiced that opinion. Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party thinks that might is right and therefore they will continue to break human rights agreement put together by the United Nations.

They clearly show their dishonesty by undermining the same institution that they have their bovver boys and girls at every level in that world body. Their sole and primary aim is to block Taiwan from being part of the United Nations and its institutions. This is simply madness and unacceptable in this globalized. In this case, we are talking about nearly 24 million people.

When China is accosted in their continued breach of human rights, they quickly tell the world that it is an internal affair and that no one should interfere. We can see, the way they treat Muslims, Tibetans and the Dai La lama is unacceptable in any language. Yet, they want to control Taiwans’ affairs or to take them over, when they are a fully democratic country. What amazes me here is a leader who wants the world to accept the One China, Two systems policy, and initially used Hong Kong as that model, yet today, he and no other has torn up that system he tried to sell to the world. This is dishonesty at the highest level and a betrayal of the Hong Kong people.

When we compare China and Taiwan, we see is one that is blatantly dishonest and one that truth surrounds like springtime.

China is the country that tells or has the gall to tell the world that 90 percent of the South China and East China seas belong to them. Yet, this was simply refuted by learned Judges in The Hague, in the case brought before them by the Philippines government. They made it clear in their judgement that China’s claim had no validity. The Chinese knew what the outcome would have been because when asked to attend, they simply refused. After all, they did accept the jurisdiction of the court.

China clearly showed that they could not be trusted on any deal made by them in the wider world. Another classic piece of dishonesty was the agreement signed with the British government; in that, they would allow Hong Kong to continue in a manner that they had been used to for 50 years in 1997 on the handing over of Hong Kong back to China. Yet this was broken after 25 years with sheer force and brutality. Hong Kong is now subjected to harsh and grotesque laws from the mainland.

This was the same deal Xi Jinping was putting to Taiwan under the One China – two systems deal. However, in Taiwan’s case, they would be able to keep their military, their laws etc. Only a fool would believe that. This is the same politician that has now turned on Hong Kong and imprisoned the Honk Kong people – like a rat in a trap – to the extent that anyone who demonstrates against China or the government of Hong Kong faces imprisonment.

Former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott speaking at a conference in Taiwan some days ago, turned down two years back because as he said: “I hesitated to attend this conference less that I provoked China”. However, in his speech he demonstrated what he thought of China, emphasized that: “Beijing has torn up the one country two systems treaty on Hong Kong, its put upwards a million Muslims in concentration camps, boosted cyber spying on its own citizens, cancel popular personalities in favour of a cult of the red emperor, brutalize Indians soldiers in the Himalayas, coerce other claimants in its Eastern seas and flown ever more intimidatory sorties against Taiwan.

“It’s weaponized trade especially against Australia with our barley, wine and coal exports all stopped on spurious grounds, and its Embassy publishes 14 demands essentially that we become a tributary state that no self-respecting country could accept”. He went on to say that, “the trigger for all this was politely seeking an impartial enquiry into the origins of the Wujun virus”.

He further went on to say that “a fortnight back Professor Victor Dow a senior Beijing foreign policy analyst and former translator for chairman Deng directly threaten Australians, do you want to be a target for a possible nuclear war he said in response to our decision to acquire nuclear powered but not armed submarines. So if the drums of war can be heard in our region as an official of ours has noted it is not Australia that is beating them. The only drums we beat are for justice and freedom, freedom for all people in China and in Taiwan to make their own decisions about their lives and their futures.

But that is not how China sees it as its growing belligerence towards Taiwan shows. Sensing that its relative power might have peaked, with its population ageing, its economy slowing with its finances creaking, it is quite possible that Beijing could lash out disastrously quite soon. Our challenge is to try to ensure that the unthinkable remains unlikely and that the possible does not become the probable”.

Yet, this false Emperor called Xi Jinping thinks that he can invade Taiwan when it suits him or try to raise a nationalistic fervour because his leadership is waning, as China is now going through some really hard times, as he sees his leadership is ebbing away.

For example, at present no one seems to knows the whereabouts of Jack Ma the leader of Allibaba and many other self-made millionaires and billionaires who were Chinese; but was seen as a threat to the power of that tin God. Well, we will certainly have a third World War should he try to attack Taiwan because the world is waiting and is making every effort to strengthen their forces in the Indo Pacific.

I, therefore, say to Xi Jinping in all sincerity that at this juncture of Taiwan’s existence that they have friends and that any attack on them is an attack on other countries like Australia, Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, the list my tyrant leader goes on. I can assure you that they will come to Taiwan’s aid. I also tell you not to take the TRA signed by Taiwan and the United States for granted or as an irrelevant document. America is now making every effort to have some patrol in the South China Seas, so do Britain, France, India and other countries like the Philippines, etc.

