Taiwan must avoid becoming a new Tibet

A.V.

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Why is it that the Dalai Lama, the spiritual and political leader of the Tibetan people, does not live in Tibet? Many people are aware that the Dalai Lama lives in exile and that he has done so for 51 years, but surprisingly few in Taiwan are familiar with the story of why he was forced to flee 51 years ago.

Recently, a Chinese-*language version of the Dalai Lama’s autobiography My Land and My People was published in Taiwan and it is an absolute must for anyone curious about that time in history. More importantly, the book also provides many lessons for Taiwan today as it faces the formidable challenge of rapprochement with China.

What happened in Tibet half a century ago? Why did the country not enjoy peace after signing a “peace agreement” with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), a document that is better known as the Seventeen-Point Agreement, in 1951?

Why did Tibet’s capital, Lhasa, later erupt into mass riots and why was the Dalai Lama forced to flee his homeland?

The Seventeen-Point Agreement not only failed to facilitate a sustainable peace, it resulted in exile for many, with more than 100,000 people losing their homes and thousands more their lives.

In My Land and My People, the Dalai Lama says that when he accepted an invitation from India to take part in the 2,500th Buddha birthday celebrations in 1956, he did not want to return to Tibet.

However, then-Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru persuaded the first premier of the People’s Republic of China, Zhou Enlai (周恩來), to personally guarantee that the CCP would not enforce its “reforms” on the Tibetan people.

That was the reason the Dalai Lama was willing to return to home.

However, after only a few years, the situation deteriorated so badly that he had no choice but to flee for India.

If we look at more recent history, in 1979, when paramount leader Deng Xiaoping (鄧小平) said that everything other than independence was open for discussion, the Dalai Lama decided to start negotiations with the CCP for the welfare of his 6 million countrymen in Tibet.

To that end he asked for a high degree of autonomy and gave up on ever gaining independence.

However, in 30 years of China-Tibetan talks, little of substance has been achieved and the CCP still accuses the Dalai Lama of being a separatist.

The CCP has also not wasted time, seizing more and more land in Tibet, encouraging “Han” Chinese immigration and promoting large-scale sinification.

Today there are more “Han” Chinese residents in Lhasa than Tibetans and Tibet is becoming a second Mongolia, where not even 20 percent of the population is Mongolian.

Tibet’s experience in negotiating with the CCP has been a bloody one and this is an experience that Taiwanese must not forget in their own dealings with China.

Some people in Taiwan propose signing a “peace agreement” with China, but with no war between the two countries, why do we need to sign a peace agreement?

If there is a war, how is it that the governments of Taiwan and China continue to exchange friendly words with one another?

The lessons of history are there to be learned: A “peace agreement” with China failed to save the Tibetan people and that is something the Taiwanese public needs to think about long and hard


http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2010/04/02/2003469541
 

Yusuf

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I really hope that the taiwanese people don't get converted to sissys like the tibetans and fight for their right to be free.

That Taiwan arms itself is reassuring that it will fight even if its a losing battle against the bigger PLA. But if the US comes in the picture as we expect to, then china can forget about taiwan forever. Unless off course it wants to own a rubble of a land by blowing it to bits.

The real advantage Taiwan has in a war as a defender is the Taiwan strait. Chinese trying to land an expeditionary force will be very calmly be killed by the Taiwan army without raising much sweat.

What I fail to understand is why has taiwan not declared independence already. The US says its committed to a one china policy but is the protector of Taiwan and also arms taiwan. Nothing is going to come out of it. Taiwan should declare independence.
 

johnee

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I really hope that the taiwanese people don't get converted to sissys like the tibetans and fight for their right to be free.
Yusuf, I think we will not be able to understand the situation of Tibetans unless we are put in their situation. We must not forget that as recently as 60yrs ago, India was enslaved by a small island which ruled us from across the sea. And we could do nothing. Today, Tibetans are in a similar position but the nation they are dealing with is much bigger and much nearer, reducing their options.

It seems HH Dalai Lama's peaceful means has failed and the alternate method must be used by the Tibetans, if they intend to be free or even autonomous.

That Taiwan arms itself is reassuring that it will fight even if its a losing battle against the bigger PLA. But if the US comes in the picture as we expect to, then china can forget about taiwan forever. Unless off course it wants to own a rubble of a land by blowing it to bits.
I am not sure, US would really want to enter directly against China. US generally sponsors the proxies but does not support them physically in war.

The real advantage Taiwan has in a war as a defender is the Taiwan strait. Chinese trying to land an expeditionary force will be very calmly be killed by the Taiwan army without raising much sweat.
I think China will not attack Taiwan militarily. China would want to take over Taiwan without an explicit war, that would mean cultural, political, back-door means.

What I fail to understand is why has taiwan not declared independence already. The US says its committed to a one china policy but is the protector of Taiwan and also arms taiwan. Nothing is going to come out of it. Taiwan should declare independence.
Politics. Politicians within Taiwan seem to be open to the idea of merging with CCP China. Its the people that are opposed to the idea.
 

Iamanidiot

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Yusuf the US will not let PRC get a 500 billion $ boost in its GDP by occupying Taiwan too add to that R&D .The US is pragmatic it won't allow PRC to grab Taiwan
 

amoy

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Even in ROC (Taiwan)'s constitution sovereignty over Mainland and Outer Mongolia persists. Declaring independence entails amendment of it which requires an absolute majority.

Being an export oriented economy, Taiwan simply has got too dependent on Mainland
Mainland takes largest share of Taiwan's trade surplus(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-09-01 15:22 Comments(0) PrintMailThe Chinese mainland was Taiwan's biggest export market in the first half, accounting for almost a third of the island's exports, according to the island's trade bureau.

Taiwan's trade surplus with the Chinese mainland in the first half amounted to $24.4 billion, up 21.7 percent from the first half last year and the highest level in four years, the bureau said in a report.

The bureau predicted the annual trade surplus would hit a new high.

The first-half cross-Straits trade volume reached $56.76 billion, a 22.1 percent rise.

The Chinese mainland's exports to Taiwan Province reached $16.18 billion, up 23.1 percent, while imports from Taiwan totaled $40.58 billion, up 21.7 percent.

The Chinese mainland accounted for 30.2 percent of Taiwan's gross exports, a 0.9 percent increase, indicating "the island's increasingly high dependence on cross-Straits trade", the report said.

The report also showed the Chinese mainland's exports in July increased by 27 percent, bucking a global economic downturn.
http://www3.nccu.edu.tw/~ctung/Documents/W-C-b-2-2.doc
 

Necrosis Factor

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It's the substantial business community in Taiwan that itches towards very close relations with the mainland. They pumped close to $200 billion into their investments, and don't want to lose it by politically alienating themselves. It's the money that sways the politicians to bring Taiwan closer to the Mainland.

Plus close to a million Taiwanese out of population of 23 spend more than half of the year in China.
 

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