From: li@sicvax.enet.dec.com (Tom Li)
Subject: Re: more than 50% support TI
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1992 23:30:43 GMT


In article <1992Dec28.183258.15056@cbnews.cb.att.com>, liaohen@cbnews.cb.att.com (Heng-Hsin Liao) writes...
>From article <1992Dec24.210642.20294@dec8.ncku.edu.tw>, by lws@eembox.ncku.edu.tw (WenHsiang Lin):
>> In article <1ha24sINNk3@pollux.usc.edu> mcyang@pollux.usc.edu (Bien-Chao Iunn) writes:
>> 
>>>In article <BzKwGA.3Ht@ulowell.ulowell.edu> cshi@cs.ulowell.edu (Chunde Shi) 
>>>writes:
>>>>When "36%" became a "big win", I thought it was less than 50% and minority.
>>>>I could be wrong. You got to be ready to hear anything when you talk to TIers.
>> 
>>>If we count in those votes to the main stream KMT candidates, such as Chen 
>>>Jer-Nan, Wu Zee, Lin Yu-Shian, etc, who support "One China, One Taiwan" 
>>>policy,  more than 50% of Taiwanese have voted for Taiwan Independence.
>> 
>> You are really an optimist. Some people, including I, gave their votes to
>> DPP just because they wanted to add some more justice and fairness to this
>> society, nothing to do with TI or Unification. Although I am not against TI,
>> I don't support TI either. I believe "Time" is the best solution of the
>> controveral between TI and unification.
>> 
>> WenHsiang Lin
> 
>Yes, I know probably the biggest percentage group of voters have the same
>thought as you have. Some of them vote DPP for more fairness and balance.
>Some of them vote KMT for more stability. Their votes do not speak for
>independence or unification.
> 
>Speaking of "Time", the following is my opinion.
> 
>For unification, we can say "I have no problem with that but let's talk
>about it say 5 or 10 years later." And after the timespan, we play the
>same game and we can argue "Hey, Taiwan and China are just too different
>to work things out now. Make your pace faster. We talk about it 5/10
>years later." The question is how long we want to play this game? You
>know the answer is controlled by China not by us.
> 
>That's the key thing. We have no (or few) control to the answer. It
>could be 5 years, 10 years, 30 years, 50 years, or 100+ years. Who knows?
>But what is Taiwan going to do in this timespan? Does 20 some
>not-so-important countries' recognition satisfy us? Does the pace of one
>important international organization every 2 or 3 years satisfy us? Don't
>we care who we are and what others call us?
> 
>The same questions above should be asked to voters who neither
>pro-unification nor pro-independence. No name is not a name. No policy
>is not a policy. One of the major obstacles against Taiwan's stepping
>toward a high-technology society is that we cannot get our fair share
>because we are not able to speak for ourselves. Why? Don't ask others,
>ask ourselves. As long as we stay where we are, we won't be eligible
>for speaking for most of the cases. An island regime that claims China?
>Not! So either get our big brother China speak for us or do something
>ourselves.
> 
>For independence, it is not a matter of referendum first and things will
>work out just fine. For example, will it be a referendum of declaring
>independence immediately or a referendum that specify the independence
>time frame? The latter gives us time for preparation. But it also gives
>China time to ruin our decision. Okay, say immediate independence, how
>many domestic issues and how many international issues will come up?
>Constitution, laws, infrastructures, defence capability, and many more.
>We won't be able to solve those in a short period of time. At the same
>time, how much we need to devote to watching the reaction of China?
> 
>The questions above do not mean that I am pessimistic on independence.
>What I am saying is we need to think about a lot of issues and prepare
>for those before an independence referendum is held. The key thing is
>this is under our own control although it won't be easy.
> 
>Yes, we need some "time." But what we need it for is to prepare for
>our future instead of watching the world goes by. Sitting and watching
>just won't work the issues out. Agree?
> 
> 
>Heng-Hsin

Personally I dont support immediate independence or immediate unification. 
But I think independence and unification are two of options for Taiwan's 
future.

I dont support immediate TI based on the following reasons:

1. Why some TIers think we have to deny our Chinese (or Wah-Ren) identity 
in order to support TI. Why a new nation (if necessary) can not be built 
with Chinese/Taiwanese identity? Is there anything wrong with our Chinese 
identity? Where did our ancestors come from?

2. Potential military confrontation with China if Taiwan declares independence.
Some TIers said this is just fantasy I think this kind of response very 
irresponsible. 

3. After 40 years of separation and hostility have we given unification and 
peace a chance? how do we know unification impossible and is a bad thing? why 
people have to think unification means Taiwan will be ruled by CPP's China why 
unification can not be two nations (ROC and PRC) under a Chinese commonwealth? 
Why definition of unification has to be so rigid?

4. We already have defacto independence certainly many of us are not 
satisfied with the current situation. But will official independece lead 
Taiwan to international recogintion? Or just further diplomatic isolation 
or even war? Will independece bring us better life? Do those TIers have 
answers? 

The reasons I dont support immediate unification are even more clear and no
need to mention.

Therefore, I would rather stay "status quo" until things become more clear.
(And "status quo" does not mean we stand still there are many things we can 
do). Before then, I think Taiwan government should legalize the TI activities 
people have rights to know if independence is a right thing or we may really
need it someday... in the meantime the government should speed up the culture 
and trade etc exchange with Mainland China and establish air and sea links 
with China ...etc so that people in Taiwan can see if unification possible. 
After a period of time, say 10 to 20 years, Taiwan should re-evaluate her 
position and decide what to do next.

Newsgroups: soc.culture.taiwan