However, what enrages me is that whenever China is being chastised for their abuse of human rights they are quick to announce that other countries should not interfere in their internal affairs when it is clear that they are breaking every agreement to do with human rights by having forced labour camps like the Nazi and forcing individuals to speak Mandarin against their will.

We saw how China abuse human rights in the case of the Huawei executive who broke the law and has signed to that effect. Yet she lived a life of luxury in Canada while two Canadians were arrested for spying and incarcerated until this executive was release. Also, two youngsters who live in the US but who had come to China to visit relatives were stopped from returning to the United States but they too were suddenly able to leave China.

The question I would like to ask is simply this. Why is China allowed to sit on institutions like the United Nations and want to control them to their whims and fancies when they will not abide by the rules and regulations of that body?

Anyone with a bit of brain, common sense and who is honest will quickly realize that China does not care what the world thinks.

Therefore, Taiwan at this juncture in its existence is simply different not only in its politics, even in its culture. Taiwan’s culture has a different feel about it because of the Indigenous peoples who first lived on the island and where 17 different tribes are recognized even today with their own language. The culture of the Taiwanese people is unlike mainland Chinese who are simply rude and aggressive. Taiwanese culture is humane and humble in everything including affairs of international standing.

Although they are not part of the United Nations, yet, they adhere to all the rules and regulations that the institution mandates. However, China is part and parcel of the security council seem to use the UN to dominate it more so the security council when it suits their whim and fancies and uses their vote or veto to support what does not benefit China personally, or simply deny others.

This attitude is unlike Taiwan who believes in giving help to the unfortunate and needy.

China is simply concern about what is in their interest. A classic case of this nature is their Belt and Road initiative where they invest in certain countries that fall into their debt trap. Then they do what is termed “shoddy work” at a cost to the country concern, and the nail is in the coffin of that country; when only Chinese are employed in one’s own country. We should just ask Jamaica, Guyana, and Trinidad. We nearly had the same here in Saint Lucia as witnessed some years ago at the New Wellness center and the stadium they built in Vieux- Fort.

China simply forgets that we are in a geopolitical world but is of the view that it simply does not apply or affect them as they are super special. Well, they are not and as we celebrate Taiwan’s 10/10 anniversary, I am more interested in talking about Taiwan and their relations with our country and with the rest of the world.

This article is being done on their special occasion which is special to them as the Republic of China on Taiwan and their coming into being on October 10, 1911, that’s why it is called 10/10 celebration.

I want to take this opportunity to openly celebrate with the people of Taiwan on this auspicious occasion and with the government of the Republic of China on Taiwan. So as I write, I am in a celebrative mood and I feel on top of the world because I am of the view that Taiwan is a country that is highly thought of and one many thinks is one of the most honest countries in the world.

I, therefore, take this opportunity to write on their behalf and in Saint Lucia as I celebrate with them because in all my world travels Taiwan in my estimation is one of the most democratic country and a leader on that front in the world. I have always been adamant that they should be part and parcel of all institutions in the world more so the United Nations who refuse them entry to its numerous institutions due to China belligerence and the false premise of their “One China Policy” based on the 1992 principle that was never made or ever existed. Yet the United Nations knowing of that continues to let itself be dominated by the thinking that China has imposed on them. The time has come to dismantle that institution and even with the disgust, I had for Trump I was happy with the way he treated that organization.

In my view, the UN has now passed its sell-by date and has become a talking shop. It is hard to understand how this institution that took over from the League of Nations to help in bringing about peace and tranquillity in the world is now being virtually controlled by five countries that have the right to veto, more so when 160 countries have to abide by their wishes.

This is absurd and unacceptable and what is even worse is that China has now bought its way in all these institutions of the UN and continues to block Taiwan at every turning. Well, I now hope that our new prime minister Philip J Pierre and foreign minister Alva Baptiste will be forthright in the manner they defend Taiwan’s right as a country and a people at every international forum.

I am personally loyal to Taiwan because they have asked for very little of me or my country for the continued help we have had from them. The little they ask from us is to support them in their right to exist as a democratic nation. They have been exceptionally generous to our young in terms of their education, their help in farming and constituency support in numerous projects they have financed. It is little to ask, that we speak on their behalf whether at the United Nation or otherwise.

Yes, that is very little to ask in return for their support. They want us to stand by them when we speak at International forums like the United Nations more so now when it is dominated by China and their henchmen. The Taiwanese people try to live their lives in peace and tranquillity as an independent free country, just as we are, instead of what is being imposed on them by those who wanted to conquer them to enrich themselves.